New iPod Nano! Touch goes on a diet, Classic is refreshed and Shuffles are un-dulled

[Jondot]

Well, Apple must have been listening. I've been shouting for ages about the way they toned down the colours on Shuffles and Nanos.

Well ok, I expressed my displeasure once, but hey. I'm glad they're back.

The new Nano has the same screen as the current model (no complaints there) in a more traditional tall layout similar to the gen 2, and adds an accelerometer for a touch-style spinny screen thing and a gimmicky shake-to-shuffle feature. Engadget have raved at how slim it is, too (although I personally think the 3rd gen is actually slimmer, as it's not beveled in the middle). Oh, and it now comes in 16GB, and with a new pricetag of £20 less than before. No complaints there.

The new Touch... um... looks the same. But that's not a bad thing I guess. And the speaker supposedly sounds better, it's more thin and has a 'better concealed wifi antenna'. Oh well thank god - nothing puts the public off like a badly concealed wifi antenna. Anyway, I'm sure current touch owners (aside from being a little miffed that they're outdated already) will notice the difference.

The Shuffle is unchanged, I think. Aside from the rad new old colours, of course.


And the Classic gets a 120GB hard drive now, which is better... I think... What was it before?


Apple Store (US)



Any thoughts?

I like the new Nano. But only because of the colours - screw the accelerometer. And besides, turn it on its side and the scroll wheel doesn't make sense. There's nothing I hate more than a non-sensical scroll wheel. When my 3rd gen gives up I'll go out and immediately buy a green one. Or a yellow one. Or maybe blue... Oh god the choice!

As for the Touch, well it looks the same to me. So, fine I guess. And the shuffle looks exactly the same as the second gen to me, so that's a step forward IMO. Or rather, it's less of a step backwards than the gen 3 was.

 

[Sage]

That’s how I always thought the 3rd-gen nano should have been designed – I hate the fatty nano (looks like a pillow).

I’ve already installed iTunes 8, and there isn’t much new for me… I’ll probably never use the Genius feature (I already have a certain genius whom I consult for new music ), and the new grid view is only good for movies and podcasts.

 

[nick09]

The classic had 80GB and 160GB before. The Nano is just getting more bloated with that silly feature.

 

[Jondot]

That’s how I always thought the 3rd-gen nano should have been designed – I hate the fatty nano (looks like a pillow).

Agreed. I mean I still bought one when my mini broke, but it's essentially a horrid stubby little thing in profile. I've got used to it like I've got used to the bangle-ized BMWs, to be honest...

I haven't bothered with 8 yet. I just think they're trying to reinvent the wheel, and, well, this has happened:

I'm sorry, but lists are far more efficient when it comes to finding a song. I mean at least you can play around with coverflow a bit when you get bored - what's this supposed to do? Make you marvel at the wonder of thumbnails?

 

[Greycap]

Sounds like my 2nd generation 8GB Nano will still do just fine seeing that I use it for listening to music. It seems they're missing the point of the word "nano" with the development, it should be more like the Shuffle with a small screen to be truly nano. About the colours, I'd really like to see a black model instead of the dark grey unless the pictures are badly off in colour.

 

[Solid Fro]

Anyway, I'm sure current touch owners (aside from being a little miffed that they're outdated already) will notice the difference.

I'm miffed.

The new features are not enough for me to sell my 1G. However, if I was, an iPhone seems like a better deal for $299.

 

[CDailey]

👍 To the new Nano design and colors. The yellow and orange look badass.

I tried to update to iTunes 8.0, but software update tells me that 7.7.1 is the latest version.

 

[Jondot]

About the colours, I'd really like to see a black model instead of the dark grey unless the pictures are badly off in colour.

It's just the photo. The black 3rd gen looks like that under studio lighting.

 

[CDailey]

Oooh, iTunes finally updated. I like the new look. 👍 Genius is interesting too. Good for picking a quick playlist of similar songs. I really like it because I usually keep iTunes on shuffle and keep sifting through my songs while I play World of Warcraft, but now I can quickly and easily make a playlist before I start playing. 👍

 

[Eric.]

