New iPod nano a notch above the rest

Apple Inc. has done it again.

Each year its competitors add new features to their mid-range mp3 players, making already good products that much better. But then September rolls along and the iPod nano undergoes a redesign that puts it just out of reach at the top of the class.

Call it the September syndrome. Watch as it spreads, pushing Microsoft, SanDisk and Cowon back down the charts of the nation’s most popular mp3 players.

With a splash of color – actually nine vibrant selections – Apple revved up for the holiday sales season with the unveiling of the 4th generation iPod nano earlier this month. Gone is the squat body of the 3rd generation. The new nano returns to roughly its original size, but instead of being flat, it’s slightly oval in shape with a curved body and screen. Even the click wheel is slightly bowed to match the curvature of the face.

Inside, the nano now is outfitted with an accelerometer, the same device that debuted in the first iPhone and allows the handheld players to sense when it is rotated or shaken. Turn the nano to the left and enjoy browsing through album covers or watching a movie. If you are left-handed, you will want to turn it to the right in order to keep the click wheel controls in your dominant hand. Shake the nano and it launches into shuffle mode. If you don’t like that first song, just shake it again for a reshuffle.

Lefties aren’t the only group to get consideration from Apple. Visually-impaired users will like the option of spoken menus.

Another new feature is the ability to record voice memos via a line-in microphone. To support the function, Apple next month will release headphones that include a microphone built into the cord.

While gamers will lean toward the iPod touch or iPhone, the nano does offer another new platform for casual gaming. It comes loaded with one game, Maze, which uses the accelerometer. No doubt, more paid games that take advantage of tilting and moving controls will follow.

Consumers looking to directly download music from online stores or listen to their favorite radio stations still will have to look elsewhere to players like Microsoft’s Zune or SanDisk’s Sansa mp3 players. If playing a variety of movie formats appeals, then a Cowon device might be the choice.

However, the latest iPod nano continues to hold the edge over competitors, thanks to two main factors: ease of use and third-party accessories.

While some critics hate the fact that you cannot use an iPod without iTunes, Apple’s online store remains the best. The store’s navigation is brilliantly simple. Likewise, the syncing between iTunes and iPod could not be easier. Never used an iPod? No need to fret because its easy enough to figure out, even without a manual.

Outfitting your new nano is also an easy task – just be ready to spend more than the price of the device if you have any leanings toward being a gadget junkie. While it’s possible to find a few accessories built for Zune or Sansa players, the selection is nothing like that available for iPods. Top audio companies have flooded the market with high-quality docking speakers while dozens of others make everything from cases to video glasses.

The nano comes in 8GB ($149) and 16GB ($199) models. For the first time, all colors – silver, black, purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, red and pink – are available for both models.