Apple iPod Nano Review

Steve Jobs is a marketing genius and a bastard.

I KNOW I don’t need a portable MP3 player. I know I don’t need it because I don’t travel often, I don’t take public transport in Kuching, and I’ve already spent a lot upgrading my car’s stereo.

Apple iPods are pieces of overrated, overpriced audio gadgets. All Apple products are. They bloody cost twice as much as other products in its class and only do half their job. Yet I’m still willing to part with my hard-earned cash to buy it, and I have no idea why. They said when you truly love someone (or something), there’s no need to explain it.

The 4GB iPod nano costs RM1269 in KL, SGD$448 (RM999) in Singapore, RMB2599 (RM1215) in Shanghai and AUD$359 (RM1022) in Australia. I got mine from Perth for AUD$326 (RM929) after GST Refund.
I wanted the white one because I’m pure and innocent like a virgin, but the entire city’s supply went out of stock when I was there. It’s a good thing I got lucky with the salesman at the Perth AppleCentre. (Wait, that sounded kinda wrong…)

The iPod nano is small alright. So small in fact that you can just slide it in your wallet and still leave space for some coins, credit cards and condoms. It’s not as small compared to the iPod Shuffle, but at least it has a colour screen and a click wheel.

A lot of people warned me that the iPod nano scratches easily and that it’s screen might crack under pressure. Having used the iPod for 2 weeks, I can honestly say that that’s not true.
Don’t take my word for it though. These crazy idiots had the guts to put it through their very own ‘stress test’ just to see what it takes to kill an iPod nano.

Things that make grown men cry.

One thing I noticed is that the back of the iPod nano stains really bad. Not sure why, but I hope its not because I’ve been putting Vaseline on my hands too much.

The iPods’ audio quality may be so-so, but their strength lies in the smooth interfacing with their iTunes software. No other software on the market organises your massive database of MP3 files as good as iTunes. You can even set different equaliser presets for each of your files if you want.

The iPod nano comes with extra features similar to what modern mobile phones have.
Personally, I like the photo-viewing feature best. The screen size is too small to do anything useful, but navigating through thousands of photos with the clickwheel is a breeze. Transferring photos is a no brainer – just set the folder you want to sync it with and the iTunes software will take care of the rest. Now you can watch pr0n on the go!

Podcasts – radio of the 21st century. I subscribe to the mrbrown show and Perth’s 92.9

The iPod nano may be expensive but no doubt it is THE trendsetter in portable MP3 industry. All the marketing hype and it lives up to it. Others can try and they can only achieve second best.
It’s like comparing Proton with Porsche. Both perform the same function, but people are still going to spend serious cash to purchase the status, the prestige and the coconuts associated with the latter.

Salivate now, mere mortals. 😉


A couple of people have e-mailed me asking me to plug this-dunno-what SPCA animal cruelty petition. Holla over there if ya like yo bitches and pussies, homie.

92 Replies to “Apple iPod Nano Review”

  1. DAMN! You’re making me salivate over it! I didnt even knw the exact size until I saw these pics. OMG! Can easily fit into a wallet. Gosh!
    Anwyay, I think Apple SHOULD pay you for this. Haha.

  2. goodness… i didn’t know nano is so small… i’d buy it if it could play videos though… i don’t need to view photos…

  3. OH …… *jealous* I went to the apple store the DAY these things came out just to torture myself. IwantIwantIwantIwantIwant…… Did you know you can get them for so much cheaper in America? WOnder why electronics are so bloody cheap in America……..

  4. Congratulations on your new iPod Nano.
    “… they bloody cost twice as much as other products in its class and only do half their job”
    Do you know of any other MP3 players that have got more superior functionality than iPods? I know iPods don’t have FM player, but I think that is a matter of personal choice. Plus, the photo functionality in iPods is truly useful for someone like me who is an avid photographer.
    iPods are expensive but a good investment. People buy them because of the design (apart from fluid functionality). It’s a combination of aesthetics and ergonomics (both physically and cognitive) which you don’t find in other players.
    I’ve come across other more expensive MP3 players in Japan, but none come as close as being good as iPods.

  5. hahaha….you’ll grumble, but living here in NZ, with lecturers using Macs….you’ll soon figure out that somehow or rather, the life on the Apple side seems greener.
    Check this out…it’s funny:
    http://www.performantsystems.com/GM.html
    It’s basically a short gist of what sort of car it was if Microsoft did it.

