Full Review
Features and Design The main attractions toward the new 3rd generation iPod nano form a sort of techie troika: the reduced size of the iPod body, the enlarged widescreen LCD and the introduction of video playback to the nano family. Apple, as one could expect, paid very close attention to their customer base – including compliments, critiques or wishes - and delivered exactly what the mass market desires. The body of the nano has been completely revamped. Instead of the tall, thin design of the 1st and 2nd gen iPod nanos, the 3rd gen has been widened just a little and cut down to almost half the height. Some first impressions led it to be referred to as the "fat nano", but once the 3rd gen nano was released to retail stores, all the jokes turned to fervent praise. Few people expected the "fat nano" to wind up so incredibly thin and light. It makes sense though - the nano is only 2.75" x 2.06" x 0.26" and weighs 1.74 oz. The new LCD screen is also a great improvement - nearly 40% larger LCD, with a 320x240 pixel screen res. The colors are extra bright and lively. Photos look impressive. Album art looks very nice and is more visible, thanks to the increased screen size. Video playback on this 3rd gen iPod nano is arguably the best feature of them all. While the iPod nano is not and never will be the exclusive video player for consumers, it is a fantastic way to enjoy videos, TV shows, home movies and funny YouTube clips (converted, of course) when on the road, stuck in mass transit, etc. The inclusion of the new "Cover Flow" user interface just adds a thick layer of icing to an already delicious cake. Even with all the new features - video, Cover Flow, etc. - the new nano gets upwards of 24 hours of battery time for audio and 5 hours of video playback time. The tiny battery can quickly charge to 80% in about 90 minutes. The remaining 20% takes an additional 90 minutes. The nano itself is very lightweight, as mentioned above, but it doesn't feel flimsy at all. In fact, the metal body adds a sensation of strong durability. The glass screen is scratch resistant. The anodized aluminum front is also resistant to scratches and will survive well in a pocket full of loose change, keys, etc. It shouldn't be abused - duh - but you can at least rest assured that it won't get utterly thrashed in a matter of a few days (or weeks, months, ad infinitum). The shiny metal back of the nano, however, is much more sensitive to scratches and fingerprints - egads, the fingerprints. (Most of us don't mind fingerprints on our MP3 players, but we do occasionally freak out when the iPod shows us how much icky oils our bodies can produce! Blech.) The nano has a single 1/8" (3.5mm) audio jack and comes with a set of earbuds. Those earbuds sound good (much better than most low-cost earbuds on the market today), but to get the full effect of the nano's sound production, you'll need a higher quality pair of headphones. Trust us on this. The beauty and rockin' awesomeness of your music is hidden behind mediocre Apple earbuds. As with all iPods these days, the nano has a 30-pin dock connector on the bottom. Apple includes a dock adapter so you can connect the 3rd gen nano to an unlimited number of iPod speaker systems. Also on the bottom of the nano is the lock button. Slide the button to the right (exposing the orange marking) and the buttons on the front of the iPod are disabled. It's a feature common to all iPods. The 3rd gen iPod nano comes in five colors - silver, blue, green, black and red. Apple includes the following with the iPod nano: earphones, USB 2.0 sync/charging cable, universal dock adapter, quick start guide. 
The Apple iPod nano
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by Derek on March 26, 2008:
“My friend gave me his old iPod mini because he had just bought the new classic iPod 80GB and I use the iPod mini every day but sadly but true the battery on it is dying out and now it only lasts 10-15 minutes after an all night charge and I like the iPod nano...” More...