Apple iPod nano 8 GB Silver (3rd Generation) OLD MODEL Review

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(More customer reviews)Apple 4 GB iPod nano AAC/MP3 Player Silver (3rd Generation)
Apple's new nano is designed to improve upon past models and add some functionality. The improved video, smaller thinner body and updated firmware are enough to make it stand out. The slightly lower price tag is also sure to help sell more units.
I think most buyers will opt to get the 8GB, considering it is only $50 more than the 4GB and actually makes the video function more usable. Apple 8 GB iPod nano AAC/MP3 Player Blue (3rd Generation) Regardless, the new nano is an improvement in any size.
Pros
+ Small size - so thin!!!!
+ Nice design - shorter, fatter form factor for more reliability
+ Brushed aluminum front seems more durable than plastic composite of 2nd generation nano
+ Many color options - Silver, blue, green, black, etc.
+ Brighter screen with better contrast than previous generation
+ Great video option is a nice to have for sample TV shows, clips, etc
+ Works with most traditional iPod accessories (except old A/V cable)
+ Priced to sell! Lowest price Apple video capable player
+ Lower price tag than 2nd Generation nano
+ Unlike iPod classic, all flash memory means less failures and breakage
+ Flash memory also awesome for running / working out
+ Slightly better sound quality than 2nd generation
+ Apple reputation is highly deserved
Cons
- 4 GB capacity is very limited for a video player and will require constant reloading via iTunes
- New 2GB Shuffle option provides a workout alternative at about 1/3 the price
- New design not ideal for very big hands due to smaller click wheel
- Universal dock now required for video out (no more A/V cable)
- Slightly shorter battery life than other iPods
- No expandability or SD card slot like Sansa View or Creative Zen
- iTunes software with limited native formats (MP3, AAC)
- Coverflow still buggy / slow
- Features built-in to competing players, like FM radio & voice recording, much be bought as add-ons,
- Competing players now available at 16GB flash at similar body size
The Looks
Some people prefered the gen2 nano's longer body and larger click wheel. The longer nano was prone to bend (and sometimes break) when people put them in their pocket and sat down or moved around. The smaller click-wheel can be awkward, particularly for those with large hands. But it's a worthy trade-off for the smaller size and better durability.Another change motivated by durability is the metal face. The old clear composite face was a magnet for smudges and scratches. The new brushed metal face holds up nicer. Be warned though; it can chip and scratch, so get a cover.
The Sound
Sound quality is not significantly improved from previous models. The slight improvements touted in Apple's marketing are exaggerated. However, let's be fair to Apple here. MP3 and even CD audio have inherent sound quality limitations.
MP3 is a compression technology that does experience quality loss, however minimal. With a lower bitrate your MP3 files will lose more and more of the sound integrity from the original recording. Combine that with the fact many people rip from sources that are not digitally mastered, and you would get inferior sound quality with any device.
Almost no MP3 players are actually designed for audiophiles / musicians / sound engineers; i.e., the people who could tell the difference between good sound and great sound. Fortunately, some of these devices are starting to come onto the market.
Features and Software
Few new features are noteworthy with this device. Changes in the components and software make the screen brighter and allow you to do more things, including watch videos and play games. Some complain there isn't enough memory for video. You can still get enough on here to watch one movie or fit some TV shows with your music. It's a nice extra even if these nanos don't have tremendous memory.
The flash memory in this device could have been a faster speed. However, the main advantages of the flash player are still here: less risk of hardware failure associated with a hard disk drive player (better for running or working out).
The device does seem to have a shorter battery life than advertised. Perhaps because of the smaller body size Apple placed a smaller batter inside. As long as you sync and charge at night, it's ok. You are still likely to get a day's worth of use from a full charge.
Apple's software is still a weakness with very limited direct control over your device library and few native file options. All formats can be converted using iTunes or another software. You can convert pretty much any file to the MP3, MP4, or AAC formats you need for iTunes. This will mean that those of us with other players will have to have 2 versions of our libraries on our computers, eating up hard-drive space. That's because there's no drag and drop adding into the player, you have to add it to iTunes first and then sync.
However, most users have limited needs and will not notice if they are using MP3s. Apple hits the minimum compatibility needs of most of the market.
Coverflow is little more than a gimmick. It's still buggy and covers tend to blank out if you scroll quickly. Cover art has been downloaded with previous software versions and most other video players, so the ability to scroll covers is not really a breakthrough.
Competitors Pros and Cons
Apple's devices are obviously more expensive than other players on a per gigabyte $ cost. In addition, the iPod still has fewer built-in features than most competitive devices. It doesn't have a built-in FM radio tuner, voice recorder, Bluetooth, WMA support, and an SD card expansion slot. Both the Creative Zen Creative Zen 4 GB MP3 Player (Black) and the Sansa View SanDisk Sansa View 8 GB MP3 Player have micro SD slots, FM tuners and voice recording components built in. Both are better priced. The Sansa View comes in a 16GB size for the same price as the 8GB nano.
Still the iPod Nano beats both those players on size as the Creative Zen is much thicker and the Sansa View is taller. Also keep in mind that the Creative Zen has been somewhat buggy, and the View doesn't have as long a track record only being released in November 2007.
The new Sony players have finally abandoned their own bad software, and now provide some good competition to the iPod nano. In typical Sony fashion, they are priced just as high as the nano. But they do have quality components and better sound quality. Sony NWZA816BLK 4GB Walkman Video MP3 Player (Black)
The new 2 GB iPod Shuffle, released in February 2008, probably provides the biggest competition if you don't care about video and your only use is working out. Apple iPod shuffle 2 GB Silver (2nd Generation) For 1/3 the price, you get a player with half the capacity that's designed for longer battery life and more active use.
Conclusion
In the end, what the iPod nano does, it does very well. Apple really wins with sleek design and a wealth of accessories. This unit is no different. Not all docks and accessories work with the 3rd generation, but many do. And for that large number of users already using iTunes, moving your music over to the nano is a snap.
Overall this device is an improvement. Apple's entry level video player will continue to be popular due to great features, acceptable pricing and the Apple brand.
Enjoy!!!


