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It's been almost nine years since the first iPod hit the scene, with its 5GB hard drive, monochrome display, mechanical scroll wheel, and Mac-only software. Compare that with the line of new players Apple released earlier this month, and it's clear: The iPod has come a long way, baby.

Every fall Apple evolves its iPod line, and this year some players changed more than others. The budget-friendly iPod shuffle saw very modest improvements, though it did finally get physical controls and support for playlists. The almighty iPod touch, which still looks similar to its predecessor, received some nice improvements with the addition of Apple's social gaming tie-in Game Center, an ultra-sharp Retina display, and two cameras—one for capturing photos and video, and one for FaceTime video chat.

Of the bunch, the iPod nano got the most dramatic makeover. Not only did the middle-sibling player shrink to the size of a couple of postage stamps, it lost its video capture and playback abilities along the way. There's no more room for a click wheel, so you navigate the nano via its 1.54-inch touch screen; swiping to move between screens, and rotating a finger to switch the display's rotation. You can't pinch to zoom, like you can on the touch or an iPhone, though. The addition of a clip to the back of the nano (like you'll find on the even-smaller shuffle), along with its integrated Nike+ fitness features, seem to say that Apple is targeting the workout crowd here.

But this leaves an interesting hole in the iPod lineup: Last year's nano, which was not only video-capable, but won our Editors' Choice award, could be had for as little as $149. Now, if you want to watch and record video on your iPod, you'll need to cough up at least $229 for an 8GB touch.

Even though it wasn't mentioned in the Apple keynote, the unassuming iPod classic remains unchanged with its spacious 160GB hard drive and click wheel controls. It also supports video playback, but not video capture, for $249.

PC Mag has the details HERE!