  6. Hey Dude, isn’t it nice to make money and spend it like on shit that we don’t need ? I wonder why do I need 5 digital cameras and 90% of the time I use the die hard 2Mpix powershot S200.

  7. personally, i had just stick with the ipod, big brother version :P. the new ones have the black ones too, and now comes with video on the go thingy. it’s not coz i have tonnes of music or, ahem, movies.
    but if i really really want to make full use of all the functions, 4 gigs really isn’t enough, imo, altho i am dying for the tiny-ness.
    wati – i think most ipod users recognise that other mp3 players come with more functions. as to why they stuck to ipod though, each have their own reasons. and mine is, i always had this belief that more is not necessarily better.
    infact, it can be worse. like when my last pc’s sound card died, it was also the vid card and some other combine card in 1. 3 in 1 card, really cool, but when one dies, everything has to be changed, and cost more than i had be happy to fork out.
    i rather the mp3 player just be the mp3 player i bought it for. maybe one or 2 extras, just coz i am vain like that, and that’s really it. i don’t see the point of buying a mp3 player to listen to radio, except for the once or twice in eons that i feel like radio.
    my opinion anyways.. (oops another long comment =/ tell me when i get annoying)

  8. for cheaper alternative, google for Shanda’s EZ Mini. 100% Chinese made. for the uninitiated, check out SNDA ticket on yahoo finance, it’s listed on nasdaq.

  9. still.. i’m going for the ipod video. add A$80, for additional 26gb. last time i checked, the 30gb ipod video in msia’s farkin rm1599. damn

  10. you said your iPod Nano does not scratch easily, is it because u have this plastic protective sheet over it at all times?

  11. yeah loh, because you have the plastic sheet over it that’s why didn’t scratch… dare you to remove it. no? keep it stick to your nano forever or get a nice case. The day my man got his(free from his company as gift….), it scratched before he saw it to me that night.I think it really up to the person, how careful he/she handle the nano. About the crack… you know lah, those american kids skateboarding with music, when fall, sure the nano got crack lah. I shuffle actually design for those purposes like running, workout, snowboarding, skateboarding…etc.

  12. i still think iriver is better than ipod. i mean it`s got extra features for watchin video file but of course its not as small as ipod la.but compact enough ;D

  13. Bot all the pods but never use them often. Think B4 u buy those fancy stuff. Reckoned just buy one ‘kia su’ PDAs that provide u every conceivable functions you need except that the later cannot fit the wallet and make any room for a condom or two! Haha.

  14. Yeah….I play mp3s on my PC, or laptop with headphones, or on my phone (when I’ve bought it)..
    And I also have an mp3 player in my car, which is where I am usually during travelling..
    But somehow there is still something sexy and alluring about the iPod series.

  15. First the Mini, now the Nano. My prediction — and I have an impressive track record in this, only if you don’t ask me — is that in 2 years Apple will be selling iPod Nothing, a product so small, so desirable that individuals of all ages, backgrounds and foregrounds will stand in line for 35 days to be among the first in the world to give Apple all their money for Nothing.
    And rest assured the only scratching to happen will be on the side of your head, after you get one.

  16. hi kenny,
    i think apple needs someone to defend them this time lol.
    i’ve switched to mac from pcs quite sometime back and to be honest with you, i’ve never regretted the decision. to date, i’ve owned 2 imacs, one powermac g4 and currently using the powerbook g4.
    OSX tiger is still one of the best operating software to use and i’ve never face the infamous ‘blue screen of death’ since i switched =P
    it may be expensive somewhat, but if i configured a pc to do all the programs that i’m running on my mac, it would cost more.
    (i’m in the media industry, so i need to run programs like finalcut pro, motion, aftereffects and photoshop concurrently…)
    i love my ipods. yes. my ipods =) never can get enough of them. there may be other brands out there that has the works including the kitchen sink, but how do u compare style with the ease of usage? =)
    i dun think many people will drool over any other mp3 players.
    i’m in love with my nano now and am waiting for my ipod video to be delivered =)
    have fun. and i love reading your posts =)

  17. Creative just did not fully exploit their first-mover advantage and lost out to Apple big time. Some or many people may not know this. It was Creative which 1st came out with the MP3 player and MP3 video and photo viewers, bla, bla, bla, etc. Imagine getting porn star Paris Hilton to endorse their MP3 players. And she doesn’t even sing for crying out loud. At least Apple has always consistently used pop or rock stars to advertise their MP3 players. Jet, U2, Madonna, etc.

