Apple iPod touch 8 GB (1st Generation) OLD MODEL
by Apple Computer
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Our Price: $224.99 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $92.00 (click here) Category: Network Media Player See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Apple iPod touch 8 GB (1st Generation) OLD MODEL
Customer Review: Ipod Touch as a great PDA
Summary: 5 Stars
I eventually bought this unit after seeing an Iphone, and considered replacing my trusty Palm PDA. After seeing the Iphone, I fell in love with the interface, features and ease of use. At the same time I didn't want to replace my cell phone. So I decided on a 8 GB Ipod touch.
It's a remarkable piece of consumer technology, essentially a replacement for a notebook PC for 80% of my computer activities. E-mail, internet, audio lectures. It is obviously not a solution for typing documents or preparing powerpoint presentations (but who knows what else developers will come up with...)
The interface is extremely intuitive, with scrolling, zooming and selecting using a finger. Its great not to have to pull out a stylus all of the time (and misplace it!). The built in Safari web browser is phenomenal, making any web page easy to navigate and read just using a finger touch. (Although some complex web pages with lots of ActiveX scripts and such won't load properly) If you have Wi-fi in your home or office, you're all set to web browse and email. Many web sites have "mobile" versions that are specifically adapted to the small screen. Google is such a site. The built in Gmail interface is excellent, and essentially synchronizes the Ipods messages with those on the gmail server. It can be set up for any other email server as well.
Text entry is via a virtual keyboard. It takes a little getting used to in order to avoid hitting the wrong key. After a while accuracy improves, especially if you don't lift your finger until you see that the right key is hit. Particularly nifty is moving the cursor in the editing field. You simply slide your finger along the text, and a little magnifying glass pops up showing you where the cursor has moved. Missing is cut and paste.
The PDA functions are good, but with few advanced features in comparison to those available on palm or windows units (like linking contacts with calendar, categories, macros etc) but this may improve over time. At any rate they are adequate. Make sure to have the updated firmware to allow editing calendar and contact items. The contacts and calendars sync on your pc with MS Outlook but nothing else (this forced me to switch from outlook express to Outlook, which is MUCH slower.) There's no syncing of notes. Also, there is no microphone or input, so you can't record or use skype. Also, there is no built-in document or file management-- you can't really "save" documents, although you can view word or excel files as attachments in gmail. Third-party programs add some of this ability. I think Apple made a trade off which works well for most people by keeping the software and operating system "safe" from accidental and harmful changes, although this makes life a little more difficult for tinkerers like me.
Many people, myself included, "jailbreak" the unit, allowing additional software to be installed. This is a simple procedure using free software readily available on the internet. (Ziphone is an example). Supposedly this voids the warranty, but it is considered completely safe. Dozens of free programs and games are available, which work on both the Iphone and Ipod touch.
All syncing and managing the unit via the PC is performed through Itunes. Itunes is a bit sluggish but is easy to use and does the job. The unit charges while connected to the PC via a USB port.
The hardware is very stylish and seems very high quality, and the screen is amazingly bright and clear. The sound is good through the included headphones but you can connect any headphones you want via the standard jack.
Although I bought the unit primarily as a PDA, I have rediscovered the joys of an MP3 player. The built-in YouTube video viewer is also very convenient and if you have a good broadband/wifi setup you can watch videos without a hitch. I love listening to or watching lectures. Some people have complained that there is no external volume or start/stop button. This is a very minor inconvenience, and there is a little known shortcut of double pressing the home button (even if the unit is locked) and that brings up the player controls on the screen.
I recommend getting a rubber Jam case which protects the unit and holds the earphones, too.
Overall I love the unit and am very satisfied with the purchase. Apple did a great job.
Customer Review: This iPhone Paid for Itself More Than 10 Times Over in Just 6 Months!
