As the leaks pointed out, Apple is out to hurt your wallet again this holiday season. Part one of this strategy is the launching of the new iPod Touch (4th gen). [Part 2: The 6th Gen iPod Nano here.] We hate Apple for giving us this kind of gadget greed, but you know that already. Ladies and gentlemen, eye candy time.
The 4th gen iPod Touch
That's one thin handsome iPod
We reviewed the version before this — the 3rd gen iPod Touch was a cool device in itself — but this one… let’s just say that it’s in keeping with Apple’s tradition of beating and upgrading the heck out of its old designs.
First impressions
It’s really small, light, and thin — smaller and lighter than the last version, thinner than your iPhone 4. The functionality of this cool new device is very much like the iPhone 4, down to the dual cameras (more on this later). If it could make cellular calls, it would be an iPhone. On closer inspection, the cameras have lower resolution than on the iPhone 4, but not that much lower. The inclusion of an A4 processor chip — the same family as the ones on the iPhone 4 and the iPad — makes this a snappier device, what with all the new things you can do with it. Cue more eye candy!
The definition of "thin"
Line 'em up!
New features
If you own a 3rd gen iPod Touch, you know how awesome a device it is — bluetooth capability, voice commands, nudge-and-play, portable gaming. All those are retained in this new version, and more. Ready?
FaceTime for your iPod Touch
Facetime video chat on your iPod Touch
FaceTime was originally an iPad feature, but not anymore. The new Touch also has this — giving the users FaceTime video chat capability with other iPhone 4, iPad, and iPod Touch 4th gen users. So it makes it kinda like a phone, only that much more awesome.
FaceTime capability rides on any WiFi connection you may have at a certain place and time — preferably a very good connection. The feature also has the capability to switch between front and back cameras.
The view from the back camera
The Retina Display
The very same Retina display that gives the wow factor to your iPhone 4 is the same one on the new iPod touch as well. Those darned Cupertino engineers developed pixels a mere 78 micrometers wide, and so Apple is able to pack four times the number of pixels into the same size screen found on earlier iPod touch models. This many pixels packed this close together — 326 per inch — make graphics and text look smoother and continuous at any size. See the difference here:
More "wow" per inch.
LED Lighting – Also, the Retina display includes LED backlighting and an ambient light sensor that automatically adjusts the brightness of the screen for the best viewing and battery life possible. You can now focus on more important things. Like your New Kids on the Block concert, or your Twilight movie. (Re: Twilight, we ask “But why?!?”)
HD Video recording for your iPod Touch
Yes, the back camera on this baby is HD-enabled. Because your iPod Touch goes with you everywhere, the potential for HD captures go off the roof. Only that now, you can do it in stunning HD. An advanced backside illumination sensor on the iPod Touch delivers brilliant video in both bright and low-light settings.
Record your movies in HD
And oh, you don’t have to wait ’til you’re home on your PC or Mac to edit the clips you have. Basic video editing has been included into the iPod Touch so you can edit on the fly. If you want better controls on your on-the-fly editing, download the iMovie app from the App Store for $4.99.
Edit On-the-Fly
And when you’re done, you can do any of these things — upload your HD video directly to YouTube, post in in your blog or FaceBook, attach it to an email and send it out, or sync it to your Mac or PC — to save maybe on your USB external hard drive archives (FireWire External Hard Disk for your Mac), or maybe to burn your HD content to blu-ray discs on your USB blu-ray burner.
iPod Touch HD video output options
Point-and-shoot. Captured an indescribable view? Or your dog looking unbearably cute? Or did you just take a photo of yourself in that Green Lantern costume? Either camera on iPod touch can also capture stills. Tap on the screen to adjust exposure. Snap! Moment captured. Then post to directly to Facebook and let the flame wars begin.
Still images with your iPod Touch
Up next…
Getting your game on
Giving portable consoles a run for their money
Ole’ Stevie wants to get the title “most popular portable gaming device” for this new iPod. And with this device’s affinity to casual gaming (and not a few games for the serious gamer as well) and hip rockin’ gaming features, it might just do it.
A4 Processor – The Apple A4 chip is the behind all the snappy fun you have on your iPod Touch. The A4 chip was designed to be a remarkably powerful yet power-efficient mobile processor. With it, complex jobs such as multitasking, editing video, placing FaceTime calls, and yes, gaming, are all within reach. All while maximizing battery life.
The new Gyro + Accelerometer – This new baby now includes a built-in three-axis gyroscope. When paired with the accelerometer, the gyro makes iPod touch capable of advanced motion sensing such as user acceleration, full 3D attitude, and rotation rate. Translation: More motion gestures and greater precision for an even rocking gaming experience.
New 3-axis Gyro and Accelerometer at work, or err... at game
Multitouch – The Multi-Touch display layers a protective shield over a capacitive panel that senses your touch using electrical fields. It transmits that information to the Retina display below it. You can glide your way through Cover Flow, flick through photos and enlarge them with a pinch, zoom in and out on a section of a web page, and control game elements precisely.
Multi-Touch iPod Touch (iRhyme... hehe)
(Just some of) The games
And onto…
Nike + iPod Touch
Rockin' your morning run
One of the newer features will be a boon to all you health and run buffs. Just slip the Nike + iPod Sensor (available separately) into your Nike+ shoe and start your run. The sensor communicates wirelessly with your iPod Touch, tracking your time, distance, and calories burned. It even gives you voice feedback on your progress. Amazing. This feature also works with new cardio equipment available in many fitness centers. Just look for Nike + iPod compatible treadmills, ellipticals, stair steppers, and stationary bikes. Now you can feel more of your Barry Manilow album collection, and a little less of the burn. (*wink*)
Voice Memos
The new audio recorder
The new audio recorder — that logically goes with the new backside microphone — is used under the new Voice Memos feature. You might have a good memory, but sometimes, it just pays to have a backup. Record notes from a lecture, or a slap bet between you and a friend. With Voice Memos, you can record any audio you want using the built-in mic on iPod Touch or an external mic. And, Voice Memos will multitask — it will record while you use your iPod touch to do things such as check email or surf the web.
And oh by the way…
…it’s still a great iPod. Cover Flow your way through albums, Genius Playlist/Genius Mix your day (you didn’t know you had that track, did you?), Shake to shuffle, or boss your iPod Touch around with Voice Commands.
One great iPod
Which brings us to the…
Conclusion
With the plethora of things you can do on the iPod touch Gen 3, that has more than doubled on the 4th Gen iPod Touch — but not to its detriment. All these new features solidify Apple’s hold on the portable market — this new iPod Touch is just one solid portable entertainment device. You can just go “Hey, why don’t I — listen to music/watch a movie/catch up on that new TV series/surf the web/take a picture and post it to FaceBook/shoot a video clip/edit a video clip/listen to that song I recorded on the Voice Demo?” The possibilities are endless, and that makes this version of the iPod Touch just darned great.
Too bad for our wallets this shopper’s season, but I wouldn’t mind having one of these babies for Christmas. We’ll all be paying a bit more: $229 for 8GB, $299 for 32GB, and $399 for 64GB (yep, there are no 16GB and 128GB models).
(And cue eye candy!)
Ok, stop ogling and start saving your pennies already!!!
