Ah, the iPod touch! The folks at Apple must have been reading my mind, along with the minds of thousands of other people who did not want to sacrifice their current cell phone service (not to mention contract cancellation fees) just to get their hands on the iphone – when it wasn’t the “phone” they wanted most.
Not that there is anything wrong with the iphone, it’s just that many of us do not care to mix business with pleasure. All I wanted it for was its good looks and slick features anyway, and the iTouch (the name I prefer) has all that and more.
For one thing, the iTouch looks better, it is skinner than the phone, a little bit shorter and just a touch wider. The black touchscreen has the same resolution as the dazzling iPhone’s display, with just one button on the face (like the phone). The color also seems better on the iTouch. The back of the touch is the same shiny stainless as the regular iPods - if that matters to you.
I love the Cover Flow feature which has been available on iTunes and the iPhone. For those who have never used Cover Flow, it is basically like flipping through your music or video collection just as if you were flipping through your CDs and DVDs, cover art and all. Tapping on a cover will open a track list and from there you can tap again to start playing. You may also view the playlists by holding the player vertically and scrolling down, but its more fun (and cool) the other way.
The 3.5 inch crystal clear display is great for watching YouTube videos, movies, podcasts, or viewing thousands of your own pictures along with your customized soundtrack. Speaking of YouTube, the Wi-Fi abilities of this iPod have been outstanding everywhere I have used it to browse the internet. Surf the web using the touchscreen’s keyboard and tap the display to zoom in or out. You can also browse the iTunes Wi-Fi music store and buy/download music, no matter where you are.
One of the coolest features (in my opinion) is the “accelerometer” which automatically adjusts the picture when you rotate the iPod – hard to resist playing around with that one! Also, double clicking on the front button will bring up your music controls over any screen that you might be currently viewing, which gives you much better control of your music.
If you are looking for a camera, there’s not one on the iPod touch. That is a feature on the phone, but from my experience with camera phones, you are not missing much.
Battery life is a bit disappointing on the iTouch when you consider its price compared to the iPod Classic model – its closest rival. We’re talking 22 hours of audio, verses 30 to 40 hours with the Classic models.
For the most part though, the iPod has come a long way….now if they could only upgrade those darn ear buds!