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For the space limited Touch, couldn't you create a smart playlist in iTunes (ctrl-alt-n in windows), to say "Date added is in the last 4 weeks" as your options, and that way the iPod touch would always have your newest added tunes on it, even if you don't have time to manually add them? That way running out of space will be less of an issue.
Smart playlist of music added in last 60 days (to insure my new music on there)
Smart playlist of last 300 songs played (to insure what I'm currently interested in is on there)
Dumb iPhone playlist of stuff I manually add
I love my iPod Touch for watching videos I rip from Tivo in widescreen format on the long commute to the city via train. Its also nice for watching Mahalo Daily or Webb Alert or Wall Strip on the exercise bike.
The biggest missing piece compared to the iPhone is the volume controls on the outside. I too hate not being able to change the controls while exercising outdoors. I also have never found whether you can look at the notes in the mp3 fields ("show notes" from podcasters) on the device.
I'm certainly holding out on paying $20 for the apps, as I rarely use the wifi and I can't type on the thing.
And yes, the lack of RAM is annoying for getting new tunes in. Tip for that - make your 'Recently Added" smart playlist something that syncs. Then you'll always have the new tunes you downloaded from Amazon. Yes, Amazon. No iTunes till the 20 ipod Touch tax goes away.
so steve can touch his way silly, but it's still an iphone without the phone part.
and if you want a pocketable wifi web browsing device?
The thing that gets me about the iPhone is being battery locked on the same device for music and talking. I may be silly, but the last thing I want to do is run out of battery on my phone, because I've been listening to music all day.
(And, yeah, Fred, I'm one, too.)
Anyway, after playing with the iPhone interface in a store I was also concerned about being able to adjust to the new way of doing things but I figured it would just come with time. Now you've got me rethinking how I should upgrade. The iPod classic is starting to sound like the device for me.
Oh yeah, as other have mentioned, you can get creative with smart playlists (and normal ones) when you sync to your iPod. But I hate having to resort to that. I just want all my content on the device!
Seriously (fanboy bashing aside) I think you provide an excellent analysis. And you've identified the product for your needs. That's the beauty and dilemma these days, eh? So many choices. For those who might wonder what a Touch is good for...here's how and why I use it (and love it): I do a lot of bopping around and wind up spending what could be downtime in odd places. From the usual coffee shops to doctors' offices to a few hours at a time hooked up to an apheresis machine (Give Platelets! Save lives!!!!) Touch let's me do what I enjoy wherever I am. Pocket browsing, checking mail, listening to tunes, or watching a film while I'm donating...whatever. I absolutely love the flexibility of having those options in my pocket at all times, wherever I go.
Why didn't I get an iPhone? Because of a commitment to a family phone contract that I prefer keeping because of the package/service options. When the time is right to change that, then I will likely get an iPhone. Likely. But that's why I have the Touch. Your mileage, needs, use may vary.
fred
its those little things that make the difference
It's a great timesaver, especially when the phone is locked. If you're in another application aside from the "Music" one, you can double-click the home button to bring up an iPod control "dialog," too.
I am getting an education in how to use this thing from my readers. I love
that.
fred
It was clear from the iPhone that the iPhone / Touch were not the "best iPod available" as Steve Jobs claimed.
Personally, I like the portable WiFi web browsing and larger screen for watching videos. I also have a 160GB Classic so that I can take my entire music / video / photo collection with me.
I like to try out new things
Same reason I had an iPhone even though that didn't work for me as well as
my wifi curve
fred
Buying an iPod Touch primarily for music is a bit of a waste, and I'm not surprised you don't love it.
Like I always say, the posts I write are never as good as the comments they generate!
fred
Doug K.
their gadgets. They are hand me down kids, but they get great stuff as a
result.
fred
I tend to agree. I got the iPhone and have since purchased a 160 GB Classic. The classic is a much better PURE music player than the iPhone or iPod touch. I will disagree with a lot of what you say about #2. It seems much of your bad experience comes back to not being familiar with the device's basics, whereas the iPod has become pervasive and second nature in its features and use.
While I'm on the go my iPhone is often a better option than the iPod, especially if I have some specific playlists I want to listen to while I write emails, send SMS, surf the web, etc.. The storage issue is a moot point for me, mainly because my iTunes library is 500+ GB. The iPod classic suffers the same problem as the touch, while not to such an extreme, especially for the average iPod user.
