Has the iPod Gotten to Complicated?

[Xomphos]

I have been enjoying my iPod Touch (16GB) for around a year now. I originally jailbroke it when it came out and loved it. Afterwords, I found out the App Store was coming out, so I stopped jailbreaking for a while and bought the $20 software upgrade.

Then, the App Store came out. While I really enjoy having a task manager, games, other fun random programs, etc. on my iPod-I realized something: I am not using this primarily for music anymore. The iPod has gotten so complicated that it is like a freaking computer in my pocket now. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, it's just that, shouldn't an iPod put music first (I believe Steve Jobs said that when he released the original iPod with Video)?

I am seriously considering selling my iPod Touch now and buying a different, more simplified music player. I do want to point out I am a techie and very tech-literate. Heck, I spend my spare time increasing my tech knowledge every day. But, I feel like this iPod has gotten to complicated for what it is.

I might sell it and get something else like: a 120GB iPod Classic, 16GB Zune, or 80/120GB Zune...

What do you think about the iPod? Has it gotten to complicated? Is it overblown with features? Is it still and iPod (look at the 2G Touch commercial and notice it's advertising games-not music playback)?

[trevpimp]

Dude the ipod touch is and always will be about Music, But having all the features like a computer is a good add on, but people usually buy the Ipod Touch for their music.

[FirstDeadlySin]

It depends on how you use your iPod Touch. I see lots of reviews on BestBuy.com that big fans of PDA's are now tossing those in the trash for iPod Touch's. I've never been interested in a PDA, I always thought they were cool but not something I would blow $$$ on.

Top 5 Reasons why I bought iPod Touch:

1. 32gb of flash memory and 36 hours of music.

2. Music - When I saw 1st generation iPod Touch come out last year and seen the 16gb at 22 hours playback, I said to myself ehh wait til next year. 16gb was what I was really needing but the battery life seemed weak! Even my Nano had more battery life. Sure enough, theres a 32gb at 36 hours playback so I jumped on it!

3. Games - I was drawn in by the Apple commercials because of the ability to play games! I was contemplating on getting a Nintendo DS for a while but now why get that when I can play similar games on this iPod Touch? I'm loving the free games on the App store. It beats boredom during those awkward times during the day in my life, like waiting for class to start and no one to talk to, moments like that, these games help me pass time!

4. Photos - Since I'm a Graphic Designer/Artist, its nice to be able to show people on the spot my artistic abilities. The photo feature on this iPod Touch is amazing! You can zoom in and out to look at details. I've talked to a few important people now (in the art world) and it was so convenient to show them my artwork on the spot without having to go to a computer or ask for their email.

5. Wi-Fi/Safari - Although I don't use this feature everyday, it is a nice feature to have in case of those times of emergency when theres no computers near by and just a Wi-Fi signal! I love how I can view actual websites and zoom in and out using the pinch technique... really cool!


I personally don't think this iPod Touch has gotten complicated. Instead, I think it has gotten BETTER! When I first got my 6gb iPod Mini, I already knew it was like having a mini computer in my pocket, with the only ability to play digital music from my computer. I'm not surprised that iPod has evolved to what iPod Touch is today.

So to conclude my thoughts on this topic... it all depends on the individual and how they decide to use the device! iPod Touch is a multi-purpose gadget for a multi-task world.

[ADVrider]

I've used my nano on my motorcycle for a couple of years now and it's been great. When the Touch came out, I liked the wifi capabilities but wasn't impressed with the battery life so I waited. I've been going on a few long trips on the bike and was lugging around a laptop so I could check e-mails mainly but also surf a bit and watch movies.

You know where I'm going.

A friend had a touch and I played with it for a while and was very impressed. I didn't want the iPhone because I hate AT&T (long story, 12yr customer they screwed). When the new Touch came out, I liked the 36hr battery life along with everything else so I bought one. It does everything I hoped for and now I don't have to carry 6lbs of laptop and accessories and it's easier to pull into a place with wifi and not unpack to get to a laptop.

The audio processor in the 2G Touch is on par with the Nano which is supposed to have the best audio processor out of all the iPods. I think the Touch sounds better than my Nano though.

There's some growing pains with getting the latest and greatest like my old cig lighter charger not working with the 2G Touch and finding out on a trip but overall, it's been a positive experience.

