Apple updates iPod line-up, launches iTunes 8

At a media event in San Francisco, Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled a revamped iPod line-up including thinner Nanos, a 120GB iPod Classic, iPod Touch, and iTunes 8. Here are the essential details.

The biggest change to the iPod family comes in the form of slimmer iPod Nanos, available in 8GB (AU$199) and 16GB (AU$279) versions in a rainbow of hues. The design harks back to the second-generation Nano, but sports a larger screen.

Here's a run-down of the Nano's new features:

• Curved aluminium design with curved glass screen
• Accelerometer and "shake to shuffle" function similar to the feature found in Sony Ericsson's W910i Walkman phone
• New user interface featuring Cover Flow navigation
• Voice recording
• Both capacities are available in eight colours
• Battery life is 24 hours for music and four hours for video — about the same as the previous model
• New headphones with a pause/play feature, track navigation and volume controls

A rainbow of new Nanos

Jobs also announced a new iPod Touch, available in 8GB (AU$329) model, 16GB (AU$419)and 32GB (AU$549) flavours. Here are the other important tweaks:

• Thinner profile
• Dedicated volume controls on the side of the player
• Built-in speaker
• Built-in Nike + iPod receiver — but you'll still need to shell out for the in-shoe transmitter
• Battery life of 36 hours of music and six hours of video
• OS X 2.1 software, which is supposed to make the iTunes back-up faster and fix bugs including app crashes
• New headphones with a pause/play feature, track navigation and volume controls
• New games including Spore: Origins can be downloaded direct from the app store menu icon on the player

Is "funnest" a real word, Steve?

As for the old stalwart, the iPod Classic, it's been given a contentious update: 80GB and 160GB models have been ditched in favour of a 120GB player. It retails for AU$339.

The iPod Shuffle keeps on trucking, receiving only a colour change in this round of updates. It is now available in silver, blue, green, red, and pink for AU$65 (1GB) and AU$89 (2GB).

New silicon-tipped earphones

As predicted, iTunes 8 was unleashed complete with the rumoured Genius feature, which creates playlists automatically by grouping similar artists. How does it work? According to an Apple release, "information about your music library is anonymously sent to the iTunes Store, where it is combined with the anonymously-gathered knowledge from millions of other iTunes users and processed through Apple-developed algorithms". This works for music as well as TV shows and podcasts. The new Nano, Touch and Classic are equipped with the Genius feature, and playlists can be created on the devices without needing to connect to iTunes.

One more thing: Apple has wised up to the fact that their ear buds are causing grumbles among audiophiles. Jobs announced a new set of in-ear headphones, set for release in October, but you'll need to purchase them separately for AU$109.

To see more photos of the new iPod range, check out our gallery.