Originally uploaded by Life in LDN

Apple’s product launches are legendary. The hype generated by the firm’s (apparent) secrecy surrounding new product launches, as well as leaked photos of the 4th generation Nano, contributed to consumer excitement and eagerness to buy the latest iPod.

I was one of the thousands of people who went to the Apple Store on Regent Street last night, as I lost my iPod a couple of weeks ago. I may be an early adopter to a certain extent but I am certainly not one of these people who desperately needs the latest gizmos!

The in-store experience was a let down. Hundreds of tourist visit the Apple store for the ‘Apple experience’ each year but the store comes across as cheap and tacky. There was a gigantic polystyrene 3rd generation Nano in window which led me to believe that the new Nanos were not available yet. Once inside the store, I didn’t know where to get my Nano from (FYI go to the till and ask for one!)…

I was also slightly dissapointed by the colours of the Nano… Small changes such as format or colour drive consumer purchase, however the colours of the Nano on the Apple website had clearly been enhanced…

Overall, the 4th Generation Nano looks good and offers interesting new features. The larger screen is a definite improvement, the sound quality is awesome, and I particularly like the smooth, ‘DJ-like’ transition between the tracks.

ILounge has some interesting photos of the various generations of iPods right here