Apple iPod Nano 6th Generation

iPod Nano 6th Generation

Product Brand: Apple

Editor's Rating:
4

Pros

• Compact and lightweight design
• Multitouch display for easy navigation
• Good battery life
• FM radio tuner and pedometer
• Available in a range of colours
• Voice-over feature for accessibility

Cons

• Limited storage capacity
• No camera or video recording capabilities
• No built-in speaker
• Non-standard charging cable
• Limited app support
• Screen can be difficult to read in bright sunlight

Apple iPod Nano 6th Generation Review and Features

At a media event on September 1, 2010, Apple announced the sixth generation iPod Nano, which, among many new features, was designed around a high-resolution square touch-screen.

The device featured a small 1.55-inch multi-touch screen with a lower resolution of 240×240 pixels but a higher pixel density of 220 pixels per inch, as opposed to the larger 2.2-inch screen on the fifth-generation iPod Nano.

The device had a 0.39 watt-hour battery rated at 3.7 volts, giving a capacity of 105 mAh, and specified to give 24 hours of music playback on a single full charge. The device takes about three hours for one full charge. The device retained the same 30-pin dock connector as previous generations.

This Nano lost the previous generation’s video camera, built-in voice recorder microphone (although plugging in headphones with a built-in microphone revealed a Voice Memos app), built-in speaker, and games.

It also lost support for video playback, but music videos and video podcasts (vodcasts) could be synced onto the device, and the audio from them would play on the device, with a single key-frame shown on the screen.

It still included the Nike+iPod fitness option and an FM radio tuner with RDS (Radio Data System). It had a black-on-white screen contrast option and other accessibility options. The 6th generation iPod Nano had the same price point as the 5th generation device.

A firmware update (version 1.1) for the Nano was released on February 28, 2011. The update added the ability to change songs or pause with a double click of the sleep/wake button. It also added the ability to turn the device off by holding the sleep/wake button. The user interface was also enhanced. On October 4, 2011, the iPod Nano 1.2 update was unveiled at the Apple “Let’s Talk iPhone” event at the Town Hall, 4 Infinite Loop.

This update added the option to increase or decrease the size of the home buttons for easier use. The update also added a better fitness app with a better pedometer split into walking and running styles.

The update also included 16 new clock faces, which included designs like a Nixie tube clock face or an old-style clock face, and Disney-licensed designs, such as Mickey Mouse and Kermit the Frog, bringing to a total of 18 clock faces. Three more background images were also added.

Although not specifically designed as one, some accessory makers produced watch bands for the 6th generation Nano, allowing it to be worn like a watch.

Full Technical Specifications