Summary: 5 Stars
I ran my Amazon business and traded stocks in real-time anywhere I was which was made possible by the iPhone 1st Generation since I got it in 2008. Since then I also paid all my bills electronically, performed banking transactions, e-mail, online shopping, research, school homework, social networking, downloaded music, videos, apps, games, photos, texts, files, and even attachments! The iPhone transformed my life by enabling me to stay connected and respond quickly before I even get out of bed or leave the restroom or while waiting in lines, giving me instant productivity in all the gaps of time wherever I was. It is a very powerful tool when you're running an online business, trading stocks, or just keeping track of everything online. Never before was I able to extract so much productivity in my break time than with the iPhone. The First Generation has a more durable design with its thick solid glass and metal back casing. Since being among the first few to use it, it has paid for itself more than 10 times over, improving my monthly income by over $2900! Most of the income comes from trading stocks in real-time. The iPhone's stocks app gave me 24/7 situational awareness of the market's information technology with stock charts, details, and last-minute news all in the palm of my hand with the touch of a finger, I was able to execute real-time trades even at odd times when most people are still in bed, in a toilet or eating breakfast or brushing their teeth or still taking a shower. Anytime is action time when you have the iPhone! It does not just give you information technology, it lets you take action with that information technology--anytime, anywhere! No wonder Apple was able to acquire licenses to ship the iPhone in over 70 countries for export. Soon, the whole world will run business on this revolutionary device. It is a true all-in-one device, replacing my cell phone, portable GPS navigation system, portable media player, digital camera, portable hard drive, cellular modem, portable gaming system, personal digital organizer, personal digital assistant (PDA), phone landline, texting device, and my handheld computer all in one compact device! The touch screen is a very durable thick glass which never breaks nor scratch even after dropping it many times, the super bright screen is powerful enough to light a dark room at night which is also adjustable for lower lighting needs, the resolution is so sharp that you could zoom in on photos with awesome clarity and detail! You can flip photos vertically or horizontally without pressing anything because it does it automatically when you turn the device horizontally or vertically as if it could detect gravity. You can look at google maps with all the details and even see satellite imagery while you're in the middle of nowhere letting you know where you are or where you're trying to go without having to buy or subscribe to anything else other than your original plan. You can use it as a backup drive for all your important files or play all your favorite music and videos from your computer and the from the internet. It can integrate all your internet e-mail into one account so you only have to login once. It even lets you download PDF files and Microsoft Word attachments from your inboxes! I highly recommend this device to all my friends, co-workers, and family just because of its revolutionary life-changing productivity applications and its awesome all-in-one value that I'm buying some of them one for Christmas! The power of the internet will soon become an easy part of your daily routine with the iPhone that it will change your life and help you change the life of those around you for the better as it did for me! I hope this helps. Thanks!Customer Review: Welcome to the iPod Generation
Summary: 5 Stars
Have you ever noticed how many people you see walking around everday with headphones in? If you were to ask them what they were using the response you would most likely get would be that they were "rocking out on their iPod" (just one of my favorite phrases). Anyhow, the iPod itself was a revolution and when iTunes came along it just made things even better. I can't even imagine not being able to have an iPod which is why when I lost my iPod Nano several months ago, I was distraught. I tried several alternatives including, the Samsung Instinct (incredibly slow and limited functionality), an alternative MP3 player (a no name brand which was a mistake), I even tried just reading to replace my time lost without music. Well I did read a couple of good books but I still wanted music. And I wanted another iPod but I wasn't sure which now that there are several different flavors of them. So I was hanging out with my nephew and since I am still technically the cool uncle, he showed me his iPod Touch. He showed me how you can get applications, email and all that jazz (some of which I knew some was new to me). I was aware of the Touch but I thought that it was too much for me. I mean 8 GB of music? Who needs that much variety? Well I do. I went ahead and bought it and now I can't imagine living without it. I was able to sync my work email and calendar with it so when I am working from home, I can check email and know when a meeting is coming. On a side note, being able to check your calendar for me is crucial because I have the flexibility to work from home and so if I know there ain't much going on, I am free to work from home.
The touch is great at viewing the web as the interface is just so rad(I know I am trying to bring the word back). On so many other so-called web enabled devices when you are viewing the web it either looks weird or you lose so much functionality. But with the touch, you don't lose anything and in fact you can import your bookmark pages into it. Another good point is that the music player has the "Genius" feature built in so if you are needing a playlist on the fly, you have it at your fingertips. Now I know many of you are like, I know I want one but it just costs so much right? Well you do pay a little premium but just think about this, if you can use this device for work that just about justifies the cost. Not to mention that you can also watch videos and tv shows on it as well. The only downside to the product is that while you do have Wi-Fi capability, you are only connected to the net when that is available. It will leave you wanting to stay connected to get updates, check emails, news, scores etc. To be honest it will lead you to another question. Why shouldn't I just get an iPhone? Well, unless you are an AT&T customer the switch isn't worth it and you are better off waiting until Apple releases the iPhone on all carrier networks.
In my semi-professional opinion, the iPod Touch is a great gadget which can offer you a world of fun and possibilities. For teenagers and kids it can be a great gift to introduce them to the new age of computing as mobility becomes an even greater asset. For us slightly older folks, it is just simply "magniflorious". (I stole that word from Better off Ted, which is one of the better shows on tv that you probably aren't watching and if you are then you are almost as cool as me) Anyhow, I tend to get long winded with my man crush on Apple products but, in summary if you need a new MP3 player check it out as the prices have come down a lot. Plus if you buy it, you will be that much cooler than the other people at the gym. Stay hungry and stay foolish...
