iPod touch unboxed and, um, touched
By Ryan Block 
posted Sep 15th 2007 4:57PM
posted Sep 15th 2007 4:57PM
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all I care about is when and how the apps can be transfered from iphone, to ipod. I'll get one after I know jailbreak has been modified to be compatible. till then it's just a fancy music player, after that it'll be a thing of beauty.
As many Apple fanboys are quick to point out, the Touch is NOT a PDA and Apple didn't put those features on there so you'd still have to buy an iPhone to get those features. Nevermind the fact htat the iPhone still has the whole "Phone" thing going for it, oh and the camera.
I think the main wishlist items are an editable calendar, bluetooth, and more capacity...oh and lyrics, if they have time. (btw how sad was it that I went into an Apple store today and couldn't access YouTube videos. Lame) But I did put up the Engadget article about screwed up video on one of their Macbooks...hehe
you're right, the touch is not a pda. that doesn't mean I can't eventually install more software and apps on it and make it into one.
I'm not held down to apples idea of what tech is. that's the joy of software. the base is there that allows it to be a good starting point though in comparison to windows ce.
the xbox1 was not a media centre.
in the end a $100 xbox + XBMC kicks the crap out of appletv and anything else out there.
The touch isn't a PDA, it's a half-assed PDA. Otherwise, there wouldn't be a calendar and contacts on it, because that has nothing to do with being a DAP. So, as long as they're going to have a product with a half-assed feature set, they're going to get called on it.
Have to mention that the iPhone is hardly a PDA either.
if the oppinions of you 3 are that "if it doesn't come with it installed, then it can't do it" period, then you don't belong on a tech site.
what's next? are you going to tell me to read the manual and NOT open it up and void the warranty? pathetic. software gets installed, devices are hacked.
@ john
This must be the first iPod you've see because they have had the calendar/contacts functionality at least since the iPod photo, if not before that. I do agree that shipping the product w/o the calendar functionality of the iPhone is annoying.. but nothing new. In fact its the way that those two functions have always worked on iPods. Know the facts.
I have calender on my 3G (still love the touch sensitive buttons - pity the battery died and i have been too lazy to replace it)
The only reason i was even considering upgrading my iPod was for the PDA functionality, to say that they have a full keyboard and internet access but pathetically lack input into iCal is just sickening and certainly a half asses effort at BEST. In fact, they probably had to change the code from the iPhone just to lock it down - what a waste of effort.
I am holding off on purchasing one of these POS until the hacks come out, until then it is nothing more than a 400$ paperweight that i most definitely will not even consider purchasing.
it isnt a DAP and it isnt a PDA but it sure as hell has input and an iCal app that should go together.
@JOSH
"It isnt a DAP and it isnt a PDA but it sure as hell..."
it is a DAP.. its a DAP with bells and whistles. I too was hoping it would simply be an iPhone minus the need for a monthly contract. They even could have switched the SMS iChat over to use instant messaging when you have a Wifi signal.. but they didnt. I agree with your sentiment. I was pretty pissed when i heard what exactly the iPod Touch offered and what it didnt offer. Unfortunately theres not much to be done. Apple decided they wanted to create a bigger product divide than just "not a cellphone". After playing with the new iPod Touch all last weekend its not bad at all, for people looking for a DAP.
again, there's no need to complain or freak out. the world isn't ending. just have some patience and wait 2 months for it to be hacked. there are hundreds of programs for the iphone now. once someone gets a touch and hacks it, you'll be happy. you don't NEED it now, so just wait a little while.
does this mean that I CAN go buy the touch in stores and not wait until the 28th?
So when can we expect the Engadget review of the new iPod's? Tommorow? ;)
I was just in Apple Store in Ann Arbor, MI. The guy basically said they've been getting daily shipments of iPod Touch since yesterday (Friday) I was able to play with it in store, and I think I'm gonna buy one. He said the store gets shipments every day except Sundays, but they are expecting to receive a few units per shipment for next few weeks. I'd suggest calling them and check the availability.
yes, this is what it means. i just got mine today at the manhattan village apple store in MB, california. they're not on display and most dont' know that they have htem in stock and up for purchase. i got mine and everyone that saw me walk out with it were like, 'huh?'
lol it is SOOOO SVELTE!!!!! you should get it. 16gb is a little shakey but it'll do for such an incredible device
who cares
Obviously you since you took the time to post.
haha, snap!
