Apple iPod Nano 4th Generation 8 or 16 GB Review - Not As Good As It Could Be

At the risk of being another pebble on the proverbial beach I want to write about one of my latest acquisitions, the new iPod Nano.

This iPod replaces my 2 year old 2nd generation iPod.

The new iPod Nano really isn't all that good and here's why.

1. It's much the same size as a model manufactured nearly 3 years ago. Ironic because the previous model was half as large. The curved shape is merely asthetic, effective but asthetic.
2. The Cover Flow ability isn't really as good as Apple proclaims. Sorting visually is not nearly as fast or accurate as simple text. It wears down the battery and even when not tilted the iPod might have a fit of cover flow, infuriating you. Oh, and you can't disable it, yet.
3. Battery life has not improved at all.
4. Watching movies is an ancillary feature that the iPod can truly do without. Not only is the screen microscopic for movies but the storage capacity is bleak and getting a movie into an iPod compatible format is much akin to bashing your face with an eight pound sledgehammer.

iPods should concentrate on being iPods and doing it well. Trying to be all things to all people is a noble but inherently flawed method.

All that being said the iPod is a marvelous peice for a variety of reasons. It's interface is simple, stable, and completely reliable. That alone is the reason it is so popular worldwide. Other MP3 players attempt such ease of use most fail. Couple Apple's marketing prowess and their mastery of the user interface and you have an unbeatable product.

Where else do you find product anouncements that are treated more like galas, celebrity events, and watched by the end user. Not from Sony, Emerson, Microsoft, or HP.