iPod Nano (3G) 8GB - One of the Best MP3 Players Ever (Apple iPod nano (3G) 8 GB)

Member Name: FlashMagic

Product:	Apple iPod nano (3G) 8 GB
Date:	03/01/09 (44 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent sound quality, easy to download music, reliable

Disadvantages: DRM locked music, 79p a song is expensive

iPod Nano 3rd Generation 8GB - So much joy from something so small

iPods are the latest fashion for those wanting quick and easy access to music of their choice at affordable prices. Since the first iPod from Apple came out people having been fixated on them. I remember the days of the portable disc player, hauling a massive disc player which couldn't fit in your pocket, and that's before you have to carry the discs round which had a habit of getting damaged, especially when on the move. Now that the iPod has come along it makes all the problems of the disc player like size and portability thing of the past. With the ability to hold thousands of songs, videos, games, images and other applications on such a small device it is extremely appealing to all.

The Nano has 8GB of memory which is enough for about 2000 songs which is good enough for me but the only problem I have is that the wheel used to change songs etc. is too small for me and I sometimes find it hard. I'd advise for men to upgrade to a bigger iPod (Bigger is better?). You can also get a range of coloured iPods but I'd go for a black one as some of the lighter coloured ones mark easier, however the screen and back cover are still fairly strong.

The sound quality is fairly strong aswell being that you can tweak numerous settings like bass etc. Sadly though if you don't want to always use your headphones you need to invest in some speakers but the sound quality does degrade slightly.

As with all iPods though I advise getting a case to protect it (It's quite delicate) a cleaning cloth and a wall charger. Also the headphones which come with the iPod are generally of poor quality so you should invest some money so you can get a good pair.

The iPod Nano 3rd G is no different from its predecessors in terms of ease of application, it is still as easy to carry around and what's more on its 2inch screen you can view images and watch videos, also there is the new way you can flick between albums with the album flow (where it lines all the album covers up and you can just flick between them)

But of course all this is great but if the software on the iPod is poor what's the point? Well Apple has succeeded here again with iTunes. They make it so simple and easy to download songs, videos, games and movies. On itunes there are literally millions of songs and videos to choose from. Also now you can buy new games and applications for your iPod. It's easy to synchronise your iPod to your itunes download everything you have bought off itunes onto your iPod.

The only gripes I have with itunes is that music bought comes DRM encrypted which means you can't copy it onto another device without unlocking it via software off the internet. Also at 79p a song it's quite expensive and if you want a music library with thousands of songs it's going to set you back quite a bit. However when you balance up the costs and the ease and efficiency of using itunes it is worth it.

I think if you're looking for a new MP3 player you can't really go wrong here but beware of hidden costs and what it might cost you after if you get a new device after this one.


Disclaimer: I also write under the name of 'Jemzoid'. This work is mine and mine alone.

Summary: Can't go wrong here

Processing/Quality:
Reliability:
Ease of use:
Features:
Sound quality:
Download speed: