No, the nano, when you plug the USB port into the computer (as you would to update you itunes)it will charge it from the USB port. You can buy an adaptor that will adapt an regular outlet into a USB port to charge from anywhere without a computer, but really, anywhere with a USB port will work to charge your ipod! Just plug in the USB cable into the ipod, then plug the other end into the computer's USB port. :-D