Is the Apple Nano Overrated?

The Apple Nano, available in nine different colors and two different size flavors (8 gigabytes and 16 gigabytes, respectively) was marketed as a must-have item over the 2008 winter holiday season in the United States.

The product's extensive television advertising campaign featured a song by Chairlift, "Bruises", and depicted the variously colored Nano MP3 player "melting" and "dripping" color.

The 8 GB costs $149, while the 16 GB offering goes for the still reasonable sum of $199. It is also offered in red, for those interested in supporting the (PRODUCT)RED consumer-driven charity initiative spearheaded by U2's Bono.

The Nano has a surprisingly small form factor and a large, bright color LCD screen. It includes some relatively refreshing new features, including a built-in accelerometer that detects rapid side to side movement -- shake the Nano and it automatically "shuffles" to another song.

The new Genius feature automatically selects songs and creates playlists by pairing songs it thinks will sound good together.

There are certainly cheaper solid-state memory MP3 players on the market, but for $149 the Apple Nano will remain the clear industry leader well into mid-2009 for low to mid-end MP3 players. The seamless integration with Apple iTunes and surprisingly small form factor are its biggest strengths.

The trackwheel felt durable and held up under pressure. I have some concerns that the screen may scratch over time, but this is to be expected with any MP3 player.

Battery life appears good, although not extraordinary. The included Apple earbuds produced excellent, full-bodied sound with bass that wasn't at all tinny. The included USB charger comes with a princely looking cradle for docking the MP3 player in the upright position. This is a classy touch for a low budget MP3 offering.