Apple Ipod Touch
 

Does anybody have an Ipod Touch? I've been thinking about getting one as they look quite cool, has anybody had any expirience with one?

Any advice/opinions/warning would be appreciated!

Cheers :)

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

The screen of the Touch has 40% as many pixels as the N800/N810, and the Touch doesn't have stereo speakers built in.

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

I have the impression that this is not an Apple iStuff forum... Do you?

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

Deleted because im a plonker!

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

I've used quite a few iTouches/iPhones. They're much better suited than an internet tablet if you're not very technically minded and just want a cool, easy interface. However, techy people like me find it severely limited in what it can do compared to an internet tablet. I am considering one now however to use alongside my N800, for solely music and gaming, as the price has come down quite a bit recently. I think I saw the 16gb for only £160 in Argos.

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

My wife has one. It's a really amazing device with a TON of software. It's way way smaller than the n8x0.

Downsides:
1) No bluetooth
2) No copy & paste
3) No multitasking - unless jailbroken (impossible with the newest one, so far)

Developers don't tend to make excuses, they just churn out programs... some bad, many very good. Yeah I'm toying with the idea of switching.

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

What part of "Off Topic" did you miss? :confused:

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

Every part.

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

Ipod touch is a portable POS, N8x0 is a portable computer. ok maybe its not that bad but as Cadabena said, it just depends on what kind of user you are. I had the touch and loved it for the MP3 player that it is, gaming sucked pretty bad, jailbreaking was risky. adding emulator roms was a pain, either learn how to ssh or use the iphoneborwser program. PDF handling sucks sweaty balls, can't handle large pdf files. NO bluetooth as mentioned, with the NIT i can pair my BT keyboard, even usb keyboard and type away anywhere. Big plus is the "fancy look" the ipod GUI has and the tons of applications available in the app store. So i guess if you want a fancy music player that ties you to m4a format get an ipod touch. If you like a nice customizable geekery pmp/pda/etc go for the N810

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

Heh heh gotcha. That's OK, you're still welcome here!

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

They're interesting devices (as Box of Snoo) pointed out there are limitaitons. And the only useful iPod Touch or iPhone I see is a jailbroken one (Apple forces so many restrictions on you). From what I've played with, they have amazing potential (more if they weren't so locked down).

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

Big numbers != better

Yes, Gecko engine works very good on N8x0, but the user interface is - sorry to say this - awful on N8x0 compared to iPhone/iPod touch.

And yes, without jailbreaking the iPhone/iPod isn't comparable with N8x0.
Jailbreaking is very easy with QuickPwn, even with Windows. It takes ~10 minutes and then you have Terminal, OpenSSH server/client, tcpdump, compiler, apt-get, shell, python... and jailbreaking doesn't break the interface developed especially for this small type of device when you only want to surf the web, write mails, organize with a full PIM, listen to music and so on.
The saved files for contacts + PIM are standard SQLite files and you can copy/access this files with SSHFS or WinSCP.

I always wanted a Linux pocketable device. Then I see I always wanted a Unix pocketable device and got - after 10 months with N810 - an iPhone. One device fits all - sad that Linux doesn't fit as well as on my Desktop machines, but OS-X is Unix enough for me.

From the hardcore developers view (Kernelhacker, homebrew GUI), every N8x0 beats the iPhone/iPod touch.

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

The other day my friend was trying to charge his ipod touch 2 with an old ipod car charger. It fit the touch perfectly.... but guess what it said. "this charger cannot be used to charge this ipod!!

Is apple crazy? No infact they are not. It is the fanboys who just buy blindly what ever apple sells.

I hate apple!

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

Admitted, for reading ebooks, looking at still pictures and -- to a lesser extent, due to the anarchy in web page design -- surfing the web, that high resolution screen is magnificent, but the advantage quickly dwindles when watching videos where, in fact, the Touch (<minor spit!>) has the edge over the Itablets.

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

the ipod touch is a toy, the n8x0 is a computer.
i stopped finger painting years ago, I'm not about to regress.

