For me, Apple’s new iPod touch is like selling a Ferrari for $20,000, but only installing a fuel tank with a 2 mile range.
It’s such a great device, but the lack of Bluetooth kills it dead for me. I wouldn’t mind, but it’s such a silly omission.
Living in England (rather than San Francisco), the world outside my house isn’t blanketed by free WiFi. If the iPod touch had Bluetooth, I could connect it to the web via HSDPA through my N95. Without that feature, Safari on the iPod is only useful within my home.
I’m heartbroken that Apple have come so close to a must have device, but have blown it for the sake of a cheap Bluetooth chipset. And it’s not as if there’s a partner like AT&T to blame.
p.s. If you just want a media player, or you live in San Francisco, get your order in now and join the inevitable waiting list
I wasn’t expecting one so I wasn’t disappointed, and it wouldn’t put me off buying one. It will be a better device once WiFi is ubiquitous (and as my WiFi is effectively free, I don’t have to worry about cost), but as a media player that can download new content on the move, WiFi at coffee shops, pubs, stations etc should be good enough. The only thing that puts me off buying one right now is that Apple also slashed the iPhone price in the US, so perhaps when one finally gets released in the UK, it will be affordable. Worth waiting to see, anyway.
I think they’re making a mistake with the new Nano though. I like my Nano’s form factor, the new dumpier Nano seems to have been done solely to add video but surely there’s still a place for a music-only player with more features than a Shuttle?
Battery life on all these devices looks pretty good mind.
I really want an iPod touch, but like when the nano was released, I can’t imagine using one enough to justify a purchase. With free WiFi and lots of travel (like you), it’s a must buy, unless you buy an iPhone instead.
Can’t make my mind up about the new nano. I like the extra features, but I can’t help but think that video on a 2 inch screen with 4Gb of storage (on the base nano) is going to be little more than a novelty. I definitely think the old nano looked better, but the new one is still a decent upgrade. My old 2Gb black nano isn’t going on eBay anytime soon though.
By the way Shuttle=Shuffle above. I don’t mean more features than a Space Shuttle! Though that is rather lacking in features, as I remember.
Another good thing about the iPod Touch though, is the price – ISTR the iPod Nano wasn’t much less than that when it first came out.
I knew you wouldnt disappoint. I read all the hype about the Itouch and thought, what will Steven think about it. Sure enough you had your views published.
Well done distantparts
Thanks Andrew,
As you know, I’m not a shrinking violet when it comes to opinions on gadgets 🙂