I still think this should be called the itouch... oh wait... parents don't want their teenagers doing that.
The iTouchp'hod
MOOOOOOOOOSSSSSSSEEE
that is what i have been calling it since day one. takes too damn long to say iPod Touch.
That title wins my "Funniest Cheesy Title Ever" Award.
i wish if at least the 16GB was $300.
then ill buy it.
If you can wait till oh Mid-January..it will be 300.
You think the $399 price tag is steep. If you are in the UK the 16 Gb itouch is £269 which equates to a whopping $538.
the way steve slashed the price on the iphone, you won't have to wait until january...it will be $100 less the day after thanksgiving...black (mick turtleneck) friday...and a $50 apple gift card ready to go for the final shopping days before christmas....
Touch it baby.
hmm the LCD does look like it has some light leaking from the top? definately not as clean as the Iphone screens...
Apple needs to develop some games to their "Mobile OS X" thingy.
there needs to be a first person shooter (other than doom0 on the touch, but seeing as there's no controls other than touch, all you do is touch people on the screen and then they die.
I bet I'd play that for hours. sitting all alone somewhere... laughing...
maybe not.
@djkenpo
It would have to be a multi-touch pinch to crush their heads.
is there any speakers on lit like the iphone has because it would be better if it did
there is not. I'll be sure to solder one in on mine though.
The iPhone looks so fat next to the touch!
Woo! You have The Illusionist thats like my favorite movie at the moment!
I'm seriously thinking about returning my defective 16GB to Best Buy and just wait for the next generation.
Besides the ghostly screen with multiple dead pixels, the battery life has not impressed me either. Overall, I'm underwhelmed.
You should have your commenting rights revoked. In every iPod related article you post something about getting them for free and then you always link to your stupid blog. NOBODY ELSE CARES
Oooooh, so shiny. Too bad its a pos.
No, no, humpty, the POS is the thing you have in your skull, in lieu of a brain. The shiny new thing is the drop dead gorgeous iPod Touch. No wonder you can't even start understanding its leading edge features and design....
My deepest sympathies to your mother.
Are the Touch's on sale at Apple shops now? Or do we still have to wait till the 28th?
By the way, the new Creative Zen 4gb and 8gb players are now in stock @ the Creative shop...
And would anyone happen to know when the Samsung Yp-P2 is getting releaseD?!
A bunch of stores in the US seem to have a small stock already, web orders seem to be slow though.
@ jroc they dont call it itouch because there already is a itouch something from logitech and some other itouch crap (can i say crap on international internet) besides its a ipod first its not like they call a video ipod ,ivideo no they call it a video ipod .
So is the last picture you previewing Soulja Boy's "Crank That" because you shot yourself in the face after 10 seconds of listening to it, or because you decided you were done?
DO WANT
I dunno, I like the shiny back.... it feels like a built in mirror to me!
Yeah...nothing like cutting edge user interface and superior design to make something a "POS." If you don't like it, shut up and go listen to whatever you have that is superior in every way.
It's kind of hard for a non-physical aspect to be "cutting edge", because that's a matter of opinion. You can't argue what's the cutting edge of hardware, because hardware has actual measureable specs, but unless you measure software in IUPs, Idiot Understandability Percentiles, you're going to have a hard time actually calling any software 'cutting edge'
online orders better ship before sept 28th since they're appearing in stores.
would this mean that the apple.ca store is going to ship early too? because i did call yesterday and they said it would be sept 28th but she did not even know that some store had the product in stock already..
There is a word for people like this...
It begins with C and ends with K...and guess what....
You get the middle letters free!
Had mine for two days. So far works perfect....very nice PMP. Great upgrade from my 5G Video.
