Shiny. It’s my favorite color. It is also a good way to describe the new iPod Touch.
The fourth generation of the iPod Touch was recently released and it comes with a bunch of new bells and whistles. You get HD video recording, a built-in microphone for voice memos and Retina display to deliver a seamless display and adaptive brightness. Oh and it plays music pretty well too.
I’m a Microsoft guy myself, and I am always hesitant when Apple releases a “new” generation product (by changing a thing or two) and the Apple hivemind goes nuts for it. I mean, making a somewhat better looking product and slightly better hardware does make for a new generation (albeit barely), but not the hype that both Apple and its following generates. However, I will admit that this new generation sports some nice changes over its predecessor.
The major installment was a camera which iPod Touch users have been dying for since the iPod’s big brother the iPhone had one. According to Engadget: The rear camera on the device is capable of 720p video, but that means that its maximum resolution is 1280 x 720 — and when it’s used for still photos, that resolution becomes 960 x 720 (that’s a 720p at a 4:3 ratio).
It makes no sense to me why the video camera records in such high quality, but the still shots are mediocre. Also, unlike its big brother there is no auto focus or flash. According to Engadget, this decision was made due to size, rather than price. I mean, who cares about things like auto focus or flash which every cheap camera comes with these days when your iPod can be a few millimeters slimmer? I’m glad to know Steve Jobs has those priorities in order.
The new display (dubbed Retina) looks great. The images are more detailed and the LED backlight makes for nice even lighting. According to USA Today, “there’s a sweet high-resolution 3.5-inch Retina display that nearly matches the screen on the iPhone 4. Touch doesn’t quite have the wide viewing angle of the iPhone 4, which the latter achieves through technology called ‘in-plane switching.’ Side by side, the Touch appeared slightly dimmer than the iPhone.”
The built-in camera also works with the screen by monitoring the brightness in the room and adjusting the brightness on the screen automatically. Everything on the Retina display was easy for me to read without zooming in, even the tiny text you might find on a photo caption.
Speaking of energy efficiency, the iPods A4 chip is a power-saving powerhouse. Almost everything I asked the iPod to do did so in a second or two, sometimes less. iTunes played music samples as fast as my desktop computer would.
It may have done so faster, but the Apple store seemed to be against me just taking the iPod home for a test. They mentioned something about having to pay for the iPod. I don’t get these business types and their money. Don’t these people understand I’m a journalist?!
Finally, we get to the audio components, which you might think would be important in a review on an MP3 player. The new iPod comes with a built-in microphone which allows you to take voice memos and, when used in conjunction with the camera, you can have video conferencing (called Face Time) with anyone with an iPhone or iPod Touch. I find it rather disappointing that you can’t conference with someone on a computer (be it Mac or PC). With any luck Skype or Google will release an app to fix that, and with any more luck, Apple won’t get into a pissing contest with them, like they did with the Google Voice App.
The sound quality on the iPod is good, but I expect that with any respectable brand of MP3 player. The iPod Touch also comes with an external speaker but since I was in the Apple store in the Providence Place Mall, I could not test it. According to Engadget, the external speaker is tinny, but I expect that with any small external speaker. And it’s not like anyone wants to listen to your music anyways.
Overall, the new iPod is great. It has its flaws, and with the way Apple runs themselves, we may never see eye to eye (I mean come on they JUST decided that they wouldn’t punish users for customizing a product they paid for), but they make a good product. If you don’t have an iPod, I recommend this, and if you have a third gen iPod touch, it is a good upgrade. I am considering getting one myself.
On a final note, consider this: by getting an iPod Touch you’re getting all the good things the iPhone has to offer, an MP3 player, awesome apps, etc., while avoiding the bad: AT&’T.
Source:http://www.anchorweb.org/mobile/lifestyles/ipod-so-good-you-need-to-touch-it-1.2337097
