Good is... Evolution of the ipod; Nano.

The iPod Nano (trademarked, marketed, and stylized as iPod nano) is a digital media player designed and marketed by Apple. The first generation of the iPod Nano was introduced in the end of 2005 as a replacement for the iPod Mini. It uses flash memory for storage. The iPod Nano has gone through six models, or generations, since its introduction. The current "sixth generation" iPod Nano supports FM radio, a pedometer, and a 39.1 millimetres (1.54 in) square 240×240 display with a multitouch interface.

 Second generation

On September 12, 2006, Apple updated the Nano line. The second-generation Nano features scratch-resistant, anodized aluminium casing like the earlier Mini's design; the multiple color choices (silver, green, pink, blue, and black) mirror those of the Mini as well. However, unlike the second-generation Mini, the button labels do not match the color of the Nano. Instead, they are gray, like the first-generation Mini, except for the black iPod which has a black click wheel. The second-generation Nano features "a brighter, more vibrant display" a battery life upgrade (from 14 to 24 hours), and doubled storage sizes with the new 2, 4, and 8 GB models (compared to the previous 1, 2, and 4 GB models). The second generation iPod Nanos also support gapless playback of audio files, a new search option, and a 40 percent brighter screen. The 2 GB model was available in silver only. The 4 GB was initially available in green, blue, silver, or pink. The 8 GB model was initially only available in black but Product Red was later added. Apple claims that the second generation iPod Nano's packaging is "32% lighter and uses 52% less volume than the first generation", thereby reducing environmental impact and shipping cost at the same time.

On October 13, 2006, Apple announced a special edition iPod Nano Product Red, with a red exterior and 4 GB of storage. For each red iPod Nano sold in the United States, Apple donates US$10 to the Product Red initiative, while retaining the regular price. On November 3, 2006, Apple introduced a red 8 GB model, due to "outstanding customer demand", while also retaining the same price point of the black model with an equally large storage capacity.

On December 26–27, 2006, Apple's website and servers crashed due to thousands of people downloading iTunes software since so many iPods were sold that Christmas season

Apple updated the Nano again on September 5, 2007. The third-generation Nano featured a 2-inch (51 mm) QVGA (320 x 240) screen and a shorter, wider, heavier design, with new colors. New features included browsing via Cover Flow, a new user interface and video playback. Users had to repurchase games bought a month prior to the debut of the new iPod as they were not supported. The Nano was announced in a 4 GB version coming in silver and an 8 GB version coming in silver, turquoise, mint green, black, and Product Red. The battery lasted for approx. 24 hours on audio playback and approx. 5 hours on video playback. On January 22, 2008, Apple released a pink version of the 8 GB iPod Nano.

Combining elements from previous generations of the iPod Nano, the third-generation Nano had an aluminum front plate and a stainless steel back plate. The Nano also sported a new Minimalistic hold switch, similar to the iPod Shuffle's power switch, which had been moved to the bottom of the player. The 2-inch (51 mm) screen had the smallest dot pitch of any Apple product, having the same pixel count as the 2.5-inch (64 mm) display of the iPod Classic.

On October 6, 2007, Apple released a firmware update (1.0.2) via iTunes that was said to improve Cover Flow and yield faster menu navigation. The update was also released for the iPod Classic. On November 28, 2007, Apple released another firmware update (1.0.3) via iTunes, which included unspecified bugfixes. January 15, 2008 saw the release of version 1.1, which added support for iTunes movie rentals, music song lyrics support and included more unspecified bugfixes. Apple released update version 1.1.2 in May 2008 and version 1.1.3 in July 2008 with even more bug fixes. 

At the Apple Let's Rock Event on September 9, 2008, the iPod Nano 4th Generation was officially announced. It returned to the narrow form factor of the 1st and 2nd Generation model, while retaining and rotating the 51 millimetres (2.0 in) screen from the 3rd gen model. It was also thinner than the 1G, 2G and 3G, measuring 90.7 millimetres (3.57 in) tall by 38.7 millimetres (1.52 in) wide by 6.2 millimetres (0.24 in) thick, and weighing 36.8 grams (1.30 oz). It had a curved aluminum shell and glass screen (the glass screen being held in place with nothing but the shell). Apple claimed the battery would last 24 hours of music playback, and only 4 hours of video playback, compared to the 5 hours of the previous generation.