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An anodized aluminum top and polished stainless steel back. Five eye-catching colors. A larger, brighter display with the most pixels per inch of any Apple display, ever. iPod nano stirs up visual effects from the outside in.
And it'll wow you for hours. Play up to 5 hours of video or up to 24 hours of audio on a single charge. All that staying power and a wafer-thin, 6.5-mm profile makes iPod nano one small big attraction.
Cover Flow If a picture says a thousand words, think of what all the album art in your collection might say. With Cover Flow on iPod nano, you can flip through your music to find the album you want to hear. Use the Click Wheel to browse music by album cover, then select an album to flip it over and see the track list.
Music Use the Click Wheel to adjust volume, navigate songs, browse in Cover Flow, or explore the Music menu by playlist, artist, album, song, genre, composer, and more. Want to mix things up? Click Shuffle Songs. iPod nano makes your music look as good as it sounds, thanks to its bright color display.
Movies Buy movies from the iTunes Store and you can sync them to your iPod nano to watch anywhere, anytime. Up to 5 hours of video playback means you can watch two movies back to back. And for your viewing pleasure, the 320-by-240-pixel display--with a whopping 204 pixels per inch--is 65 percent brighter than before.
TV Shows There's always something good on iPod nano. Browse thousands of episodes of your favorite TV shows on the iTunes Store, buy them for just $1.99 each, then sync them to your iPod nano. Watch last night's episodes this morning, or buy a whole TV series and play a pocket-size marathon.
Podcasts The iTunes Store features thousands of free video and audio podcasts, including indie favorites and offerings from such big names as ABC News, Comedy Central, ESPN, PBS, NPR, and many more. Browse and subscribe to podcasts, then sync them to your iPod nano. You can even play video podcasts on TV using an optional Apple component or composite AV cable.
Audiobooks The digital shelves of the iTunes Store are stocked with thousands of audiobooks--including exclusives like the entire Harry Potter series--so you can catch up on your reading wherever iPod nano takes you. iPod nano even recognizes where you left off reading and bookmarks your place.
Games Put hours of fun at your fingertips. iPod nano comes with three games--Vortex, iQuiz, and Klondike--and you can download more from the iTunes Store for $4.99 each. All iPod games are designed specifically for the iPod interface. And all of them look great on the 2-inch color display.
Photos iPod nano holds up to 7,000 photos you can sync from your Mac or PC via iTunes. Use the Click Wheel to scroll through photo thumbnails. To see a photo full screen, click the center button. You can even view your photo slideshows--complete with music and transitions--on a TV using an optional Apple component or composite AV cable.
Extras Calendars, contacts, and a screen lock appear in the Extras menu, along with a few more handy items. Take the world clock, for example. Spin the Click Wheel to choose different clocks for cities all over the world. For workouts, use the built-in stopwatch to log your best times.

