The New Multi-touch IPod Nano

Right from the get-go, you can see Apple has made huge improvements to their line of nano iPods with the multi-touch iPod nano. Being just 1.48" x 1.61" and weighing less than an ounce, the entire device is essentially a touch screen. The screen is a 1.54" TFT display with 240 x 240 resolution. The new multi-touch iPod nano comes in both 8 and 16 GB models. There are some exciting new features in the multi-touch iPod nano that have not been seen before in other Apple products, and we'll be examining these new features here today.

The multi-touch iPod nano comes with Apple earphones, a USB cable for charging and data transfer, and a quick start guide. It also has a built-in clip, making it ready for use at home or at the gym. For those familiar with Apple products, there will be little to be gained from the quick-start guide, as Apple has stuck to its typical user interface, making the multi-touch iPod nano easy to use right out of the box.

As I said before, the multi-touch iPod nano has some exciting new features, so let's see what they are:

• Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery - While this in and of itself isn't a new feature for iPods in general, the multi-touch iPod nano 's battery supports up to 24 hours of non-stop play. This trumps just about every mobile device out there, save for some e-ink ebook readers. Imagine being able to use your multi-touch iPod nano at the gym in the morning, for your commute to work, at lunch, and the commute home, all while still having enough juice for the next day's activities.

• Shake to Shuffle - Simply shake the multi-touch iPod nano to play a random song in your music library. This can be done any time you are listening to music, allowing you to hear your entire music collection, including the gems that you often overlook.

• Genius Integration - Tapping the Genius icon during a song you like will cause the multi-touch iPod nano to generate a playlist with related music. Genius can also be used with iTunes to create playlists for your multi-touch iPod nano to be uploaded to the device next time it is syncing with your computer.

• FM Radio - Not only does the multi-touch iPod nano feature a built-in FM tuner, it will display the artist, song, or program that you are currently listening to. This is a feature long awaited by Apple fans, as many other MP3 players already offered FM radio functionality. An exciting additional feature is the ability to pause and even rewind live radio broadcasts, meaning you'll never miss a play when listening to sports broadcasts.

• Nike+ Integration - When used in conjunction with Nike+ enabled shoes or workout equipment, the multi-touch iPod nano will document your progress, including pace, time, and distance. The multi-touch iPod nano also has a built in pedometer so that you can still track your progress without Nike+ enabled equipment.

• VoiceOver - VoiceOver is being touted by Apple as "the world's first gesture-based screen reader." Designed for visually impaired users, when VoiceOver is enabled, one must simply tap the screen and will read the contents of a page or music information. VoiceOver currently supports 29 languages.

As you can see, this wide array of new features, in addition to the easy-to-use interface Apple fans have come to love, the multi-touch iPod nano is an exciting piece of hardware. Interestingly enough, the price tag on this baby isn't astronomical as one might expect. The 8GB model comes in at $149, whereas the 16GB model is $179.