The following accessibility review is for iPod nano (fifth generation). Read our accessibility review of iPod nano (sixth generation), the latest version of iPod shuffle.
The Apple iPod nano (fifth generation) is Apple’s smallest portable media player which, unlike the iPod shuffle, is able to play audio and video content. The iPod nano supports playback of video content with captions, as well as spoken menus, large font size and spoken details of the song you are listening to on request. The latest generation of the iPod nano also has an inbuilt FM radio, voice and video recorder, pedometer and the full range of products from the iTunes store including games.
Like all the iPod products, you need iTunes to transfer audio files from your computer to your iPod nano. Spoken menus can only be enabled via iTunes, so you need to connect your iPod nano to your computer with the latest iTunes software installed. Apple has instructions to enable spoken menus on the iPod nano.
In the past, there have been some concerns about the accessibility of iTunes. Apple has done considerable work to make iTunes compatible with screen readers. Apple states that on a Mac using Mac OS X Leopard or Snow Leopard, iTunes is compatible with VoiceOver. They recommend Window-Eyes 7.0 by GW Micro if you are using a PC with Windows XP or Windows Vista. Screen reader users also report that iTunes can be used with the freely available NVDA and System Access to Go.
Aside from the somewhat laborious process to set up spoken menus, the other potential drawback is price. Apple products are generally more expensive than other brands of PMPs, and the iPod nano is no exception. If you are planning on purchasing an iPod nano, make sure it is a fourth generation or later, as earlier generations of the nano does not support spoken menus.
The 8GB model retails for A$199, and the 16GB for A$249..
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