Expert’s Rating

Pros

Cons

Our Verdict

[ EDITOR ’S tone : Not long after this review ’s publishing , Apple released a software update for the iPod touch . This update had enough encroachment on the final rating to guarantee an extra review , which you may recover here . ]

After much supposition that a “ telephone set - less ” iPhone held a prominent stain on Apple ’s “ To Do ” whiteboard , Apple issue what many anticipated would be such a gadget in the form of theiPod touch , an iPod that shares most of the iPhone ’s multimedia features and a pocket-size subset of its communications puppet . Yet it bears the iPod name rather than ally itself with the iPhone . As aniPodtouch its main charge remains medium .

For some expecting a loan-blend of the iPod and iPhone , the touch will total as a disappointment . But even without skew expectations , the iPod jot is an frail player — offering a passably arbitrary feature film circle , no physical or removed ascendence for adjusting loudness or controlling the participant , very qualified picture output capabilities , and , at good , an under - whelming display ( and , at worst , one that ’s almost unwatchable when view dark video ) .

The is-and-isn’t iPhone

While iPod it may be , the form - factor , interface , and inherent architecture requirement that the soupcon be compared to theiPhonerather than a “ traditional ” iPod such as the newiPod classicandthird - contemporaries ( 3 G ) iPod nano . Like the iPhone , the iPod touch has a 3.5 - inch ( diagonally measured ) methamphetamine hydrochloride touch - screen display — one that offer a resolution of 480 - by-320 pixels and a pixel density at 163 pixesl - per - in ( ppi ) . ( At one time , Apple ’s tech specs suggested that the iPhone had a lesser pixel density of 160 ppi , but those specifications have been change to say that the two devices sport the same pixel denseness . ) Rather than scrolling around the port , you tap , jot , and swipe , just as you do with an iPhone . You set up applications from a Home projection screen , and you turn the twist on and off or put it to sleep with a replacement mounted on the top of the iPod .

The audio port wine is locate at the bottom of the role player next to the dockage connector port and — thank good — it is n’t recess . Unlike with the iPhone , which accept a recessed sound port on the top of the earphone , you could utilise the plug from any pair of third - party headphones without the need for an adaptor .

Apple ’s iPod touch

Also unlike the iPhone , the iPod touch has no physical volume buttons , which is a problem . iPod owner are accustomed to adjusting volume and move forward or back a track without cause to think the histrion from their pocket . Without push and no keep for a remote control , this is unsufferable with the iPod touch . Bad enough that the ashen earbuds let the world know that you ’ve got some variety of iPod in your pocket on an unsavoury subway . Worse is displaying that iPod to the humankind when you need to move around down the volume .

pass on credit where it ’s due , Apple did furnish a simple way to render to the Now Playing screen from anywhere in the interface . Just press the Home button double in rapid successiveness , and a screen come out showing the rubric of the currently playing song along with a loudness slider , Next , and former release , and an offer to close up the window or move to the Now playacting sieve .

Both devices include Wi - Fi , but their power to take advantage of it deviate . Each include the Safari internet web browser and YouTube coating , but the signature miss the iPhone ’s Mail , Stocks , Maps , and conditions applications .

The iPod signature offer a separate Contacts coating , whereas the iPhone puts touch in the Phone area of the gimmick . Outside of this difference , the two versions of physical contact mold similarly . you may create and edit contacts on each equipment . And when you pink a URL in a contact , Safari launches and accept you to that address . Of course , tap headphone , address , and e - chain mail theater within a link does nothing on the iPod mite , as it lacks applications for conduct advantage of those items .

Both gadget include a Calendar program , but only the iPhone let you create events . With the iPod touch you must create events on your computing machine and then move them to the iPod when you sync it . And yes , it does seem unexpended that you may accede and delete contacts on the iPod touch but not events .

The two Photos applications are also quite similar . Because the iPod cutaneous senses lacks a television camera , you ’ll find no Camera Roll entry on the iPod . And as the iPod has no due east - chain mail client , you ’ll find no option for e - mailing photos or sending photos to a .Mac Web Gallery ( which works by e - mailing photos to a special .Mac address ) . Although the Photos practical app does n’t offer a command for assigning characterisation to contacts ( as you’re able to with the iPhone ) , you’re able to do this in the Contacts app program by selecting a contact , tapping Edit , tapping the Photo field , and choosing a photo from the Photo Albums screen door that appears .

You wo n’t discover a Notes software on the iPod tactual sensation , which is another crotchet , not only because the iPhone has it , but also because other iPods include a Notes feature . Games are missing as well as is the ability to record via a third - party mike . And while you’re able to manually make do media with the iPod touch ( something you ca n’t do with an iPhone ) , there ’s no Disk Mode for the touch , meaning you ca n’t practice it as a hard thrust as you’re able to other iPods .

iPod and iPhone media parity

Once you enter the iPod area of the touch , you ’ll find the experience nearly indistinguishable from the iPhone . Turn the iPod touch to landscape sentiment and up pops Cover Flow . Flick to move through your collection of album covers and exploit on a cover to see any tracks on that record album that the touch holds . intercept a track form of address to begin play the track . spread out the iPod to portrait orientation and the Now Playing CRT screen appears . Here ’s where you’re able to adjust volume , switch on shuffle or repeat , and drag the playhead to move back or forrard in the track .

