Apple iPod Nano 5G 16 GB

This is the fifth generation of the iPod nano, an MP3 player that has always remained in the shadow of the iPod classic and more recently the touch.  That said, it's one of the lightest, smallest portable music players currently available, and certainly has several advantages.

Polished aluminium: fingerprints and scratches

Apple has replaced the brushed aluminum finish found on the previous generations with shiny, polished aluminum.  Visually, it looks pretty good, but it's a real trap for greasy fingerprints.  The anodized surface means scratches are a little less visible than on the iPod touch, but they still appear very quickly.  Take care of your MP3 player and keep it away from pockets with keys and coins!

The menus haven't changed, apart from the new options for FM radio and a video camera.  Turning the nano to one side or the other displays the Cover Flow interface.  The scroll wheel is now a little smaller, which makes it a little fiddly for those with larger hands.  It's still incredibly easy to use though and can teach other manufacturers a lot.

FM radio and video: evolution or revolution?

The two new features on this generation of the nano are an FM tuner and a video--but not stills--camera.  The tuner picks up radio signals better than most portable players, and has RDS, which is a practical touch.  The real bonus, though, is time-shifting.  You can't actually record radio programs, but you can pause live radio for up quarter of an hour.  Using headphones is compulsory for the radio, as they act as an antenna.

The video camera is less of an instant success.  It can't take photos--because, according to Steve Jobs, the quality isn't good enough, which is a very odd claim given that the sensor is no worse than that of a mobile phone.  That leaves short VGA clips at a resolution of 640 x 480 pixels.  It's fun, and the results are comparable to what you'd expect from a phone.  Apple's exact motivation for including it in a player that's clearly mostly about music remains to be seen, as does the mystery of why the nano can display photos, but not take them.

There's nothing new with the audio quality or the battery life.  The sound signal is still typical of Apple, with the least interesting set of equalizer presets possible.  The battery life is acceptable.

This new generation nano is still a very good MP3 player that's better than the average but it struggles to do more.  The new features Apple is adding today were new for the competition a while ago, which doesn't help.