Ipod - Nano Or With Video?

[DougBarnes101]

Want to spend a little of my bonus and thought I would move into the 21st century. I have never owned an ipod and to be honest I don't know anyone who has one to ask. Would I be better to buy a nano and a DVD player or buy the 30 0r 60 gb video ipod? I have read some complaints with the small size of the screen.

Also Matt Burkett's site says most of his stuff is video. If I get the nano will I still get the audio?

Thanks for your help.

Edited January 4, 2007 by DougBarnes101

[bp78]

I would, and did, get the Nano. It has a slick interface & screen and is solid-state (no moving hd parts, all flash memory) so I feel less likely to break it running or skiing or something.

Maybe I'm not keeping up enough, but I really don't see the draw of video on an iPod. If I'm static, I may as well watch stuff on the HD TV at home or on a plane 8/10 times I'll have my laptop with me anyhow. Not as though I could drive or run and watch video...

[Nik Habicht]

If you're going to use it during activity and if you're the type to drop things, the Nano might be better. I don't use my iPod for video, I use it mostly as a car radio. I've moved all of my music to the computer, and put my 600 CDs in storage --- so the iPod's like having a jukebox....

[Dan Sierpina]

For Christmas, my wife bought me a new stereo for my 1986 Vette. The new unit can be set up with a cable for an Ipod. So, I bought an 8G nano, which fits nicely in the ashtray/cupholder compartment. Totally out of sight. I agree with Nik, get the Nano.

[galt11]

I agree with the opinions that have been given so far. The nanos use flash memory, therefore no moving parts. However, the drawback to this is flash memory has a finite number of read/write cycles. The number though is very high and unless you are changing your playlist daily for a number of years, you won't have a problem. The video won't have this problem because it uses a hard drive. But, it is more delicate than the nanos. Hope this helps.

Adam

[DougBarnes101]

Thanks to everyone for their help. Now I am off to see if I can find an ipod.

[RacerX1166]

Don't buy a Zune. My wife got me one for Christmas and, while it's not a bad unit, battery life is horrible (6 hours) and there are no accessories available. It's going back this weekend, if possible, and being replaced with an iPod.

[jasmap]

Do what me and my wife did.......get both.

[dlcrouch]

Nano all the way. I run with mine and have the NikePlus sensor. Quarter size sensor in the running shoe and wireless receiver in the Nano. Tracks distance, pace and time. Works great.

[Micah]

I am speaking from experience my friend...by a 4 gig Nano. I have mine plugged into my head or car almost 24 hours a day. Matt Burkett radio show, the Stones, you name it!

The video Ipods are nice, but you'll have to pay to watch movies you may already own, and the screen is small. DVD player for DVD's, and the Nano for everything else.

[joelhilgy]

Nano's are nice, wife and I each have one, her's is all music, I have mostly podcasts which are free, so are video podcasts (which a nano can't play). Capacity and video is what you will be giving up with the nano but you will get durability and convenience with the smaller size. I would wait til tuesday to see what new things apple comes out with when Steve Jobs does his Keynote address at Macworld. The iPods are probably not going to change but you may be able to have other options possibly an iPod + phone type device or maybe price drop, but you should be covered for a price adjustment if that were to happen on tuesday.

[George]

Tip on buying, go to the Apple website, click the Store link and scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page. On the left there will be a link for Refurbished iPod. These are ones used for Apple demos at stores and shows, not lemons returns. Lemons cannot be re-sold. These are slightly used ones that Apple had to crack open and use a little bit for one reason, or another and they are cosmetically pristine and meet new product level. They are typically the one that was top-o-line 3-4 months ago and have full new item warranties, but they sell for 25 to almost 50% less than they did when they were brand-spankin'-unopened.

They also have another link there for used computers and displays. I don't buy new line stuff anymore, the refurbs are too good of deals.

The refurb links are the best kept secret at the Apple webstore. They have to sell this stuff somehow, but they don't want to commit fratricide on their new stuff, so they hide the link where they figure only 1 in 50 will find it. This stuff is not available at the brick and mortar stores and the inventory changes almost daily. The good deals move through fast so don't dally when you see what you want, at the price that you want.