Ipod Touch

I've been using the IPod Touch now for around 8 months and I can say definitively that it is at the top of the food chain when it comes to MP3/4 players out on the market at this time. That is not to say it doesn’t have its share of problems; a (sometimes) confusing interface, limited usability for its WiFi feature, just so-so music quality. However, the benefits far outweigh the negatives.

For one thing, I said the interface could be confusing. To be fair, it has never been confusing to me. I’ve always felt it was fairly intuitive as far as user interfaces go. But I have heard some people say the interface is confusing. So for some, there might be a steeper learning curve. It is true that the WiFi feature is somewhat limited. You have to be in a hot spot to use it, unlike its big brother, the Iphone, where you have Internet access anywhere you have phone access. For me, this is a minor annoyance and hardly worth mentioning. I didn’t buy it primarily for Internet access, though I do have to say that is part of what went into my decision making process. Finally, it is true that the music quality is only average when it comes to playback. But let’s face it, the nasty truth is, you are not getting the full sound from music with digital files anyway. A digital signal is flat and doesn’t give you full sound; if you want that, then go back to vinyl.

OK, let’s list the positives; plenty of space for music. For me, someone who has over 70GB of music, the touch doesn’t have enough space. For someone like my wife who has fewer than 10GB of music, the IPod touch is perfect. She has the 8GB model, which costs a little over $200.00. Videos play fine, there are some fun games, you can carry photos, podcasts, get your email and there are a plethora of apps for the IPod touch that are useful and fun (There are also a lot that are a colossal waste of time but that is part of the fun as well). You can get an 8GB model for around 200.00, a 16GB for around 300.00 and a 32GB for around 400.00. Overall, the IPod touch, though more expensive than its more limited brethren in the market, has features no one else does and is, frankly, a much superior product. I highly recommend it.