Today, Apple introduced the iPod Touch. It’s essentially an iPhone without the phone part, and without the speakers and built-in microphone. $299 buys you an 8GB sytem, complete with all the iPhone-like touchy goodness you’ve come to know and want. $399 buys you a 16 GB model with the same embarrassing name.
The iTouch includes built-in WiFi so you can use Safari and YouTube on-the-go as well as make purchases from the iTunes Store. (the iPhone will offer the same ability later this month). Its main button bar offers direct access to Music (great icon), Videos (ugly icon) and Photos (same old icon), as well as the new iTunes WiFi store.
For all the folks who think this is so important you have to drag other Posts off-topic, here’s your sandbox!
For-real wi-fi means I might even think about getting one of these critters. Must make Bill Gates real happy. I never could figure why the Zune only had crippled wi-fi.
For all the folks who think this is so important you have to drag other Posts off-topic, here’s your sandbox!
I don’t think it is important at all…
So, I’d like to say that the iTouch proves there is no God and Bush is evil and lesbian sex makes men horny.
Discuss! 🙂
considering the PHONE part was about $100 unit….That must be 1 EXPENSIVE mic they pulled out of it.
And its COOL that you have wifi on it, and have it left on ALL the time so I can HACK it while you are playing your music. steal your music, and videos, or even add ADVERTS with names of movies…
then there is that Battery problem…
1 expensive mic?
Seriously?
Yeah, then here is that battery problem.
I don’t understand why they don’t just get with the program, and make he goddamned things (iPods, iPhones, iWhatevers) with user-replaceable batteries. If Apple thinks factory replacement is the only way to go, maybe they should make their laptops with batteries that can only be replaced by sending the machine back.
Read the other details. The old IPHONE price dropped. Now it is only $399. So guess which I would buy? (NOT the Itouch).
Can you spell crippleware?
While I’m certainly pro-Apple, my first impression from the presentation was that they have one-too-many devices in the iPod family. They’ll sell, but will the profit margin be as high when sales are spread over five products as opposed to three? Without question, no.
As a side note, a colleague of mine at work who got her iPhone two weeks ago was told to come down to the Apple store to get refunded her $200. That’s smart customer service.
Now, do you think I’ll get some in store credit for buying mine on Day 0? Probably not.
#2 – Post of the year. Well done.
#3 – The only hack in this thread is you, junior.
#5 – I’m convinced the reason they do this is that, by the time the battery is dead for most users, there’s a new version of the product out. In that scenario their customers are more likely to upgrade than repair.
These ‘bright’ people should be spending more of their time and energy working on reusable energy or environmental friendly products rather than conspicuous products…I would take an OLPC over the ihone anytime.
The paint is not even dry on the iPhone and already we have “discontinued” and “discounted”.
Yahoo: “Wednesday cut the price of the top iPhone by $200, discontinued the low-end model…”
Boy, if Microsoft did that I can hear the howls from here!
Cheers
#10 – Great point. They’re going to have to subtract some goodwill from their budget (Dilbert reference).
#2 – You forgot that the iTouch also causes Global Warming.
#8
I agree, if they continue putting a “iPod” label on every handheld gadget they made it will have the same fate Motorola has with all their wannaberazrsuccesors.
Plus the welded battery is a not so subtle hint for planned obsolescence.
I told you so. Mine will ship Sept 28th.
#12 – No, no. That’s the iBod that causes warming.
I can see the fan boidiots going for this.
Seems to be priced at twice the value.
I am actually considering a PSP, which seems to offer more features at less cost.
Is this the model which cures cancer? I have trouble keeping up with the hype.
And, due to a mistake by the marketing dept, the next model of the Zune is expected to cause cancer.
any hardware guys know how long before 16GB is blasted past in the flash memory market?
#15 – that’s a different, more localized warming…
My iPod “Classic” has a ‘welded’ battery — it didn’t stop me from replacing it myself when it gave out. Cost me $25 total and 15 minutes work. I’m sure it’ll be a similar story with this version.
What I would liked to have seen, given the Touch doesn’t have a hard drive and currently maxes at 16GB, is a card slot of some kind so that I could boost the storage space myself.
Oh, and an FM radio tuner. And GPS.
#12 – #2 – You forgot that the iTouch also causes Global Warming.
Yes. But what doesn’t?
I can’t believe the iPod Touch is so lacking in capacity. The 160GB iPod Classic got more of my attention. When you’re a music nut like me, and firmly believe that carrying your entire music collection (which fills my 60GB iPod entirely and is still growing) wherever you go is the coolest thing ever, then something with more features but significantly less capacity just won’t cut it. But, hey, that’s just me.
#20
I expect something like a $100+ iMemory card or something like it in their next iPhone version.
If it weren’t for the fact that hacking their products is relatively easy I wouldn’t know the difference between Apple and Sony.
I carry my tunes on a USB stick and also a pair of “Ear Thumps”. When I’m out and at a computer I plug both in and enjoy. When I’m not I do something other than listen to tunes.This costs me about 1/3 of a *pod and the battery never runs out on me. Suck on that!
pedro,
>>oh! a bold macfan
That’s hilarious. Just last week I was getting flamed on this very blog for being a Microsoft fanboy for daring to suggest that OpenXml wasn’t necessarily the devil incarnate, and the week before that for pondering that the Mac was overpriced.
And my iPod had already been out of warranty for 18 months before I replaced the battery.
I don’t get you Guys…
Apple finally releases a coherent line of products with correct pricing and you are all over it. Damn!
Not to speak of the iPhone price cut, from 599 to 399. A hefty 33% price cut. Damn!
Hope they stick to those prices when launching in Europe…and 3G.
The shuffle is clearly overpriced.
The nano is dead on! Considering the competition, the bang for buck of the 4Gb is great. The 8Gb is too close to the classic entry pod…
The classic 80 Gb is a bargain, and the 160 Gb is adequate.
Both touches are a bit pricey, but are clearly paving the way of future iPods. I’m sure the next gen will have to drop the classic and the shuffle.
Kudos Apple. For once you’re getting there…
gotta say as a early iPhone adopter, I kinda resent the price cut. But thems the risks, and so much for those who thought Apple would cut and run from the market.
Any word on downloading podcasts via wi-fi?
(posted via jesus phone)
Funny, The European prices are all over the map: the entry nano is 159 Euros in france, 149 Euros in Italy and 139Euros in Spain…curious…
Vote for Pedro!
#23 (read still having non-user replaceable batteries)
Yep, every model of iPod which Apple has ever made. I guess the people who buy them don’t give a rat’s @ss about the battery.
#23 You can get all that (except the FM) buying any PDA out there, no wait needed.
I guess the people who want to buy iPods don’t give a rat’s @ss about PDAs.
#23 And don’t know if you had noticed, but expandability & customization/basic maintenance are concepts completely alien in mac’s mindset.
I guess the people who buy Macs don’t give a rat’s @ss about expandability/maintenance… and it seems to me like its been that way since the first Mac, in 1984.
And it’s not the tax because VAT in Italy is 20% and in france 19,6%, still Italy is 10 Eurobucks cheaper. Spain only has 16% VAT hence the price difference.
(boy, I sure would like a button to edit my posts, instead of this consecutive posting)