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Sony Walkman NWZE345BLK 16 GB Video MP3 Player (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)[Edit: Upgrade from 3.5 to 4.4 stars; see below]
After my poor experience with the Phillips GoGear mp3 player (reviewed here last week), I thought I'd see what Sony can do with an mp3 player.
I bought their first (excellent) FM walkman in 1980 but haven't used one of their portables since. I am in general a Sony fan, and my 1986 Trinitron is still running like new. Gotta love that kind of quality! But do they still have it?
First, the good:
-Excellent battery life: 30 hours for music, and it does get close to that if you don't do much scrolling. Nice.

-Lots of gigs for a c-note: about 6 bucks per gig, once you realize that it's only 14.4 gb. I hate the way companies do that, btw. Don't tell me I'm getting 16 gigs and then give me ten percent less. Be honest! Stuff like that loses customers, savvy ones at least.
-Good sound...but with that traditional Sony eq curve: very flat. I've had a few Sony receivers and cd players and tape decks over the years, and they are all very flat across the ranges. This makes for nice tight bass and decent mids, but the top end is always a little compressed and lacks shimmer and overtones. Still, a solid tone, not tinny.
And seeing as most users choose mp3 files at either 128kbps or 192kbps (I'd recommend the latter if you play this through a car or other decent full-range stereo), there's plenty of compression already, so no huge loss. Using 320kbps or wav files, which this unit does support, will result however in some noticeable loss of shimmer and breathing room for the high frequencies.
-You can use folders, saves a lot of scrolling time. Put jazz, metal, etc into their own folders. Any smart mp3 player does this.
-***Please note!***Nice, simple drag and drop of files right out of the box, with no need to install the software. Just plug the Walkman into your usb and wait for it to show up on your computer as "Walkman". Do a few clicks and you're in the "music" folder; now drag and drop your files, all at once or one at a time. Presto! That's sweetness, because almost every problem I've had with mp3 players stems from badly written software, and avoiding the need for it altogether is preferable. If you can avoid installing your included software for any player, do it; it only causes hassles in the long run unless you need a certain feature. Drag and drop is where it's at: quick, simple, efficient. And no adware etc installed surreptitiously by the software cd, a newly common scam.
PS I prefer to make the folders first as opposed to using the WMP sync feature; it has glitches, while simple folder drag and drop never has for me.
-Gets good and loud. Helps with certain headphones. Sounds good on my Koss PortaPros and great on my AKG K701s. The phones that come with this are cheese, as usual. Buds will never compare to real cans.
-Excellent for running, my main use for mp3 players. It hasn't skipped on me once and can take all sorts of shaking and bouncing. Very nice.
-Very thin, light, sleek. Takes up almost no space in any pocket, purse, etc.
-A strange design touch that I haven't seen anyone mention, but which struck me right off: the control buttons on the front panel are shaped almost precisely like Mickey Mouse's head! This can't be coincidence; surely someone in design did this on purpose. So is Sony in bed with the Mouse, or what's up? In any case, sometimes I see it and hear Mickey's estrogenic squeal in my inner ear saying, "Pluto! Punch me in the nose and let's get this party started!"
-Along with the essential external volume buttons, there's a manual lock switch on the side of the unit. Very useful to not have to scroll to make this go on and off. A good design feature that all mp3 players should have. You might want to use this when it's off and in your pocket, as the unit turns on with only minor presssure on the front panel button...but that leads to:

