Apple iPod nano 8 GB Black (3rd Generation) OLD MODEL
by Apple Computer
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Our Price: $370.50 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $54.99 (click here) Category: Network Media Player See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Apple iPod nano 8 GB Black (3rd Generation) OLD MODEL
Customer Review: Incredible piece of technology!
Summary: 4 Stars
I ordered this iPod for my fiance for Christmas through Amazon, who distributed it from J&R Music World.
First, as usual, Amazon made sure the shipping/billing process was easy and fast.
As for the iPod Nano itself...this thing really is a remarkable piece of equipment. I had held off on buying one of these, because I felt the exclusion of video was a bad move. After having bought a Sansa MP3 player last year which did have video, I thought it was better than the 2nd generation Nano...which it was...until it crapped out on us.
Then, the 3rd generation Nano comes out, with video, and I was sold.
The video quality on this is really quite amazing. For the small size of the Nano itself, the screen is a very nice size, and it's super clear, bright and produces excellent color.
The audio quality is pretty much what's expected of a portable MP3 player, which is good, but won't blow you away.
The only reason(s) I'm giving this 4 stars instead of 5 is that the Sansa had FM radio and a record option that would record both radio broadcast, as well as using the built-in microphone to record speech, or other sounds. Why the 3rd generation Nano doesn't include this can only be for one reason...so we buy the 4th or 5th generation Nano.
Pretty lame of Apple to prey on their huge consumer base like this...but other than that, it's a great product, and nobody builds MP3 players with the same quality as Apple.
Just pick the thing up in your hands, and you can tell this is not cheaply made...it just feels nice in the hand. It's also small enough that you can use if for exercise and never even realize you're wearing it.
Bottom line...if you're going to buy an MP3 player, either as a gift or for yourself, don't try to get cute and think other brands are going to offer a better product for less money. I found out the hard way that Apple really is the definitive product in the MP3 field.
***UPDATE 5/9/09 ***
Well, as apparenly MANY others have experienced, our iPod has finally crapped out. Yes...it has DIED.
This is COMPLETE BS...especially from a company like Apple. The Mac's are supposedly the most stable computers out there, but I honestly cannot say the same for the iPod Nano.
I loved the design of this unit, and now apparently Apple has gone back to the ugly, longer design. Too bad, but it doesn't matter anyway...I don't know that I'll ever buy another Apple product again.
You pay $200 for a device, and you expect it to last more than one year!
So, a year later, and now my wife doesn't have an MP3 player.
If I could change my rating to ONE STAR, I would. Amazon should truly let you edit your reviews.
1/5 stars. Terrible longevity.
Customer Review: Why are iPods so addictive?
Summary: 5 Stars
Being an iPod enthusiast I felt compelled to purchase this new sleeker iPod nano even though I already own the 30GB, the 80GB (5.5 Generation) and the iPod nano (2nd Generation). Curse you Steve Jobs you got me addicted.
Anyway, what is especially useful about the 3rd generation nano is obviously the video capability. With only 8 gigs of flash drive space it doesn't exactly have a universe of memory in it but I'd imagine more than a handful of consumers will enjoy this feature.
What is nice about this nano is being able to downgrade my music library to MP4 (video) format and fit twice the amount of songs on it. Instead of the recommended 2000 songs I can now fit 4000 (sound quality is affected a little but doesn't bother me). Last year's nano only allowed for MP3 music files because of the lack of video technology so for me this was a very convenient feature.
The rumors regarding the click wheel are true, this sucker has a hair trigger but personally I don't find it as troublesome as other reviewers. It just takes a little getting used to, before long I had it mastered and didn't have any problems with overshooting the artist I was scrolling for.
The coverflow feature is another big plus. I enjoy searching threw all my CD covers just like the old school days (which is only about 10 years ago) when all I had was a mountain of CDs and a discman that ate batteries so fast I spent more money on Duracells then on music. Which brings me to my next point...the battery life on the nano (since it uses a flash drive) is a whopping 24 hours when used soley for music. Now this figure is a very lenient number (apple uses unrealistic testing conditions) but I have managed to squeeze as much as 15 hours out of a single charge.
Since this is a new product I haven't seen any custom designed cases for it in stores. So I would recommend getting some of those platic screen protectors because (surprise, surprise) the screen tends to scratch easily.
I've noticed that these Amazon reviews tend to be a little confusing. Some people have reviewed this product and they don't even own it, others review the seller they bought it from and complain about shipping times. Another thing that had me laughing was the fact that Amazon allows customers to review the 4 latest nanos separately, based on color.
For example the Blue 8G Nano recieved a 4.5 star review while the Black 8G only got an above average 4 stars. But wait, the silver 8G nano recieved a perfect 5 star rating. LOL! What is going on here?
Customer Review: What you NEED to know about iPods - Nano's included
Summary: 5 Stars
First, I'll say I believe this - the third generation Nano - which was released in Sept. '07 - is the best designed Nano as far as functionality over the new 4th gen Nano. In MY opinion. The new 4th gen is nice, BUT, you have to turn it sideways to watch video. May not be a big deal to many/most, but what if you want to play a video while it's docked?? You can't - until/unless they come out with a sideways dock. And if you've already spent good money on a dock and enjoy watching video while your pods docked in it, the 4th generation Nano will not make you happy. That's my comment/complaint there. I DO like that the new one has increased capacity. Every year they add more space to these pods.
