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Physical Controls (5.00)
The Nano has all the standard iPod controls: hold switch, scroll wheel, and select button. Unlike most other iPods, however, the Nano's controls felt very cheap. The scroll wheel would click when we touched it lightly, as if it wasn't secured properly to the device. In the same vein, the hold switch makes a click when you lock the device, but the sound is made when the switch is about 50% of the way into position. The click seems like it was unintended, like something had broken inside and was getting in the switch's way. This being said, the controls are laid out in a very intuitive way. Also, by keeping the same control scheme as past iPods, the new Nano can cash in on its ancestor's popularity: just about everyone has owned an iPod at some point.
Display
Screen resolution (5.54)
The Nano has a resolution of 320 x 240, otherwise known as QVGA ,or quarter video graphics array. QVGA is the standard resolution for most modern media players. Higher-end, video-oriented media players will often have higher resoultions, such as the Archos 705 and its 800 x 480 display. The Nano and its 320 x 240 screen will be fine for the average user, especially since the device isn't really focused on providing a flawless movie-viewing experience.
Screen size (4.90)
The Nano's screen is 1.96 inches diagonally, which is actually pretty close to the 2 inches Apple claims (some manufacturers are a bit less accurate). For comparison purposes, most cell phone screens average around 2.1-2.3 inches diagonally. One thing the Nano does have going for it, however, is its overall small stature: relative to the size of the device, the screen looks acceptibly large. Of course, the Nano is a music player first and a video player second, so most users won't run into problems with the smaller screen. If you're looking for a device to hold your movies, then the Nano isn't for you: it's silly to rely on such a tiny device for video playback, and 8-16GB of free space doesnt' allow for a very big library.
Pixels per inch (8.16)
Pixels per inch is really the most important number for picture quality. Tightly packed pixels will yeild vibrant colors and sharp lines; a low pixels per inch count means colors will seem washed out and lines might appear a bit blurry. Although the Nano has a fairly average resolution, it manages to cram that resolution into a small screen. This means the Nano will have a better overall picture quality than the iPod Classic. Unfortunately, the good picture quality is somewhat negated by the small size of the screen itself.
Screen brightness (8.67)
The Nano's screen, at full brightness, displaying an all-white screen, outputs 383 candelas per square meter. This is a little above the average output level for a media player. While this means the screen won't get washed out on a sunny way, its screen is too small to be used effectively as a mini-flashlight.
In the settings menu, there are 16 different brightness levels you can choose from. The Nano doesn't have a light sensor, however, so it can't adjust its screen brightness automatically.
Built-in Speakers (0.0)
The Nano doesn't have built-in speakers.
Cable Connectivity (5.00)
There are two ports for cables on the iPod Nano: the proprietary data/charging port, and the 1/8-inch headphone jack. Both of these ports are on the bottom of the device. Typically the headphone jack is located on the top of the device, so this design change might annoy some people.
Internal Storage (5.22)
The iPod Nano comes in 8GB and 16GB sizes. Some of that memory goes towards storing the device's operating system, which leaves you with a bit less than the advertised storage space. Our review unit was the 8GB model, and it had 7.41GB of space actually available for media. The 8GB class is quickly becoming the standard entry-level capacity for media players. For a small device like the Nano, 8GB and 16GB should be enough for those looking to store their music. If you want to keep video clips or movies on your device as well, the device might get a bit crowded. True movie playback-oriented media players often come with hundreds of Gigibytes of storage space.
External Storage (0.0)
The Nano doesn't have an expansion slot for external memory.
Battery Life (4.75)
To test battery life, we load our test playlist onto the device, set it to loop, and let it play until it stops. The iPod Nano was able to last 15 hours, 49 minutes before its battery gave out. This is pretty good, but it falls somewhat short of the manufacturer-stated time of 24 hours. Be this as it may, you can easily make it through a work day and its commutes with your Nano. Two days without a charge would be pushing it, but if you listen at a moderate volume it could be done.
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