Apple Computer unveiled its new music player that combines relatively sleek design, flash memory, colour screen and relatively affordable price. The iPod nano replaces its predecessor iPod mini introduced a couple of years ago by offering similar specs amid smaller size and longer battery operation.

“iPod nano is the biggest revolution since the original iPod. iPod nano is a full-featured iPod in an impossibly small size, and it’s going to change the rules for the entire portable music market,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s chief executive officer.

The iPod nano is Apple’s second music player after the iPod shuffle that uses flash memory instead of hard disk drives. The gadget is supplied in two flavours – with 2GB and 4GB of memory – and at two price-points – $199 and $249, respectively. The iPod nano players weight only 1.5 ounce (about 45 grams) and measure by only 3.5” x 1.6” x 0.27” (height x width x thickness). The players can operate for 14 hours, have USB 2.0 connectivity and can playback different types of music files, including MP3 (8 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, AAC (8 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Music Store, M4A, M4B, M4P), Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4) and WAV.

Apple iPod nano

Apple’s iPod nano features optional accessories including lanyard headphones, which integrate the headphone cables into the lanyard, so users can wear their iPod nano around their neck without dangling headphone cables. For customers looking to personalize their iPod nano with colors, an optional set of iPod nano Tubes in pink, purple, blue, green and clear offers fashionable protection in a sheer casing while enabling full operation of all functions including the Click Wheel. Optional armbands available in gray, pink, blue, red and green allow users to wear their iPod nano as a fashion and sports accessory.

The 4GB and 2GB white and black models of iPod nano for Mac or Windows are available worldwide immediately for a suggested retail price of $249 and $199 respectively. All iPod nano models include earbud headphones, a USB 2.0 cable and a CD with iTunes for Mac and Windows computers.

New optional accessories designed for iPod nano with the following suggested retail prices include: Lanyard headphones for $39, armbands in five colors each for $29, dock for $29 and a set of iPod nano Tubes in five different colors for $29 and will be available within the next 30 days.