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Apple's "Let's Rock" Event: What's New With the iPods?
iPod Touch: Feature Creep
 The new Touch has received a hardware facelift, with the same curved casing theme as the new nanos and the iPhone 3G. The WiFi antenna is much more attractive looking than before. You're still getting the same screen, but did anyone have any complaints about that in the first place? There's an integrated speaker for recreational listening and - why was this not there initially? - hardware volume controls. This is the Touch as it should have been from day one. [Kurtis: It wasn't there initially because His Holiness declared that he wanted the bare minimum when it came to hardware inputs. Minimalism is only good to a point, eh?] The software gets some updates as well, with the addition of a few features to sweeten the deal. Genius playlists are present (as they are across the whole iPod/iPhone line), battery life has been improved, and general stability is much better. Apple also added built-in Nike+ functionality. That means all you need is the little attachment for your shoes to get in on the running action. That's a pretty cool little addition, as it's the only player with that feature built in. The interface for the Nike app is pretty slick, if you've never used it. If I was hard-wired to a wireless provider other than AT&T, I'd be all over the new version of the Touch. It seems to have grown into the identity that Apple wanted it to have from the beginning. New features, a great new case design, and continuing improvement to the software make this a product that I would not hesitate to buy. At $229 for an 8GB, $299 for 16GB, and $399 for 32GB, There's a good price for everyone. I just have to keep holding out for that mythic 32GB iPhone. One of these days, my dream will come true. It's just a matter of time. Classic: Keep it Simple  I figure that this means one of two things. It could mean that Apple simply saw no market for a player that large. I consider myself to have a fairly large music library and it's still only around 40GB. I know folks that are rockin' upwards of 80GB, but not too much more than that. Video has never been the strong point of this type of iPod (especially since the Touch and iPhone came along), so I don't see too much wrong with that point of view. On the other side of things, Apple didn't add a thing to the Classic; they cut it down to a single model with no new features. With all of the other players utilizing flash storage, does this mean that Apple is signaling the end of hard drive based players? Once the price-storage ratio gets low enough, I see the Touch replacing the Classic completely. After all, the Classic used to be the Rolls Royce of the iPod lineup. I think the throne will soon be usurped by the Touch line. If only Apple could find it in their hearts to drop a 120GB drive into a Touch, I'd be in heaven. A guy can dream.
Page 1: Introduction & Nano 4G: All Growed Up
Page 2: iPod Touch: Feature Creep & Classic: Keep it Simple Page 3: Grab Bag: Accessories, Style & Entertainment and Conclusion 
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