iPod Nano
I remember the coolest version of myself. It was in sixth grade; I returned back to school after winter break with a brand-spanking-new iPod Nano in hand. I thought I had just about the entire world at my literal fingertips. At 3-and-a-half inches long, it was barely longer than one of my fingers.
There was a time when Apple was hell-bent on downsizing, each new product created to be smaller than the last until it seemed as though we’d soon be listening to all of our favorite songs on nothing more than a speck of dust. But, in recent years, Apple has all but abandoned such a trajectory. Instead, it’s been replaced with a bigger-is-better mentality, each new iPod and iPhone getting closer and closer in size to its tablet counterpart with each reincarnation.
Yes, the times have certainly changed. Last weekend, Apple rolled out another fleet of iPhones. Plus-size iPhones, a whopping 5-and-a-half inches long, that make my sad little iPod Nano nothing more than a mere memory — albeit a pocket-sized, shiny and sleek one.
I haven’t used my iPod Nano in years. After all, it has been rendered almost obsolete. But sometimes I wish that weren’t the case. While Apple embraces bigger as synonymous with better, I’ve come to the conclusion that bigger is bulky, cumbersome and impractical.
Pockets on women’s jeans are notoriously small to begin with, this I know. Thus, it is impossible to consider pocketing my iPhone 5S. Even when I am just washing my hands or signing a credit-card receipt, it inevitably falls to the floor. Given the number of times that this has occurred, I’ve resigned to buying only the strongest (read: most cumbersome and expensive) protective cases.
What I sometimes wouldn’t give for a Nano-sized smartphone. Who needs a selfie camera when you can always check your reflection on the handy mirrored back of your iPod Nano? And more digital space for apps isn’t necessary when all I need is Solitaire, Brick and Parachute. Or so I tell myself.
Of course, eventually, I’ll trade in my now-outdated iPhone — which, admittedly, still feels brand-new — for a super-sized iPhone 6 Plus. It is only a matter of time before I’ll succumb to the pressure from my friends and plan carrier alike. With it, I’ll be forced into buying a newer case, and perhaps a bigger wallet that can fit it, or even a wardrobe full of new pants with larger pockets.
At long last, I now understand what my grandparents mean when they refer to the “good ol’ days.” I, too, long for those days: the days when an iPod Nano was the standard for cool and practicality.
