Its simplicity oozes quality (Apple iPod Nano (4G) 8 GB)

Member Name: bucksfizz66

Product:	Apple iPod Nano (4G) 8 GB
Date:	13/06/09 (24 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Simply to use, brilliantly designed, outstanding in comparison to others

Disadvantages: Too small for the ipod sock, choose your accessories carefully

I have just bought the Ipod Nano 4G 8GB in Pink for my daughter, before we get into the technicalities of the product the cheapest way I bought this was through Littlewoods Direct Price £109 (not Littlewoods where its £135!), as a first time customer using a code off topcashback I got £30 off, and tracking it through this website gave me 8% cashback aswell (on the excluding VAT price) which meant I picked this up for circa £70. And if you've already registered with Littlewoods Direct as a customer - find a friend that hasn't.

I'm not entirely sure what I was expecting from Apple I first considered them ironically after doing a case study on them for my masters, my daughter is outgrowing her fisher price fp3 rapidly and can now read but I still wanted a simple to operate MP3 for her without too many un-necessary menus - the Ipod presented itself as a viable solution. First suprise for me was the size - this is a sleek design , smaller than a mobile, extremely light that oozes quality through the simplicity of its design. I didn't like having to flex it off its plastic mount that it sits on in the box - its so small you feel you will break it.

As beautiful as the design is you get the impression you need to protect it lest it becomes scratched and tired looking. I look at the clear skins but opted for the clear case as this was for my daughter. I still feel it needs an Ipod sock to go in but having looked at the universal size apple socks I feel that the nano is too small and would very easily slip out.

The instruction start up guide in the box is brief, you also get a USB charger and simple set of headphones. I have bought a USB to plug adapter as opposed to a separate adaptor.

The top of the Ipod has a small switch to enable you to lock the "keypad" as this is touch sensitive, on the bottom of the Ipod are points for the USB/charger and headphones.

Like most I think I grappled with the music transfer to start with but once you know how it's simple, it's a memory stick essentially, I have only transferred CD's I have to say not downloaded from itunes. The ipod for sure has capabilties beyond my notions, its genius feature for example will facilitate listening to other songs that are similar to one that you identify you like, shake it and it moves to another song in the library randomly as opposed to sequentially. The cover flow feature means that if you tilt the ipod on its side then the image also rotates to suit The screen is 2 inches on the diagonal - so amply sized for viewing. I'm not sure at this stage how much this will get used but for viewing photos on there it is great. Games and movies can also be played on it - but we are unlikely to use this function.

All of the control is through the click wheel at the front with forward /back / play / pause and Menu, the centre also acts like an "OK/Selector switch". For menu scrolling you just gentle move your finger/thumb up and down the click wheel area. When the screen goes to sleep (blacks out) you wake it up by move your finger over the click wheel in the same way. The Ipod switches on by pressing any key on the front and switches off by holding the play/pause button. Simplicity itself. The main menu you see as soons you switch on and states Music, Videos, Photos, Podcasts, Extras, Settings, Shuffle Songs. No ambiguity like with mobiles.

At 8GB it will reputible hold 2000 songs and 7000 photos however this would depend on file size, not withstanding that, unless you've got loads of CD's this to me seems an adequate capacity at circa 130 CDs (single album types). We all have differing requirements thought.

Summary: This product leaves others standing

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