[Big Mac]

I just got my iTouch last night, and I have to say it is an awesome device. The funny thing is that if I had based my opinion on the comments about it posted here, I probably would never have purchased one. I don't know how people can be so negative about such a wonderful piece of technology.

[abbaZaba]

I am extremely close to picking one up. do FM transmitters that were made for earlier ipods work?

and can you use a VPN client?

[lpkmckenna]

I'd have one already if it could access the internet via a bluetooth cellphone.

[Cold Warrior]

My brother got one for Christmas, and he loves it.

[MichiganRich]

If only they had been able to shoehorn the iPhone camera into it, THAT would have been a truly special device.

[analogika]

Originally Posted by abbaZaba 

I am extremely close to picking one up. do FM transmitters that were made for earlier ipods work?

ONLY the ones that come with their own little screen to pick out the frequency.

The ones that rely on the iPod to display and select the transmission frequency are not supported (yet?).

[legacyb4]

There is the standard OS X PPTP and L2TP vpn client built in that seems to work as expected.

Originally Posted by abbaZaba 

can you use a VPN client?

[Weyland-Yutani]

Originally Posted by Big Mac 

I just got my iTouch last night, and I have to say it is an awesome device. The funny thing is that if I had based my opinion on the comments about it posted here, I probably would never have purchased one. I don't know how people can be so negative about such a wonderful piece of technology.

Completely agree! I got an iPod touch as a Christmas gift - a very pleasant surprise - but I had never seriously considered it.

I had never seen anyone on the net rave about how incredible it was.. mostly I got that the iPhone was the coolest thing since sliced bread, but then I try this!

Wow. Just WOW.

The iPod touch is a revolutionary iPod/PDA. It is so thin and so simple to use! Airport integration is wonderful and that huuuuge screen and Safari!

The *only* serious drawback IMO is that it can't be used as a mobile hard-drive like all other iPods (excepting the shuffle maybe?).

My previous 4 GB iPod nano was very useful as a mobile HD, despite it's relatively small capacity. 8 or 16 GB iPod touch would have been even more useful as a mobile HD!

Regardless.. this is such a breakthrough and such a joy to own and operate that I'd give it my highest marks, just for existing

Wonderful!!!

[Dale Sorel]

Originally Posted by Weyland-Yutani 

Regardless.. this is such a breakthrough and such a joy to own and operate that I'd give it my highest marks, just for existing

I've been thinking of getting one... thanks for the review

[EndlessMac]

Originally Posted by Weyland-Yutani 

The iPod touch is a revolutionary iPod/PDA.

How good is the PDA function? I'm going to eventually have to replace my Palm Tungsten PDA and I'm very interesting in an iPod/PDA device that is good at being both a digital media player and a PDA. I really hate those 'Jack of all traits' devices that really aren't good at any of its traits but has all those traits more as a selling feature.

[Weyland-Yutani]

Originally Posted by EndlessMac 

How good is the PDA function? I'm going to eventually have to replace my Palm Tungsten PDA and I'm very interesting in an iPod/PDA device that is good at being both a digital media player and a PDA. I really hate those 'Jack of all traits' devices that really aren't good at any of its traits but has all those traits more as a selling feature.

It isn't perfect, but it isn't a PDA/iPod - rather it is an iPod/PDA. Subtle difference, but hey.

It has calander (editable and iCal syncable), it has a contacts list (Address-book syncable and editable), basic calculator and world clock. It has WiFi and Safari. It can store and display photos and videos and it can be connected to a TV for presentations.

What it does not have is an email program or a text editor. It is limited as a PDA, but as an iPod with these capabilities it is amazing.

Importantly, the iPod touch will be able to run apps made with the iPhone SDK which will be released in february, so the amount of apps and options for the iPod touch will grow exponentially.

As of this moment, it can only run web-apps - which are inherently limited. The iPod touch is most excellent, but I don't know if it is going to compete with hardcore PDAs.

Still, you'll be able to keep, manage, edit and present an impressive amount of media and information just with a plain vanilla iPod touch - and with every subsequent software update more features are being added.

Bottom line: check it out, it might just be what you need as an iPod/PDA, if not now then perhaps later. This thing isn't going to get any *less* advanced with time and subsequent versions

[andreas_g4]

I like the iPod touch's design even better than iPhone's, mostly due to it's thinness. I understand that iPhone has to carry a lot more technology, but still, the iPod touch is the coolest gadget released since the original iPod, IMHO.

[DigitalEl]

Originally Posted by andreas_g4

I like the iPod touch's design even better than iPhone's, mostly due to it's thinness.

As do I, but I love the iPod touch's black ring over the iPhone's blingy, scratch-magnet plasti-chrome one. I baby my iPhone... It's always in a case... And the chrome ring looked like sh!t in no time. And yeah, it was a case which scratched the bezel. Ahh, the irony.