Been meaning to ask. Does the touching of the iPod Touch screen leave a lot of fingerprints that cause screen images become difficult to watch. Can you even notice fingerprints on the screen? Last year this was everyone's concern about using a touch screen as the main interface. In the photos and videos, I never see any fingerprints or smears. Obviously the users weren't eating peanut butter sandwiches or fried chicken with their fingers.
@steve
Huh? Sorry I'm hella slow.
As with all Apple experiences of late....the unboxing is where the joy is. Once you hit the on button, the joy is over.
Hmmm I am waiting to see if Apple is going to acknowledge the problem and then address it. I doubt they really want to announce it because it would probably make a lot of the other uninformed consumers hesitate on buying it
Wow! It got that little stand-thing!! That's cool!!
I just picked mine up at best buy today, and I love the little thing, but honestly, that little stand is probably the coolest "feature"!
I love iPods, but seriously - the shiny back on this annoys me to no end. I thought they hit a home run with the iPhone back - there is no reason in the world it needs to be such a scratch magnet.
Did I miss something - you can't view lyrics on this? That's crazy and a step backward.
So many many things on this are a step backwards.
A nice rubberized black back would be awesome. Easier to hold, less prone to scratching..
Stop teasing me with all this bullshale....Like does it have Bluetooth, or what have you.
All I want to see is..."Does it play Doom?"
No bluetooth, in fact it's a bit inferior then the iphone. I hate to say that but it's true and the Engadget guys are starting to notice when comparing the touch to the iphone.
no bluetooth, iphones bluetooth is practically useless anyways too.
with dialup bluetooth the touch would be somewhat intresting(i got unlimited hsdpa through my phone, fuck public access wifis.).
you guys....
you misunderstood my question....
i was asking "ENOUGH of the bluetooth questions, I just want to know 'does it play DOOM'?"
Look, I'm the furthest thing from an iPod fan, but that's some pretty slick sh...er, stuff right there.
It just doesn't look as good as the iPhone, with regards to some details. For example, instead of the chrome frame, it's matte black. And God forbids the scratchy shiny back, just like the new nano. Maybe girls will find it useful so now they don't need to carry a pocket mirror.
Function wise, it's called iPod touch, so it's still an iPod. You can't put in new contacts or calendar events into previous iPods, but at least touch allows you to add contacts.
That's what you get if you have Verizon or Sprint.
"You can't put in new contacts or calendar events into previous iPods, but at least touch allows you to add contacts."
>No previous iPods had a touch screen keyboard, either. I guess we were all expecting a touch screen keyboard to actually be useful for more than just URLs in safari
I'm a little upset with apple, they could at least have taken off the scratchy back. I currently own the first iPod nano, and I tried to not scratch it but I ended up not caring and it got extremely scratchy.
Knowing it has this back I'm looking for good cases and so far I'm only finding the iPod socks on the apple website and on amazon some other case. Anyone have any ideas as to where I could find some affordable cases for the iPod touch?
wait a week..i called my local apple store..and they said end of next week should be getting those rubber cases in...so i wait..
They stuffed those feastures in the Ipod to keep people busy. This way, no one would ever be able to take a look at it and wonder if spenidng $300+ on an MP3 player was worth it.
I do have an Iphone and its a great piece of equiptment. but ultimately, its nothing more than a FASHION ITEM.
The Blackberry CURVE is a much better phone for my business.
Question will there be a way to hack it like the iPhone?
Or is it literally idedical to the point where the same hacks on the iPhone can work on the iPod Touch?
AKBlade13
I'm sure eventually someone's gonna hack it. Give a month (I doubt it'll even take that long).
The only way I'm buying this iPod is if it's bigger than 60GB. Otherwise I'm not gonna even consider it.
Commenting should be turned off on the entire internet for the rest of the year. It is so hard to find good information sorting through the crap that ends up on these boards. Long live Gawker's comment executions.
Well I must admit, with a comment like that you're not exactly helping my friend.
I canceled my preorder and went to pick one up in the store on yesterday. It's freakishly thing, battery life is great, headphone jack is on the bottom (which is very odd), the back is shiny (which really sucks), and now I'm just waiting for jailbreak to catch up. Rumor has it the iPhone dev team has a iTouch and they are working on updating jailbreak. I can't imagine it will take them very long to get it working.
