We had a chance to
paw this
beauty on Tuesday at the
Apple event, but finally getting home and spending some quality time with the device has given us a far deeper impression of just what the folks in Cupertino have done. So far our impressions are favorable: physically, the nano redesign is a move in the right direction for the company, leaving that awkward
previous generation nano on the cutting room floor, and falling much more in line with Apple's current design language. The player feels solid and compact -- maybe a bit too tiny for our big paws -- though build quality is on par with the 1st generation iPhone. You can tell a lot of careful rethinking went into this, and there's not an edge out of place. We're going to be doing a full review of the device and its new software, but for now feast your eyes on the gallery below.
posted Sep 11th 2008 2:21PM
You referred to your hands twice in that article as "paws."
Engadget are furries. This explains a lot.
Don’t be afraid, we just wanna Snuggle you >3
LOL, no but seriously, We ARE everywhere =3
Thats genuinely frightening.
At least I hit a squirrel this morning on the way to work.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=furry+porn&search_type=&aq=f
I'd hit that.
FAKE!!! the curve of the clickwheel and the rest sooo don't match up. ;-)
@Derry Quinn
Gimp
the got the 8gb Version "mp4 nano 4" here for only $74.99 here: http://www.gadgetgreats.com/2-0-4th-generation-8gb-mp4-nano---nano-iv.aspx pretty sure it is a nano-clone though
I'm voting Sisyphus up and Tremorwolf down. Time and place people. That and the squirrel comment made me laugh.
I don't know what it is, but I love unboxing shots.
I personally like shots of the "box".
is that the . . . . yellow? colour?
Let's nickname it the barf color.
Just about to ask that.. What color is that? Is that yellow? It's not near as vibrant as I would have hoped.. It looks mustard color. It could be Josh's camera, I guess.
It's yellow, but we've got waning light here in this corner of NYC, and the richness of the tone doesn't come out as much. They're very brightly colored!
The color name "Yellow Matter Custard Dripping From A Dead Dogs Eye" wouldn't fit on the packaging
And Apple Corps Ltd wouldn't allow it. Where are the Beatles on iTunes? Oh wait, Apple Corps Ltd.
i see it as lime
It's a bit chavy...
@onelove
Lime is green, that is a dirty gold yellow. Go colour blindness !
Ok. I'm not an environmental freak or anything of the like. But, how is this plastic case better than one thin box? Greenpeace goes after these companies playing the "Environmental Nazi", but I haven't heard much talk about these clear plastic cases. I'm a bit curious.
Now you don't have to cut down a tree to make a thousand boxes...now you just need to pump several barrels of oil...its TOTALLY better.
paper vs plastic.... I won't get into it now, but the boxes are clear to prevent that "bought the device and got a rock" problem that happened when you couldn't see inside the box.
Errr maybe they are recycled plastics?
Not smaller, just differently shaped. And why mustard? Get the red too and you've got a picnic theme!
I thought the click wheel was difficult to use with the 3rd gen. It felt to small.
As a side note, I think I'm going to rank everyone up from now on so I can actually read what the comments say. This gray text is starting to wear on my eyes.
Yeah, I like when low ranked people get dimmed down, but the neutrals are starting to give me eye strain.
they gotta get rid of the click wheel .. takes up too much real estate. Make the player shorter and design a new input method.
oh .. and the text for the neutral rating is too light.
.. .only low ranked should get a lighter text.
Yeah, the click wheel is unruly, but this new screen is completly useless.
it looks half decent displayed vertically, but turned on its side that clickwheel looks mighty big and spacious next to a screen begging for more real estate. 16:10 anyone?
the box looks really dusty
"...build quality is on par with the 1st generation iPhone."
Is that a good thing or bad thing? Can someone enlighten me because I'm thinking about buying one of these. Thanks.
I believe it to be a good thing. The original iPhone is built well. In the year plus that I've owned it the only "damage" I've noticed is the camera lens' coating has rubbed off of 2/3 of it and you can tell in a bright light/reflection. It just looks smudged. Picture quality (or lack of) has not been effected.
If you're thinking of buying the new Nano and were worried about the build quality I'd go ahead and buy.
The 3G's build quality is inferior to the original iPhone. So they just made that distinction. It was a compliment.