Actually, the screen is not the same on the new nano's. It has a wider (when viewed horizontally) aspect ratio so that it is the same widescreen aspect as the touch and iPhone.

And the touch never had a speaker, so it didn't just "get a better sounding" one. It also has exterior volume controls like the iPhone and a similarly curved back.

 

[HACKr]

If I wasn't in the market for a new synthesizer I'd have gone out and bought a 16 gig Nano today, in orange.

Anyway, still gotta update iTunes...

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

They look nice, but I still wouldn't get one.

Isn't this thread in the wrong section?

 

[YSSMAN]

Well, I think this is a sign that I may need to consider dumping my 6GB Mini. Its still working like a good soldier, but there are so many updates that make it sound like a good deal. No firm count on price (for the Nano and the Touch), I'm counting on a discount, but I'm not quite in the market yet.

I'll likely get an 8GB Nano in purple. Yes, purple.

 

[Cap'n Jack]

I like the new grid layout on iTunes, it's very similar to iPhoto. Maybe it'll be enough motivation to get more album covers. It appears the iPod Touch is a bit cheaper, which is good news for me!

 

[YSSMAN]

Is it just me, or is the update to iTunes 8.0 only cool because of the new visualizer?

 

[Cap'n Jack]

Is it just me, or is the update to iTunes 8.0 only cool because of the new visualizer?

I've never really checked out the visualiser on iTunes. I'm looking at it now, listening to a real upbeat ska song and it's the most amazing thing I've ever seen.

 

[CDailey]

OH MY GOD! The new visualizer is Magnetosphere!!! WOW! I've been waiting for over a year for this visualizer to return. It was originally a plugin designed for iTunes but apparently Apple bought it from thebarbariangroup. Very nice

I emailed them about a week ago and asked if they were still working on the project and they replied with a "sit tight, it will be here in a week or two. " Those sneaky bastards!

 

[Perfect Balance]

The shake feature is going to suck if you randomly go over a bump or something in your car.

 

[Muzaffar]

And the Classic gets a 120GB hard drive now, which is better... I think... What was it before?

Pfft. I have a 160GB version. Too bad I can't sync my songs on the iPod right now.

Anyways, can't believe that no one mentioned that the new iPod nano looks exactly like one of those Chinese MP4 players (which is based of the 2G iPod mini).....

But I agree with Greycap, this really is not what an iPod nano should look like. Seems way too big to use for jogging or whatever activities that the 2G iPod nano was known for.

As for iTunes 8, what is the big difference between it and the 7? I haven't really tried using iTunes on this laptop and I think its almost impossible to use it anyhow.....

 

[YSSMAN]

(which is based of the 2G iPod mini).....

As someone who still has a Mini and uses it everyday, I like the new look. The size isn't bothersome, and I suspect that this 4G Nano is still quite a bit smaller than the Mini I already have.

I still find it interesting they haven't released the new price on the Touch. But, even if they sit it at $200, I'm still not sure if its the best option available. But then again, if its only an extra $50 for Touch versus the Nano (with the same HDD), [Vincent Price] I'm listening... [/Vincent Price].

 

[Sage]

I still find it interesting they haven't released the new price on the Touch.

Huh? It's been on their website for over 24 hours now...

The shake feature is going to suck if you randomly go over a bump or something in your car.

The shake feature automatically turns off if you lock the nano or if its screen goes to sleep.

Seems way too big to use for jogging or whatever activities that the 2G iPod nano was known for.

It's almost exactly the same size as the 2G nano (0.1 inch taller, 0.1 inch less wide, and 0.02 inch thicker), and weighs less. I'm not sure how that qualifies as "way too big".

 

[YSSMAN]

Huh? It's been on their website for over 24 hours now...

I don't know why I didn't see it before, listed at $229. I'm not sure if $80 is worth the touch functionality between it and the Nano 8GB, but then again, you're paying for the internet things and such. Thats one I'll have to think about if I get back into the market again.

 

[V1P3R]

Nano... ha ha... ha. yay, elipse instead of oval.

Touch... gee, who'da thunk it, external speakers AND external physical vol buttons.

Shuffle... ahhHHhh, still can't see!