(do not mix up my meaning, finger friendliness is important)

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

As I said, you can't jailbreak the v2 iPod Touch. Still, we have
1) Virtual Pool
2) An accounting/cash management app
3) Checklist/shopping apps
4) a todo list that works, with more advanced ones (i.e. Things) available
5) Calendars that work (though simple, PocketInformant is on the way, huzzah!)
6) Fring
7) Speed - PDF reading and zooming is very pleasant!
8) iSilo
9) Commercial developers willing to commit (see #9)
10) Great music and video management

Restrictions? I don't really see them. Limitations? Sure, but I'll bet we see copy and paste long before we see a calendar for Maemo.

The n8x0 has #6... Open source really hasn't helped where it really matters. Sure, the n8x0 is a computer, but a computer without any software is kinda heartbreaking, isn't it?

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

im tempted to say someone have not had a look around the app manager content lately...

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

I have a 32gb Touch that I use for travel, but I always end up taking my N810 with me anyway. And it's the N810 I keep with me on a daily basis, not the touch.

The lack of BT mentioned previously is a big problem with the Touch. The screen is lower quality, but the software is very very good, so that by itself is not really a drawback. The biggest drawback for me is that, believe it or not, the basic surfing functions are just easier on the N810. Bookmarks on the N810 do not change the screen like on the Touch. You can also pull down a web page to the bottom on the N810, but with the Touch you have to do it incrementally. Managing and opening multiple windows is also a lot easier on the N810. Also, for reasons I can't fathom, the Touch does not have the ability to remember passwords. That is a very big drawback.

And finally, there is the porn issue. Unlike the Touch, the N810 (and the N800, incidentally) works fine on all aspects of voyeurweb.com, even homeclips..............

I will say that the Touch is generally faster to load than the N810.

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

somebody had to bring that up...

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

I always make the mistake of assuming everyone is a grad student, but then your average Joe consumer mistakes everyone for caring about glossy buttons and warping effects. But -- I'm going throujgh grad school without a laptop. Thanks n810! (No, I'm not an electrical engineer ... used to be, though.)

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

1) Virtual Pool (uh.. wtf?)

2) An accounting/cash management app (homebank, I can even sync the database with my Linux boxes.. very nice).

3) Checklist/shopping apps (I use notecase, again I can sync the databases. I use to use online websites but I like having offline capability as well)

4) a todo list that works, with more advanced ones (i.e. Things) available (how advanced do you need? I'm fine with notecase.. I use to do todos on rememberthemilk but I found it was inefficient)

5) Calendars that work (though simple, PocketInformant is on the way, huzzah!) (Mcalendar and calendar + erming). Syncs with Google calendar just fine

6) Fring (Fring)

7) Speed - PDF reading and zooming is very pleasant! (ok, but the small screen bugs me)

8) iSilo (dunno what this is)

9) Commercial developers willing to commit (see #9) (ok)

10) Great music and video management (meh, that's dependent on the user. I HATE HATE HATE iTunes. To me it's the worse music and video management out there, especially how they decide to create a seperate database when I already have my files organized). Btw, can you even drag and drop files into the iPod Touch / iPhone? Or do you have to use iTunes if you want it to show up in the media programs and what not? If so that's a weakness in my view (again it could be a strength to another). Especially as a primary Linux user (no iTunes and I don't feel like booting into Vista to use it).

Open source has helped plenty. Applications can be ported over from Linux already (in fact some of the ones used like homebank were). Then you also have projects like KDE and Debian porting which although a little slow (remember the processor of the tablet is like a Pentium P2. So if they n800 were given similar specs as the iPhone then it would be faster [thus n900 series?]) it brings alot of capability to the tablet. So again, I repeat.. to me an iPhone and iPod touch is only useful to me when I can jailbreak it (but my uses are alot different then most common users).

I'm personally looking forward to Android's development. It has the pros of the iPhone/iPod touch + the open sourceness and freedom that Linux provides.

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

Yes yes yes, you're a hero because you can run everything above in emacs. :rolleyes:

The point is, someone says you can't do anything with a non-jailbroken touch. This is not only wrong, but you can do tons more than with a somewhat wide-open n8x0.