[LancerRevo]

i dont see the ipod touch as a dedicated media player,just as a pc pretty much.

[Bren86]

I bourght my ipod touch for its capacity and features. Music and movies have all been pretty much over looked since I've had my 2g touch for nearly 2 weeks now. Attempting to taking the touch out with me was just a pain to use plus no wifi so the features I bourght it for didn't work. I'm going to stick with my ipod 3g when out but my touch will remain in doors for me to play with. Or though I didn't expect the touch to be any use to me when outside and I never really planned to take it out with me.

Now I want apple to stick to the nano/classic simplicity as well as the touch. The new nano 4g, tilting it to the side to see coverflow is to much hassle to me on the go, I hate that feature and it looks like a step in the wrong direction if they want me to buy one. Atleast have the option to view coverflow normally as well. I like the classics but to big now that I have had my 3g and the 4g nano is to long also imo. I'd prefer a bigger capacity 3g.

[Code Monkey]

Like the poster above me says, the iPod touch is NOT about a dedicated media player. It is the all in one hybrid device the original concept of the iPod was a bit of a deliberate separation from. As such, the touch itself can't really be too complicated because at its core is the notion of serving many masters at once. It's essentially a Blackberry for the everyman just like the iPhone is a smartphone for the everyman.

If you want a core, focused device, the nano is where it's at for a lot less money. If you want the kitchen sink with nothing particularly polished, you got the touch.

[AndyT4097]

Im not sure its gotten to complicated, but as is being said, its no longer just for music. Its now an all around entertainment device. Photos, videos, YouTube, internet, a vast library of apps. Its now your do everything device.

[Dewaine]

The answer is no

[kornchild2002]

The iPod touch is not too complicated at all. I know that a device gets too complicated whenever my Mom cannot operate it. My Mom cannot operate my Sony touchscreen digital camera, she cannot operate my PS3 or Xbox 360 (she can barely operate my Wii), but she doesn't have any issues using her iPod touch (which is my older 1G 16GB model, I gave it to her). She can access the internet, play music, watch videos, look at pictures, and sync all of that content without any issues.

iPods have come a long way since the 1G days when they just played music in very limited file formats (mp3, WAV, and AIFF was pretty much it). Now iPods can do many more tasks but they are still centered around media with easy navigation. The clickwheel has since proven itself over 7 years of use (4 years of the newer clickwheel with the buttons integrated into the wheel) and the iPod touch/iPhone's interface of big, bright buttons and a touchscreen is following the same path. My PocketPC is more complex to use than my iPod touch as it has a start button along with many other variables such as having to properly exit a program if I don't want it to be running in the device's memory and accessing a wi-fi network is harder on my PocketPC. My PocketPC has a more advanced OS but it is harder to use and It think that the iPod touch (it seems that every website is talking about the 2G iPod touch being so good now) and iPhone would not be as successful if they weren't easy to use. That is why smartphones have never really been able to penetrate the market, most consumers (outside of the business and "geek" market) simply don't know how to operate one and don't care. That is also why smartphone manufacturers are changing the OS's that their devices use no longer relying on Windows mobile. Google's Android OS takes many notes from Apple's iPhone OS and so does the OS currently running the newer HTC devices (not the Windows powered ones but the newer ones). Even carries such as Alltel have begun to rely on touchscreen smartphones that run an OS other than Windows Mobile.

So no, iPods are not too complicated and neither is the iPhone. Apple has shown the market that simplicity is always better over more complex offerings. Windows Mobile devices can definitely do more than any iPhone and iPod touch on the market but they are more complicated to use.

[Xomphos]

The iPod touch is not too complicated at all. I know that a device gets too complicated whenever my Mom cannot operate it. My Mom cannot operate my Sony touchscreen digital camera, she cannot operate my PS3 or Xbox 360 (she can barely operate my Wii), but she doesn't have any issues using her iPod touch (which is my older 1G 16GB model, I gave it to her). She can access the internet, play music, watch videos, look at pictures, and sync all of that content without any issues.

