iPod Touch review (4th Generation)

Apple‘s claimed “most popular iPod” boasts to be an all-in-one box but more of a gaming machine (as Apple claimed it beats out combine Nintendo’s and Sony’s offerings in sales) was now down to its 4th generation –the iPod Touch. It takes the shadow of the iPhone’s rocketing career in the smartphone category, with almost same hardware less the phone functionality. The rich App Store has made the Touch an incredible iPod, internet device, game console and whole lot of more. It almost takes all the iPhone 4 updates with iPod touch now includes new Retina Display, the A4 CPU, two cameras which allow for FaceTime calling and 720p video recording, and all the new features of the company’s latest mobile operating system, iOS 4.1. If you think you can’t decide if the new iPod Touch is worth your hardly-earned money, read on the reviews after the break.

PCmag Review

Pros

Still a top-notch music player. Retina display makes text and images look incredibly sharp. Shoots HD video, takes photos. Front-facing camera for FaceTime video chat. Slimmer, narrower design. GameCenter allows social gaming with other iOS devices.

Cons

Quite expensive. Limited storage. Lousy earbuds.

Bottom Line

The already superb iPod touch gets its most significant update in years, adding photo and video capture, along with FaceTime video chat and an ultra-high-res display.

Pro. Adds front and rear cameras, FaceTime video, HD video recording and iPhone-like display. Even thinner than prior generations. Runs most iPhone apps, including some that would let you make phone calls.

Con. No flash on camera, and camera isn’t as good as iPhone’s. No GPS.

The good: The fourth generation of Apple’s iPod Touch offers nothing but improvements, including an HD camcorder, front-facing camera, integrated microphone, FaceTime video calling, Retina Display, gyroscope sensor, and a slimmer, lighter design.

The bad: Photo quality doesn’t hold up to the iPhone 4’s; there’s no GPS, and no option for 3G data service.

The bottom line: The iPod Touch is the best iPod yet, offering all the fun of the iPhone experience without a carrier contract or monthly bill.

Finally, the iPod touch, and if ever there was a device to overshadow the iPhone 4, this is it. It’s tough to imagine Apple being able to shave anything more from the touch, and a brief hands-on with the PMP is enough to convince most that the Apple premium is worth it. $229 for the 8GB model is a step up from the iPod nano, true, but you’re getting a whole lot more potential for your money. Apple’s new $0.99 TV shows come into their own on the 3.5-inch Retina Display, which is perfectly proportioned for making the most of commutes, lunch hours or time in-between lectures, or of course there’s the A4 processor to drive high-resolution games from the App Store.

Reading through this review, it should be clear that there isn’t actually a whole lot to say about this device that hasn’t already been said. The new touch isn’t magical or revolutionary, or even unfamiliar. What it is, however, is a product without a peer; a media player that does far more than media playing. Besides the smaller screen real estate, the touch might be better compared to a tablet or netbook — it has many of the same functions (more, in some cases). So you’re not just dropping $229 (8GB), $299 (32GB), or $399 (64GB, also, ouch) on a music and video player — you’re buying into a mini-computer, a video camera, and a game system all with a massive ecosystem.

If you’re already carrying around a smartphone with the above functions, maybe the iPod touch doesn’t make sense, but for the legions of buyers out there who have yet to make the jump (or are stuck with an outdated handset), this device’s appeal is hard to deny. Don’t get us wrong, the touch isn’t without faults — the lack of GPS and a fairly low-quality still camera come to mind — but there’s nothing major here that gives us pause (and frankly, nothing else like it on the market). With the addition of HD video shooting, the new Retina Display, and a faster A4 processor, the touch has just gone from “nice to have” to nearly irresistible.