review DATE:09.12.07
By Tim Gideon
When the iPhone came out in June, many people (including me) loved it, but wanted it without the phone—and that pesky two-year contract with AT&T Wireless. I'm no Luddite, but I don't want my personal media player to ring in the middle of a song.
That said, the multitouch glass display was beautiful, Cover Flow was a great way to navigate tracks, and the Web browser was better than any other portable player's before it. Apple could have delivered a player with just these features and nothing more and I would have been thrilled. But it didn't. Instead, the company, in the new iPod touch, has added a Wi-Fi version of the iTunes Music Store so you can buy songs on the go—now, if you have Wi-Fi access, you can download tracks anywhere. Apple has also announced a partnership with Starbucks that enables iPhone and touch owners to purchase songs they hear in Starbucks stores via Wi-Fi. Okay, maybe I'm not in love with that last feature (I'm not a Starbucks addict). It would also be nice if the Wi-Fi store offered video purchases, too—it's currently music only. And, yes, the earbuds still suck. But those are my only complaints, and they are minor. The relatively hefty $300 and $400 price tags for 8GB and 16GB, respectively, don't bug me either. Why? This is probably the best portable media player ever made. 
Read the Apple iPod touch full review
Apple Computer Inc.
http://www.apple.com
- Price as Tested: $299.00 - $399.00 List
- Player Type: Flash MP3 Player
- Radio: No
- Recording, Voice: No
- Recording, Line In: No
- Video Recording: No
- Music Playback Formats: AAC, AIFF, Apple Lossless, Audible, MP3, WAV
- Photo formats: JPEG
- Video Formats: MPEG4
- Screen Resolution: 480 x 320 pixels
- Screen Size: 3.5 inches
- Dimensions: 4.3 x 2.4 x 0.31 inches
- Weight: 4.2 oz
- Notes: Price: 8GB ($299); 16GB ($399)
