Audio/Video, Cell Phones, Advice, iPod, iPhone
Apple's New iPod Touch: Should You Get It?
So What Is the iPod Touch?
This touch-screen iPod is, for all intents and purposes, an iPhone without the phone. Like that recently-announced iconic gadget, the new iPod Touch features the multi-touch screen, the Cover Flow interface that lets your finger flip through virtual 3-D album art, and a feature that lets you pinch your fingers on the screen to resize images. It also includes the motion sensors that automatically readjust the screen to landscape or portrait mode, depending on how you're holding the device. In fact, it looks exactly like an iPhone without the microphone and ear speaker. It's also thinner, coming in at just 8mm.
What's New?
Aside from the touch screen, this thing has built-in Wi-Fi, or wireless connectivity, just like the iPhone. That feature might makes sense on a smart phone, but how does it work on an iPod? Essentially, it means that you'll be able to get online with this new iPod and even browse with the superb mobile version of Apple's Safari Web browser. You can also get on YouTube to watch videos, just like an iPhone. But the really cool and new (for Apple) use of Wi-Fi on the the new iPod Touch (and the iPhone) is that you'll be able to buy music right from the iTunes Wi-Fi music store and download it right to your iPhone -- on the fly.
What Does It Cost?
The new iPod Touch comes in both 8- and 16-gigabyte versions for $299 and $399 respectively. For those concerned about battery life, don't be: Apple is promising 22 hours of audio and 5 hours of video playback.
Should You Get It?
Maybe. With the exception of the phone capabilities, the new iPod Touch gives you everything the iPhone has but in a thinner package that contains twice the memory. Ask yourself whether or not you need to carry only one device. For city dwellers or those who travel a lot, having a phone and iPod in one package is a nice luxury, especially during the summer months when nobody wants to carry around a bunch of expensive gadgets. Plus, 16-gigabytes of memory isn't exactly the 40-80-gigabytes we've come to know and love, so you might want to wait for the next generation of this thing, which will likely have the capacity for more of your media. That said, $100 is a pretty steep price jump if you're happy with your current carrier and phone (and that's the type of person that would be happiest with the new iPod Touch). Besides, with that $100 you could get a nice, functional phone and never look back.
From Engadget's Live Coverage
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
inka_ekup said 8:37AM on 2-18-2008
im just a beginner using this ipod touch,but i cant connect to yahoo or you tube either,theres no manual on how to use this things,please help me with this one,im here in japan,thanks
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madilie9 said 4:22PM on 3-30-2008
idk i think it is ok...but seriously can 8 gb carry a lot of songs 2 like 16gb?
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wbreese said 6:07PM on 8-18-2008
Ok, after reading five comments that all make the same complaint about the small amount of memory (relatively) on the touch, I can't take it any more. The touch uses flash memory instead of a hard disk to conserve space. This is not because a hard drive is that much bigger than the flash memory, inf act the flash memory is less compact. However, flash memory uses less power because there is no disk that the machine has to spin in addition to other tasks like running the monster screen on the touch. So if apple had used a hard disk, the battery in the touch would have to be massive to get any decent amount of battery life out of it. There, now you know why there is so "little" memory on the touch, so we don't have to make any more posts asking why the touch doesn't have as much memory as the others.
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GootarGurl said 9:59AM on 10-31-2008
Ok, I actually don't have a iPod Touch, but have been looking into purchasing one. On every page i go to they complain about size. ITS A GREAT CAPACITY PEOPLE!!!!!!! I have had the Generation 1 iPod Nano for like 5 years now! It holds 2GB!!!! My friend has the generation 1 iPod SHUFFLE which hold like 1-2 GB. Stop complaining about space, and think of how much Apple iPods have improved! And, seriousely guys, it has a TOUCH SCREEN!!!! It doesn't get much better than that!
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tdh dxtc said 2:56PM on 3-25-2009
it is a really good ipod but it could get...boring
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Jeff said 2:56PM on 9-05-2007
I can't imagine why they would skimp on the storage capacity. I think having a larger hard drive would make this product far more appealing since it's the next step as a pocket multimedia center. What's the point of all these extras if you can only put on a few shows or movies and half your current library of music?
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Jeff Rodrigues said 4:55PM on 9-05-2007
To me, the thing that is most disappointing with the Ipod Touch is that there's no support for internet radio (mainly Shoutcast streams). This may not be as much of an issue with music or podcasts, but when it comes to wanting to listen to talk stations online or any live content, this is an issue.
The Sansa Connect from Sandisk had the same potential regarding internet radio, and they limited it only to Yahoo's service to listen to their internet radio music streams.
When it comes to internet radio, the company that has made an excellent device is Rokulabs. They have the SoundBrige M1000, a wifi-based device that can be plugged into a stereo and allows you to listen to any shoutcast and WMA streams online that you choose. Now if only a company would release a portable MP3 player with wifi support that would allow you the flexibility to listen to any internet radio streams, I would certainly purchase such a product.
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John Boy said 5:10PM on 9-05-2007
I have a 5th Generation 60GB iPod Video (which is almost full to capacity). As tempting as it is to purchase the new iPod Touch, the new design and functionality is not enough for me to lose over 40GB of space. Apple could have atleast released a 30GB version. 16GB will not even hold half of my media collection. This is truly a disappointment. I hope, for Apple's sake, they will release higher capacity iPod Touches in the near future.
