If you like the way the nano looks the you have your decision made for you, it's just an mp3 player essentially, you pay a premium for the apple brand just as you would for sony etc. I'm sure there are products of equal quality that are cheaper and even look similar. I suppose that the difference is the popularity of the brand. I have a 2gb nano and i'm very happy, it's small, looks smart and works fine after over a year. I bought mine second hand and therefore got it cheap so i didn't think to scour the market for a competitive product, they're solid
bin, yes there are alternatives and i'm sure that they will all meet your needs with this being a near esoteric, generic product. Buy it if you like it dusty.