New iPod touch isn’t an iPhone 4 clone
The best iPod touch they have EVER MADE — well, of course, he’s gonna say that. Though it shares a lot of features with the iPhone, it doesn’t come in the same case, is thinner and retains much of visual appearance of the 3G model.
A happy and energetic Steve Jobs today on stage at San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Center announced the new iPod touch, which features (among other things) a Retina display, FaceTime, HD video recording and editing, A4 chip, three-axis gyro, iOS 4.1 and Game Center. Apple’s spin calls this the thinnest, lighted touch ever and it offers 40 hours of music playback (versus 30 hours).
“We’ve put our most advanced technology inside the new iPod touch,” said Steve Jobs. “Whether you’re listening to music, playing games, making FaceTime video calls, browsing the Web, capturing HD video or watching TV shows and movies, the new iPod touch with its Retina display, A4 chip and 3-axis gyro is more fun than ever.”
So, yeah, go ahead and kill the landline — FaceTime is now your home phone.
As you can see form above image, the iPod touch comes in a curvy case (4.4 x 2.3 inches) that’s more like the previous generation model than the iPhone 4 (4.5 x 2.31 inches). I think this is a good thing™ as it will be easier hold for extended periods, something you need to do while playing games and that’s what this product is about. Toss in and A4 processor and Game Center (i.e. multiplayer titles) — it’s gonna rock.
However, all of this is fine and well, but there is a huge omission in the iPod touch feature list — a real still camera. The iPhone 4 camera is a killer feature, but the face value (haven’t laid hands on one yet) of what’s in the new touch (960 x 720) is worse than an afterthought.
More value?
That said, storage capacities remain the same, though the price of the entry-model has gone up — 8GB ($229 vs. $199), 32GB ($299) and 64GB ($399). The upside here is, whereas that the third-generation 8GB touch was really a second generation touch, we’re getting a fully up-to-date configuration with Retina display, A4 processor and cameras.
On the whole, I’m loving the makeover and that Apple stuck with the easier-to-hold, slightly smaller, curvy form factor. Nevertheless, the lack of a workable camera is a major disappointment…
What’s your take?
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September 1st, 2010
You’ll have to check the specs page on Apple’s site. There you’ll find that it has a craptacular 960×720 still camera (aka, a video camera that takes freeze frame stills vs. the iPhone’s 5 megapixel pin-hole camera).
That said, I pre-ordered mine today as my 5G iPod is getting long in the tooth. (No, I didn’t order it for the camera, I’m a DSLR guy all the way anyway.)
September 2nd, 2010
Why bother with iPod when you can have all the same features and more with the iPhone ???
In saying that, if I had no need for a phone, this would be a neat device.
September 3rd, 2010
Because some of us don’t want AT&T’s slow and not unlimited data service.
Have had Sprint for a long time and am very pleased.