The Griffin iTip mini is fantastic for this product. It does use more than the headphone jack though. Nothing against the nano versions. But the mini is much more solid. It depends how you'll use it.
As for battery life keep in mind Lithium Ion batteries die out in a few years, it's natural. But the iPod mini's battery is user-replaceable for very little cost, so anyone having problems should spend the few dollars, no?
As for battery life keep in mind Lithium Ion batteries die out in a few years, it's natural. But the iPod mini's battery is user-replaceable for very little cost, so anyone having problems should spend the few dollars, no?