Ok, ok, I *have* to tell you that I have bought my first Apple gadget. I am really not a fan, generally speaking. The issue here was…the iPod nano. Pfffu, what for a cool player! I must say, I was also a bit fed up of winamp after some years of extensive usage, no evolution anymore since months…. I have tested the MS Media Player, without being convinced.

So, the first step was to have a look at iTunes (Windows XP, v7.02.16). Impressive. Very easy and coherent approach, with a lot of good functions, and specially the possibility to extract CDs very easily (I was an user of CDex for years), also to high-quality MP3 (bit rate: 320kbps, highest VBR, sample rate: 48kHz). On top, I could extract some CDs I couldn’t manage with CDex because of the CD protection (for example, Gorillaz Demon Days). The management of Playlists and the presentation of the different lists (artists, albums, etc.) is really very cool.

The second step was to have a look at the Apple Store. Outch, again, great, very efficient e-commerce website (also compared to amazon for example), so easy and fun to use… I bought there a iPod nano 8GB black, with a cool laser engraving :-) The meaning of “I am on eleven” must be linked with the movie “Final Stap”, but nobody knows it, excepted the musicians.

The size is definitely incredible, very thin, just…small :-) Actually, the biggest part will be so or so your earphones. In this field, I have read that the quality of the original earphones of Apple are not good. I have actually no clue as I am using my Shure E2c earphones. I am waiting for my new Shure E5c.

The iPod nano itself is super easy to use. So easy that I have to re-adapt myself a bit ;-) The sync with iTunes is working perfectly and fast, artworks of the albums are also appearing. The sound is really great. I could copy about 750 songs on the iPod (remember, I am using 320kbps MP3 with 48kHz sample-rate…).

The only negative point is that the iPod nano is not delivered with … a power supply. So, if you want to charge you nano when you are on holidays, do not forget to take with you your notebook. This is really an idiocy, a universal power supply costs about 30 euros, so Apple could integrate this in its package….

So, all in all, a great first experience with Apple products for a definitely not convinced “Apple-fan” :-)