Lots of our readers have been writing questions about the new iPod touch. Specifically, most want to know what you’ll give up compared to an iPhone.
Based on the 15 minutes I spent playing with a Touch at the special Apple Press Event September 5, here’s my list.
With the iPod touch you give up…
1) Edge - only surfing via Wi-Fi.
2) Camera - no pictures here.
3) Microphone - you can’t talk to your Touch.
4) Speakers - earbuds only.
5) Size - the Touch is lighter and smaller.
6) Notepad - none.
What about e-mail app, google maps app, widgets, VPN?
Oh an let’s not forget that the Calendar application is for viewing only. You won’t be able to enter in appointments directly into the calender on the iTouch. You have to enter them into iCal and then sync your appointments directly into the iTouch.
This is a feature that I have become dependent on with my iPhone and is something that I’m not willing to sacrifice for the Touch.
I wonder if this is the same for the Address Book as well???
apple has confirmed that events cannot be added to the calander on the ipod touch:
http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/10/apple-confirms-ipod-touch-cannot-add-appointments/
There’s no email client as well, from what I understand, along with the widgets.
Although a lot of people are geeked about the phoneless iPhone, this is not what they’re looking for. The lack of tools on this device make it nothing more than a nifty kid’s toy, whereas the iPhone can actually be used for productivity.
Face it, Apple didn’t create the Touch to be a PDA… that’s the iPhone’s purview. The touch was created as an entertainment device. I don’t mind that one bit, as an iPhone user.
It creates a very definite distinction between the two.
I imagine that lots of the app-adding iPhone hacks will work on the Touch as well, though. And independent developers will step up.
I wonder how long until someone ports the iPhone apps to the iTouch so there will be email and Google Maps? Not long I suspect.
I think the iTouch is brilliant for non-US people. It lets them in on some of the iPhone specialness and for people in the US, it is so easy to say, let me buy a iTouch for 299, well, on second thought, maybe I should just get it all in an iPhone for 100 more. I think the iTouch will help Apple sell a lot of Ipod uses on the iPhone.
If there is no speaker on the iPod Touch, why does it appear to have speaker holes on the bottom of it like on the iPhone?
Whoops, sorry. I was actually looking at an iPhone from apple wi-fi itunes page… sorry.
yeah, and you’ll miss out on spending 60 bucks a month!
Yes to all of the above- other than being smaller and holding more there is no comparison. I am so tired of hearing that this is an iphone without the phone. Come on people.
Yes, but what will I give up if I buy a Zune?
Seriously, I think the iPod Touch is a different market from the phone entirely. People who the ‘full screen’ iPod are not necessarily the folks who would buy the phone. I think there are enough reasons (sorry, Scott) for this group of people to NOT buy an iPhone but would buy Touch. Among those reasons are the aforementioned $60 a month ATT charge. These are the types of folks who would rather spend that money on tunes.
Personally, I’d spring for the phone even though I would be forced to go with ATT…or wait for zPhone (ZunePhone) wink, wink
some people just do not have a need for an iPhone, and so the iPod Touch is a nice complement to an existing phone. why make it seem like such a downgrade to get one?
[…] Read the complete article of the Apple Phone Show here. […]
This is the discussion I’ve been looking for. I fell for the Touch at first site, but…
No Calendar input? No Notes? No Mail client? No Google maps?
No deal.
I’ll buy the iPhone (refurb, please!) and unlock it. I’m happy with Verizon, than you very much.
And when I say unlock, I mean NOT use it as a phone - just a PDA/DMP