The Ipod Shop Online

Your home to everything for iPods!

Which iPod is best for you? Touch, Nano, or Shuffle?   While Apple wasn’t the first out with an MP3 player, it’s been almost nine years since the first iPod hit the scene, with its 5GB hard drive, monochrome display, mechanical scroll wheel, and Mac-only software.Now look at the line of new players Apple released earlier this month, and it’s clear: The iPod has come a long way, baby.

Every fall Apple evolves its iPod line, and this year some players changed more than others. The budget-friendly iPod shuffle saw very modest improvements, though it did finally get physical controls and support for playlists. The almighty iPod touch, which still looks similar to its predecessor, received some nice improvements with the addition of Apple’s social gaming tie-in Game Center, an ultra-sharp Retina display, and two cameras—one for capturing photos and video, and one for FaceTime video chat.

Of all of the Apple players, the iPod nano got the most dramatic makeover. Not only did the middle-sibling player shrink to the size of a couple of postage stamps, it lost its video capture and playback abilities along the way. There’s no more room for a click wheel, so you navigate the nano via its 1.54-inch touch screen; swiping to move between screens, and rotating a finger to switch the display’s rotation. You can’t pinch to zoom, like you can on the touch or an iPhone, though. The addition of a clip to the back of the nano (like you’ll find on the even-smaller shuffle), along with its integrated Nike+ fitness features, seem to say that Apple is targeting the workout crowd here.

But this leaves an interesting hole in the iPod lineup: Last year’s nano, which was not only video-capable, but won our Editors’ Choice award, could be had for as little as $149. Now, if you want to watch and record video on your iPod, you’ll need to cough up at least $229 for an 8GB touch.

Even though it wasn’t mentioned in the Apple keynote, the unassuming iPod classic remains unchanged with its spacious 160GB hard drive and click wheel controls. It also supports video playback, but not video capture, for $249.

If you want a new iPod, but you’re not sure which one will work best for you, check out our full, lab-tested reviews (linked below), or compare the current models side by side. And we’ve also included a link to the full review of iTunes 10, so you can see what’s new in Apple’s iPod-companion desktop software.

Apple iPod touch (4th Gen. with Camera)

$229 (8GB); $299 (32GB); $399 (64GB)
The already superb iPod touch gets its most significant update in years, adding photo and video capture, along with FaceTime video chat and an ultra-high-res display.

Apple iPod nano (6th Gen. with Touch Screen)

$149 (8GB); $179 (16GB)
Apple’s first misstep in the iPod nano line-up, the sixth-generation model trades its predecessor’s click wheel for touch-screen controls. But an ultracompact form factor means the display is much smaller. Plus you lose video capture and playback capability, but it retains the same price.

Apple iPod shuffle (4th Gen. with Click Wheel)

$49 (2GB)
It’s hard to get excited about an iPod with no screen, but Apple’s inclusion of on-player controls makes the affordable shuffle easier to navigate—and a better value.

Apple iPod classic

$249 (160GB)
As its name suggests, the classic is the last of the old-school iPods. The big news here is a massive 160GB hard drive.

Apple iTunes 10

Free
The preeminent media app gets even better with music-
centric social network Ping. New features to help iPhone and iPod touch users organize apps, 99-cent TV show rentals, support for the new Apple TV, upcoming AirPlay Wi-Fi devices, and UI touch-ups round out changes in this polished, powerful app.

For more information on iPods and other MP3 players, check out this site.