Friday, June 13, 2008

iPod Touch - The late adopter review

It's been almost seven years since the first iPod came out, and I think everyone and their mum is on their second or third unit by now. I don't think I can say anything about it that hasn't already been said. However I recently bought a Touch as my first iPod, so I thought I would do a personal and thoroughly unnecessary review.

iSee you

The Cons: iTunes is powerful though sluggish, and I'm in the market for a replacement.

I also notice a disconnect between the Apple advertising campaign and its technical prowess. The Safari browser was promoted as a gateway to the real internet, not the "watered down" version seen previously on WAP and cellphone browsers. And although it can view most standard, flash-free pages, it really does best with mobile optimized sites. And Apple knows it, due to their promotion of iPhone/Touch "web apps" which are essentially Ajax powered mobile optimized websites. These are the more colourful, shinier cousins of the old WAP sites I would load on my Palm Pilot.

I'm also an the hook for a twenty dollar software upgrade that was supposed to be included in the Touch since January, and I'm unsure how much the iPhone 2.0 upgrade announced this week will cost.

The Pros: Looks good, feels good, smells good, and is generally sexy as all get out. The Wifi is great, as is the Youtube client. Google maps are a must, cover flow is fun and the screen resolution is fantastic. As an iPod, It does exactly "what it says on the tin."

Ultimately this device means that I can put every album I own, and the internet in my pants, and I like it.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

You *magnificent* bastard! I have been coveting those for a year now, but I can't justify getting one. I'm forcing myself to make do with my (um... two..) older iPod Nanos. Oooooh!! JEALOUSY!!!

So when do we get together, make Bristlebots, and film them using your new toy? (Motors have arrived.)

Anonymous said...

Congrats on the acquisition!

$9.95 for the 2.0 upgrade according to most sources. And worth waiting for, I hope.

I'll be looking into ways to upgrade my unlocked iPhone to the new software without dropping another load of cash for the newer iPhone plus the pound of flesh that Rogers will undoubtedly want for a decent data plan....

Have you applied a "jailbreak" to the Touch yet, so that you can run all sorts of other apps?

-- RSmith