Point #4 I'm unsure of. Isn't the screen lock the same as the iPhone, just pressing the power button to lock the screen? Double tapping the home button brings up the controls and allows you pause, even if the screen is locked.
Overall though, you're completely right. If you have a Phone (and it's not the iPhone), you want something that's a PURE MUSIC PLAYER. The iPod touch doesn't compare to many other pure music players... at least for the time being.
I have a video review, if you are interested. http://www.kyte.tv/channels/view.html?uri=chann...
Ohh.. I returned it coz I hated the $20 upgrade (purely on principle) and didn't want to be played again by apple for the upcoming SDK release
fred
http://kenberger.com/blog/2008/01/20/the-%e2%80...
Err... No. No no no. This can't happen, as you need to touch the screen with a bare finger for it to work. Leaning on the screen with anything other than a finger (or an elbow, or whatever, some uncovered body part) makes absolutely nothing happen. It's not pressure sensitive, it's touch sensitive. I know this because I've tried it. Only the lock and home buttons work by pressure, and neither of these can start music playing.
fred
I didn't sit down and read it, but it doesn't search for pressure or look for blocked light (like some touch screens do.) Just on a whim (with skimming it over) it looks like it searches for a change in the current going through some transistor layer built into the screen. So it's more likely than not to only work with a finger (or something living, due to natural static buildup) than something nonliving, like a jacket. <- someone who knows/read the article I linked to, correct me if im wrong.
I love my iPod touch... pressing the button twice brings up a "quick music" menu.
Pressing the power button puts it in screen lock mode.
It's much better than my iPod nano aside from playing games.
Not everyone wants every single track they own all at once.
I'm prepared to use a solid state device rather than a hard drive device if it means being a little more expensive and not having as much capacity.
it every day ((opps))
my other mp3 player doz 50 hours play time,only need to charge that once a
week. but that only holds 300 songs, i`m still to fill my ipod.
very happy user..
-Evan Didia
New York
That will help battery life big time..
also, if you are in the dark, or in a house like environment, turn your "Brightness" as low, or even off, as you can.. just know when you go outside, in the daylight.. you'll need to turn the brightness up..
http://www.apple.com/batteries/
EMail me:
Brae1son@yahoo.com
if anyone has any questions about this, or anything iPod
i have an 8G iPod touch, first gen
(and because i dont have any of the more advanced ones doesnt mean i dont know nothing about them..)
it tells you how to connect your 1(or more) iPod(s)/iPhone(s) with more than one computer
EMail me:
Brae1son@yahoo.com
if anyone has any questions about this, or anything iPod
i have an 8G iPod touch, first gen
(and because i dont have any of the more advanced ones doesnt mean i dont know nothing about them..)
You nailed it
Well done
The Touch is, let's face it, a pretty poor mp3 player ergonomically speaking - a classic example of form over function. For practical purposes you can't use it when it's in your pocket and navigating the menus whilst walking is just frustrating. The side volume buttons and particularly the "sleep" button on top are poorly designed and don't work properly.
And PLEASE tell me it's possible to switch off that so called "genius" button?! I'm forever pushing it whilst trying to scan through a track and end up having to re-navigate back to where I was.
The classic Ipod design (and Nano) are where Apple should focus their efforts. Not on taking a stripped down Iphone and flogging it as an Mp3 player.
Bad Apple!
well, i am a person always seeking to help people with all kinds of technical questions, not just with iPods, iPhones.. but just about everything.. i keep well updated on all kinds of new technology, and such..
heck.. i dont have an Apple computer, but i bet if someone handed me one, i would already know it.. and i have only played on one a year ago, for only a few minutes... anyways.. Great Post!
My comment on this post is: finesse? i think thats the word.. dont TRY to use the interface of the iPod touch / iPhone just be fluid with it.. same with the keyboard.. just trust what you are doing!
a Tip that you should have known/figured out by now?:ALL of Apple's iPod's and iPhones: will pause, automatically, when you take out the headphones when playing music, or watching a video...
EMail me:
Brae1son@yahoo.com
if anyone has any questions about this, or anything iPod
i have an 8G iPod touch, first gen
(and because i dont have any of the more advanced ones doesnt mean i dont know nothing about them..)
Yours Truly,
unanimous