Apple's new iPod -- an iPhone minus the phone
The iPhone now has a non-telephonic sibling. As part of a revamp yesterday of its iPod players, Apple unveiled the iPod Touch (see photo on the right. Click to enlarge.), a multimedia player looks like the iPhone and has the same features and capabilities except it lacks a phone, a camera, and the iPhone’s text messaging and e-mail applications. A Touch with 8 gigabytes is $300; one with 16 gigabytes is $400. The players will be available later in September.
The Touch also led Apple to touch up the iPhone, launched just two months ago. Effective now, they have discontinued the 4-GB iPhone and cut the price of the 8-GB model by $200, to $400. (In addition to making the iPhone more affordable, that means those who already own the device have essentially paid a premium of around $3 a day to be among the first iPhone users.)
These images (click to enlarge) show how similar in appearance the new iPod Touch (on the left) is to the two month old iPhone (on the right).
Also, as Apple promised when the iPhone debuted, sometime this month the iPhone will be able to download iTunes content via their Wi-Fi connection. (The Touch will also have this capability.) iPhones already in circulation will need to download a patch. Among the available downloads for the iPhone will be song-based ringtones. The catch, you’ll have to pay iTunes 99 cents for the privilege, even if you already own the song.
Other iPods have been revamped, with these new models available as of this weekend:
The largest-capacity iPod ever. The hard-drive-based iPod, now called the iPod Classic, is getting a minor facelift and a major boost in storage. There will now be a 160-GB (40,000-song) iPod, the biggest capacity ever for an iPod, at a price of $350, the same as the previous 80-GB model. The new 80-GB model will be $250. The Classic will come in black or white.
A Nano with video. A new Nano (see photo left, click to enlarge) will be able display videos on a screen that’s been expanded to 2 inches in diameter. It has a new squarish shape (2.5 in x 2.06 in. x 0.26 in.). There’s no longer a 2-GB Nano. The new 4-GB version costs $150 and is available in silver. The 8-GB model costs $200 and is available in silver, blue, red, green, and black.
More colors for the Shuffle. The Shuffle is available in more hues, including silver, blue, red, green, and purple. Otherwise, it's unchanged -- it still lacks a screen, and there’s still only one capacity, 1 GB, and one price: $80.
-- Mike Gikas
Posted by: Jim Markofski | Nov 29, 2008 3:20:26 PM
I have an iPod touch and love using it. I bought my 12 year old daughter an iphone right when they came out and she's never stopped loving it better than any possession. On the other hand, 16 gigs is just too damn small. I don't have time to fiddle around with playlists and adding and subtracting albums...for that matter I can't believe I'm taking time to post this...The bottom line is I will wait for a huge hard drive on an iPod Touch and then replace my current touch. Great iPod in every other way!!
Posted by: HE | Sep 29, 2007 1:01:07 AM
Can't believe that the user can't add items to the iPod touch calendar; they can only be added via a computer. Hoped to get this as a combination iPod/PDA, but not with this shortcoming!
Posted by: Gracie | Sep 26, 2007 5:26:21 AM
I am disappointed that the new nano is 10 grams more than the old. The old nano weight was perfect for bringing along for exercise or walking. Th enew I feel tugging at my pocket. I don't really care for the video since I use it to exercise and walk around in the city anyhow.
Posted by: KSH | Sep 20, 2007 5:31:16 PM
Thanks for this info. Personally, I am disappointed that the Nano has increased in size. I own an 8GB red model and find it to be the perfect size for playing music; I hoped that someday they would offer the same size with increased (16 or 32GB) capacity. Oh well!
Posted by: josh | Sep 10, 2007 10:16:32 PM
Well hello i just had some questions. I wanted to buy the ipod touch and wondered if it is worth it i know it has alot of cool things and all. But i wonder you said up top that if you have the song on ur ipod u have to pay 99 cents for that song threw itunes and why is that? Also were would you recommend me to buy it from? I want a great warrinty friendly service and have it be cheaper than what apple is charging for it. So if you can please answer those for me i would appreciate it thanks