New iPod Nano's features aren't groundbreaking

With the third incarnation of the iPod Nano, Apple continues to improve on what is already a very nice, stylish digital music player.

The improvements may not be enough to make you decide to upgrade your old Nano, but then again, it just might. The new features aren't groundbreaking, but they are slick.

The shape of the new Nano is actually a return to the line's original, rectangular shape. My problem with the first generation was, when dropped on its edge, it was easily damaged. The new model has a rounded edge that appears to be stronger and more dent-resistant.

The new Nano also makes some improvements on features introduced in the second generation. The colour screen is now even larger - it's now 2-inches - although watching movies is still a bit of a strain. In terms of capacity, the new Nano offers users the choice of either 8 or 16 gigabytes, double the capacity of the previous version.

There are also a few new internal twists, including an accelerometer, which allows users to switch from horizontal to vertical screens by just rotating the Nano. This feature didn't seem too interesting until I discovered that Apple was also including some games that take advantage of this motion-sensing gizmo. The games themselves aren't revolutionary, but they are clever.

The Nano also comes with a personal DJ. I never really got into this features - I already have custom plenty of playlists - but with 16GB of space, which Apple estimates will hold up to 4,000 songs, you sometimes forget what music you have.

The new Nano also comes in nine different colours. I'm usually the last person to care about the colour of my electronics, but even I have to admit the new colours are striking.

My only regret about this machine is that I bought the last generation iPod. The new features don't warrant the Dh730 price Apple is placing on them (local prices may be higher), but if I were in the market for a new music player, this would be one I'd buy.