Sounds like an insult to me. Half of my friends with original iPhones had to take them back at some point because of touch conking out, unhearable speakerphones or such.
I am more curious about the screen, they said its glass, is it the same scratch resistant glass as the iPhone?
HA HA, i usually say stupid things on this site, but that was really a bad comment.
most likely, it's the same as the previous nano, it's very scratch resistant, you basically don't have to worry about it
The title should say 8GB since one of the shots is that model, not 4GB.
WOW!...walks away...
Yes, you are correct.
LOL!
...Fucking retard. You've missed ALL the news?
4G stands for "fourth generation"
DUHH
4G- 4th Generation, not 4GB
Actually, all of the shots are the 8GB model. You see, they're all of the exact same unit, and "spontaneously morph from 8GB to 4GB" is nowhere to be found on the feature sheet. And there is no 4G 4GB model. So there.
#1 rule of correcting someone: BE CORRECT!
OMG...is that what it is??? I have an iPod Nano 3G and couldn't figure out why the damn thing won't make phone calls...
@Phoenix don't be such a fucking douche
my god is it a crime if someone didnt get the abbreciations
grow the fuck up
Sure it was funny, but many of my friends think that the iPhone has a 3GB capacity because of 3G. It's an honest mistake, I would never call anyone a retard for it. Although, before I correct anyone, I ensure my facts are right first! Keep that in mind next time, NST.
Meh, I bought a Zune last night and could not be happier.
I think the Zune's a pretty good player but I wish they made an Ipod Touch equilvalent. : )
yes, you could.
I've had a few different Ipods and I was never impressed. However, like Ninja said, a touch equivalent would be nice.
^ What Kelly said.
Using Surface as it's OS, of course. :)
Dude, blur out the s/n...
Why, exactly?
I've seen a lot of people do that with all sorts of things (especially guitars), but since there's no warranty form to fill out, what does it matter? If you submit a warranty claim with that serial number, and then send them a different iPod, they'll know.
There's a good reason why I buy AAPL and never Apple. Steve is just such a genius for compelling people to buy pretty much the same product year after year. I feel a little guilty making money from iSheeps, but hey, man's gotta eat.
There was a 16GB iPod nano in last year's catalog?
Oh come on...
Honda makes a new Accord every 5 years, but they all have 4 wheels, doors, seats, etc. Only a little bit of styling difference here and there.
Apple changed the Nano a little this time, but they added more capacity, more colors, and they will probably sell a ton. And they don't expect people to buy a Nano each year... this may appeal to someone who has a 1st or 2nd gen Nano.
> "There's a good reason why I buy AAPL and never Apple. Steve is just such a genius for compelling people to buy pretty much the same product year after year."
What good is AAPL if people don't buy their stuff?
Actually Michael, I believe apple does want you to buy a new ipod every year.
http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/26/jobs-you-have-to-buy-a-new-ipod-at-least-once-a-year/
ALL companies want you to buy new all the time!
Like Jobs said, ""You keep on innovating, you keep on making better stuff." That's why they make iPods every year.
You certainly don't have to buy them. But, with 75% of the MP3 player market... 'someone' is ready to buy iPods at any given time.
I never bought an iPod for a number of reasons, but the last generation's design was the first one that made me want to get one. Now it's all vertical-looking again, and I'm not so sure I want one anymore. Since I'm just going to flash it with Rockbox anyway should I just go ahead and buy the old model before it's off the shelves or should I try to get used to this one?
their website says you cant use rockbox with anything but the 1st gen nano...
I got my 32GB iPod Touch 2G today as well. It's pretty sweet although the smudges on the polished silver back are starting to get to me. I'm having fun learning all the nuances.
its just like the 1g, right?
"That looks different than in the catalog" - said the mail-order-bride customer in anger!!!
To be environmental and all that, Apple should put the recycling code on the plastic box. Different cities recycle different types of plastic, and unless you know what type of plastic it is, you can't put it in for recycling.
You can't tell just by touching it?
It's polystyrene, like a CD jewel case.