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Anon said 5:22PM on 9-05-2007
ok geniuses - the ipod touch uses flash memory. 16 gb is pretty generous for a flash-based player. if you're looking at magnetic drive capacities like the ipod classic has, you're talking about a much thicker ipod touch - in essence a brick with a 3.5 inch screen.
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Doug said 6:37PM on 9-05-2007
better take that "promise" of 22 hours of audio battery life with a pound of salt. I have the 30GB iPod Video where the box (I still have it) promises "up to 14 hours of music playback." real life results -- 3 hours tops. I mostly play audiobooks during my daily 1-hour work outs. if I forget to recharge after 2 hours I may not make it to the end of hour 3. not my only MAJOR disappointment with Apple and their oh-so-fabulous over-hyped products.
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Evorgleb said 3:07PM on 9-07-2007
I just did a post on the new iPods over at Highbrid Nation and I'm pretty excited. I've had my current ipod for over two years and its about time for an update.I wonder what other apps we will see for that TOUCH.
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PAUL said 7:01PM on 9-05-2007
DOUG
Read your comment. If you are into audio books contact me at PK7148@AOL.COM
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Randy said 7:57PM on 9-05-2007
The iPod Touch is perfect for those hundreds of thousands of smart consumers who love the new iPhone, but are smart enough to know they cannot trust AT&T as far as they can spit!
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Eddy said 8:29PM on 9-05-2007
I have been waitng for yearsto upgrade. I've had a 2g for about four years, and haven't upgraded because the iPod photo and video haven't had a big enough screen to justify the purchase. I'm an amatuer photographer, and I would like a bigger screen so that I can review my photos. I would also like a bigger screen to watch videos, tv shows, and movies on long trips. So I have been waiting for the iPod touch to come out, I've been hearing about it for about four months now. I love the size. I love the user interface. I love all the new features. But with only 16 gigs of memory, the iPod Touch is useless, to me. I understand the need for flash memory, to compensate for the larger display, extended battery life, thiner case, lighter unit, and to keep the price down. But I would have gladly payed another $100 for a unit with even 60 gigs, that weighed a little more, and was another .1 to .15 inches thicker. Very disappointing.
The only positive news out of all of this, is that given the pricing of the classic, I might be persuaded to deal with it's screen size short comings, pocket the difference, and wait for an iPod Touch with a respectable amount of memory to come out.
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J. Lang said 10:10PM on 9-05-2007
Currently i own a 60 g Video Ipod with about 5,000 songs on it. I use it when i dj and at the gym. I love the ideal of the new iPod touch. I wanted to get the iPhone but i had ATT once before and had no or very little service in my area.( it really sucked) I can't wait to get my hands on the new iPod touch. The ideal of being able to down load music on the fly is beautiful. I do wish it was available in a 30 or 60 g, but I'm sure well see that in time. If this thing does all it says it does with out any bugs, then sign me up right now.
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Greg said 10:38PM on 9-05-2007
I have been waiting so long to get my hands on one of these new touch screens. I was so excited to hear about this announcement. However, I can't use 16 gb of memory as its way too small. I don't know the difference between flash or magnetic memory and don't care. I expected this unit to run $500-$600 with at least 60 gb. Apple crashed and burned on this one.
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gorge said 11:21PM on 9-05-2007
I'am a new buyer, never had a pod. Don't mine spending the mony,so do i buy the 80, or 160 gb,or the the pod touch with only 16 gb.
Please explain the difference between flash or magnetic
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Dan said 11:20PM on 9-05-2007
A thinly disguised PDA, can`t wait to load this bad boy up with homebrew apps/hacks. I`m sure I`ll use the media functions, but let`s see it for what it really is.... a Unix based PDA.....Newton reborn!
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Shane said 3:35AM on 9-06-2007
flash memory = memory on a chip. No moving parts, very rugged, tiny, low power requirement. The memory card that goes into a digital camera is flash memory. Its features make it ideal for MP3 players, but it's still much more expensive per GB than magnetic memory.
magnetic memory = (in this case) a hard drive like the one in a laptop. This means a spinning disc or discs with read/write heads skimming a hair's breadth above the platter. Disc(s), plus motor, plus read/write heads = bigger size, more weight, higher power consumption, less durability, but substantially lower per-GB cost than flash.
For the most memory for your buck, grab an iPod classic. Like previous versions of the iPod, it has a spinning disk drive inside.
For smaller size, lighter weight, and more durability (but higher price per GB), pick a flash-based MP3 player like the iPod touch or Nano. Of course, I'm assuming the Touch has a glass screen, so maybe you won't be able to appreciate the durability of the flash memory. :)
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lenny said 7:54AM on 9-06-2007
Dan, I'm with you--I'm waiting anxiously for apps that'll let me open Word, Excel, & PDF files on this box, as I can on my PDA, which runs Pocket Windows. At 2 years old, it's fast approaching tech dinosaur status, & if (who am I kidding?--*when*) I have to replace it w/a newer model, I'll be sent plummeting into Vista hell unless Apple (or some resourceful 3rd-party programmers) rescue me w/productivity apps for the Touch.
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