Well, that was a fast burnout. Turns out the iPod Touch has alot more limitations than I'm comfortable with. Here's some of the disappointing letdowns:
1. There's no integrated speaker (you have to either use wired headphones or connect it to external speakers).
2. The Touch also does not utilize Bluetooth.
3. The Touch's homescreen is similar to the iPhone except: No Stocks, Maps, Notes, or Weather.
4. There's no Mail application at all,
5. A restricted Calendar app, and
6. There's no camera.
I/we had previously assumed ALL the capabilities of the iPhone would be there absent the cellphone functionality. As it turns out there's ALOT more missing and dumbed-down than just that. The biggest showstopper is no Bluetooth, especially since I just got a new-tech set of stereo Bluetooth headsets which would've been supreme when paired with the Touch, but it's not meant to be apparently ... so close, yet so far, why Apple, why ?
I been saying it from the beginning but people seem to buy stuff just because. But hey it isnt my hard earn money being wasted.
NOTE TO ALL CANADIANS: I just looked at the Future shop website... and look at this
"Releases 12 Oct/07. You've got the..." So if you have this on preorder from apple's store.. I'd (and I am... lol) sticking with that option. Even with my touch not getting to my house until Oct. 9ish. Thats still better then waiting until the 12th.
I'm hoping that it comes sooner then that though.. I already sold my 80gig and the 9th is like 25 days away... thats a long time without my ipod :(
As usual, Apple doesn't get it right the first time. And I think it's intentional. Just like the original Nano, wait for 2nd Gen to get more features.
Someone has posted a video of the problem to demonstrate for even the piniest headiest of individuals that the problem actually does exist. Same video playing on Touch and new Nano. You go figure out hwo this is people 'overreacting'. A large (if not all) units are doing this, not just a 'few bad ones'.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=EXbTb5jvuhE
iPod touch is already in stock at Chicago Apple store. Vent there, played for about 15 min, did some thinking. And spend my $300 on 4GB iPhone. 50% less storage, a lot more for functions the money. BTW, i use T-Mo.
I really want an iPod touch but Im hearing mixed reviews.... Well, I will have to play with one first..
I don't understand. The iPod Touch wasn't meant to be a PDA, so why the disappointment. It's a just personal media player with some extra features and some missing features. It could probably be turned into a PDA but maybe those features are for the next version or something. It's basically a Video iPod with a touch screen.
disappointments come from apple intentionally chopping iphones features OFF from the touch even though they're just a bit of software.
intentionally making a product crappier. that's what people get disappointed at.
you know it's apples fault for advertising that the thing runs os x.
Hey guys, why don’t you beg, borrow, steal or even buy a decent camera to take your pics
Being able to tell everyone that he gets to touch something for free makes him feel better about having to pay to get touched
What part of IPOD touch don't you mooks get?!?!
It's an iPod.
It says so RIGHT IN THE NAME.
It doesn't say "iPDA touch"... Nowhere does Apple promise us a PDA, either, so I'm having a hard time understanding why there are so many crybabies here whining about the lack of a mail app, or a stock app, or a built-in speaker, or the ability to add calendar events on the go.
THIS IS AN IPOD WITH EXTRA FEATURES. Nothing more. And it's sweet. I like mine. If you don't want it, don't buy it.
Look, guys- How hard is it to comprehend:
1. The iPod touch is an iPod, and is primarily an MP3/AAC player with the function of previous iPod models.
2. As a bonus it plays H.264/MP4 videos, and photo slideshows, like the last generation of iPods.
3. As a bonus it has a calculator (no other iPod has one).
4. As a bonus it has a WEB BROWSER and WiFi capability (no other iPod has this, either).
5. As a bonus it can access the iTunes store directly (another iPod first).
6. It stores your contacts and calendars like previous iPod models.
7. As a bonus it allows you to add contacts when you're on the go (no previous iPod did this).
8. As a bonus it can access YouTube directly (another thing other iPods couldn't do).
9. Oh yeah--- It Has A Touch Screen!!! (no other iPod...)
Now, the problem you guys seem to be having is you're seeing it as a low-end version of the iPhone instead of understanding that it's not meant to be that; It's a touch-screen 5G iPod with WiFi.