Meh... It's getting old apple...

 

[Sage]

So, are you going to buy another new iPod and then endlessly complain about it again?

 

[Muzaffar]

It's almost exactly the same size as the 2G nano (0.1 inch taller, 0.1 inch less wide, and 0.02 inch thicker), and weighs less. I'm not sure how that qualifies as "way too big".

D'oh! That must have slipped out of my mind. I was trying to say something like the 3G nano (which was smaller) and could practically used it with the Nike iPod Sport Kit or with them arm bands.....

Well since you did compare it with the 2G iPod, it does look a lot smaller than in that picture on the first post. My bad......

 

[GT Pro]

From the new features explained in the first post I'll assume the Touch's giggage has not increased. An affordable ($399AU) 32GB Touch would be perfect right now, but the $500AU currently required is just rediculous).

 

[Greycap]

It's almost exactly the same size as the 2G nano (0.1 inch taller, 0.1 inch less wide, and 0.02 inch thicker), and weighs less. I'm not sure how that qualifies as "way too big".

My point was actually "what they could have" instead of what they have. The new parts the thing is built of are smaller, lighter, cheaper, you name it. So why not shrink the entire gadget comfortably and keeping the same functionality instead of adding extra features useless to most buyers? I guess it's called marketing and when I was at school I sucked at it.

 

[Jondot]

So why not shrink the entire gadget comfortably and keeping the same functionality instead of adding extra features useless to most buyers?

It's no coincidence that the gen 1, 2 and 4 Nanos have all been designed to be the same size and shape. It's not the shape it is now because it won't go any smaller (although I'm sure they had a go at making it even slimmer), it's that shape because presumably they've tried to make it more like the original Nanos, and less like one that's been steamrollered. I'm sure they could make it smaller, but at the expense of form and ergonomics. And besides, in this shape, people are more likely to say "Oh, it's a Nano" than "What the hell is that fat thing?". Plus, chop down the size of the screen and the feature list and the current Nano owners would all cry, or worse for Apple, not bother upgrading.

And besides, I don't think you can shrink it comfortably any more than that. Much smaller than that and you'd inhale it by accident.

I do sort of see what you mean though - when it came out everyone was wowed by its size. Now, though, everything else has caught up. It doesn't bother me particularly though - I don't want to hit a point where I'm trying to use an iPod the size of Zoolander's phone.

 

[ExigeEvan]

Aww damn just as I had decided to go non-iPod for my next player the new Nano comes out. And while I hate the idea of having to use iTunes (Completely unfounded, I'd just rather stick with only windows media) it's tempting.. Damn tempting.

It's no coincidence that the gen 1, 2 and 4 Nanos have all been designed to be the same size and shape. It's not the shape it is now because it won't go any smaller (although I'm sure they had a go at making it even slimmer), it's that shape because presumably they've tried to make it more like the original Nanos, and less like one that's been steamrollered. I'm sure they could make it smaller, but at the expense of form and ergonomics. And besides, in this shape, people are more likely to say "Oh, it's a Nano" than "What the hell is that fat thing?". Plus, chop down the size of the screen and the feature list and the current Nano owners would all cry, or worse for Apple, not bother upgrading.

And besides, I don't think you can shrink it comfortably any more than that. Much smaller than that and you'd inhale it by accident.

I do sort of see what you mean though - when it came out everyone was wowed by its size. Now, though, everything else has caught up. It doesn't bother me particularly though - I don't want to hit a point where I'm trying to use an iPod the size of Zoolander's phone.

Much like when they tried shrinking mobile phones down to minisclue sizes then released no-one could press number that small and hated seeing only one line at a time on their texts.

Miniturisation meet ergonomics, place nice guys.

 

[Azuremen]

The new Touch is kind of disappointing, really. They've found bluetooth in it, but it is believed it is limited just to the Nike+ application. On top of that, they use a different processor than in the 1G iPod touch and 2/3G iPhone, so jailbreaking it is not an option and won't be for a good while.

Do I think paying 80 bucks more than a similar capacity Nano is worth it? Yes, because the Nano is not that great compared to other companies for a dedicated mp3/video player.