I'm HAPPY with the Ipod Touch! Here's why!

[iceman_dl6]

I am really impressed with the Ipod Touch and all the functions that it offers. But for many people, they whine about the small capacity for their perceived "high price!"

However, I am not disappointed about Ipod Touch's capacity, because:

1) It represents the next generation of Ipods and therefore must make use of flash memory like many other next gen mp3 players on the market. That's why the Ipod Classic line still exists for those who don't want to pay a premium price of a next gen Ipod.

2) Actually it is quite inexpensive since a 16 gb sdhc expansion card alone costs around 320$ and the Ipod Touch 16 gb is only $80 more at $399. No brainer for me since i wanted to upgrade the memory of my 2gb Cowon D2 mp3 player with a 16 gb card but @ $320, no way! I could get a MUCH better player in the Ipod Touch all together for only $80 more than the memory upgrade!

3) Unless money grows on trees in your case, a 30 gb+ ipod touch would be out of reaches anyway (approx. msrp of over $1000+ min!)

4) Putting back a hard drive on the Ipod Touch would ruin its sexy form factor and we would be going back to stone ages. Technology has to progress people!

5) Flash memory is the way to go: no moving parts, more durable and way slimmer!

Conclusion: ALWAYS remember that the Ipod Touch is a NEXT gen mp3 player utilizing next gen components which justifies the price you see. Of course, next gen components (i.e.: flash memory) means higher production cost which means the capacity of memory in this case has to be lower than say a HD based Ipod Classic player for the same production cost. In the end, its all up to you: Premium priced Next gen Ipod (Ipod Touch) or cheaper priced current gen Ipod (Ipod Classic).

Anyway, my 16gb Touch is on the way and I can't wait!!! :D
Thanks for reading!

[vulture]

I am really torn about getting the classic or touch. I have the money for either one of them but I really dont need 80GB, I watch videos only a little bit & the 3.5 inch screen for photo viewing and web browsing is really nice.

I sold my 3G 10GB Ipod earlier this year. I waited specifically just for the announcements so I would have some choices to make.

[melor]

Do you know if the Touch has a speaker like the iPhone? I never would have guessed how much I like that little speaker when watching a short video or YouTube

Paul

[mjmoonwalker]

The iPod touch does not have speakers.

[hyroboarder]

I completely agree with you on the next gen stuff. I'm happy because it's the first ipod with a touchscreen. I can't wait to get it and start greasing up the screen with my fanboy fingers :rolleyes:

[roxics]

It all comes down to philosophy.
When I first got my 30GB 5G iPod I put all my music on it. Every CD I ever owned and every MP3 I ever downloaded. Some 22 GB's at the time. Plus a few TV shows. Then my collection started to grow a little more, especially with video. Suddenly not everything would fit anymore. My first reaction was "I need to go out and buy one of those 80GB models" but after thinking about it, I realized I don't listen to that much of my music.

While it's nice to have the option to take everything with you, especially on a long trip, if you travel a lot, or if you just feel like listening to a certain song/artist every once in a blue moon. But most of the time the music I'm into for a given week will fit on a single playlist. For instance I bought a shuffle and use it all the time next to my 30GB model because jsut half of it will hold the music I'm into for a week.

While I want to complain that 8 to 16GB's isn't nearly enough, it may not be for my whole collection, but certainly is for my daily/weekly entertainment. Where I may swap out he content every week. But I'm going to keep my 30GB model as well. The iPod touch is more about internet to me then anything. But for that reason however I'll probably skip it and go to the iPhone with it's added Edge.

[suedehead77]

I look forward to not lugging around my laptop anymore. Actually, I don't lug my laptop around because it's too fragile, so my 'mobile' computer sits at home on my desk.

the Touch is the first wi-fi device that I can take with me anywhere. I've had wi-fi enabled phones too, but their functional capacity is miniscule compared to the Touch.

Notice that I don't call it an 'iPod' because it's not primarily an mp3 player. It's based on the iPhone and its primarily a web-based communication device. At some point when it becomes VOIP-enabled (if it isn't already) it will be used for person-to-person communication as well.

[Gunner]

I look forward to not lugging around my laptop anymore. Actually, I don't lug my laptop around because it's too fragile, so my 'mobile' computer sits at home on my desk.

the Touch is the first wi-fi device that I can take with me anywhere. I've had wi-fi enabled phones too, but their functional capacity is miniscule compared to the Touch.

Notice that I don't call it an 'iPod' because it's not primarily an mp3 player. It's based on the iPhone and its primarily a web-based communication device. At some point when it becomes VOIP-enabled (if it isn't already) it will be used for person-to-person communication as well.

Ya, it's primarily an iPod. It doesn't even have an IM client and you want to make such statements.

Sheesh.

[i0Nic]

I'm very pleased with the iPod touch. Once 3rd party apps get loaded, and the missing iPhone apps get ported over, I will be extremely happy with it.

[AlphaRob]

The only thing I don't like about it is that Apple announced it like 3 weeks before you can actually get it.

[IpOdChIcK]

Do you know if the Touch has a speaker like the iPhone? I never would have guessed how much I like that little speaker when watching a short video or YouTube

This is actually why I'm most disappointed with the touch. The speaker was the one thing I was really hoping would be part of it. C'mon, if I'm sitting on my couch and I see a funny youtube clip I just wanna hear the damn thing, not have to get my headphones just to hear a minute clip. Or if I want to show a friend a funny clip, we cant enjoy it together (without a headphone splitter). It seems like a stupid thing for apple to leave out.

[Skrat]

I'm sure every teacher in every country selling the iPod Touch are dancing in the hallways right now. Not to mention all the subway passengers that would be submitted to listening to music etc..that others play without using headphones.

I'm not saying you would do so, IpOdChIcK :) I'm simply looking at what may be the reasoning behind not including a speaker.

As for me, a speaker could be important as could recording ability. I would like to record my uni lectures and review them whenever I wish. I also do a lot of interviews for my term papers so both a speaker and recordability can be useful.

[Justin Horne]

Putting in a HD would not have ruined the sexy formfactor. The Touch is 8 mm thick, the 80 GB classic is 10.5. If you assume this difference is purely due to the drive, which it's possible, that that 2 mm is NOT an excuse at all.

I agre, flash is a better technology in some applications. In the nano it makes perfect sense. When they are able to make flash in larger quatities for cheaper (think, 64 gb for 250 or so) then it'll be great in full size iPods.
However, as it stands, there simply is not enough memory capacity available to warrent a full switch in order to save 2 or so MM.
Also, you don't get to say Flash is very inexpensive when you're only comparing it to greater quantities of the same thing. Flash is crazy expensive comapred to a HD, per gb.

Also, your third point doesn't make sense, because you're assuming they would have stuck with flash to get 30+ gb, and they wouldn't have. They would have used a HD, and it would have been cheaper.

The only valid point you make is that flash has no moving parts, and is a bit more reliable. This is true, however, apple clearly has been able to satisfy most users with their HD based iPods with a certain level of acceptable reliability for years.


Essentially, I agree, flash and touch are the next gen, but they aren't ready yet. It's kind of like all the current hydrogen fuel cell cars. Sure, they're better overall in terms of efficiency and the like, but they aren't ready to be a viable replacement. What apple did is the equavalent of making all high end cars hydrogen only, with a range of 30 miles.

[yacoub]

The only thing I don't like about it is that Apple announced it like 3 weeks before you can actually get it.

yeah seriously, i'll be happier when i can get hands-on with one! :D