iTrip nano
Review

iTrip nano
Company: Griffin Technology
Price: $49.99
griffintechnology.com

Griffin has been in the iPod FM transmitter game for many years. As the iPod evolves, so does the iTrip. Griffin has evolved the iTrip once again with the iTrip nano.

The iTrip nano is designed to fit the 2nd generation Nanos. The Nano slides on the iTrip and connects to a dock connector and a headphone connector. The unit is extremely light, so minimal weight is added to the iPod when connected. While the iPod is easy to connect, it is not easy to remove from the iTrip. The fit is tight, and removing it is a little awkward. I was always worried that I would snap off the headphone connector while I wiggled the iPod to remove it.

Like most FM Transmitters, the iTrip nano is powered by the iPod itself. The bottom of the iTrip has a mini-USB port for charging the iPod while connected. This is a nice feature. However, if you are like me and have a dock connecting charger for your car, a dock connector would be preferred.

Using the iTrip nano is extremely easy. Once connected to the iPod, you choose a channel to broadcast over using the dial on this side of the iTrip. You can choose to store three stations, as well. Everything is displayed through the iPod’s screen.

So how does it sound? In my tests, the iTrip did not perform as well as I would expect from a product with the iTrip label. I tested the iTrip on the same two radio stations I test all FM transmitters on. While the sound was not awful, there were periodic periods of static. Also, the range on the iTrip nano was not good. I had to the keep the iPod right on top of the radio to get a clear signal. Anything outside of about six inches brought on signal loss.

The iTrip does have an equalizer and mono/stereo settings to help with the sound quality. However, I did not notice much of an improvement when tested. With a price of $49.99, I would have to say there are better FM transmitters out there for the same price or less (see my review of the AirPlay Boost).

MyMac.com rating: 3.5 out of 5