Gyms already forbid people from use camera-equipped gadgets, like smartphones and Flip digital cameras inside locker rooms, since nobody wants their hairy junk posted onto the internet. But now you can add iPod Nanos to the list of no-no items. The Life Time Fitness just restricted the Nano from not just locker rooms, but from workout areas too. You can listen to music on your Nano, of course, it’s just that you can’t use it as a recording device.

The newest iPod Nano is incontrovertibly a step up from last year’s model, crammed with new features including a video camera. But can the Nano stay the same cool little player while simultaneously invading the Flip-cam market? This new Nano—the 5th generation—comes in the same 8GB/16GB sizes as the last one (and the one before that, actually) , though it costs slightly less than the original price of the 4th generation Nano (which was $150/$200). The $20 price drop is nice, but we’d have preferred a capacity bump with the same price. Correction: This section originally compared the 5G Nano’s price to the very recently discounted 4G Nano’s price( $130/$150)—but as that price was only in effect for a couple days, it’s more accurate to compare the 5G price to the 4G’s launch price. Sorry for the confusion.

It’s cheap and it’s small. But how does the new iPod nano’s video actually work ? Check out our interface clip here. I’ll admit, the UI performance is impressive. The loading animation scales at a very high framerate, and then four video filters can be previewed at once—in real time.

Here’s the new iPod Nano . The paint is less matte, more shiny. The corners seem less sharp (a previous complaint of mine). But physically, it’s about the same. The differences are inside. The camera hole is on the bottom left of the face, so you end up putting your fingers over the lens and mic a lot if you’re right handed.

As well-documented by the ” word on the street ,” the fifth generation iPod nano is also a video camera…and radio and a pedometer and a voice recorder too…and it’s available today. Details: • Video camera (640×480) • NO STILL CAMERA • Integrated mic • Integrated speaker • FM Radio!!!!! That you can pause!! And iTunes tag! • One-click YouTube uploads (through your computer) • Voice Over like Shuffle • Pedometer with Nike+ syncing online • Voice Recorder • 2.2-inch screen that’s .2 inches larger than last model Starting today, the 8GB nano will cost $150 while the 16GB comes in at $180. (So why buy the 8?) What’s the biggest surprise here? The camera we knew about. But the radio

Has Cygnett let the cat out of the bag by publishing info on its new cases ahead of today’s Apple event ? Matching previous rumors , here the touch looks to have a built-in camera, while the nano has an elongated screen. No spec information is listed, but certainly looks believable, though I’m not sure about that white crap around the camera. We’ll find out at 10am PST/1PM EST . [ Cygnett via Crave Asia ]

Oh for god’s sake tomorrow , just happen already. As if prior case leaks and Apple’s heavy-handed messaging weren’t enough, Best Buy ’s gone and listed a batch of new Belkin cases for the 3rd-gen iPod Touch and 5th-gen Nano. Unfortunately there aren’t any pictures, but we can surmise two things from this. First, there will almost definitely be new iPods of both varieties tomorrow. This is possibly the worst-kept secret, ever.

At tomorrow’s Apple event, we’re all expecting to hear about a new iPod touch and nano with integrated 3.2MP cameras. According to AppleInsider and Hardmac, however, they won’t be available right away. Each site has heard that bad camera modules will push back the anticipated early September release date for Apple’s new iPods to a time. Hardmac seems to believe that the problems are related exclusively to the new iPod touch . AppleInsider references the iPod line a bit more vaguely. So while we’ll most probably see new iPods tomorrow, it could be a while before anyone can actually buy them

It’s here: The official invite for Apple’s September 9 annual iPod event . It kicks off at 10AM Pacific—that’s 1PM Eastern—and we’ll be there bringing it to you live, as always. What do you think we’re gonna see next Wednesday at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts? iPods with cameras ? MMS for iPhone in the US? A time machine that’ll take us back to 2005, like this dancer

These 45 Nano Cases are made from gutted cassette tapes and fit 4th gen iPod nanos. They’re pretty much perfect; I want an iPod Nano just so I can get one of these. So awesome. [ Contexture via HolyCool via TDW ]