i have a strong feeling that if the new ipods come out soon, the wheel will be gone.

i think we've advanced and moved to couch screens....although a touch screen nano would be hard to use...

halfpastme

Since the screen is "widescreen", they should rotate the navigation wheel. Most people would use it horizontally anyway would assume. just a thought :-) I like it better than the Zune definitely.

Trip

Triplet66

Bah. I like the size of the 3rd gen Nano. I guess I'll be able to get a cheap replacement then since my screen got cracked.

Skorpius

@Stacky Botrus: Buttons are good. You can change songs in your pocket without looking.

Xenocide

if the new nano isnt all screen like the touch, it will FAIL!

Badongadoodle.

Stacky Botrus

@denis_bda: Apple? Backward compatible? You're new here, aren't you?

AmishJohn

It would be nice to be able to carry over accessories from one nano gen to the next. Hopefully they'll make the form factor the same as the gen 2, just packed with more inside

denis_bda

The Zune guy should stay the Zune Guy if the Ipod is going to look like the Zune. Why change? I mean I am sure staying the Zune guy will help him grow at his continuous and constant 2 pounds per day while if he took the time and effort to take off the tattoos and say to people who call him the Fat Zune Guy, "No I now want to be known as the fat guy formally known as the fat zune guy" he may only grow at a rate of 1 - 1.5 pounds per day. He's got to keep his weight up to you know, look good for "da ladies."

pinball21

Got the 32GB Zen X-Fi last week. I like it a lot better than any of my iPods or Zunes. There's something great about just dragging-and-dropping my files without having to use some goofy software.

THLinTX

They need to update their UI on the iPods Classic and Nano. The customizability of the Zune's background image and the way you don't have to go back to the sub-menu just to get to another section of music is brilliant. I don't buy the higher-capacity iPods because it really really sucks to have to move your finger around that circle so many times just to get to the X section of songs.

Also, remove some of the bloat from iTunes while you're at it, Apple.

But, yeah, the taller form-factor could be very cool if it has a bigger screen. I'm hoping for a touch screen, too. iPod Nano Touch, anyone?

Also, Zune, give Mac-users a little love! Mac-users can use some more options.

DW

Microsoft is always copying Apple. Vista is just a ripoff of OSX. This time they just ripped off Apple before they even had a chance to make the new iPod. When will Microsoft learn?

/sarcasm

GiantEnemyCrab

iPod season.. the time of year when loyal Apple people go out, according to Steve's recommendation, and buy new iPods to keep up with being hip. (And because their non-removable batteries dont hold charges anymore)

Aturayd

@wazups2x: Yeah, I have the 8 and the Flip Incipio case. Love the thing.

Metkis

I love my zune. I used to have the Ipod Classic. But sold it and bought an 80GB Zune. And my friend has a 8GB Zune and that is really cool too.

wazups2x

Creative ZEN forever.

daftrok

I hope not. Everyone hated on the iPod fatty, and now its become very classy. I like it. I want one still...

If it looks anything like the render above, god help Apple. I doubt it though.

CutePuppyz

i liked the fat nanos, much more than the older ones, but liked the mini zune better.
loved the squircle and the zune ui.

the problem? you can't get zunes here in Brazil, tech support? oh well...

still love the idea of not using itunes.

but if nanos go back to the mini chocolate-bar thing, i guess i'll just buy a zune and don't worry.

laio

At least it doesn't look like Mickey Mouse.

Ken_Darrow

@ACDlite: Really? I love that 'squircle' because it gives more room to move around and isn't a cut and dry square. To each their own, I guess.

I hated the first gen Zune (still have my 30 from moderating ZuneMAX). The interface (I believe) is still MUCH more interesting than the iPod's though. Its size though, was considerably too large.

Metkis

@ACDlite: Why do you hate the squircle?

92BuickLeSabre

DAMMIT! I misused "it's". I meant "its".

This is the most public yet of my many humiliations!

ACDlite

@Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy!: Yeah, I have a Samsung P2 that's similar in orientation. I wish it was half as thin as it was though.

matt buchanan

I actually liked the fatty iPod nanos once I saw them up close. But that's really true with most Apple products: they look a whole lot better in person than in their promotional stuff.

Also true: the mockups (such as this one) rarely look as nice as the actual product. The fatty nano mockups were TERRIBLE. And does everybody remember all of those iPhone mockups. Yeesh.

BTW, I hate that fat pad button thingy the Zune has. I had a first gen Zune, and I thought it's design rivaled the iPod. But the new ones are disgusting. Either make the button a circle or a round-cornered square, stop giving my OCD a reason to complain!!

ACDlite

Technically, it will be more iPod knockoff-like, since a lot of those video-capable nano clones had taller screens and were oriented in landscape for vids.

Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy!

Hmm, if the size of memory goes up to 10GB or 16GB, I might just get one.

Otaconnachos

Out with the new, in with the old I guess.

pinball21

Hmm, the reason I bought the Zune was because I hated the 'fatty's' style and still do. Might be cool, I guess. We'll see. I didn't personally like the new iPod interface either.

Bring on the change Apple!

Metkis

@Metkis:

i agree with you 100%

when i got my 80 i thought i was going to have buyer's remorse, it felt strange at first, but now when i want to see what someone has on their ipod i can't do it, it's so uncomfortable, it feels very unnatural and hurts my little digit, plus the whole twist dial feel to the menu system is very well designed.

the.schimmi

@DW: a touch screen would b nice along w/ the buttons for both the Zune and the Nano(if it were to have the bigger screen.