Customer Review: Actually really good
Summary: 5 Stars
Let's set aside all the hype. I've used my iPhone for over six months (it was purchased for me at work when it first came out), and I can confidently say that for my purposes, this is the best smartphone I've used. I've previously used four different Palm and Windows smartphones, including two Treos. I'm not an Apple groupie and I don't even like OS X. But this is the smartphone for me, simply because it is very good at the things I care about most.
Most of what I do is on the web. My home computer is primarily a web terminal; most of my tasks are in web applications such as Google apps, and reading online. The iPhone was designed for my kind of use -- a very limited number of "desktop" applications, with most activity happening in the web browser.
Pros
- Excellent mobile web browser. Safari on an OS X desktop sucks; Safari on the iPhone is the best smartphone browser I've seen. The touch interface works well. Support for Ajax is quite good and nearly every web site is at least functional.
- Beautiful display, relatively uncluttered with user interface crap, so I can focus on content. I can easily read full NYT articles by scrolling on this screen.
- The POP/IMAP email client is also quite good.
- The touch screen is (mostly) a pleasure to learn and use.
- The software updates bring welcome improvements, for example custom web shortcuts on the desktop (a Palm Treo invention). It's sort of like using Google web apps; every few months, they give you something new to play with.
- Minimalist form factor: not too big, not too thick, not too many buttons. I thought lack of keyboard would be a problem; I've forgotten about it since then.
- It's an iPod too -- one less device. Yay.
Cons
- Internet access is TOO DARN SLOW. This is obviously AT&T's fault, not Apple's, otherwise this review would lose a star right here. I think Verizon would have been a better choice, but what do I know.
- A few little user interface gripes. Like, why is it so many taps to go between inboxes for different email accounts? These will get cleaned up.
- The update process in iTunes doesn't automatically back up the iPhone before installing a software update. One time the update process locked up and I had to reset the phone, and my last backup was a few days prior. But the backup restored fine.
- Relatively low level of integration with desktop apps. But, that's not the point of this device.
- No third-party iPhone apps yet (though it just became possible to develop them). But, that's not the point of this device. Everything I need is on the web (if I can just get it to download fast enough).
- Headphone jack only fits the included headphones. This is a typical mind-bogglingly arrogant Apple move (told you I wasn't an Apple groupie).
I've never seen a brand new, innovative device that was this useful right out of the box. That's why I'm giving it five stars despite some imperfections.
Customer Review: Lovely
Summary: 5 Stars
I received my iPod Touch as a gift last month. It has replaced my old Mini iPod, which I had been using since 2005. Considering the fact that the Mini and the Touch were purchased for about the same amount of money, I think the purchase was definitely worth every penny this time around.
Here are a few reasons why I love my new iPod Touch! Yes, I've only had it for a short while, but I think it's fair to say that I've had fair experienced with iPods and the iTunes interface.
1. Style
First off, the Touch is beautiful! It's definitely very sleek and easy to slide into my bag or even pocket (although it usually does end up in there). It's slim and has a simple design: on/off botton and one main button that controls back switches. I'd say that size is just fine--my hands are small but that size doesn't provide any discomfort.
2. Functionality
The iPod Touch offers loads of functionality! At this point I think you've familiarized yourself with the iPod's functions. In addition to streaming music and videos, you've got a lot of other features not offered on any other iPod, with the exception of the iPhone. There are weather, stock, email, and map "widgets" as well as Safari Browser, YouTube, and iTunes "links." Just get yourself connected at a Wi-Fi hotspot (which may even be your home!) and you're able to browse and surf the net like that! Having those features in one package is so convenient! The iPod, however, cannot replace the full functionality of a Mac or PC, but you're able to have several resources at your fingertips--literally!
3. Ease of Use
The Touch is super easy to use. You simply, when, touch your way through all the fuctions and music. Flipping through the album covers is a nice feature, as well as the design of the main screen. You can place your icons wherever you'd like, and not be confined to placing certain icons in only certain places. iTunes is also a breeze to use, and even if you're not familiar with it, learning to use iTunes is a simple process!
4. Value
You're definitely buying into a lasting piece of equipment with this iPod. Granted, Apple puts out new stuff all the time, but considering what the Touch offers at this point, nothing will get old too soon. Simply put, the iPod Touch has definite longevity.
5. Versatility
With all the different features available on the Touch, the iPod has evolved into a product of grand versatility. You have the ultimate multimedia machine in your pocket, which can perform a bevy of other fuctions as well. With the Touch, you can browse the internet, search through YouTube, find directions, watch movies (on beautiful widescreen) or simply, listen through your music library.
Overall, I'm glad I received the Touch as a gift. It's a lot of fun to use..I couldn't have asked for a nicer, or lovelier, present!