I have a 1st-gen iPod nano with a storage capacity of 895 MB. Its battery lasts around three hours before the low battery indicator appears. But it's a delightful productivity tool! Because it cannot connect to the Internet! It just plays music.
My main music player is a 1st-gen iPhone SE (with the headphone jack) and my listening habits currently lean towards discerning what I like and not. It's a fun hobby that requires a level of concentrated listening—which I can't afford when, say, I'm focused on academic writing.
That's why the iPod nano is well regarded in my toolbox. I've loaded it with tracks that help me stay focused on tasks. This page is a tribute to it, and also a fun way to share my flavor of concentration music.
My means are modest, in keeping with the nano's aesthetic (at least in 2026). I use the Easy YouTube Video Downloader Express extension on Firefox to rip mp3 files, at 256kbps for some measure of quality. This approach has the benefit of acquiring unofficial versions of songs: fan-made extensions/loops, instrumental variants, covers—all in service of keeping me productive. I provide the YouTube links below, with length indicated in square brackets.