iPod nano (second-generation)

Return of the iPod mini?

iPod nano
Manufacturer: Apple (product page)
System requirements: Macintosh computer running Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later, USB 2.0 port; Windows PC running Windows 2000 SP4 or Windows XP SP2, USB 2.0 port; iTunes 7.0
Price: $149 (2GB), $199 (4GB), $249 (8GB) (shop for the iPod nano)

Only a year has passed between Apple's introduction of the first generation of iPod nano and now. With a sizable share of the flash player market at this point, Apple revamped all of its flash players last week with a new generation of iPod nanos and iPod shuffles. The second generation iPod nano line gets a brighter screen, software updates, new headphones, new packaging, and most noticably, an entirely new enclosure made of anodized aluminum. The new case also marked the return of colors besides black and white—essentially turning the 2G nano into a smaller, flash-based, color-screened iPod mini.

After a brief stint cross-dressing as a 1GB player, the new line of iPod nanos check in at 2GB and 4GB once again, with the addition of a higher-capacity model with 8GB of storage space. The available nano colors are silver, green, blue, pink, and black. The lowest-end model, the 2GB, only comes in silver with the 4 GB model being available in all colors but black. The high-end 8GB model comes in only black. It's interesting choice of colors for Apple, who seems to be telling us one of several things: that users who want higher-end products prefer black, users who buy black Apple products want higher-end products, or that users who prefer black products simply have more money to blow (as evidenced by the infamous "black tax" on the black MacBook, whose higher price comes at absolutely no hardware advantage aside from a slightly larger hard drive).

The pricing of the 8 GB model is interesting as well—at $249, it's now the same price as Apple's current 30GB regular-sized iPod, which only emphasizes the theory that users who are going to buy a black 8GB nano are doing so because of form factor and aesthetics, not because of storage capacity. One thing is for sure, and that is that the tight limitation to the "boring" silver on the low-end model is clearly meant to propel color-envious customers to spend a bit more for the 4GB model.

Opening the package

Steve Jobs seemed to make a big deal during the announcement of the new iPod nanos about the reduction in size of the nano's packaging, sitting at a 52 percent reduction in volume. Great! Instead of the standard iPod box, the 2G nano's packaging is a hard, clear plastic casing with the nano suspended in the middle and accessories hidden underneath.

The new packaging seems to almost understate the gravity of the nano purchase itself, which is actually something that Apple would like and probably wants. iPods are becoming so ubiquitous that it has become something of an accessory rather than a pricey consumer electronics purchase. The new iPod nano's packaging makes it seem like the perfect "little gift" for that college student in your life, or a cool stocking stuffer for your high schooler. Whether the repacking and resulting repositioning of the nano will spur sales remains to be seen.

The 2nd gen iPod nano comes standard with a USB 2.0 iPod cable, an iPod dock adapter, and a set of headphones. Notice the lack of installation CD that used to come with the iPod nano? Apple seems to have decided that users don't need that silly CD taking up space and got rid of it, which is fine for almost all Mac users, but might prove problematic for some PC users, especially those who do not already have iTunes 7.0 installed. In fact, the first step in the instructions is "Download and install iTunes 7.0."

Earbuds

The new earbuds do not come with the black, spongy covers of yore—you just stick 'em in your ears naked. The new earbuds are very similar to the old ones, but with a smoother profile and rubber liners around the edges to help keep them in the ears. One thing that I noticed is that they seem to fit in my ears a lot better than the old ones did. The sound quality seems the same.

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