The six previous colors (silver, black, mint, turquoise, berry red, and rose pink) were replaced by silver, black, purple, light blue, green, yellow, orange, red, and pink, for a total of nine, although the Product Red color was only available directly from Apple (website and retail stores). Apple marketed the new colors as "nano-chromatic". Also added was an accelerometer which allows the Nano to shuffle songs by shaking it, the option between portrait and landscape display modes by tilting the iPod left or right, and access to Cover Flow when tilted sideways. Videos, however, could only be played in landscape mode. The user interface was also refreshed, adding a more stylized look in keeping with the new hardware design. It included a new voice recording feature which started automatically when an Apple compatible microphone is plugged in. It also included the new "Genius" feature, introduced by Apple the same day. The Genius feature automatically creates playlists based on a selected song using an algorithm built by Apple.

It was additionally touted as "the most environmentally friendly iPod Apple has ever made", containing arsenic-free glass and a BFR-, mercury-, and PVC-free design. It was also claimed to be highly recyclable. The iPod Nano 4G was shipped in cases similar to the 2G ones with the clear view in the front, and is marketed in three models: 4 GB (limited production to Europe only) and 8 GB and 16 GB. Limited quantities of an unannounced 4 GB model surfaced in various markets. Also, the iPod Quiz game was dropped and replaced with a Maze game which makes use of the iPod's accelerometer similarly to such games on the iPhone and iPod Touch.

The fourth generation dropped support for charging via FireWire. "This change means that any dock accessories that use the dock connector's FireWire pins to send power—many older speakers and car chargers, for example—will not charge the 4G iPod Nano."

At Apple's September 9, 2009 event, a fifth generation iPod Nano was unveiled with reduced prices on the larger model (at the time of release, the 8GB was priced at $149 and the 16GB at $179), a larger, 56.3 millimetres (2.22 in) diagonal screen (up from 50.8 millimetres (2.00 in) in third and fourth generation iPod Nanos), which is also wider, integrated video camera with 16 special effects, microphone, FM Radio with iTunes tagging (via RDS) multiple radio regions including Americas, Asia, Australia, Europe, and Japan.

It also includes Live Pause, a built-in pedometer, Nike+iPod Support and speaker (features more anticipated with the iPod Touch).

The headphone jack and dock connector swapped locations so that the headphone jack is now to the left of the dock connector. Therefore the fifth generation iPod Nano uses a different Apple Universal Dock insert than the fourth generation.

The fifth generation iPod Nano has nine finishes: Silver, Black, Purple, Blue, Yellow, Orange, Product Red, Green and Pink. All have a glossier, shinier finish than the fourth generation. Just like the 4G iPod Nano, Product Red and the yellow Nano are only available on the Apple Online Store and Apple Retail Store .

Its standard features include picture viewing and video playback. This model also has the Genius Mix feature installed. 

At a media event on September 1, 2010, Apple announced the sixth generation iPod Nano, which among many new features, is designed around a high resolution square touch-screen.

The device now features a smaller 1.54 inch multi-touch screen with a lower resolution of 240×240 pixels but a higher pixel density of 220 pixels per inch, as opposed to the larger 2.2 inch screen on the iPod Nano 5G. The device has a 0.39 watt-hour battery rated at 3.7 volts, giving a capacity of 105 mAh, and specified to give 24 hours of music playback on a single charge. The device takes about 3 hours for one full charge. The device retains the same 30-pin dock connector as previous generations. The new iPod Nano has lost the previous generation's video camera, built-in voice recorder (although plugging in headphones with a built in microphone will reveal a Voice Memos app) and built-in speaker, and games. It has also lost support for video playback, but music videos and video podcasts (vodcasts) can be synced onto the device, and the audio from them will play on the device, with a single key-frame shown on the screen. It still includes the Nike+iPod fitness option as well as an FM radio tuner. It has a black on white screen contrast option and other accessibility options. The 6th generation iPod Nano has the same price point as the 5th generation device. A firmware update for the Nano was released on February 28, 2011. The update added the ability to change songs or pause with a double click of the sleep/wake button. It also added the ability to turn the device off by holding the sleep/wake button. The user interface has also been enhanced. However, many consumers believed that the sixth generation was a downgrade, because it lacked some features that the previous versions had, such as the video camera and the click wheel.


www.wikipedia.org