Apple iPod nano (4GB)

The iPod nano is a wonder to behold. Its extremely sleek lines measure 89 x 40 x 7mm and it is a lightweight at only 42g. While its predecessor, the iPod mini, had been a tiny bundle of metallic joy, the nano has taken the miniÂ’s form factor to a higher and thinner level. Placing the nano in a side-by-side comparison with the first-generation iPod, the latter looks like an overweight matriarch that is horribly behind the times and fashion.

Design
The slender form of the nano makes it an MP3 player that is truly portable. You can slip it into the pocket of your shirt, hang it around your neck with Apple's lanyard earphones or tuck it snugly into your tiny purse. Anywhere that it goes, the nano turns invisible and you will forget you even brought it out of the house. Its flash memory ensures it doesn't skip a beat, which is good for music lovers who are always on-the-go.

	Too slim, too anoxeric. Click for larger image

The nano has retained most of the iconic features that has made the iPod so popular. The 1.25-inch Click Wheel is smooth and responsive to the touch while the 1.5-inch, 16-bit color display is bright and crisp even under direct sunlight, displaying photos with a vibrancy that exceeded our expectations given such a small screen at a mere 172 x 132 pixels.

However, the display has also been at the center of a debate that has been raging on the other side of the world. Many users have complained of its susceptibility to scratches, with some bemoaning their cracked displays. While our black review unit is still displaying colors radiantly, its screen has now become the home for a web of hairline scratches.

On the downside, the nano also features the reflective stainless steel backside that has plagued most iPod users with its penchant for attracting fingerprints and scratches. In addition, the luster of the nano's shiny acrylic surface can be diminished by, again, scratches that seem to be particularly attracted to it. While we are not terribly fond of these imperfections, there seems nothing much we can do except to spend more money on items such as silicon cases and screen protectors.

The Hold button occupies a lonesome territory at the top of the nano, while the standard dock connector and earphone jack hold the fort at the bottom. Although the position of the earphone jack needs some getting used to, it does make sense when you use it together with the lanyard earphones.

A new iPod nano ships with the standard package of earbuds, as well as a dock connector-to-USB 2.0 cable and a software CD. An addition to the package is the iPod dock adapter, which enables the iPod nano to be compatible with future incarnations of the dock.

One thing we feel Apple has neglected is the iconic white earbuds that ship with all units of the iPod nano, even the sleek black version. It just seems terribly mismatched to have a gorgeous black iPod nano and white earbuds. Are you hearing us, Apple?

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