Why I Bought an iPod Touch
The Debut of the iPhone
I still remember the date the iPhone came out — June 29, 2007.
I only remember this because I photographed a wedding the next day, and a few of the guests already had the shiny new toys in their hands, including one at the table I was seated at.
It was sooooo cool.
I’m Not an Early Adopter
At least, not if I could help it. With technology, version 1.0 always, always have things that can be improved upon, bugs to be worked out, features as yet perhaps not up to their full potential, etc., etc.
Sure enough, soon came software updates, and then the iPod Touch.
“Cool, I thought. That might be worth getting.”
Reasons One Would Choose the iPod Touch over the iPhone
- I already had a more than serviceable cell-phone
- I only use the phone for talking – no games, no camera(!), no text messaging
- I find I check my iPod Touch’s iCal and Contacts often when I’m speaking on my cell phone to clients, so having the phone separate made sense for me
- I did not want to pay what is thus far an exorbitant amount of money for the iPhone’s monthly fees
iPod Touch 2nd Generation
In the fall of 2008, the 2nd generation of the iPod Touch came out, and I went into action, buying the 32 GB model.
Love, love, love the Interface!
To me, that is the single most important feature of the entire iPhone/iPod Touch experience — the interface!
Here’s why:
- No more stuck keys – my very first cellphone, a Sprint model, developed a nonfunctional “5″ key, which meant I couldn’t call a number of people unless they happened to be in my speed-dial! At that point, I HAD to get a new phone. That’s not the case with the iPod Touch: no physical buttons to wear out!
- Intuitive – the touch interface, pinching, swiping and other gesture movements all contribute to many of the Apps’ intuitive user experience.
- Updatability – the fact that the Apps can be (and are) regularly updated makes spending money for them worth while, knowing you won’t be “stuck” with a non-supported piece of software.
- App Store – speaking of money, I’ve never ever spent a dime for any added service or “games” on my old cellphones. However, as I’m sure the folks at Apple are happy about, I have purchased quite a few Apps for my iPod Touch. Reviews are aplenty, and purchasing and downloading the Apps couldn’t be easier.
Lower Obsolescence Factor
Unlike computers, the interface allows the device to be less likely to be obsolesced as easily as normal phones/music/pda device. In fact, while Apple just announced their revamped line-up of Mac computers today, I am sure they are busy working on the next iteration of the iPhone/iPod Touch.
But guess what, the other cool thing about the iPhone/iPod Touch is that Apple can make further improvements, add new features and such to the software, and we can just update our existing device with a new version of the software.
And even when newer models are introduced that have speedier processors or improved camera (which I hope will be added to the iPod Touch), we can still use the older model or get a new one (if something really cool is added — see below), while passing the older one to someone else, someone who’ll definitely not mind getting a “hand me down” device of the iPod Touch’s caliber.
What are some improvements I’d like to see?
I actually have little complaints, but the ones that jump out at me are:
- Add a camera to the iPod Touch – I’d love to not have to carry both devices
- Add GPS functionality – imagine the iPod Touch working just like a Garmin or TomTom, but with Apple’s flair for form and function
- Add Bluetooth so that I can use a wireless speaker or headphones
After 6 Months
Now it’s March, about 6 months since I bought my iPod Touch. I’ve bought, downloaded, tried and use a large number of Apps. In a future post, I will talk about some of my favorite Apps.
In the meantime, however, I will say that Apple is right: It IS the funnest iPod ever.
