iPod nano Review:

nano accessory list:

Hard drives are the internal storage used in computers and most high capacity mp3 players. The 10/15/20/40 and 60gb ipod's all have internal hard disks. Hard disks are mechanical devices with motors and plates. The plates spin and a tiny arm moves across the plates to read and write information.  Most portable devices fail because the hard disks are fragile and although they can take a beating they do not perform as fast or last as long as flash memory.  We repair a lot of computing devices in our store and our affiliation with mp3 players and accessories has brought us quite a few customers looking to repair mp3 players. The most common problem is hard disk failure. All of these items, flash and hard disk based, come with rescue and rebooting procedures. Customers bring about one broken disk based mp3 player a week into our store and ask us to evaluate what is usually a $200 paper weight.  We go through the steps and usually end up looking at an icon of a disk on a screen with a line through it (this indicates hard disk failure, and while not impossible to fix, usually a task not worth undertaking)

So when looking to purchase an mp3 player like the ipod, ipod shuffle, and ipod nano keep in mind that the more expensive one may store more but may not last as long as a less expensive flash memory based one. The ipod nanos and ipod shuffles don't have moving parts and you will drop your mp3 player at some point, I would rather have the one without an internal hard disk if at all possible when the inevitable drop occurs.

The other big plus with flash players like the ipod nano is the fact that flash memory will not skip. The downside is the capacity, flash memory does not come in 60 gigabyte capacities so those looking to store huge audio collections on a flash based player are out of luck...for now.  Having 10 days worth of music on a portable device is nice but not always necessary, the 4GB ipod nano holds 1,000 songs, this is a lot of music for a device that you can hide under a credit card.

ipod charger only 

$5.99

nano cases (click for list)

Black ipod nano flip case

 This wallet style nano case includes a belt clip. (Click image for details)

Maxell P5 ipod FM Transmitter

  Charge your ipod and transmit your tunes via your car's FM radio!! Simply Plug it in and turn on your tunes. Scans for best open FM frequency. Works with the nano, the video and and ipod with a dock connector.

nano skin $8.99

The ipod nano uses a headphone connector at the bottom of the unit and uses the same dock connector that the ipod mini, and all ipods with dock connectors use. It does not have a remote connector on the unit so some of the ipod accessories that connect to the top of the ipod will not work with the ipod nano. Speakers that have a dock connector do work. There is a device included with the nano for future docking. It is a plastic insert to be used for future ipod accessories. Existing ipod speaker makers will probably start including an adapter for it very soon.  

The dock on the ipod nano is a little off center (because of the headphone jack). We have found that the ipod nano works well in ipod speakers without a dedicated plastic dock connector, the ipod nano is very light and simply inserting the unit into the dock on these speakers holds it fairly securely. 

Many of our customers are torn between spending the extra hundred on an ipod video. The video is worthy of the extra hundred due to it's higher capacity and the video function. The $199 nano in our opinion is the best bang for the buck simply because of its portability, the larger ipod has more features but it is larger and heavier, the smaller shuffle is just too slim on features. If you plan on buying a shuffle do yourself a favor, do not pick up anyone's nano or ipod video after you buy your shuffle. It's like going back to the age of radio. You will be sitting on a bus or a train looking at a little white wheel when the guy next to you is looking at colorful album art, pitures of his kids or watching a video. 

Thanks for reading our little review, in case you are interested in buying one of these, we are now Apple Authorized Business Agents. You can buy any of these ipod's from Apple (or almost any other Apple product) by following the link below. You will be prompted for an agent id at the end of your order. Use ours  - AA071337  and we are rewarded for it. (The transaction is handled by Apple). 

Thank You for visiting, mptools.com,llc

(USE ID: AA071337 if ordering)

A neoprene case with a small stretchy pocket for your earbuds and a removable clip on the back.  The case is fully lined to protect the nano from scratches.

These are really nice. We think Mareware makes the best cases.  

ipod speaker review

   Cute.

If you are stuffed in your locker freshman year, you don't have headphones, and you find these you may be somewhat happy for a while having these. You will not find yourself jumping up and down about the purchase though - see boom box connector below.

Good Not Great Good, recharges the ipod, sounds good in a room at moderate volume and folds up so you can take them anywhere.