Any cheap, hard clear plastic that feels dry to the touch is polystyrene. If it is white it's usually polystyrene too. Expensive hard clear plastic may be polycarbonate, but it feels "wetter" when you touch it and if you look at an angle, you can see it has a much higher refractive index. Polycarbonate is rarely used for packaging due to costs. Polypropelene feels a lot "wetter" when you touch it and can't really be made fully clear (only milky).
So prior to Tues, this was an ugly design.
Today it's beautiful.
Really?
funny that isn't it?
Steve J told everyone it is beautiful so it is.
i agree, a month ago or so, when the product design first came out, everyone was sure to say that it was ugly and wouldn'y happen. now it has a verticle screen just like the flash zunes. i am happily a zune user; i have a zune 30 thats used and abused, and i have tried to help people out using itunes and got completely lost and a headache. as with some people who posted earlier i would love a itouch competitor of some kind. but what would really set the zune on a higher level would be to finally incorporate zune and xbox marketplaces into one.
everyone went to apple.com for the brainwashing right after the event
If I remember, early reports on Engadget about the fat nano were "yeah right, Apple would never design something this fucking awful." And then when it released it was asskiss central.
So it goes.
Ah, the usual Apple-haters. So I guess you guys don't know the difference between a blurrycam spy shot and actually holding the real thing in your hand, is that it? Or are people just not allowed to change their opinions of something after seeing and holding it in person?
Can any of you honestly say that you've never changed your mind about something you've seen in person after only seeing it in pictures prior to that? I bet you can't. I also bet you'll never admit it, because, well... hating Apple uber alles, am I right?
Zak, no one is buying that.
These guys got ahead of themselves AGAIN by pretending that they are so in tune to what Apple would do that they felt confident enough to call this design "ugly". They weren't going on some blury cam shot, there was plenty of clear images of what this was going to look like. No one was all that susprised when they say it.
Now that they saw it, all of a sudden it's magnificent, and it's time to start on the sell job. People did a 180 to get on the "right side" and not be critical of an Apple design that they didnt like before they found out that it was an Apple design.
Hell, I dont care if people like it or not. I never made a judgement on it either way. But if you dont like it prior to finding out that Apple made it, then either stick with it, admit that you did it because Apple did make it, or keep your outh shut when the next spyshot gets posted.
Fred: By "no one" you mean you. Unless you think you're speaking for everybody here. They WERE going on a blurrycam spy shot, because that's exactly what it was. Remember the orange one? You know exactly what I'm talking about.
You say it's a sell job. Is it? Is Engadget getting paid to sell these for Apple? I'd like to see you prove that. And, er, Engadget knew it was an Apple design the first time they saw it. That argument makes no sense at all. Or are you trying to argue that Engadget didn't know the iPod Nano was made by Apple the first time they saw it?
And the fact remains that Engadget has seen and held one in person and you haven't, and it's their opinion that the new Nano is better looking/feeling in person than it originally appeared in the spy shots. Who are you to argue with that observation? If you think Engadget is changing their mind just because "it's an Apple product" and for no better reason, prove it. Put your money where your mouth is and show us why Engadget is wrong.
I have to question the consistency of Engadget in the light of this contradiction:
"leaving that awkward previous generation nano on the cutting room floor"
The link in that sentence goes to an article where the same writer states:
"Apparently those "spy photos" weren't too far off, as the new nanos look almost identical to the stout, squat player we've come to know and love."
At what point did the design become "awkward", if they had come to "know and love" it?
Terrible.
And I mentioned -------Engadget------ specifically where?
Engadget was not so stupid as to render an opinion of this before in part because what happened with the "fatty" nano. The last thing they needed was to have to do a dance like the many posters, you know the people I was specifically talking about, are going to do in this thread.
@tatos.
You've just made Zak's head explode.
@fred
No, Zak will harness his power of delusional fanboyism and find some way to rationalize the Engadget 180, thus keeping his tiny head intact.
GO APPLEZ!
Fred: You said this: "So prior to Tues, this was an ugly design.
Today it's beautiful.
Really?"
Since you neglected to mention who you were referring to, I assumed it was Engadget, because in this article, they said: "We had a chance to paw this beauty on Tuesday at the Apple event,"
Your choice of the word "beautiful" seems to refer to that quote. If not, please do enlighten me as to who you are referring to, exactly. And be specific, generalizations are really weak.
