With the iPod getting to be old hat, Apple Inc. has frantically piled on extras in an attempt to make the player seem fresh again.
The new version of the iPod Nano, unveiled this week at a company event, crams into the little player a video camera, FM radio, microphone, speaker and even a pedometer.
Is this a sign of desperation?
Well, if it is, bring it on. The new Nano is an astonishing triumph of engineering and design that has managed to pack all these new features -- along with the old ones -- into a sleek, elegant device that's a pleasure to use.
None of the new features -- with the exception of the dorky pedometer -- seem like gratuitous add-ons. They're quality instruments that perform quite nicely, especially considering that the player is not much bigger than a couple of sticks of gum, side by side.
Indeed, this fifth rendition of the Nano (first introduced in 2005) is wrapped in an aluminum case that is essentially the same size as its predecessor.
Almost alarmingly small. As one colleague noted, it would be easy to lose in the laundry.
Or an unmade bed. In the early morning, I shot my first video with the help of a lovely demonstration model.
See the clip "Earl Wakeup Call" at www.youtube.com.
Even in a groggy state, the video controls were easily navigated. The picture quality of the video is not going to win Academy Awards, but it was certainly passable for a YouTube postcard to friends and family.
There's at least one significant glitch for the company to solve. After the video was downloaded to a Mac computer, it was supposed to be simple to send it along to YouTube or Facebook. But it wouldn't export properly out of the iPhoto software.
After more than an hour on the phone with Apple technical support (the new Nano was new to them too), a temporary work-around was devised.
It would not be a shock if more glitches were found. Apple is known for taking big leaps forward, and sometimes that means it has to run damage control on the first release of a new or upgraded item.
The FM radio is the other major upgrade. Apple has long resisted radio on the iPod, but maybe it finally gave in because it figured it could make money off it.
If you hear a song you like on some stations that broadcast digital text information, you can click a Nano button to "tag" the tune. Next time you sync the player to your computer, those songs are listed so you don't forget them. And with just another click, you can purchase them from Apple's iTunes music store. How convenient.