  18. i second simpleman. i use a base-model iBook G4 for everyday stuff like web browsing, word-processing, mp3 storage etc, and it still kicks Windows arse.

  19. Yeah! I’ve got mine today. Also got one of those nano tubes; hopefully that will prevent any scratching on the outside.

  20. compared with the sound quality … i still opt for Creative 🙂
    There has been alots complains about the durability of the Ipod Nano’s screen. It’s fragile …
    * I bruise easily … so be gentle … when you handle me * sang ipod nano …
    *I wanted the white one because I’m pure and innocent like a virgin* compared with the sound quality … i still opt for Creative 🙂
    There has been alots complains about the durability of the Ipod Nano’s screen. It’s fragile …
    * I bruise easily … so be gentle … when you handle me * sang ipod nano …
    *I wanted the white one because I’m pure and innocent like a virgin*

  21. I sometimes just stare at my iPod Shuffle wondering why I thought I needed it so badly.
    Getting some decently priced audio books is a problem
    but it would get my Shuffle used a lot more.

  22. I seriously think iPod buyers don’t have their head on right. Don’t get me wrong, I like Apple computers but portable MP3 players? What the hell for? What’s wrong with normal MP3 players? They look too cheap or what? But you’re just going to slip that ugly poopy into your pocket anyway right? It’s not like you’re going to flip your enormous wang–sorry LCD, up at an overcharged kopitiam, pretend to do Excel or Word, and try to score a date, or at least impress a bird, or something? Why if I were so rich as to afford something like an iPod, I might as well be looking at something else that is much more counter-productive… Something like a Sony PSP.

  23. you will want one for xmas intill the week after when you see the scratches on the back you will criy i also burt a scratch proth caces but the nano scratches so easyle. before i burt it i fort that they wher just making it up.

  24. Except that you probably just made me buy this piece of modern technology and design I have something to complain…
    As a german I must say: You make me wanna cry. Proton and Porsche. Even though Proton produced some nice stuff – there is a difference.
    Which Proton makes 297 km/h with an acceleration from 0 to 100 in 4,6 an 370 HP?
    You’re hurting my feelings, u know?

  25. From all the comments I heard from the ipod nano scratching, I am so damn careful with it. it think it you don’t wan’t it damaged then treat it well and don’t be an idiot.

  26. the screens crack without doing anything to them.
    I watched my nano’s screen crack in front of my eyes as it sat on my table. With a light pop a running crack went across the entire screen. It was the weirdest thing, I wasn’t even holding it.
    That is pure horse shit.

  27. hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeellllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

  28. NANOS SCRATCH SO EASILY
    DONT BUY ONE THEY SUCK SO DAMN BAD
    SCREENS CRACK TO
    AND U CAN GET VIRUSES ON THEM SO SAY GOODBYE TO UR NANO BECAUS ONCE THAT HAPPENS THATS THE END OF YOU NANO

  29. i love it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is #1 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  30. i haf one black 2gb one. yea. i jus bought the cleaner at funan. in singapore. its called the applesauce. thr are 2 bottles in one set. 1 is cleaner n 1 is polisher. after cleanin n polishin ur ipod. it will smell like apple. it cost around sing dollar$18 . n yea. u shud try getting the earjam. its the one u replace with the old black ear but. this one has enhanced bass n block out outside noise. it cost me sing dollar$18 2 at the same shop. they r many great acc 4 the ipods at the ipod store in funan.

  31. Which colour of iPod Nano looks better? The white or black one? I’m thinking of buying one but can’t decide which colour. Thanks!

  32. Well, I’ve bought one from USA and its like 800 ringgit plus only. Plus I can use the extra money I saved to buy the lanyard earphones as well. Ships directly to my house and provide free engraving also! (engraving is the words they print on the back of the iPod for free!) My iPod is personalized now coz of its engraving as it has my name on it! yea

  33. Well, I bought mine in USA and is like RM 800 plus only for a 4GB. I saved a lot buying there, plus I use the money I save to buy another lanyard earpohnes from there too. Its really worth it. And Apple USA gives FREE engraving on the back of iPod too! Now my iPod is so personalized with my name and personal message engraved on it. 🙂

  34. I have one! Got it for my birthday. I got blue colour but your white one ho lang ohh! The iPod nano is nice. I can fit it into my pockets quit nicely.

  35. hi all my chic as got the nano 4gig and she used it one night and used it during the day, she put it down for a few hours when it was off and tried to switch it on again but nothing happened tried charging it but nothing happened. wat can it be can it get sorted?? thanks

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