iPod Touch

[tongodeon]

I just ordered a 16GB iPod Touch. I like the iPhone but I don't like the evil 2 year contract, and it will also be nice to double my current Nano's storage space.

One disappointing feature: the Touch doesn't appear to be so iphone-like that it's got an internal microphone and speaker. Whether it's hackable or whether Apple just starts allowing

Comments

[catbear]

I just ordered a 8G iPod Touch. I don't need that much in the way of storage (although the freight for the extra 8GB you bought is almost fair), but having such a device for organizational uses, wireless browsing and most importantly the ability to Show My Photos to random people makes it a no brain business expense. Looks like I'll get it early October.

N.B. this is the first "iPod" I've ever purchased.

[sambushell]

T, C: thank you both for your support.

[catbear]

Also, judging by the response (or lack of it) from the Apple store, everyone is ordering an iPod touch right now. It's the Right Device at the Right Time. Unlike all the other devices and times.

[arian1]

How you like the iPhone people taking that -$200 hit to be first?

I might get a ipod touch as well, I think I can finally justify something applish :)

[mister_borogove]

I'm a little surprised they didn't hold onto the higher price a little longer, or drop it by only $100, or something, but it was clear from before the launch that after the early adopters bought, they would drop the price to grab another chunk of adopters. Doubtless several thousand of the first-weekend buyers will whine about it, but they'll continue buying Apple product on the first weekend. :)

[tongodeon]

I understand that the exclusivity deal applies to the iPhone, but the iPod isn't an iPhone right? It's not like the deal forbids Apple from selling *any* devices that are capable of telephony. Apple sold me a MacBook and I'm pretty sure it will work with Skype.

Or maube you're telling me that Apple will never allow third-party applications to be installed on any handheld system because one of those third parties might some day write an app capable of transmitting sound. That would be disappointing.

[mister_borogove]

Or maube you're telling me that Apple will never allow third-party applications to be installed on any handheld system because one of those third parties might some day write an app capable of transmitting sound. That would be disappointing.

You'd need to crack the unit, and add compatible mic hardware, and deal with a crappily written 3rd party app cobbled together out of 19 open-source libraries, and then and only then would you have a VOIP phone usable anywhere you want as long as it's near an open Wifi access point. At that point wouldn't the AT&T deal look pretty attractive by comparison? ObJwz: "Linux is only free if your time has no value."

[tongodeon]

You'd need to crack the unit

That's explicitly what I *wasn't* talking about. Of course it's possible to cobble something together and force it into the product, but I was hoping that Apple would realize that people buy hardware and software because it's useful, and would release SDKs to allow third parties to develop and install software to make the products they sell as useful as possible.

Unfortunately if what dr_strych9 says below is true, Apple would rather dominate a niche than expand that niche into domination of a burgeoning market: the mobile computing industry. I don't see compact mobile computing going away anytime soon, so I guess some other company will get to be the Microsoft of compact mobile applications. Microsoft, for example.

[mister_borogove]

The iPod Touch does have a conventional unrecessed headphone jack. (The jack on the iPhone supports the mic/switch pod on the iPhone headphones, which has a nonstandard plug, hence the jack design to discourage you from putting standard plugs in.)