But you're the kinda guy that thinks that PocketInformant is the equivalent of cat "appointment" > file & grep `date` -. mCalendar, GPE Calendar and Erminig? Hey if you like broken sync and stacks of duplicate appointments go for it!

And don't knock Virtual Pool till you've tried it. Amazingly good 3D game. If you think you can port FooBillard to Maemo then hey go crazy. I'd love to see it. Maybe I'd send you the $2.99 instead of buying it off Apple's store! $10?

I've tried both devices extensively, I'm not just spouting here. I love the bluetooth on the n800. The wifi is better. It's also slower, thicker and kludgier. The browser is way better. Multitasking works. No Java. The camera is ******ed. Scratchbox (yikes).

The iPod Touch is actually pocket size, or smaller, has way way way more software no matter what wacky Martian numbering system tso counts in, amazing SMART rendering for a small screen (just zoom in! Its ten times quicker than waiting several minutes for evince). The mail works, browser works, music works REALLY WELL. What stinks is: no copy and paste. Sandboxes for apps. No file storage. No bluetooth. Limited application sync options. No Java. No camera (******ed or not). XCode + SDK (yikes).

I hear so much "wait for Fremantle!" these these days but I just know it's going to involve buying another product... if I buy another product though, I think I know what it's going to be...

For now, I have a fading scrap of hope that I can get some bit of functionality out of this unit. liqbase, maemopad+, notecase, and FeedCircuit are saving my sanity, for now. :D

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight-ball
isilo looks like a fbreader-like app:
http://www.isilo.com/

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

cute ;)

quality over quantity. altho i guess a bit of natural selection helps at times...

but how many "flashlight" apps do one really need?

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

At this point I know trying to have a civil talk is pointless with you. Try not to use baseless accusations next time and maybe people will listen.

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

Sorry if I offended, but my point was, as I stated, that an unjailbroken Touch gave us a LOT of desired functionality.

I really didn't want to hear the "x is good enough" argument again, because that's not what the topic was about, was it?

What exactly did you read as an accusation?

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

I have one and use it for medical software. It's design is such that it can easily be operated one handed and wiped down to sterilize it after use.

I'm pretty into it, it's beautifully designed. You can't really compare it to the N800/810 though, they're totally different animals and both have a place in my day to day kit!

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

I don't use emacs. While I do understand the power of the terminal, I like a GUI just as much as the next guy.

I've never found the sync broken, and the only problem I have with mcalendar now is that it downloads ALL of my Google Calendars (which is annoying so I'm waiting on the update) >.<. But Erminig does the job quite nicely without any issues so far.

And I don't disagree that a unjailbroken iPod touch / iPhone doesn't offer alot of functionality. It does in fact, I've seen alot of the useful apps (and trash apps). And we even agree on some of the pros and cons of each device. But what I'm saying is, for me I could never find it useful compared to my internet tablet for what I do with it. To do what I do on the internet tablet on an iPhone or iPod touch would require jailbreaking.

Not to mention there are plenty of useful apps that can be accessed by jailbreaking that Apple would never let on their store. And as much as I love playing around with devices, it does get irritating whenever a firmware update comes around *cough* Nintendo *cough*. Even with Nokia's updates that occasionally break my dual boot. That's annoying.

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

Yeah accusing you of emacs-ism was a bit harsh. Sorry about that :o

I had horrible problems with erminig. It almost ruined my calendar. I tried to help by reporting bugs, but I can't afford that time. Despite some serious effort to develop it, it's struggling; I view it as a bandaid solution - GPE calendar isn't that great, and, again, with loads of evident work and effort, isn't getting anywhere. I blame the "committee design". I've seen a few times on the mailing list someone propose an idea (with code) and it either goes nowhere or gets squashed.

I am almost tempted to get both, and use the n800 for laptop-y things. I know what would happen though, is that I'd realize the laptop-y things can usually wait until I get home, and I just wouldn't use the n800 at all. I'm not ready to cut that cord yet.

P.S. Keep laughing...!

