A touch above the rest
Gadget Apple iPod Touch
Price range: $400-630
Thumbs up: aesthetics
Thumbs down: price
AB gives it: *** (and a half *)
What it is:
The newest portable media player with a Wi-Fi mobile platform
Why you need it:
Apart from encompassing the traditional role of a portable media player by allowing users to listen to their favourite music clips and watch their favourite films (with the added convenience of doing it all by 'touch'), the iPod touch has branched out into web browser territory. The device comes with Wi-Fi wireless networking, a stack of applications and a multi-touch user interface to make it a fast, simple and powerful personal entertainment and business tool.
Key features:
- Multi-touch user interface with gesture technology
- Wi-Fi wireless networking
- Full sized Safari web browser
- Slim 8 mm wide design
- 3.5 inch widescreen display with a 480-by-320-pixel resolution
- Supports a variety of video and audio formats
- Accelerometer that automatically senses rotation to flip display from horizontal to vertical.
- Ambient light sensor to adjust brightness of display
- Up to 22 hours of audio and five hours of video playback
- 8GB, 16GB or 32GB capacity
What's particularly cool about it:
While the iPod touch's multi-touch gesture technology makes listening and downloading music and videos incredibly easy and fun, the gadget's ability to display full-sized web pages while the user is on the go is arguably one of its most unique assets.
While many competitor mobile web browsers limit the scope of web pages to suit their format, the iPod touch's Safari browser allows full fledged access to the net. Additionally applications such as Mail, Maps, Stocks, Weather, YouTube and Notes make it possible to do everything from checking rich HTML emails (including photo, PDF, word and excel applications) to searching for directions.
What it will cost you:
$399 for the 8GB, $499 for the 16GB and $629 for the 32GB version
Where you can get it:
At all Apple stores, online from http://www.mac-australia.com and by calling 133622.
What happened when we tested it?
Australian Broker's Agnes Gajewska: I won't lie - I liked the iPod touch from the outset - it's slick, slim, and classy and has just enough bells and whistles to engross and entertain. Apple have (yet again) delivered on aesthetics. From smooth interface to multi-touch gesture technology, the iPod touch makes flipping through albums, web pages and video clips irresistible and strangely addictive. Plus it connects you to the World Wide Web - and to YouTube clips and iTunes galore.
Apart from providing entertainment, the internet component adds a business edge to the product. Tools such as email, Google Maps, stock and weather forecasts are easy to guide through and can be easily be put to use within the business landscape.
On the downside however, the smaller capacity versions (the iPod touch 8GB and 16GB) have been criticised for not being big enough - a point on which, due to the scope of the possibilities, I agree. So if you want to make the most out of what the touch can offer the largest 32GB version is just big enough to satisfy - as long as you are happy to wear the matching price tag.
