On our desk this week - 6

iPod Nano 1GB

The iPod is nothing short of a cultural revolution. Various models of the device sit in the pockets of millions of music lovers all over the world, with the tell-tale white earbuds visible for all to see.

The iPod Mini was, according to Apple's own statistics, the most popular iPod of all time, selling more than any other model. It's easy to see why: bright colours, the awesome click wheel (which, don't forget, was introduced on this model) and a compelling small form factor.

It was a massive surprise, then, when Apple killed off the Mini and introduced the iPod Nano. However, the Nano has gone on to be just as popular, problems with scratching notwithstanding.

The Nano comes in 2GB and 4GB flavours, and has now been introduced in a 1GB version. Who would want a player so small? Well, plenty of people. A lot of people like to keep their entire music collection with them on their iPod, and so a 30GB or 60GB device is perfect for them. However, many people prefer just to take some of their favourite songs with them, a playlist or two.

The 1GB Nano comes in at an interesting price point. In the UK, it is just a shade over £100, or even slightly under if you can get a student discount. That means you get all the loveliness of the larger capacity Nanos at a price point that might be more affordable, including the pencil-thin form factor and the colour screen.

1GB isn't a lot of storage it's true, but the 1GB Nano perhaps has one killer application - Podcasts. These audio shows often come in Mono, and consequently eat up little-to-no space. You can get hours of Podcast content in just a couple of hundred megabytes, leaving the rest of the capacity for some tunes. With 1GB, you'll want to be refreshing the tracks on the device pretty often, but if you sit at your computer every day, how much hassle is that?

From a personal point of view, this is one gadget that I bought with my own money, for exactly the above reason. Being a frequent listener to This Week In Tech and Security Now, DiggNation and The Ricky Gervais Show, this is a perfect portable player for me at a good price.

I'm not the only one in the office that likes the Nano! Here you can see all three capacities lined up prettily.

Name: Apple iPod Nano 1GB
Buy it from: Apple
Cost: £109
Verdict: 1GB might not be enough for some, but it's a great price, great looks and perfect for Podcast fans.