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

my two cents: I am switching to evil apple asap. the nokia was a disappointment (please dont't jump at me, this is how I feel). it is a tad too big and just not responsive enough. responsiveness is high on my list. it struggles for everything it does. it is just frustrating. I dont consider my self a very demanding user and I do like linux. oh, the fact that the build quality of the device I got from the ny nokia store was horrible (I hadent seen anything so badly manufactured before) played a big part in me feeling cheated out of my money. I still use the hell out of it and will continue to use it until I m able to replace it, it is just that I have never recommended it to anyone who asked.

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

Yeah i agree that the n8x0 are a little slow... But remember that the hardware is very old compared to the itouch. so wait for the next tablet. It is going to kickass

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

Sorry to hear about erminig problems, I do know that other users have had problems (and I have had minor ones at times like events not syncing properly) but thankfully no major ones. It's not the perfect solution but it works decently.

The last time my SD card got corrupted and I had to RMA it (I still haven't figured out how to do a graceful power off when it freezes and the buttons and on screen are frozen) I was about to trade in everything for an iPhone since I was really irked.

But I figure, it'd cost me more in the long run, I really don't want to switch networks (I'm on Sprint on my family's plan) and the iPod touch didn't offer what I wanted at the time (speakers, a microphone jack, etc..).

So I'm waiting to see what Nokia has to offer, and what Android will offer once it reaches greater market penetration. If both can't do what I want then I'll have to get an iPod touch or maybe an unlocked iPhone if it would work on Sprint (probably not) and jailbreak it.

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

We HAVE isilo!!!
http://www.access-company.com/products/gvm/
i'm using it. wanna see screenshot???

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

Yes, insert a screen shot for us. (Technically. Garnet O.S. has iSilo, wish our O.S. had it)

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

The tablet should have more processing power (able to power a nice, user-friendly, smooth GUI... infact, Nokia should just employ the Canola team!), and a more responsive screen, possibly even haptic, although that would mean sacrificing the stylus which I don't know if I'm prepared to do. Anyway, with that, it would easily beat Apple's touchscreen marvels.

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

I've used an iPod Touch. It is cool if you need only multimedia and some games.

But Maemo beats it with (and I'm talking about end user characteristics only, things that normal people use and are used to, I'm not including the geeky stuff):

Videochat
Bittorrent
Expandable memory slots
Copy-paste text and images
Browser with flash and java
Browser password storing
Browse the device via bluetooth
Use any song as an alarm
True RSS reader
Video recording
A way to make apps wake up the device in the background
Stream live video (I'm not sure 100% you can't do it in an iPod, but almost sure you cannot play some formats)

All of these work on Maemo. Some might not be the greatest you have seen, but they work. And you cannot do them in an iPod.

I'm not saying the iPod Touch sucks, but it is more for the casual internet and multimedia user. The iPod is made as an entertainment gaget. The N800 and N810 are tools.

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

Not until I can use my 150MB iSilo document, we don't. If they get busy and add VFS support a lot of these other issues will fade, since we can just use the device as a Palm+.

I should mention the iPhone/iPod Touch iSilo works really well, it's super fast, plus has built in networking, so you can copy stuff to it via WebDAV. If the fonts were a little nicer it would be the best ebook reader I've ever seen.

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

Good points on most, except...

Videochat - which fails in the really important part... device to desktop.
Java - I wish... This *kinda* works, but not well enough to sell someone on it, or develop for. I'd love to see FreeMind or Jarnal working...

I've heard quite a few calling the Touch a toy because of its media centric/games focus, but I'd personally feel more on top of my schedule with one of those hosting my data. The n800 seems like more of a (geeky) toy to me. Sure I can hack Perl on it, but I can't keep my schedule in sync...

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

I think most of the things yeagaoo can be done by installing application (I think for one of them.. video recording?) and the rest can be done by jailbreaking.

Re: Apple Ipod Touch
 

Videochat from tablet to pc works with gizmo or with the default sip and x-lite on the pc (I use the latter, and have used the first eventually)

Bout java you are right, I meant javascipt as in banking websites.

And again, you're right on the functionality: depends on what you need, what you should get.