And why would my head explode? The use of the phrase "we've come to know and love" in that context is referencing something they've seen a lot of times. It's not referencing their opinion on how it looks. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that neither you or Tatos were able to figure that out, although since the word "awkward" IS referencing their opinion on how it looks I guess I am a little surprised, since it's a negative opinion of an Apple product. I guess you only pay attention when Engadget says good things about Apple, huh? A little selective reading on your part maybe?
"Your choice of the word "beautiful" seems to refer to that quote. If not, please do enlighten me as to who you are referring to, exactly. And be specific, generalizations are really weak."
Next time I'll use a thesaurus so I might not confuse you.
Confuse:
befuddle, bewilder, confound, mystify, perplex, puzzle
LOL! You are such a show, Zak.
i want one. me thinks i'll return my iPhone and get one of these.
There's a new video on the website: http://www.apple.com/ipodnano/
And one for the touch: http://www.apple.com/ipodtouch/guidedtour/
How could anyone be stupid enough to buy this ugly thing that has very bad sound quality? Why did apple bother with it? Fix the iphone bugs apple and quit worrying about designing ugly devices like this. The iphone is the only thing making you guys relevant today. If you can't fix it, you'll go back down where you were only a few years ago..
This company has peaked. Sell if you own any shares..
> "How could anyone be stupid enough to buy this ugly thing that has very bad sound quality?"
People bought millions and millions of the previous iPods... that's one reason Apple has 75% of the portable media market.
For every 1 person that SAYS iPods suck... there are 3 more who BUY them.
I will have to admit even though I prefer Zune over iPod, the iPods do have the better hardware (even though it lacks the WiFi). The software is what I don't like about iPods and why I go with Zune.
Oh and yes, the touch is NOT comparable to ANY of the Zunes so don't even try.
Let the low ranking begin.....
I keep reading articles about the nano form factor being a step in the right direction - am I the only person who still has a nano 2G which is nearly identical in form factor as the 4G?
OK maybe the 2G is slighly less curved on the edges and the screen (not sure if that is a good thing) but to me this would be like Microsoft rereleasing XP and everyone talking about it being a step in the right direction (not that it wouldn't be a step in the right direction).
> "am I the only person who still has a nano 2G which is nearly identical in form factor as the 4G?"
Compared to the 2nd gen Nano: Bigger screen, more capacity, video, more colors to choose from.
I am also a 2nd gen Nano owner, and I think the new Nanos are great. Although I'm leaning more towards a new Touch... they will still sell tons of new Nanos.
To me, it looks a lot like a 2g nano with a tall screen. I'm sticking with the iPod touch, it is much more fun. The color is quite ugly, it's like a mixture of mustard and gold. Now if only my iPod touch would work right...
can we have ryan block review it the same way he reviewed the zune 80 when it came out?
I just stopped by the Apple Store. The new nanos are really, really, really nice. A huge improvement over the fat nanos.
Do the buttons on the wheel remap when you hold it in landscape mode or do they keep the same functions?
Thats actually a really good question, but somehow I doubt it since the logos are printed on the wheel. Plus from what I understand, you can't really scroll through menus in Landscape mode, more for Coverflow and Video's where the position of the buttons is not much of an issue, an good question however.
A step forward feature-wise.... Aesthetically 2 giant steps backwards...
I guess people see what they wanan see. but this thing looks like someone stretched out the previous model.. GET A GRIP PEOPLE..Its the same damn thing with a widescreen display and OVAL shaped..WTF..
They didnt reinvent anything. this was probably designed 2 years ago and they sid hey why not makes this in 3 different shapes spread it out over 4 years and add one or 2 new features from whats popular in the tech bizz...
1.No im not a APPLE HATER
2.i use a Mac at work
3.i have a ipod Touch I LOVE
4.My of choice is a WM Mogul
i just hate it when people are sheep and blindly praise something for more then it really is.....IM LOOKIN AT YOU ENGADGET!
why does anyone care about the build quality of apple stuff any more seriously? this is not meant as spam but a serious question. apple designs stuff for people to buy once a year and they do. they buy it, upgrade 12 months later and dump their old hardware. so again why is build quality important?