iPods have come a long way since the 1G days when they just played music in very limited file formats (mp3, WAV, and AIFF was pretty much it). Now iPods can do many more tasks but they are still centered around media with easy navigation. The clickwheel has since proven itself over 7 years of use (4 years of the newer clickwheel with the buttons integrated into the wheel) and the iPod touch/iPhone's interface of big, bright buttons and a touchscreen is following the same path. My PocketPC is more complex to use than my iPod touch as it has a start button along with many other variables such as having to properly exit a program if I don't want it to be running in the device's memory and accessing a wi-fi network is harder on my PocketPC. My PocketPC has a more advanced OS but it is harder to use and It think that the iPod touch (it seems that every website is talking about the 2G iPod touch being so good now) and iPhone would not be as successful if they weren't easy to use. That is why smartphones have never really been able to penetrate the market, most consumers (outside of the business and "geek" market) simply don't know how to operate one and don't care. That is also why smartphone manufacturers are changing the OS's that their devices use no longer relying on Windows mobile. Google's Android OS takes many notes from Apple's iPhone OS and so does the OS currently running the newer HTC devices (not the Windows powered ones but the newer ones). Even carries such as Alltel have begun to rely on touchscreen smartphones that run an OS other than Windows Mobile.

So no, iPods are not too complicated and neither is the iPhone. Apple has shown the market that simplicity is always better over more complex offerings. Windows Mobile devices can definitely do more than any iPhone and iPod touch on the market but they are more complicated to use.

That is a good point. However, I think I may have made my statement wrong. What I really mean is, have they gotten to many features I guess you could put it. With the App Store, we're talking tons of apps and how does the touch organize them? By spreading them out across up to 9 pages of icons. Since I look at it as a PDA, that is a messy desktop. I just jailbroke my iPod and I have been using Categories to organize the programs into folders which helps but is not perfect (while I love Jailbreaking, I will probably restore back due to compability/bugs).

I never thought I'd miss the days of owning my 5.5G 30GB iPod. I just loved that device-they way it felt in my hand...having a "large" hard-drive even though I didn't have that much music... How much simpler times those were! Now, in my spare time for my iPod instead of listening or browsing music/movies, I spend it downloading apps and using them...I find I use my iPod mostly now without plugging headphones in because I don't need them!

Maybe I just can't seem to look forward to change right now...I don't know...I may or may not keep my touch. I am deemed "ridiculous" for thinking of selling it.....but when I bought it, it was an iPod...now it's a PDA.

[AndyT4097]

Can you ever have to many features? I think that all adds to the popularity of the Touch, having everything (pretty much) in one device.

[mini_me2]

I don't think he's making the point that it just does too much (you're right, there is no such thing), but that it's doing too much for the limitations of it's interface. Which I agree with, to an extent.

I have my apps organized over a few pages, and it works just fine for me. Then again, I view it more as a media player than a PDA.

[paranoidxe]

The iPod Touch is the WORST music player. Unlike its siblings you have to pull it out to do anything with it which is time consuming. The sound quality isn't all that great compared to the 5th gen/Zune.

iPod Touch isn't much of a music player as it is a video/internet/application/game platform. If I were to pick a music player right now I'd be going for the nano/zune/classic I wouldn't be picking the iPod Touch.

[seven macaw]

mp3 players are dead. people want more.

the ipod touch, zune, cowon s9, etc. are the future.

apple is here to make money, not cater to all of 10 purists.

[archurban]

it is just your behavior. I always listen to music everyday about two hours. I also spend time for apps, too. it's all depend on you.

[paranoidxe]

mp3 players are dead. people want more.

the ipod touch, zune, cowon s9, etc. are the future.

apple is here to make money, not cater to all of 10 purists.

LOL listen to this guy. If this were the case why does the nano continue to be the #1 seller? Hint: Its not for internet, its not for video, and its not for games.

[Code Monkey]

LOL listen to this guy. If this were the case why does the nano continue to be the #1 seller? Hint: Its not for internet, its not for video, and its not for games.I also like how he lumps the Zune, the up & coming DAP brand, in there since, at least so far, it is pretty much identical in features to the nano/classic. Yes, it has limited wi-fi and more touch like games, but it's hardly so far advanced as to be separating it into the touch touch/S9 category (unless FM radio is high tech :D). We can also infer based on the Amazon sales rank of the 8GB cowon iAudio 7 - #54 - versus the S9 - #592 - how much the future is now for Cowon ;). It's pretty much a coin toss at this point what will become or remain the dominant model in the future.