Who Invented the iPod Nano

Posted on May 25, 2008
Filed Under Computers and Technology |

by Lydia Vaughn

The iPod nano is my favoriate technology toy, and might be yours too. If you’ve wondered who in created the iPod nano this article will fil you in.

Here’s the scoop.

Obivously the iPod nano evolved from Apple Computer as part of the iPod product line. That original iPod was is often credited to Tony Fadell. Tony was part of the team that created the original iPod classic. Who invented the nano? It seems to be a team effort, as no one is being publicly credited with its invention. Let’s look at the details of the nano’s launch.

Apple introduced the iPod nano in 2005. It took the press by surprise. The iPod Mini was doing pretty well with the mid-price buyers. Apple discontinued the Mini in favor of the nano.

There were a couple solid reasons to discontinue the mini in favor of the nano.

First, the nano uses “flash drive storage” instead of a hard disk. Flash drives are a lot more durable. I travel a lot, and my nano gets packed in carry-ons, dropped from hotel desks, and stuffed into my coat pocket all the time. It withstands hot temperatures and has sat in the rental car overnight in Minneapolis in the winter. All without a hiccup.

In contrast, you’ll see a typical hard drive in the classic iPod. Don’t get me wrong, the classic iPod is a great product. It holds more than a nano and doesn’t get lost so easily. But, you have to treat it a little more kindly than a nano. Nanos shine for people who work out, commute, or have hectic lives.

The iPod nano’s size is one of it’s strengths too. Flash drives are much smaller than hard disks, which you see reflected in the nano’s size. I can carry my nano in a blazer pocket without a bulge. It fits small carryons. It’s a lot less bulky on an armband.

Fast-forward to today: Apple released the iPod nano 3G (third generation) September 5, 2007. The 3G brought two features users clamored for most: video playback and games. The size of the 3G nano was reworked to give a wider form factor, which was needed if they were going to emphasize videos.

The nano 3G images are sharp and clear. It renders with a 204 pixel density on a QVGA 320×240 screen. Beautiful.

I wouldn’t have thought I’d play games on the nano, but they’re atually pretty good. I played Vortex (one of the three games that come with the 3G nano) on a flight home from Minneapolis last month and enjoyed it.

Now that you understand where the nano came from, go enjoy yours!

About the Author:
Would you like to make the most of your iPod Nano? Lydia Vaughn has more tips and recommendations for you at her Nanos Reviewed blog. You are welcome to reprint this article - but get your own unique content version here.

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