Saturday, December 2, 2006

Apple iPod Nano - Revolutionizing the Mp3 Player World



I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that the advent of the Apple iPod revolutionized mp3 players. The look, the style, the sound quality, the navigation, the features, the seamless integration with iTunes and other services, all these separate components added up to a spectacular and revolutionary mp3 player. Each new mp3 player that Apple has released has pushed the envelope for design and all around use. First they miniaturized the iPod with the iPod Mini. Then they miniaturized that, and by getting rid of the LCD screen were able to offer the Shuffle for unheard of low prices for an iPod. Now they've gone to the next level. The Apple iPod nano.

But will it really revolutionize mp3 players? Yes. And here's why:


Size and Storage

Take the iPod, shrink it, shrink it again, and then shrink it one more time and you have the iPod Nano! It's no thicker than a pencil and slides right into your back pocket without even noticing, literally! The nano is smaller than most other flash mp3 players, but has something that none of them do: 2GB and 4GB file capacities. No flash mp3 player has the kind of file capacity that the nano has. And what this means is that you can store a previously unheard amount of music on an mp3 player with no moving internal parts, i.e.- a completely skip free player.

Signature iPod Quality

Remember that this is an iPod, so you have unmatched usability and sound quality. The player comes with the Apple signature click wheel and navigation system. It hooks up seamlessly with iTunes and other standard Apple software. The sound quality, as with all iPods, is excellent.

Brand New Features

The iPod nano comes with a full color screen which can display multiple image file formats in a crisp high quality format. It also now syncs up directly with Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express for contacts and colander functions and to-do lists. One of the coolest and most useful new features the nano comes with is a stopwatch and lap timer. Because it's small and flash based, the nano already is great for working out, but the stopwatch can record many lap times and then give you shortest, longest, and average lap, as well as your overall time and individual lap times.

The Cool Factor

What can I say? The iPod nano just oozes cool from every angle. It's small and sleek. The colors are hot. The navigation is excellent. It can play music or audio books, display pictures, or even do both at once!

Conclusion

So what's the nano done to push the envelope and revolutionize mp3 players? It's made the largest file capacity flash mp3 player ever. It's added a brilliant color screen to display images. And it's added tons of neat new features previously unavailable on iPods. And it's done all this while not giving up what we have come to know and love about the iPod: superb sound, navigation, and usability. There isn't much negative to say about the nano. At $200 and $250 respectively, the 2GB and 4GB iPod nano sure isn't cheap,

10 reasons why you should buy an Ipod nano

A trendsetter and expensive is what the ipod nano is to most people. It makes a statement that I have arrived and I appreciate technology to the fullest. To some it is just another music player to others it is the best.

Here are a few reasons why you may want one:

1. It is pencil thin and can fit into your wallet along with other paraphernalia.

2. Imagine a space of 2GB or 4 GB--this means you can store from 500-1000 songs. Pure listening pleasure.

3. The click wheel and color display take music towards new horizons---plays 14 hours of music.

4. Carries photos, pod casts, and audio books. You can navigate through many photographs using the click wheel. Photos can be transferred and synced with a folder using the itunes softwear.

5. The ipod can be accessorized using the dock connector and head phone jack. So music follows you around at home, in the car, and even while walking or running. Where ever you go the ipod will follow.

6. Its feather weight and so easy to lug around. The screen does not crack or break easily contrary to fears. However the ipod is not scratch or stain proof.

7. Synchronized with iTunes and the iTunes Music Store, the ipod can access the world's largest selection of music.

8. The pod has a state of the art processor, system performance, and flash memory. The technology is such that it never skips.

9. The system requirements are everyday, either a MAC OS x 10.3.4 with aUSB port or Windows 2000 SP4 or windows XP.

10. Music is your whole life and pure unadulterated sound is something to die for.

Expensive, the ipod retails at US$199 for 2GB and US$249 for 4 GB. But it sets the trend and gives a vison of what music heaven can be.

10 Most Common iPod Repairs

The greatest advantage and disadvantage of an iPod is its small shape. For such a small gadget, the iPod holds can hold thousands of mp3 files. With its portability, the increase of mishaps is sure to happen. From common scratches to hard drive problems, an iPod's biggest selling point can also be its greatest drawback. Detailed below are the most common repair issues: 1. Getting Dropped: It's as easy as giving it to someone to look at or even slipping out of your pocket. Dropping an iPod can happen anytime. This can result in minor aesthetic issues that can be ignored or to greater hard drive issues that have to be sent to a specialist for repair.

2. Getting Scratched: Scratching an iPod is as easy as scratching a cell phone. With its increased daily use, the iPod is not just used on occasion, but is a regular accessory.

3. Falling in Water: How many times have you dropped your cell in phone in water? Nowadays, dropping an iPod in water can happen just as easy.

4. Exposure to Extreme Weather Conditions: Depending on where you live, weather conditions can affect your iPod. From the large amount of rain in Seattle to the snowy weather in the NorthEast, or even the blazing sun in the South, any harsh weather condition can affect your iPod and can cause needed repairs.

5. Dirt: With regular use, dirt can accumulate in the iPod. Cleaning is needed in many cases.

6. Bending: Even though there is an increase in clothing designers catering to the iPod user by designing storage units in many jackets, shirts and pants, bending and cracking can happen. Many people keep their iPods in their back pockets and mishaps can happen when sitting.

7. Broken Screens: One of the leading repairs is LCD repair. Breaking or cracking of the screen can happen in so many ways, accidentally or even with just normal use.

8. Hard Drives: The most costly repair is the hard drive. For whatever reason, these gadgets can stop working like normal. A hard drive upgrade or replacement may be needed.

9. Headphone Sockets: With continual use, the headphone socket may become loose or even broken. Repair is needed since it is the source for listening. 10. Battery: With time, the battery life may become too short or even have battery malfunctions. A battery upgrade may be needed. These are just some of the problems you may face with an iPod. With care and forward thinking, many of these can be limited. To lessen iPod repair issues, be sure to use a protective case and use care and caution.