This was the iPod that hit critical mass. The one where Windows users came on board. Firewire was no longer a hurdle, and the once too-high sticker price shock had become accepted. When I think of an iPod in an iconographic sense, I think of this device.

This wasn’t my first ever Apple music player, that distinction going to the iPod mini, but this does share the same UI/UX of that device. I appreciate the monochromatic screen which is easily visible in daylight. The clickwheel has been tuned to perfection, letting you perform all navigational tasks without lifting your thumb. The hold switch is satisfying and the headphone jack at the top makes sense for the way I slide devices into my pockets.

My current 4th gen iPod has been modified. The clicky-clacky hard drive was past its expiration date, and I replaced it with the common flash solution. The result is an incredibly light device (almost too light?), which is also entirely silent and zippier when shuffling. The hand-feel is sublime; the device entices you to pick it up and play with it. Shuffle by album is here. Its easy-to-modify nature makes it a prime choice for anyone looking to jump into the hobby (or sickness).

There are a few caveats. Using sensitive IEMs, I do get quite a bit of hiss and noise. This may be due to the condition of the device. This may be a byproduct of my particular pair of IEMS paired with this device. For me, it’s just not an everyday, any-situation choice. There is no gapless playback, which is essentially a dealbreaker for me, unless I’m shuffling my entire library.

For me, the 4th generation iPod is not an everyday carry. It’s just big enough to be inconvenient. I don’t need my entire library with me at all times. However, it is my preferred mass-storage iPod. I think it’s especially at home in an iPod hi-fi or my new Be@rbick speaker dock. And that’s where it’ll likely remain.

Like the nano 1st gen I wrote about earlier, this was another iPod from my past. Also, it was my immediate upgrade from my 1st gen, so I thought it only fitting to take this one out for a spin next. Another Mercari find for under ¥1,000 or so. Another instance where the seller had no idea if it worked or not. Another bet that paid off.

This silver 4GB iPod nano 3rd gen may actually be the same model I bought, if I remember correctly. Unlike in my last story, this time, I was the one with the disposable income. Well, probably not very disposable, but it at least released on a payday. In fact, the Friday it hit stores, I took the bus straight from work to the Michigan Ave Apple store. Sure, it’s celebrating consumerism and hype, but buying Apple products on launch day felt like something special.

Then came a long bus ride home. I didn’t dare take out my new treasure, as the commute happened through some of Chicago’s sketchiest areas. Is this irony?

I love the squat look of this device. Like the original iPod in chibi form. Or, like an icon of an iPod. Funnily enough, I don’t like the full-size video iPods; I find the large screens to appear top-heavy. But with the minuscule nano, it works.

I can’t help but compare this design to the 1st gen nano. Where I may prefer the simplicity of the earlier form and UI, I admit, the features of the 3rd gen are cool as heck.

First of all, video in such a minuscule device was (and still is) an extremely neat trick.

Coverflow rewards us fastidious meta-data taggers and album artwork uploaders. Finally.

Gapless playback is here, so this makes it a go-to for straight-through album listens. Shuffling by album is also possible. These devices are limited in size, as all nanos are. My solution is a handy ‘random full albums to playlist’ script from DougScripts.com. I begin every month with a random selection of albums, totaling the number of days in that month. 31 albums in January, 28 albums in February. Yeah, I have a system for most everything.

Where this model falls short for me is in the walk-and-listen operation. While the screen is larger, navigating the flashier menu isn’t as lightning-quick as the old list-based UI. Also, I find the scroll wheel to be not as responsive, but that may just be a product of the poor condition of this particular device.

As this is the most pocketable and cute iPod, it would be perfect if the old interface was available. Somewhere in Cupertino lies a prototype of a 1st/3rd gen hybrid I really want. Still, this model will stay in my iPod quiver, as long as the battery holds up…

It was a Saturday afternoon in 2005. I was having lunch with my mother and aunt at a Guatemalan restaurant. My cousin, about 5 years my senior, came to pick up his mother. He brandished his newest toy, the iPod nano that was just announced and released earlier that week (Tuesdays, wasn’t it?). I, being a poor student, had no means to purchase such a device, so I could simply gawk.

I had an iPod mini, which I loved. But while the mini was fun, the nano was totally mature. Insanely thin, sleek, and mature. Looking back, it may have been the device that was the turning point for the modern design we’re used to today.

I’ve spent the past two weeks with a 2gb white nano I scored off Mercari (had to be under ¥2,000 or so). Thankfully, the battery still holds a decent charge, and the screen hasn’t succumbed to the black spot of death caused by swelling batteries. I was able to take it for a spin, pairing it with different headphones and enjoying various brews.

This may be my favorite iPod to hold…? It’s like a chocolate bar, in that it’s long yet perfectly balanced. When cupped in the hand, the wheel sits center, allowing you to confidently scroll. The screen is bright, with the text sharp and clear, still legible through the butter-soft screen, which was prone to scratches. The UI is simple and perfect; no split-screen album views here, just fast access to your tunes. It’s delightfully minimal, perhaps the most of any iPod (sans shuffles).

Pairing large cupped headphones with the device felt a bit silly. A long, thick cable plug leaves the nano feeling like an afterthought. Of course, the nano was right at home with the original trademark white buds, but my IEMs also fit the bill.

It passes the ‘shuffle by albums’ test. I listen to my digital collection exclusively by albums in their entirety, so this feature is key for me. Believe it or not, not every iPod supports this.

But the dealbreaker comes in the lack of gapless playback ability. So, when listening to Madlib’s Shades of Blue, there is a slight pause between tracks. If this doesn’t phase you, have at it, but it’s a no-go for me.

Which is a real shame because otherwise, I’m in love with this device. Yes, the small storage limits how many albums you can carry with you (I roll with 20 or so), but I consider that restraint a feature. It’s thin and light enough to forget you have it when it’s in a small bag (although you better remember the earphones).