Apple iPod nano 4 - 16GB fourth generation

When I first glimpsed the leaked photos of Apple's skinny, rounded-screen redesign of the iPod nano, I have to admit I was a bit skeptical. It seemed so unlike Apple to revisit the older designs of its first- and second-generation nano, and the wing-shaped form seemed a bit odd. Holding the nano 4G in my hand, however, I'm starting to think that last year's squarish design was just an awkward, forgettable phase in the nano's development. This year, Apple has set the nano back on track with the thinnest, lightest design yet, and features that are hard to ignore.
The colors of the new iPod nano.

Offered in a wide range of colors (nine in total) for both the 8GB (S$248) and 16GB (S$328) capacities, the latest iPod nano strikes a great balance of price and features. The iPod nano 4G uses the same high-resolution 2-inch screen found on last year's model, only now the included screen uses a portrait orientation covered with rounded glass. Video playback requires you to turn the iPod nano 4G on its side, much like the flash-based Microsoft Zune MP3 players.

Unlike the Zune, however, Apple has included an accelerometer within the 4G nano that reorients the display based on how the player is held, making it easier to view photos or switch the player into Apple's Cover Flow music mode. The accelerometer also enables a new "shake-to-shuffle" feature that will automatically shuffle music playback when the player is deliberately shaken (a casual shake won't trigger the feature). The shake-to-shuffle feature can be switched off under settings and the button-hold switch at the top of the player will disengage it, as well.

Accelerometers are neat, but the big new feature rolled into the iPod nano (as well as the new iPod touch, iPod classic, and iTunes 8), is a new intelligent playlist feature dubbed "Genius." Using the Genius feature, you can take a single song from your collection and create an instant playlist of 25 songs that share similar musical characteristics. Of course, the performance of the Genius function is proportional to the size of your available music collection--so mileage may vary. It is a novel new feature, however, and it'll be fun to test over time.

Other smaller features on the 4G nano include the option to create voice recordings using an optional set of headphones that include an inline microphone (much like the headphones included with the Apple iPhone), and increased accessibility features for vision-impaired users (font size adjustment and the ability for menus and media information to be read aloud from a built-in synthetic voice). Previous nano features such as music, photo, podcast, and video playback are unchanged, and extras like games, alarms, calendars, contacts, stopwatch, and notes are all still there.

The only bummer so far regarding the new iPod nano is that despite the similarities of screen size and features, Apple is not offering an upgrade path for iPod nano 3G users to get their hands on features such as on-device Genius playlist creation or increased accessibility features. Otherwise, sound quality seems to be about on a par with previous iPods, and battery life ratings of 24 hours for music and 4 hours are nearly identical to last year's specs, which promised 24 hours of audio and 5 hours of video. (from:cnet.com By Donald Bell Sep 10, 2008 )

Apple refreshes iPods - new ipod nano, new ipod touch

Apple's spell of secrecy seems to be losing some of its potency of late as we witnessed the unveiling of the new iPod nano which looks just like the leaked images a few days ago. So it's official, the nano goes back to its longish shape with an elongated display you turn on its side to watch videos in widescreen format. Also new in this iteration is a motion sensor which will adjust the orientation of the display and also allow you to shuffle music with a shake. It will come in 8GB (S$248) and 16GB (S$328) versions with nine different colors to choose from.

The iPod classic remains largely the same except for capacity. Instead of a thinner 80GB model and thicker 160GB one, there will now only be a thin 120GB iPod classic which will go for S$398.
The iPod touch has also been updated. It is now thinner and has a curved back, in line with the design of the iPhone 3G. Another significant hardware improvement is the integration of the Nike+ receiver into the touch--runners using the Nike+ system will require only the transmitter in the shoe. Like the last generation, this iPod will come in 8-, 16- and 32GB varieties at lower prices of S$388, S$498 and S$648, respectively.

For how to convert DVD Video to new ipod touch, nano-chromatic, please go to here for iPod video suite .
Also noteworthy are the new in-ear headphones with mic. Not only are these supposed to produce great sounds, they also come with a built-in microphones so you can record your voice using any of the above-mentioned new iPods. The Apple store doesn't list the iPhone 3G as one of this accessory's supported devices, so we suspect you can't use it as a wired headset. More on that tidbit once we manage to get an answer from the company.

All the new iPods can be ordered immediately from your country's Apple Web store. If your country doesn't have one of those, check with your local distributor for details.

See CNET's live coverage of Steve Jobs' speech at the recent Apple's "Let's Rock" event held in San Francisco. (from:cnet.com John Chan)