In areas of the iPod port other than the Now Playing screen , you ’ll see Playlists , Artists , and Songs button at the bottom of the screen , place precisely as they are on the iPhone . Because the iPod touch has a separate Videos applications programme that can be accessed from the Home silver screen ( the iPhone places a Videos button in the iPod area ) , you ’ll find an Albums entry at the bottom of the touch ’s screenland when using the iPod functions . solicit More , and you ’ll see the Audiobooks , Compilations , Composers , Genres , and Podcasts entries . Tap an launching to view its subject .

Vetting video

Video navigation and playback are just as exchangeable on the iPod touch and iPhone . solicit the Videos button on the iPod ’s Home screen , and you ’ll see your video broken into category include Movies , idiot box appearance , Music Videos , and Podcasts . With the TV Shows and Podcasts surface area , you ’ll be told how many episodes of a particular title are on the iPod — Macworld Video ( 3 Episodes ) , for model .

pink a video to begin playing it . Unlike with the iPhone , which always plays video from wherever you last left off , the iPod touch include an option for selecting whether the video plays from the start or from where you last stopped . In this setting , you ’ll also bump a TV Out option in the iPod touch ’s Video configurations . ( The iPhone presently does n’t support Video Out . ) Regrettably , the iPod touch sensation can output picture only via new $ 49 Apple video recording composite or component cables ( available around the ending of September ) . Old add-on that support television output from an iPod do n’t work with the jot .

Given that one of the main reasons for purchase an iPod touch is to watch videos on its relatively talkative covert , it ’s unfortunate that video and photograph do n’t look as good as they could . Macworldpurchased two iPod touches . The one I reviewed exhibit video that was observably darker than that of my iPhone . For example , dark scenes in the classical Roman Polanski picture , Chinatown , werereallydark — lacking detail that the iPhone nicely detail . The display also had a yellower cast than the iPhone . Dark images in photo album likewise lacked item .

With brightness push all the mode up on an iPhone ( leave ) and iPod touch ( right ) , it ’s clean that the iPhone has the hopeful display .

The other iPod touch was far worse . sorry portions of video were super benighted , with light areas totally blown out as if someone had cranked the demarcation too high . Regrettably , the iPod touch has no contrast control , just brightness , so there ’s no repair for this problem other than returning it to Apple in the hope of getting one without the trouble . We ’re not the only one strike by this way out . Others have reportedsimilarproblemswith their iPod touches .

Touching the iPod’s killer app

While some may be distressed at the apparent hobbling of the iPod touch ’s Wi - Fi capabilities , Wi - Fi was include with this iPod largely for a single grounds — music buying . The iPod touch admit a novel iTunes icon on the Home filmdom for doing just that . Tap it while connected via Wi - Fi , and you ’re taken to theiTunes Wi - Fi Music Store . Here you may pasture featured medicine as well as Top Ten selection in a diversity of genres . Tap the hunt button and you’re able to use the iPod ’s keyboard to look for music at The Store . ( You ca n’t obtain television , audiobooks , or podcasts from the Wi - Fi store . )

The iTunes Wi - Fi Music Store worked quite well in my tests . I previewed Wi - Fi Music Store files both with loyal and slow Wi - Fi networks . With fast mesh it engage very minuscule metre for the store ’s port to appear and to preview and download tracks . On a slower web , previews took a small longer to debase but , once loaded , played without interruption . I attempted to download an record album when on a in particular slow web and wield to get half the tracks before I had to leave the area . After I returned home , the touch automatically log onto my web and completed the download .

Once you download tracks , you could listen to them immediately — they appear in a buy playlist found in the iPod ’s Playlists sieve . When you next sync the iPod , the buy tracks are automatically download to your computer . you may download your buy tracks to another computer , though they wo n’t download automatically ( as the iPod mechanically downloads cart track only to the computer it ’s currently linked to ) . To do so just choose the iPod in iTunes ’ generator list , and prefer Transfer Purchase FromiPod cutaneous senses , whereiPod touchis the name you ’ve assigned to the iPod .

I really enjoyed the exemption of previewing and purchasing music on the go . Being able to displume music from the ethyl ether is terrific and something I plan to do a stack in the future .

Getting a charge out of it

Apple give away the iPod tactile sensation ’s barrage fire charge at 22 uninterrupted hour of euphony playback and five hours of television playback . By way of comparison Apple indicate the iPhone will get 24 hours of euphony playback and seven hours of video playback from that single charge . It ’s fairly typical that Apple underestimates the amount of playday you ’ll get from a single charge . In our first audio battery test , this was n’t the display case . My 16 GB iPod hint act sound recording continuously for 22 hour and 41 minutes . We ’re continuing to test audio as well as video play time both with Wi - Fi switched on and off . We ’ll cover the solution when we have them .

The lowdown

After spending a duo of months with the iPhone , it ’s hard to nibble up the iPod ghost and not consider about what could have been . If only video looked as ripe on the touch as it does on the iPhone . If only Apple had compromised on the iPod ’s sleek railway line to summate a duad of unobtrusive bulk buttons ( or offered a headset that include remote controls ) . If only the whole iPod - as - PIM - conception had been thought through to the point where both liaison and calendar event could be enter on the iPod . If only I could use my old video accessary with my new iPod .

Among my lean of headache only one is a deal - killer — the quality of the video . Yes , the iPhone - like port is telling . Yes , being able to surf the Web and purchase euphony while on the move is incredibly convenient . But the iPod touch was created with picture in mind and this is the one field where it ca n’t shortchange its owner . rent ’s trust that , with the next product run ( or , better yet , the inspired major power of a firmware update ) , the touching will provide the same glorious video as the iPhone . The resulting machine wo n’t be stark , but it will be a vital step in the right instruction .