New iPods
I've been waiting and waiting and waiting for a high capacity widescreen iPod. The rumor was the new iPod touch would include a video camera. I wasn't that crazy about a video camera, but hoped for GPS. Instead Apple just delivered higher capacities with the 32 GB touch now $299 and a 64 GB touch for $399. A little disappointing. The only other thing that was added was a faster processor, although the low-end touch with 8 GB ($199) still has the old one.
The nanos got nice updates though. The price went down a little on the high end (8 GB $149, 16 GB $179), but they added a video camera, microphone, speaker, a little bit larger screen, and for the first time ever on an iPod: FM radio (including pausing radio, which I would rather have on my car since that's the only time I usually listen to radio). So it's a good time to get a nano, though just about everyone in our family already has one (it's amazing how many nanos are in our family, see the timeline).
I was thinking I would get a touch, but I feel like Apple will add the camera and maybe the FM radio to the touch in January for the same price. Given that, I think if I buy now I will get the 32 GB touch instead of going "all in" on the 64 GB. 32 GB will still hold all of my music plus a decent selection of video (most of which I think I would have to re-encode from DivX .avi files to something Apple supports; even 64 GB wouldn't hold all of my video) and plenty of apps.
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Comments (5)
The new nanos are VERY cool.
It's interesting to see, though, how over the years the nanos have shrunk.
Now it seems like they're growing.
Posted by Kelly | September 9, 2009 8:01 PM
I am enjoying having the iPod Touch. So is Claire. We use it more than I thought. It is a quick way to check gmail, Facebook, and web at home. I'm also amazed how quick and easy it is to stream Pandora music plugged into our stereo or workshop speakers.
I also thought the Touch would come with a camera today, and I would feel dumb having a new one without it. But at least I don't feel dumb.
Posted by Jeb | September 9, 2009 8:04 PM
I thought I wanted an iPod touch because I'd be able to download new podcast episodes in Atlanta before work (on my Mac Book, syncing to the touch) and after work in Athens (via wireless).
But a friend showed me how his iPhone gets new podcast episodes. There's no "refresh" button on a podcasts page, like in iTunes. Instead, he must go through a series of steps just to look for and retrieve one episode. Not practical.
Plus, I like using the iPod without looking. A touch would have no tactile feedback.
So I don't think I want an iPod touch after all, but I'm saving $30 a month in case they solve all these problems in the next year. :)
Posted by Ed L. C. | September 9, 2009 9:16 PM
Today iFixit posted a teardown of the 3G touch and discovered a wireless chip which supports 802.11n, FM reception and transmission (so you could broadcast to your car stereo without an add-on accessory), and room in the design for a camera like the 5G nano got. Just because the chip has those features doesn't mean Apple will use them (and for the FM stuff they would have to add an antenna that I guess isn't there now), but why wouldn't they do so soon? Now I'm thinking I'll wait until January and see if there is an update.
Posted by UT | September 11, 2009 5:37 PM
Ed: I have iTunes set to update my subscribed podcasts hourly throughout the day. Every morning I connect my Touch to our Mac. iTunes launches and syncs the Touch automatically. Any new podcasts are synced. I keep the last 10 of various podcasts on the Touch. I typically listen to NPR Marketplace on the way to work connected through the aux input in my glove compartment. Not sure why podcasts can't come over the network directly to the Touch. I bet it has to do with compression that happens on the Mac side as the transfer goes from Mac to iPod. This is a pretty convenient routine... although the same one I've done with my Nano for years.
I like using the Touch in the car over the nano. Much easier to see and navigate.
Posted by Jeb | September 12, 2009 9:27 PM