Any thoughts about the new Nano? It seems that Apple needed to do some major feature enhancement to keep the Nano a tempting option in the MP3 player market. Especially with all the new features of the iTouch. This gives people with a smaller budget a reason to buy the Nano. The demographics is probably younger teens or people who want a device to exercise with that is very small but still has a screen.
I read some reviews of the new Nano and many of them gloss over the ability to pause live radio. After owning a DVR for so long and getting used to being able to pause or rewind video, I find myself assuming I have this ability in my car radio. If you miss something that is said, you assume you can just rewind it and hear it again. Yes I am conditioned. I guess for radio it is not as big of a deal unless you are listening to a talk show or something like that. Rewinding a song to hear again may not be that great. I wonder how long the recording goes for and if it is still there next time you power up. The key marketing feature with this is the iTunes taging which allows you to tag you hear on the radio for iTunes. Then when you sync with iTunes you can download the song from the iTunes Store. HD radio advertises having this feature too. It has been driven into my skull with the HD radio ads I hear 5 times a day.
The camera/video feature could be good if the pictures are better than the crappy cameras typically on cell phones. That lens looks pretty small. My cell phone touts a Megapixel camera but the pictures are almost always grainy and blurry unless under very bright sunlight.
I still think the "shake to shuffle" feature introduced in the last update is pure genious and will greatly appeal to the younger crowd. My son opted to get a PSP (Sony handheld gaming device) instead of an iPod Nano for about the same price. To him, games are more important than music right now. And the iTouch was quite a bit more expensive.
1 comment:
I agree with almost everything you've mentioned. Apple is now pulling out the stops for the nano to be flat out cool and must have for our younger generations. Can't beat the price point, and now the integration of the radio features and video make it cool as you can get.
One thing that is also impressive is how Apple keeps on improving the sleek look of the aluminum bodies. The iPod mini of old was neat for its time, and it was a huge hit! But it pales in comparison to the vibrant colors that appeal so much to the fairer sex. Even I am attracted to the colors.
The radio feature you mention could become quite a hit. Pair that with some amateur video ability, and you've god a teen's delight. Notice that Apple has its product cycle optimally timed for Christmas purchases. They really have improved the release point in their strategy.
Ironically while the iPod Touch is a higher price point, the reason they did not add a camera is to bring the price down for more affordability. That's a good thing. I carry my Touch everywhere, and it really makes a difference, especially for email management.
Apple covered all the bases, and I have a feeling they are going to have one more surprise before the holiday season gets underway.
Remember there was speculation about the Beatles catalog. Word is that it will appear on iTunes, but they wait until the CDs have had a chance to sell. More money!!
Post a Comment