Guess what just came in the mail a couple days ago. By the name of the post you probably know already, but…it was my new iPod Touch 4! So, what else is there to do than give you my first overall impressions on the new refresh of Apple’s iPod Touch after playing with it for a couple of days (and late nights).
Physical Features
First off, before you even turn on the device, you notice not only how thin the device feels in your hands, but how light it is. It is very slim but definitely solid feeling when held in your palm.
The new flat back gives it less wobble when set down, which makes browsing the web while it’s on your desk easier than with previous models. (The device can also now be used as a decent mirror). My only qualm about the back is how clearly it shows smudges and how quickly it scratches.
The volume buttons are fairly accessible but the lock button on top however, is a stretch. If you are left-handed the button is located in the perfect spot, but it is a different story for those of you who happen to be my righty companions.
To lock the screen, it now involves the stretching of the index finger to the button now located in the top right corner, which to be honest is slightly uncomfortable. Also, if it is resting on a flat surface, say a school desk, you have to pick it up and reach around back to lock it.
The new Retina Display is amazing. The text in Safari, no matter how small, is always clear. The screen is also extremely bright; in fact it is so bright, I had to turn down the setting to just over halfway.
So, other than a few nitpickings, the device has every aesthetically pleasing quality that you have come to expect from Apple products.
Camera
For a 0.7 megapixel camera, it sure doesn’t look like it. It’s definitely not as clear as the 5 megapixels that the iPhone 4 has, but the pictures come out decent. It has the standard touch-to-focus and zooming slider as well as the shutter button on the screen. You can also switch between the cameras, so there is nothing new here in terms of the interface.
The HD video is very clear and smooth. I can easily see myself using the HD recording with iMovie frequently at school, because it is so quick to whip out and start filming. As for the startup time, the camera boots up faster than my point-and-shoot and switches between “still” and “movie” at an understandably fast speed thanks to the new A4 processor.
Overall, the dual cameras are better than no cameras at all, and the pictures are good enough to satisfy any mainstream iPod user. Here are some pictures that I snapped quickly with the iPod’s cameras.
Taken with iPod’s camera
User Interface
iOS 4.1 is beautiful on the iPod Touch. Everything runs fast and I only experienced a few lags when I was running a bunch of apps and tried to sign into Facebook. The web browser, Safari, actually runs faster than the desktop one on my computer.
Multitasking works like a charm; switching from app to app simple and fast. The interface is neat-freak friendly; the folders organize your apps nicely and spotlight search lets you conveniently find your apps when you in a hurry and have tons of apps to go through.
All in all, the interface on the iPod Touch 4 is nearly perfect with no major or even minor bugs that I have yet discovered.
This version is a step above the last iPod Touch and any other mp3 player on the market. The added cameras and faster processor boost the experience quality on the iTouch, while the longer battery life lets you play on and on and on.
I’ll be doing a full review in the next few days, so let me know if there is anything in particular you would like to know and I’ll try to add it in. Feel free to leave your comment below.
