It’s been a while since Apple revised any of the iPods, and a few weeks ago, we saw some major changes to many in the line. The iPod touch saw its first major change since its original release with the addition of HD video recording and Face Time, to name a few. The nano and the shuffle changed most drastically, though, with completely new form factors and features.
For many customers, the nano and the shuffle are now closely matched products. Both feature a convenient built-in belt clip, both are very small in size and are easily clipped to clothing/bags, etc. and both models come in a variety of colors. However, the similarities between the two models stop here.
The shuffle is still the perfect solution for the athletic iPod user looking for something small, lightweight and simple to use. A great improvement was made to the shuffle by reverting back to a style seen a few years ago (rarely, if ever, has this happened in Apple history!). The shuffle once again has the clickwheel on the iPod itself, rather than on the headphones.
Apple did keep the VoiceOver feature, which is great for finding your playlists and identifying artists. The shuffle also works great for Podcasts, so don’t limit yourself to just music! Unfortunately, the one thing that the shuffle is not great for is audio books (due to both the lack of screen and capacity size), so if you’re an avid audio book listener you might want to consider the nano instead.
Speaking of the nano, it now features a whole new look and a touch screen that is very similar to the iPod touch. You simply swipe your finger on the screen to navigate through different options on the screen and tap an icon to select a feature such as music, audio books, photos and radio. One thing Apple omitted: the iPod nano no longer includes a video camera—perhaps because the small, shuffle-like form factor is not really conducive for video playback. If you’re looking for video capabilities, you’ll want to look at the iPod touch.
The iPod nano still uses Apple’s dock connector, so it will fit into most third party docking stations, stereos, and any other accessory that utilizes that connection. Of course, it is still compatible with any device, headphones or headsets that use the standard 3.5mm port.
iPod nanos and iPod shuffles are in stock (though supplies are somewhat limited initially due to popularity), so stop in and check them out!