whats the touch good for

tornadog

Golden Member
Aug 6, 2003
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I am tied to a Sprint account so Iphone is out of the question. I was looking at the Ipod Touch and want to know what its capabilities are. I dont have a mediaplayer per se. I use the Sprint HTC Touch for my media and streaming needs. I have a hacked rom on there with coreplayer and youtube streamer. Should I be happy with it and not bother spending 200 dollars!!!
 

aphex

Moderator<br>All Things Apple
Moderator
Jul 19, 2001
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The apple page explains it pretty well; http://www.apple.com/ipodtouch/
And a full list of its features can be seen here; http://www.apple.com/ipodtouch/features.html

Music, Videos/Movies, Wifi, Wireless iTunes Store, Wireless App Store (with hundreds of applications), Mobile web with Safari, E-Mail, Google Maps, You Tube, Photos, Calendar, Contacts, Stocks, Weather, Notes, and a Calculator.

Its basically an iPhone, minus the Phone capabilities, GPS, bluetooth, Camera, & EDGE/3G.

While nothing it does it revolutionary in its own right (though many of us will argue the mobile web is by far the best around), very few other devices do so as effortlessly, intuitively and with such a slick design as the iPod touch & iPhone. They really are a joy to use, rather than a hassle like most others.

Some interesting upcoming apps include;
Simplify Media (for streaming your entire iTunes library to the iPod Touch/iPhone over Wifi)
Slingplayer (watch and control your Slingbox - Live TV, DVR, etc)
Skype (though for iPod Touch - you would need a third party mic as none is built in)
 

Pabster

Lifer
Apr 15, 2001
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Music? Web browsing?

It's a fantastic iPod and a great browser. It runs many of the same apps as iPhone...
 

TheStu

Moderator<br>Mobile Devices & Gadgets
Moderator
Sep 15, 2004
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Don't forget the iTunes remote app on the 2.0 software... that thing is kick ass
 

Goosemaster

Lifer
Apr 10, 2001
48,775
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I was seriously debating whether to wait for the iphone or just give in to a touch but the lack of wifi around here and my new place will cause issues. That and still not being able to keep my contacts in once place (currently on gmail + exchange and annoying as hell) will continue to annoy me to no end.

In addition my cellphone contract is up so the smell of freedom made the decision vexing, but I've been waiting to pull the trigger on the iphone since the first day so it wins in the end.
 

ViRGE

Elite Member, Moderator Emeritus
Oct 9, 1999
31,516
167
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Originally posted by: aphex
The apple page explains it pretty well; [L=http://www.apple.com/ipodtouch/]http:
Its basically an iPhone, minus the Phone capabilities, GPS, bluetooth, Camera, & EDGE/3G.

While nothing it does it revolutionary in its own right (though many of us will argue the mobile web is by far the best around), very few other devices do so as effortlessly, intuitively and with such a slick design as the iPod touch & iPhone. They really are a joy to use, rather than a hassle like most others.
If nothing else, it really is the ultimate PDA. PDAs (as opposed to smartphones) may already be a collapsing market, but the iPod Touch brutalizes what's left. It has more features, is faster, is much thinner, has a better UI, and has a better battery life than anything else on the market. I've since replaced mine with an iPhone, but it just put every other PDA I've ever used to shame.

It's like using a Palm Vx back when the rest of the world was stuck on the Palm III or the early PocketPC devices.
 

TheStu

Moderator<br>Mobile Devices & Gadgets
Moderator
Sep 15, 2004
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Well, in one way a PDA will still win. Being able to actually make a document.

When it comes to staying organized and getting at information, the Touch is a champ, but for creating information and then putting that back onto the computer, it isn't that great.... at least as far as I can tell.
 

randomlinh

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
20,846
2
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linh.wordpress.com
Originally posted by: TheStu
Well, in one way a PDA will still win. Being able to actually make a document.

When it comes to staying organized and getting at information, the Touch is a champ, but for creating information and then putting that back onto the computer, it isn't that great.... at least as far as I can tell.

i'm waiting for the google docs app
 

Goosemaster

Lifer
Apr 10, 2001
48,775
3
81
Originally posted by: randomlinh
Originally posted by: TheStu
Well, in one way a PDA will still win. Being able to actually make a document.

When it comes to staying organized and getting at information, the Touch is a champ, but for creating information and then putting that back onto the computer, it isn't that great.... at least as far as I can tell.

i'm waiting for the google docs app

native google docs + gmail push would be fantastic
 

Parasitic

Diamond Member
Aug 17, 2002
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How's the email management on a Touch? I just recently discovered that it does VPN so I could use it on campus, and if the email system is fine then I may not have to bring a computer all the time.
 

ViRGE

Elite Member, Moderator Emeritus
Oct 9, 1999
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Originally posted by: Parasitic
How's the email management on a Touch? I just recently discovered that it does VPN so I could use it on campus, and if the email system is fine then I may not have to bring a computer all the time.
What exactly are you looking for? I find the management to be fine, but what I think is fine and what you think is fine may differ.
 

mshan

Diamond Member
Nov 16, 2004
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Any word about any upcoming iPod Touch refresh? (design changes, new features, more capacity, lower price, other)

 

ViRGE

Elite Member, Moderator Emeritus
Oct 9, 1999
31,516
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There has been no word. One is not expected either, none of the common components were changed in the iPhone that would necessitate a new Touch. If Apple updates it, it would be for purely aesthetic reasons.
 

Parasitic

Diamond Member
Aug 17, 2002
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Originally posted by: ViRGE
Originally posted by: Parasitic
How's the email management on a Touch? I just recently discovered that it does VPN so I could use it on campus, and if the email system is fine then I may not have to bring a computer all the time.
What exactly are you looking for? I find the management to be fine, but what I think is fine and what you think is fine may differ.

I was looking for something along the line of IMAP support (which I know the Touch does) and the ability to check mail every so- and so minutes, etc.

By the way how smart is the Touch in terms of establishing wireless connections? Is it able to reconnect or switch networks automatically?

<- just ordered a refurb 8GB Touch with the intention of using it as a PDA.
 

ViRGE

Elite Member, Moderator Emeritus
Oct 9, 1999
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Yes to both of those. You should be able to set the Touch to check for mail as often as every 15 minutes, although I'm not sure what the battery life impact is.
 

eelw

Lifer
Dec 4, 1999
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Originally posted by: ViRGE
Yes to both of those. You should be able to set the Touch to check for mail as often as every 15 minutes, although I'm not sure what the battery life impact is.

Yes, it affects battery life. Automatically fetching data and the location feature eats up battery life with 2.0