One of the articles here on Giz already says that the Zune 3 will have a WiFi music store and will b released in Europe too, but for the 09' holiday season(why?).
ik Microsoft is slow, but their's somewhat of a chance that the Zune 3 will receive more of an upgrade. 1 or 2 of the predictions:

Bigger screen(especially on the 4gb and 8gb models, that's actually close to the size of the glass/plastic/w/e it is! i hate the stupid border. my 3-year-old phone has a bigger screen than the 4gb/8gb Zune)

A larger capacity. c'mon Microsoft, Apple has double your storage(160gb). I'll give Microsoft credit for releasing the Zune 2 w/ the squircle touchpad tho.

A touch screen. Everyone wants touchscreens these days, and Microsoft did say that the Zune will have it someday. Microsoft is good on their word too *cough* Vista *end cough*, but Microsoft is moving in a direction with touchscreens. Windows 7 is made with touchscreens in mind(not just for Tablets). That new HP TouchSmart looks nice but I think that if all the computer manufacturers made desktops w/ touch for W7, then I mite b able to afford one someday.

When the Zune 4gb/8gb was released, I thought "nice, it has a bigger screen than the (then-)Nano, but then Apple eventually released the new (fatter) Nano, which I wasn't that big a fan of, design-wise. The Nano however, played vids w/o having to turn the screen/player. I like this, but again, not the fat design.

With the Zune, and I guess the future Nano, having the the touchpad/scroll wheel in that location is so weird/stupid when ur watching vids. There is no good way to hold it when watching vids and u want to press/click/flick stuff.
In one of the commercials for the Zune(Ballad of Tina Pink), the girl goes from the menu to play a vid, and she doesn't have to turn the screen(annoying) for the vid to b upright.

Last (of what?), the location of the Zune pad and what appears to be the future Nano, is a horrible place to put it. When upright, it's......on the bottom. cell phones have a keypad that's similar in size w/ the screen, and the iPod Classic too(and more towards the middle). It's annoying to hit the buttons on the very bottom several times on devices.

I just wasted so much of my time typing all of this when i could have been eating. *sigh*

cy3

The 3rd gen nanos are horrendous! the Zune 8GB is a much nicer design (I've got a red one, along with my 80GB in black), the only thing that they should do to improve it is remove the screen border and put in a 2" screen instead. Maybe even bigger.

Sam_Zebian

Oh, and why not put the click wheel on the back? Then they can preserve the aspect ratio of the screen, and the form factor of the device. A simple UI OSD could indicate what button is being touched, which would allow the device to be operated in any orientation.

Or make the screen clickable.

These ideas are copyright/patent pending by me... unless you own the (C) etc....

I accept consulting fees.

Xerloq

I'll pass. I'm waiting to see the "classic" updates. My old 60GB iPod's battery life ain't what it used to be and my 3-year no-questions-asked warranty is up in January!

Xerloq

I like it. Put an accelerometer in it so it knows what orientation to put the menus in.

fpn1010

YES! This is what I was hoping for the last time around...a larger screen while keeping the same proportions of the original Nano. The only thing that deterred me from getting the latest Nano is the fatty proportions.

chrstphr

@Xerloq: click wheel on the back? yes and then we'll put the screen behind the metal casing...that way you would be able to see it if you were inside of the ipod...great idea!

laxman15

The Zune guy is definitely fucked now.

golferal

I actually liked the "fatty" nano design. I would rather a bigger screen for video than some sleek design. Still, this seems pretty likely as apple would love to steal back some Zune market share.

For me the question isn't IF, IT'S WHEN?

Probably October I know, but still that seems like forever a way for stuff to be leaking out like this. The sooner the better IMO.

EditorinChief

The controls on the Zune remind me of Mr. Bill's face.

'Oh nooooooooo.......'

marcsiry

@cy3: " Everyone wants touchscreens these days" since when that is completly untrue you know what billions of people want, if thats the case you should be ruling the world.

utube2007

NEW IPHONE!!!! IM CUMMING ALL OVER MY PORTRAIT OF STEVE JOBS AND MY 3 MACBOOK AIR!!

Yeah, yeah.. Whatever. It's a mp3 player!

DanLar75

This is just getting ridiculous. So basically, there was one year of the chubby Nano video. Well, at least mine will be a collectors item.

Benjo

I was kind of surprised that Apple didn't release a product with this form factor when they were getting all busy with video.

I was more surprised that the Sansa and Zune capitalized on this form factor before Apple did.

I will be even more surprised if Apple "follows" and releases a tall nano afterwards.

The only acceptable compromise is some sort of Nano Touch, which has a big glass screen on the front and no scroll wheel. That is, until I drop it and the touchscreen shatters.

ludwigk

I like this iPod nano compared with the fat iPod nano.

Wayn23

I'd buy it if it went back to that style and offered white or better colors (neon). I had the old slim white one, but accidentally killed it with some magnets. Now I have the iPod classic 80GB, which is just a bit too bulky for jogging, or if I'm only wearing tight jeans and a t-shirt. Fine when I go to work, and I use it to rate all my songs during my commute on the train. I could just transfer the 4&5 star songs to the nano.

SudhiraOhlund

I'll buy that, and carry it with my Classic. I don't like it when videos are too wide for my Classic's screen to be watchable (see: less than an inch in length), and plus this is much MUCH cooler than the fat nano.

videoCWK