During its Rock and Roll media event today, Apple unveiled the fifth-generation iPod nano, sporting a larger screen and on-board camera amongst other improvements. The device’s screen has grown to 2.2-inches with 240 x 376 resolution, running farther down the front of the nano, allowing for a wider aspect ratio when watching movies in landscape orientation and more menu items when held vertically. Also new is a video-capable camera on the lower back left corner of the nano, matching a previous report from iLounge, which captures H.264, 640 x 480 VGA video at rates of up to 30 frames per second with AAC audio. The video function also offers 15 real-time special effects, including Sepia, Black and White, X-Ray, Film Grain, Thermal, Security Cam, Cyborg, Bulge, Kaleido, Motion Blur, Mirror, Light Tunnel, Dent, Stretch, and Twirl. The iPod nano 5G also packs a built-in microphone and speaker, built-in FM radio with live pause and iTunes Tagging features, support for Genius Mixes, a shiny, polished anodized aluminum finish, and a built-in, Nike+ capable pedometer. According to Apple, the iPod nano 5G offers up to 24 hours of music playback time and up to 5 hours of video playback time when fully charged, the same promised audio playback as the fourth-generation model, but one hour more of video playback. The fifth-generation iPod nano is available now in nine colors—silver, black, purple, blue, green, orange, yellow, red, and pink—and sells for $149 for an 8GB model or $179 for a 16GB version.
Update: A hands-on video of the iPod nano 5G is now available for viewing on Vimeo.
