iPod Nano and Classic get reviewed

If you or someone you know is in the market for a new iPod this year, you've probably found yourself wondering how the new iPod Nano and Classic stack up against the older generation of iPods. Ars Technica gave both devices the full review treatment and as it tuns out, the new iPods are something of a mixed bag. Though the folks at Ars dug the new iPods' full-metal design, the flashy new UI and the Nano's hi-rez LCD, they ultimately found that the latest generation leaves a few things to be desired. While the reviewers took issue with the Nano's form factor (apparently it's less comfortable to hold than the previous Nanos), it was the slowness of the UI that really bugged them. As far as Cover Flow is concerned, Ars reports that "the iPod's hardware is simply not up to par to support something this graphically intensive". What's more, the sluggishness experienced during the use of Cover Flow apparently carried over to the rest of the UI as well. "Within the first minute of using the new iPod classic and iPod nano, the sluggishness was perceptible and somewhat annoying."

For more on the new iPods:
- read the full review at Ars Technica