iPod nano

red dot: best of the best
red dot award: product design 2006

Navigating into the future
At the beginning of the new millennium, the first iPod had already given a new form to the multimedia age. A device which offered the possibility to store and retrieve one's music and other personal data such as photos and addresses, had found its form of appearance: it was a kind of a broad stick with a Click Wheel for high ease of navigation. Since its market launch, the design of the iPod has above all communicated one thing: multimedia-based daily life does not have to be complicated at all. While the first iPods still were about the size of a cigarette box, the iPod mini was to be much smaller and even fitted into a pocket. Now, the latest iPod nano generation is even thinner than a pencil and also has become lighter yet. Its radii are well-balanced and the Click Wheel is still as clear as ever, allowing for easy one-handed navigation The iPod nano is also technically further advanced: with its high-resolution colour screen it allows users to play music, view photo slideshows or play games. The 2GB model has storage capacity for up to 500 songs; the 4GB iPod model holds up to 1000 songs. The surface of the iPod nano is also an important aspect of its design. Due to its glossy finish it has a high-value appearance and is soft and pleasing to the touch. While the original iPod is available in many colours, the new model looks like a clear statement of reduced design. It continues the language of form into a new multimedia age, where it goes without saying that different multimedia applications can be connected to one another and that the storage medium can be carried in a pocket, taking it anywhere one goes.