Now, the 3 things you all MUST know about iPods are:
1. New model iPods come out EVERY year in September. Know this when you purchase; it's a fact. Apple ISN'T ripping anyone off, they're improving and keeping up with technology and competition. That's why there are new model cars every year, folks. Pretty basic. You don't say, 'What the fudge - I just bought a 2007 Corvette, and now my buddy says there's a 2008 - I've been tricked!' SAME concept here.
2. Also, there's a price scheme to these Nano's. For example. This year's model is:
8GB =$149.99, 16GB = $199.99. Next year's models will POSSIBLY/likely be:
16GB = $149.99, 32GB = $199.99, and so on as the years go on. Now, this is NOT guaranteed, but it seems to be Apple's trend for pricing. Something to consider. In short, if you want the latest, greatest Nano at the best price and highest (eg. 16GB) storage and it's August, WAIT 'till September.
3. Cheap earbuds/speakers = BAD sound! ALL iPod's/iPhones come with standard earbuds that are uncomfortable and of poor sound quality. You're not getting ripped off, just think of them as a bonus over no earbuds at all. IF you want GREAT sound AND GREAT fit, you MUST plan to spend at LEAST $40. on a decent set of earphones or headphones, folks. The iPods themselves are only HALF of what makes them sound good. The included white earbuds should be regarded as throw-away. OK? So don't whine about poor sound if you're using the included buds. It's the same as a stereo receiver. If you spend $800 on a Denon receiver and then go cheap on the speakers, guess what - BAD sound, folks. Just KNOW this going into your purchases and you'll do sooooo much better. You wouldn't think a Toyota Yaris engine would make a Corvette scream down the highway and you SHOULDN'T expect lousy earbuds/headphones/speakers to make your music soar. Right? Right! Enjoy! :)
Customer Review: I'm very happy with this iPod!
Summary: 5 Stars
I got this a couple of months ago and it's awesome.
Here's why:
- Compact design is very portable
- Flash memory much more durable than a hard drive
- Video capability rocks!
- It does games too (to my surprise)
- Menu layout is intuitive
- Battery life is quite long
While the new 4th gen nanos offer a wider selection of beautiful and vibrant colors, I prefer the shape of the 3G where the screen is above the wheel and you don't have to tilt it to the side to view. Although maybe the 4G would grow on me if I owned it.
The only place where there is room for improvement is: it should be easier to navigate to the clock. Yes, the clock shows up while music is playing and the screen is idle, but there are also times when I'm not using the iPod but I just want to glance at it to get the time and it would be nice if I could do this with less menu navigation.
If you're looking for a good case for the 3rd gen nano, I recommend this:
Contour Design Showcase nano V3 (Clear w/ Black Accents)
Some tips:
If you ever experience problems with your iPod nano, first try resetting by holding the center button and menu button down simultaneously for a few seconds. If that doesn't work, try reinstalling the firmware (can be done in iTunes and you should have your media backed up before you do this. Also, best to have the latest version of iTunes). If still having problems, take it to an Apple Store and have it serviced (free if within warranty). Mine's been pretty reliable. There was one instance when a firmware update I did caused audio to periodically stop, but I then reinstalled the firmware from scratch and experienced no further problems.
The battery life is good. I only charge it once or twice a week when I'm just listening to audio. If you are using it to watch video this will use up the battery much more quickly though. Still, you can get through a couple of movies without needing to recharge.
Also, (as with any iPod) you can rip your DVDs into iPod-playable files using the free third-party app HandBrake. Very cool!
I love this thing and never leave home without it.
Customer Review: Nice little piece of kit
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought this new ipod after having the old 4gb version (plays 1000 tracks) and wanting to upgrade to this version seeing as it holds double that.
Well first off this is ultra thin. I wouldn't say it is breakable (Unless you are just very clumsy) It is a little smaller than a credit card and other than the wider screen is not much different in function than the ipod nano.
While some have complained about the size of the screen (I myself haven't got any films to watch on my ipod and to be honest I bought it for music only) I found the screen due to its increased size easier on the eye and containing some excellent graphics (If you are into that sort of thing) Such as track lists, album covers (Full screen instead of the smaller nano version) rotating pictures and other little nice tricks that if you showed too many people would probably end up with your ipdo being stolen.
The controls are pretty easy to use (I got this rather than the ipod touch due to the fact that it is an all glass screen which would result in a pretty ugly looking ipod after a while full of finger marks and also due to the fact that the controls can be easily used without looking rather than fiddling around with high tech stuff that you really don't need) One thing I have noticed though is that they seem to be a little more sensitive than the nano and if you are looking for a specific track you can end up skipping it and have a frustrating couple of minutes trying to get it to lock on the track you want.
The music quality is excellent and so far so good, I have had no problems at all with mine. I was considering buying a cheaper mp3 player by Panasonic for example but having been happy with the ipod so far I guess stick with what you know. Unless their rivals can come up with something that has equal sound quality, music storage space and troubleshooting then I will stick with the ipod.
Well recommended (Especially if you play it in the car due to the easy to use controls) I would have gone with the 80gb but I had to ask myself do I really need it and as for the touch, I think that's one for the kids.