New iPod Touch... A Touch Of Class

---

New iPod Touch Review By Daniel Dwase...

Pros	The new iPod touch has... Internet browsing 22 hours music playback; 5 hours video playback Multi-touch display Touch navigation functions 3.5in wide screen display
Cons	Small hard drive capacity Potential lack of accessible Wi-Fi networks
Manufacturer	Apple Inc.
Website	www.apple.com
Price	8GB $299 16GB $399
Rating

• User Interface
• Video Playback
• What sort of player am I buying?
• Pocket wise, can it fit?
• What's Included?
• System Requirements
• Specification
• Verdict
• Why choose iPod touch?
• See Also

User Interface

The new iPod touch looks like an iPhone but plays like an iPod. It has a touch screen interface similar to that of the iPhone. Like the iPhone, it includes a physical home button separate from the touch screen.

The home screen includes a list of buttons corresponding to the available applications: Safari, YouTube, Calendar, Contacts, Clock, Calculator, and Settings are at the top. Music, Videos, Photos, and iTunes on the bottom of the screen.

It has a 3.5in multi-touch display; cover flow music navigation; and accelerometer that automatically detects its position and orients the screen accordingly.

To listen to music, tap 'Music' and you will see options like 'Playlists', 'Artists', 'Songs', 'Videos' and 'More' buttons at the bottom of the screen. The 'More' button includes 'Albums', 'Audiobooks', 'Compilations', 'Composers', 'Genres', and 'Podcasts'.

When turned on its side you can browse your music in Cover Flow view by flicking your finger to move through your collection of albums.

When an album cover is tapped, the cover flips around to reveal the contents of the album. To play a track, you just tap the track name.

Within the 'Keyboard Settings' menu options, you'll find an international 'Keyboards' button that allows you to select a keyboard layout for the country you live in.

Instead of having to switch to the numeric keyboard to insert a full stop, you can simply double-tap the keyboard's space bar to insert a full stop and a following space.

Image crdeit -- Apple.com

Video Playback

Video playback works much the same way as the iPhone, except some notable options not currently found on the iPhone. To watch videos, go to the 'Settings' application, tap Video, and your video will start playing.

The best thing I like about the video playback on the new iPod touch is it allows you to choose between starting from the beginning or resuming from where your video was last played on the iPod or iTunes.

There are also Closed Captioning (On/Off) options as well as Widescreen and TV Signal TV Out options. Widescreen is an On/Off toggle and TV Signal lets you select NTSC or PAL.

Image crdeit -- Apple.com

What sort of player am I buying?

The 8GB new iPod touch (1,750 songs) model sells for $299 and the 16GB (3,500 songs) sells for $399.

It plays up to 22 hours of audio or 5 hours of video playback.

It includes the same Apple earbuds as in other iPods and uses a standard 3.5mm headset jack, which means you can use other headphones of your choice.

Pocket wise, can it fit?

At 8mm thick, the new iPod touch is lighter and thinner than the iPhone and a bit shorter at 110 x 61 x 7.9mm. With dimensions of 110 x 61.8 x 8 mm you'll have no worries putting it in your pocket.

What's Included?

• iPod touch
• Earphones
• USB 2.0 Cable
• Dock adapter
• Polishing cloth
• Stand
• Quick Start guide

System Requirements

Mac | PC

• USB 2.0 port
• iTunes 7.4 or later
• Internet connection (Broadband recommended. Fees may apply)

Specification

Capacity	8GB (1,750 songs) 16GB (3,500 songs)
Display	3.5in multi-touch
Audio Format	AAC , Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), MP3 , MP3 VBR, Audible, Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV
Video Format	H.264 video, up to 1.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second
Ports	Dock connector, Stereo minijack, Dock connector
Connectivity	USB dock adapter
Wireless Connectivity	Wi-Fi
System Compatibility	Mac, PC
Battery life	Music playback: 22 hours, Video playback: 5 hours
Charge time	3 hours
Languages	English, French, German, Japanese, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Russian, and Polish
Weight	120 grams (4.2 ounces)
Size	110 x 61.8 x 8 mm (4.3 x 2.4 x 0.31 inches)

Verdict

The biggest low down of the iPod touch is the capacity. Best of all is you can browse the internet if you can access a free Wi-Fi connection and all comes at no extra cost. Treat yourself to a brand new iPod touch.

Why choose iPod touch?

• Enjoy your favorite movies and TV shows, listen to music, podcasts, view photos etc. on the go
• You can flick through your music to find the album you want with Cover Flow technology
• iPod touch holds up to 20,000 photos you sync via iTunes
• Touch screen user interface
• Gives you wireless access to the web... Wi-Fi web browser... Safari and YouTube
• Search the web using the touchscreen keyboard
• Zoom in and out by tapping the multi-touch display
• Gives you access to the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store anywhere where you can purchase songs and video.

Click here to learn more about the iPod touch (opens in new window)

See Also...

iPod classic Review
• iPod video Review
• iPod nano 3rd generation Review
• iPod nano 2nd generation Review
• iPod nano 1st generation Review
• iPod shuffle 3rd generation Review
• iPod shuffle 2nd generation Review
• iPod shuffle 1st generation Review
• iPhone Review
• Tips after buying an iPod

Return from New iPod touch Review to Best Buy iPod Home Page