-Another major plus, this unit starts playing exactly where the last tune you were playing stopped, in about a half second after the button is touched. Some players take ten seconds. This baby rips right into the music in a flash (literally; flash drive players have so many advantages). Excellent.
But, the bad:
-the screen is waaay thin; it's already covered with scratches after only a few days in my empty pocket. Not good. I don't care about the aesthetics, but do need to see the screen!
-to ff or rewind quickly, you must first pause the track: took me a while to figure this out. Not a big con, but could have been been done without needing to pause.
-There's a bar showing how long the tune is but no way to see time remaining, a very useful bit of data. Until a minute or so is gone, it's hard to estimate song length via the bar, and one must hit the option button (Mickey's right ear) and then scroll down to "detailed information" to get the exact song length; too much hassle for a feature that's standard on most mp3 players. Not a big issue, but an oversight worth correcting.
-and the one thing that will make me return this item next week: you can't delete songs or files from the player. You must first hook it up to a computer! Terrible design. My years-old Muvo deletes on the fly, as do my Dell DJ and other players. This is a huge mistake: with 4,000 songs, how can I remember all the ones I need to dump? Very major flaw, and a deal breaker for me.
But, for those who only transfer stuff they already know and love, this is a pretty darn decent player. I don't know who wants to watch movies or vids on a thumbnail-sized screen, but as a music player, this offers good sound and plenty of storage for a good price.
At this rate we'll get a terabyte for a c-note within a couple years.
Can't wait! Then we can put everything on in lossless FLAC files, the only real way to go. MP3 is okay, but still a compromise.
Hey Sony: not bad...but how can you leave out such a huge feature as deleting on the fly?
[Edit: 12/30/09. I now have to give this little thang a little more than four stars...and hooray to Amazoon's code writers: we can now finally change our ratings after the original review. I returned my original to the mallwart (so nice of them to let us try stuff out! And so unfortunate they can't pay living wages so I might feel bad about costing them restocking fees...), but after looking around for a few weeks I realized this Sony unit offers far more bang for the buck than any other mp3 player out there. So I picked one up here, saving twenty over the mallwart price, and am very happy with it, barring the above caveats.
The best way to deal with no delete feature seems to be to mark the tracks you don't dig with the "wishlist" feature on the options screen, and then when you charge the unit you can open the files and delete tunes you've wishlisted. Much more hassle than deleting on the fly, but at least a workable solution to my main negative about the product.
If Sony releases a firmware update that lets us delete on the fly (not sure if that's possible or not; hope so), then I'd have to give this thing an almost perfect rating.
Pair it with Koss Portapros and you will be blown away by the sound.]
[Edit: 5/12/10. Still working fine after plenty of use while running, hiking, and hooked up to the car stereo. Zero complaints.
And here's a tip I learned from a battery expert: these lithium units apparently prefer to be full all the time, and seeing as they don't have "memory effect" like normal batteries, it's safe to recharge this unit as often as you like, with no resultant loss of memory over the long haul. But supposedly lithiums also work best and last longest if one lets them drain completely once every 30 recharges or so, and then fully fills them up again. I don't know enough about batteries to confirm or deny (though I've been doing it that way and my walkman is still running a long time before needing juice), but it was a very detailed, well-written discussion by someone with a lot of experience in the field, who wasn't selling anything, and that's the kind of opinion I tend to trust. Just FYI.]
[Edit: 1/12/11. Seeing as this review is being read a lot, thought I'd mention battery life stats after 14 months' steady usage, about a thousand hours or so. I fully charged it and left it running on shuffle last week to see how the batt's doing, and it gave me 12 hours straight. Not bad at all considering most players don't give a dozen hours out of the box. When I scroll etc in between albums, I get about ten hours now, still very satisfactory.
And I guess I got lucky, because my Walkman has yet to break down in any way. The occasional freeze is instantly fixed by turning it off and then on again.
All in all, it's given me excellent value and I'm glad this review has helped so many people get more music into their lives.]


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Enjoy hours of continuous music and video wherever you go with Sony's slim E340 Series. Enjoy a 2-inch QVGA screen, wide format support, an FM radio, and Sony's time-proven audio technologies in a slim, easy-to-use media player.


Key Features
Long battery life
User-friendly interface for easy operation
2-inch QVGA (320x240) high-brightness, color LCD
Easy drag-and-drop file transfer functionality
Compact and slim design
Supports multiple audio codecs and video formats
Clear Stereo and Clear Bass Audio Technologies
Built-in FM radio tuner
Headphones and Mini USB cable included
Available in black and red


Key Technologies
Battery The long-lasting battery lets you listen to up to 30 hours of music and watch up to 4 hours of video without needing to recharge.
Easy Navigation The E340's user-friendly interface makes navigating through your music, pictures, and videos an easy task.
LCD A 2-inch QVGA (320x240) high-brightness screen, color LCD provides you with a rich viewing experience on your video MP3 player.
Drag-n-Drop Easily manage your music, pictures, and video files via drag-n-drop on your PC.
Design On-the-go video and music is easy thanks to the slim, compact design.
Formats The E340 supports multiple high-quality video formats (AVC (H.264/AVC), MPEG-4, and WMV), as well as a variety of audio codecs (MP3, WMA, AAC-LC [.mp4], and L-PCM [.wav]), giving you more freedom to download the kind of music and video that you want.
Sound Clear Stereo and Clear Bass Audio Technologies for clearer, deeper sound without distortion.
FM Tuner A built-in FM tuner enables you to listen to FM radio stations directly from your MP3.
What's in the Box Sony WALKMAN E-340 Series 16 GB Digital Music Player (Black), Headphones, USB cable, User's Manual

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