I've said it before, I'll say it again. Give me the iPhone in a semi-ruggedized, bulletproof black plastic shell and I'll buy 2. Beautiful gadgets are great... Just not practical.

[analogika]

Originally Posted by Weyland-Yutani 

I had never seen anyone on the net rave about how incredible it was.. mostly I got that the iPhone was the coolest thing since sliced bread, but then I try this!

Wow. Just WOW.

Agreed. But the iPhone just blows your mind in that it has *everything* the iPod touch has, and is actually *useful* far above and beyond that!

[legacyb4]

Jailbroken, the Touch easily replaces your standard Palm-style PDA with full Mail functionality, Notes, and all the other 3rd party applications and definitely would not qualify as a "limited" PDA, don't you think?

Originally Posted by Weyland-Yutani 

What it does not have is an email program or a text editor. It is limited as a PDA, but as an iPod with these capabilities it is amazing.

As of this moment, it can only run web-apps - which are inherently limited. The iPod touch is most excellent, but I don't know if it is going to compete with hardcore PDAs.

[abbaZaba]

I'm going to be picking one up today at the Apple Store. the experience will be exhilarating.

[abbaZaba]

has jailbreaking become much safer? I'd love to jailbreak it but I don't want to risk bricking it.

[ajprice]

I'm holding out for 32Gb, but I do want one. Agree with legacyb4 too, to get the most out of it as a PDA, jailbreak it. As well as the iPhone stuff there are lots of apps, games and emulators being written for it.

[analogika]

Don't Jailbreak it.

It's really not worth it now, considering that the SDK will be released in February.

[bearcatrp]

I have the 16gb version and yes its great. BUT its no PDA. Still crippled but hopefully the sdk kits will fix that. I'll be impressed when I can download files and save them on the touch then transfer them to my mac. Especially pdf files and such.
Randy

[olePigeon]

Apple needs to reinvent the Newton so it's just like the iPod Touch, except with all the usual PDA apps bundled.

Apple did release the SDK for it, so we might indeed see a few more PDA style applications for the iPod Touch as long as they're "signed" by Apple.

[olePigeon]

Originally Posted by analogika 

Don't Jailbreak it.

It's really not worth it now, considering that the SDK will be released in February.

I'm waiting for someone to port a Newton emulator to the iPod Touch.

[Andrew_Campbell]

Originally Posted by olePigeon 

I'm waiting for someone to port a Newton emulator to the iPod Touch.

Now that would be interesting.
I've been interested in the iPod Touch since it's release, and I came close to getting one. But to me it seems that it's all for show, with little functionality as an iPod. I'd like to be able to do things such as adjust the volume, and change tracks without digging it our of my pocket, unlocking it, calling up the on-screen controls and tapping them. That's where the other iPod's physical controls come in; I can press them through my pocket. To me it seems like an iPod ported over to an iPhone with no care put into making it better as an iPod. Of course I'm not a 'Touch' hater, but I just fail to see the point as an iPod. Just my two cents on the shiny little device.

[silver]

Congrats on your new iTouch.

Since my razr is dying and my contact is about up, I'm holding out on a iPhone v2 hopefully with more storage space.


Cheers

[James L]

Jailbreaking is perfectly safe on the Touch... if there are any problems you simply restore. The chances of bricking a Touch are basically nil.

My Touch currently has:

Safari
Mail
Youtube
Google Maps
iChat Client
Notes
Calendar
Contacts
World Clock
Tetris
NES Emulator
Blackjack game
PDF Viewer
eBook reader
Calculator
Dictionary

And of course music, movies, and photos.

I will most likely restore it back to factory settings when the official 3rd party apps are available. but for now jailbreaking makes a good product a great product! The Touch out of the box is great when you have headphones, or are near a wifi connection. The jailbroken Touch is great all the time.

[MallyMal]

I really like them too but I wish they supported Flash.

[Richams]

What is the maximum amount of time one has to watch a movie with the present battery?

And, does anyone expect a Touch soon ( let's say within the next 3 months ) with expanded capacity?

[Andrew_Campbell]

Originally Posted by Richams 

What is the maximum amount of time one has to watch a movie with the present battery?

And, does anyone expect a Touch soon ( let's say within the next 3 months ) with expanded capacity?

There have been mixed messages when it comes to the iPod Touch's battery life. Some people, such as Walt Mossberg, for example claims that the battery life fell 'significantly short' of what Apple claimed it to be, while others like CNET have had their tests exceed Apple's claims. A good rule of thumb is to take what the manufacturer claims, and divide that in half.

[bbales]

OK, this is the second time in five minutes that I've seen this -- what is jailbreaking? I can assume it's something you're told not to do, but what is it?

Thanks.

[bbales]

OH -- and to respond to the original topic, I got my husband an iTouch for christmas and he LOVES it. It is very slick.

