While the first edition of the iPhone and the iTouch were plagued with technical problems, the latest version- the 2nd generation- have been shown to be more reliable and better integrated than their predecessors.
iPod Touch Capabilities
The iTouch is a very useful device, combining many user-friendly tools into one small casing:
Safari - A full internet browser, Safari has the ability to use any WiFi signal within range to access the internet, provided the user has the network key, though many WiFi connections are offered free in coffee shops or airport lounges.
App Store - The App Store is Apple’s repository of applications. Many are free, such as Facebook mobile (very popular) or Ebay. Also available are games, map applications and dozens of pointless apps, such as ‘Zippo’- turning your iTouch into a lighter for no reason. Better apps can be bought from Apple at a reasonable price, but a lot of good Apps are free
Stocks and Shares - Keep up to date with the latest news from the Stock Exchanges
Maps - Locate and plan routes with an interactive map, find shops or coffee houses near a location with the ‘push pin’ system.
YouTube - All the YouTube videos designed for easy access from a mobile format- search and play YouTube videos with one touch.
Other pre-installed tools include a notepad, clock, weather checker, calendar, contacts book, calculator and mailbox, which can be used to check Outlook and Gmail accounts among others.
iPod Touch Hardware and Battery Life
The iTouch’s battery charges in about 40 minutes. Apple provides a USB cable to sync the handset with iTunes, and the iTouch charges through this. It might be worth buying a USB charger for times when a computer is not to hand however.
The battery life depends on how the iTouch is being used and for how long. Watching a 2-hour movie would drain the battery by a about third. While listening to music for the same amount of time, and having flicked the screen off (by pressing the top button lightly), causes a much smaller drain.
Browsing the internet drains the battery reasonably slowly, but watching YouTube videos increases the rate of consumption- it is often best to charge the iTouch fully before a long journey, or carry a USB charger if travelling for a very long distance.
iPod Touch Music and Video
The iTouch comes in three sizes- 8gb, 16gb and 32gb. Depending on the amount of music and movies that the user wants to carry, choosing which model to buy becomes relatively easy.
For example, the iTouch tested for this article carried 764 songs as 3,03GB of data and a three-hour movie and five half-hour episodes of a TV series as 2.52GB, leaving the iTouch with 8.72GB of memory left after app and settings data, but these figures vary on the size of the song/movie file, how it is converted for use on the iTouch and the quality of the conversion.
A few rules of thumb when choosing an iTouch size would be:
- If a user wants 1000+ songs and loads of movies to be on the iTouch at all times, go for the 32GB
- If a user wants 500+ songs and a few movies on the iTouch, to be changed now and then, go for the 16Gb
- If a user wants a mobile Internet station and wants a few songs and movies, to be managed and changed often, go for the 8GB.
iPod Touch Problems
Good though the unit is, there are some problems with the iTouch:
Screen lag - Sometimes the screen can lag or crash when switching between applications, but this is easily fixed with a press of the menu button on the bottom of the handset.
iTouch for music - Unlike pervious iPods, the iTouch can’t be used ‘blindly’. For example, where as it was easy to change tracks by pressing a button through a coat pocket, to change a track on the iTouch, a user would need to take out the iTouch, switch on the screen and then change the track.
Internet connection - as it iTouch isn’t a phone; the Internet doesn’t work without a WiFi connection and can’t connect to services such as Google Earth, Facebook or Safari itself without a connection.
Fingerprints - The iTouch’s surface is difficult to scratch by accident, but the shiny surface will quickly become covered in fingerprints and marks if not taken care of. It would be advisable to buy a case or screen protector to look after the iTouch properly
A Target for thieves - the iTouch’s small size and high value could result in the user being a target for thieves, so careful use is advisable, as it would be with any mobile phone or other expensive item.
Conclusion
The 16gb iPod Touch is an excellent piece of kit, featuring a large hard drive, big, bright screen, plenty of applications and a brilliant Internet browser.
Though it suffers a few small technical problems, the simple ‘fun’ factor provided by having so much entertainment on tap more than makes up for it. The main downside is the lack of constant internet access, leaving many of the applications unusable, but if this is not a problem, then it is easy to ignore.
Read more about the iPod Touch's Applications