Does it look a little like an iPhone? Yep.
Is it a phone? Nope.
Is it a PDA? Nope. And nobody ever promised it would be one, either.
If you want all the PDA-like functions without the phone, get thyself an iPhone and remove the sim card. If you want an iPod with video, internet browsing, and a nifty touch interface then get an iPod touch.
The product is not called "iPhone minus" or "iPhone light" or anything of the sort. It's not marketed as a phone or PDA. Stop ragging on it for what it isn't, and be happy for what it is.
Oh, and about storage space--- If you want to pay what it would cost for an iPod touch with more than 16GB of flash memory, then more power to you. Of course, that much flash memory would be ridiculously expensive right now, and nobody would buy it because they could just get an iPhone, but you keep on complaining that it's not an 80GB iPhone minus the phone. I'm sure someone will hear you and make that dream piece of gear that has all the features you want, and costs less than $500 if you bitch about it enough.
Me... I'm enjoying my iPod touch. It does what I want, and if I wanted more or different features, I'd have gotten something else.
why not complain?
hw-wise it's pretty much the same as iphone.
why should it intionally lack few pieces of software? why not complain that apple should have left calendar etc intact? why not complain that apple went an extra mile to make the user experience crappie.. less featured.
oh because it's IPOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD. those are not bonus features, they're it's selling points, those are it's selling features over classic 160gb. who cares about the name. hw-wise IT IS AN IPHONE WITH THE PHONE CUT OUT. live with it, knowing that apple went an extra mile to make it crappier, they actually invested time(money) into cutting features from the software.
@calvin
i think he means cock...
My unboxing pics here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kadath/sets/72157602014857436/
nice but why do you need an iphone and an ipod touch?
It's not my iPhone
Apple: They're bringing ScratchyBack
what's interesting to me is that the iPhone's resolution has 160ppi (pixels per inch) and the iPod touch has 163ppi. its a minor difference but i like that Apple gave us a choice
More "Defective by Design" cr*p where the marketing department are dictating what the engineering department can build.
Take an iPhone, disable the phone part, add a 160Gb disk, allow 3rd party apps with a supported toolchain and SDK and Apple would have created a category busting PDA. Add VoIP software like Skype.
But because Apple is intent on doing deals with dinosaurs like the record companies and Telcos, this is of course, impossible.
The best iTouch appears to be an unactivated iPhone.
where's the SDHC slot?
lmao
whenever apple makes it so you can play Divx/Xvid files and you dont need to use itunes im all for the ipod touch. other then that. fuck you apple. creative zen all the way :D
Not an ipod owner here but, it seems pretty obvious why apple went with the "shiny, scratch magnet". A new ipod comes out every year right? Could it be that they want it to get all scratched up? Why would they do that? Hummmm...I just got it. They want you to buy a new one because it's not cool to have a scratched up ipod. Everyone will laugh at you. On the other hand, you’re stuck with the iphone for a while due to your AT&T contract. Damn I'm good.
Amen to 'The ZeroCorpse'
IT'S - AN - IPOD.
And when people say 'ZOMG! It doesn't have stocks, maps, eMail' All that jazz.
That's WHY they made it!
If you MUST have that, get a damn iPhone.
Stop complaining how much of an iPhone it isn't.
From an iPod's point of view, it is by FAR the most evolved. It's EASY to see that. Be realistic here.
And the shiny back... I presume that is Apple trying to define it as an iPod, relating it to nearly ALL previous iPods. They want it to be viewed as an iPod evolved, NOT an iPhone stipped-back.
Simple... as.
X
***Lukidge***
pictures? what is this 2001, where are teh videoz or this baby in action?
SO DOES IT HAVE THE SAME STUPID HEADPHONE JACK AS THE IPHONE???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
I can't tell from the pictures.
hey im gonna buy the ipod touch soon..any problems/defects pl let me know asap...thnx
yay - this American Life podcast!
good stuff