Consumer Reports has posted a review if the new iPod. Normally I don't link to every review that comes down the line, but this one is notable in that it comes from Consumer Reports. (Consumer Reports is trusted by many, despite a lack of sophistication in their reporting of products on the cutting edge of technology.)

The high points: They liked all the new features that Apple added to the iPod without increasing the price, though they said the new iPod is merely "competent" when it comes to video.

Most notably, they said "Our tests of the new 30-GB model did turn up some drawbacks. Among them is a durability problem that arose with some of the Nanos: a scratch-prone screen. In an informal test, we found the screen on the new iPod softer than the one on previous high-capacity iPods; we could easily scratch it with fingernails." FreeiPodGuy presumes the 60-GB model uses the same material.

CR gave Apple a little too much credit in the area of video conversion, saying "You can even convert other video content to an iPod-compatible format (H.264 or MPEG-4 only) using iMovie (bundled with Mac OS X) or QuickTime 7 Pro ($30)." True, but not easy enough for the average user. On the other hand, they incorrectly noted that the iPod's battery is not replacable. Though FreeiPodGuy is unaware of any aftermarket battery replacement options at this early date, they will surely appear soon, just as they have for all other models. I guess the two screwups cancel each other out, eh?