DesignRJC

Apple finally released the anticipated iPod Touch. Very much like it’s older brother the iPhone, it sports many of the same features.

• Multi-touch interface
• 3.5-inch widescreen display
• Wi-Fi web browsing via Safari
• You-tube videos
• Calendar, clock, calculator
• Photo viewer

For those of you however that want to purchase the iPod Touch because they think it’s just like the iPhone without the phone. Well, your in for a really disappointing surprise.

Let’s start off with the basic differences between the two devices:

• There is no email client on the iPod Touch
• There is no Maps application on the iPod Touch
• There are no stocks or weather widgets on the iPod Touch
• There are no Bluetooth capabilities for the iPod touch. Ouch.
• The iPod Touch lacks a built-in external speaker. So using Youtube and Ipod will require headsets.
• The iPod Touch has no camera

Now, I bet your saying to yourself, “I knew that already, but at least I don’t have to sign up with a 2 year activation with AT&T.” True. But how about using the iPhone with all it’s features, that the iPod Touch didn’t include without the activation?

I recently had a friend receive an iPhone 4gb as a gift. He called me the same day and asked me to take a ride with him to the Apple store in Pasadena to trade in his iPhone for an iPod Touch. He already had service with Sprint, and didn’t want to cancel his plan. During the car ride, I asked him, “Why don’t you just keep your iPhone?” After conversing for a little bit we figure it was actually a terrific idea. Using my iPhone, we browsed through craigslist.com and found a couple local listings of guys charging $25 to activate the phone, unlock it and even install some neat programs. Sure, we could have spent 15 minutes at home and browsed through google and figured it out ourselves, hint hint, but we were impulsive. Upon arrival we were met with a mid 20’s year old Asian kid who ran this operation from his room of his parent’s house. He had the stereotypical room full of electronics, xbox360’s, Playstations, over-sized LCD’s, and comic books. He said it was going to take about 30 minutes, so we went to get some food and came back.

When we returned it was all done, the iPhone now was unlocked to do everything we wanted without activation. It was even able to take SIM cards from other carriers, plus more. So I’m thinking to myself, now why would anyone in their right mind purchase an iPod Touch at $399 with it’s stripped down features, when at the same price get it’s big brother the iPhone unlocked to do everything?

So for all of you out there planning or thinking about purchasing an iPod Touch, don’t do it.