Hmmm, I'm still using a first gen mini (4 GB). Maybe I'll ask for an iTouch in May for my birthday...

[Cold Warrior]

jailbreaking is a method of unlocking your iPhone or Touch to allow installation of 3rd-party applications. For example, jailbreaking your Touch lets you add mobilemail.app.

[Big Mac]

And it's essentially a hack that relies on holes in Apple's software that will be closed by future updates.

[AppleJockey]

Originally Posted by bbales 

OK, this is the second time in five minutes that I've seen this -- what is jailbreaking? I can assume it's something you're told not to do, but what is it?

Thanks.

a prisoner is capable of doing quite a few things
however when you are in jail the warden guards tell you what to do ,how to do it and when.

ipod touch and the iphone OTB are basically prisoners of a jail where apple is the warden
they can do a whole lot but apple wont allow it
well at least until Feb(SDK)

jailbreaking them set them aceess to a much wider potential

[abbaZaba]

picked up my ipod touch. safari is not that reliable but that may be problems with my network.

[analogika]

Originally Posted by AppleJockey 

a prisoner is capable of doing quite a few things
however when you are in jail the warden guards tell you what to do ,how to do it and when.

ipod touch and the iphone OTB are basically prisoners of a jail where apple is the warden
they can do a whole lot but apple wont allow it
well at least until Feb(SDK)

jailbreaking them set them aceess to a much wider potential

Oh good grief.

Yes, and when you buy a car, you're in jail, and Newtonian physics and BMW are the wardens.

I want my flying car, dammit.

[abbaZaba]

I've got my mini plugged in to the ethernet and my ipod touch is not that reliable browsing sites. should I hook up my Airport Express instead?

[hyteckit]

WTF is the iTouch? Is that a new sex toy?

iTouch myself

[stwain2003]

The only thing that is stopping me from buying an iPod touch is the fact that I can't go online anywhere I want to. That feature comes in handy during disputes. I can just whip out my iPhone and prove them wrong!

[abbaZaba]

well I'm using my iPod touch on a different wireless network and it's much better. This is such an awesome device.

[AppleJockey]

Originally Posted by analogika 

Oh good grief.

Yes, and when you buy a car, you're in jail, and Newtonian physics and BMW are the wardens.

I want my flying car, dammit.

lol

[James L]

Originally Posted by Big Mac 

And it's essentially a hack that relies on holes in Apple's software that will be closed by future updates.

Which doesn't effect it's functionality at all. I have had my Touch jailbroken since September, and there has been an update since. Mine still functions seemlessly, with the added benefit of all the 3rd party apps!

This won't be as big of a deal by May or so when we have a lot of 3rd party apps available (official ones), instead of the unofficial ones and lame "web based apps" Apple has been trying to sell up until now.

People in '08 will be able to utilize the Touch to its fullest functionality without having to worry about Jailbreaking. Imagine that!

[PaperNotes]

No point jailbreaking now so no point talking about it.

[abbaZaba]

I. want. to. jailbreak. so. bad.

but my brain is telling me it's not a wise idea

[Dale Sorel]

Originally Posted by Dale Sorel 

I've been thinking of getting one... thanks for the review

Well, after doing some research I ordered an 8gb iTouch yesterday evening. I decided on the smaller one as I only plan on using it to watch movies in bed. And just in case Macworld brings any surprises I will be within the 14 day refund period.

[James L]

Originally Posted by abbaZaba 

I. want. to. jailbreak. so. bad.

but my brain is telling me it's not a wise idea

Why not?

[Wiskedjak]

I'm quite happy with my iTouch, but have a few annoyances:

Double lock-down: why do I have to press a physical button to wake it and then slide to unlock it? One or the other would be more than sufficient.

No back-light dimming: why can't the back-light just dim after a few minutes and not lock the device? I don't want to have to press a button and slide to unlock just to adjust the volume, skip a track or set my track preference.

I'm missing the scroll-wheel for fine volume and track-position adjustment.

[edoras]

Originally Posted by abbaZaba 

I. want. to. jailbreak. so. bad.

but my brain is telling me it's not a wise idea

Jailbreaking it is very simple....
I have also moved the default directory for the apps with Boss Tool to make more space for applications... yesss!!

[analogika]

Seeing as you have no idea whether the next update will break the jailbreak, or even worse, whether your jailbreak will break the next update, it really seems like it's not worth bothering at this point. The official SDK is coming in February anyway, probably making jailbreaking irrelevant and obsolete.

[voodoo]

Originally Posted by analogika 

Oh good grief.

Yes, and when you buy a car, you're in jail, and Newtonian physics and BMW are the wardens.

I want my flying car, dammit.

What is Prussian for 'apologist'?

V

[analogika]

Originally Posted by voodoo 

What is Prussian for 'apologist'?

V

**** off, voodoo.