iPod Touch Review
As many Apple fanatics already know, the California company recently updated its iPod lineup with a host of redesigns. From the affordable, low-capacity Shuffle model to the new video-playing Nano, there’s something for everyone here. The latest top-end model is the Touch, boasting a 3.5 inch 480×320 touch-sensitive screen (covered in nigh-scratchproof optical glass), 8 or 16GB of storage, and WiFi 802.11b/g. Is the Touch for everyone? No. Its lack of storage is a deal breaker for many, but if you’re looking for the ultimate multimedia iPod, this is the model you want to get.
The first thing you might notice about the Touch is how thin it is. At 8mm/0.31in thick, this is one of the slimmest iPods yet. There are only two buttons on the device, a combination on/off/hold switch and the “Home” button. With the exception of these, every other control is handled via on-screen elements. This makes for some pretty cool features; you can scroll at varying speeds with just a flick of your finger, and a built-in accelerometer automatically rotates the Touch’s display when you turn it on its side.
The Touch is built with many of the same parts at the iPhone, including the new OS X-based operating system. While the Touch is missing some of the iPhone’s applications (a problem hackers across the globe are working hard to fix), it comes with some useful features built-in. A mobile version of Apple’s Safari web browser allows you to browse the web, and supports importing favorites from Internet Explorer. There’s a built-in YouTube application that lets you browse the video site’s directory, and the Calendar and Contact applications are back as well. You can sync these with Outlook and a few other personal information management software packages.
The new music browsing features pack some surprises. You can now browse your music on the Touch with the same Cover Flow view found in iTunes, and there’s an alphabetized bar on the right-hand side that lets you quickly seek to artists, songs, or albums. In the Album view, a small cover art thumbnail sits next to each album title. You can quickly bring up on-screen controls with a single tap while a song is playing, while a double tap will take you to a list of all of the songs in the album you’re listening to.
The Video player does just that, play videos. The Touch will automatically scale your movie to the correct aspect ratio, so you don’t need to worry about any stretching in movies with odd resolutions. Codec support hasn’t changed; all of your movies still need to be in MPEG4 or H.264 formats and your music is still limited to MP3 and AAC files.
The new Photos application is miles ahead of the old iPod Video/Photo one, if only because you can now navigate and select with a fingertip. Slideshow support is included, and you can even output your photos to an HDTV or regular TV with the proper cables from Apple.
Perhaps the greatest new feature on the Touch is the addition of the iTunes WiFi Music Store. With your account information synced over from your computer, you can browse and buy songs on the iPod itself without using a PC or Mac. The process is quick and painless, the Store is zippy over Bentley’s WiFi connection, and any songs you purchase on-the-go are automatically synced back to your desktop/laptop when you plug the Touch in. It’s flawlessly executed, and if you’re in a Starbucks in Seattle or New York (expanded markets coming soon), you get a specialized version of the store that tells you what’s playing in your local coffee shop.
So what are the problems with the iPod touch? Apple doesn’t include a carrying case or a dock with the touch, something that disappointed me. I’d rather not have to go out and spend an additional $49 just so I can stand my iPod up or another $39 to carry it around in something. The lack of hardware-based volume buttons is irritating. The iPhone has them; why can’t the touch? In addition, the crippling of the Calendar (can’t add appointments on the iPod) was baseless, and I can’t see why there was a need to remove the Google Maps, Email, or Stocks applets featured on the iPhone. Even if you couldn’t exploit them to their fullest (due to lack on an always-on data connection), they’re still useful things to have if you need them.
If you don’t mind those flaws and the somewhat limited storage, the Touch is a good device. For media aficionados who don’t need massive screens for their videos, an 80 or 160GB iPod Classic might be better for you.