Review: Apple iPod Nano portable media player

In some ways, Apple’s recent launch of its updated iPod range was a little disappointing, with only minor changes made to the iPod Classic and iPod Touch (albeit sweetened by welcome price cuts).

However, the iPod Nano was, yet again, completely redesigned.

After experimenting with the squat, square design of the previous version of the Nano, Apple has returned to the slimmer, taller design that it used with the original Nano model.

It's now even smaller than its predecessors, measuring just 6.2mm thick and weighing a mere 36.8g. The anodized aluminium casing is quite robust and doesn’t feel at all flimsy when you hold it in your hand, while the overall appearance is really quite striking, especially with the vibrant range of colours that Apple is offering.

The screen has the same resolution as before (320x240), however it’s been turned on its side; the increased height of the portrait screen works well when listening to music, making it easy to quickly scroll through long lists of songs and albums.

It also includes the same motion sensors included in the iPod Touch and iPhone, so when you to turn the Nano on its side, photos and videos automatically rotate with it.

The motion sensors have also been used to introduce a new feature called ‘shake to shuffle’ - simply shake the Nano from side to side a couple of times and it automatically switches into shuffle mode, choosing songs at random from your music library.

The Nano’s storage capacity has been doubled, with the 8GB model costing £109 and 16GB at £149. That’s a little more expensive than rivals such as Creative’s Zen range, but the stylish design and features such as the new motion sensors should ensure that the revamped iPod Nano sets credit cards twitching this Christmas.