How the iPod Touch Works

starexplorer2001 writes "The iPod Touch isn't in stores yet, but HowStuffWorks has a nice summary of how the 'touch' part of the iPod Touch works. Very similar to how the iPhone works, without those pesky rebates! From the article: 'The iPod touch also has a few other features that iPod enthusiasts had hoped to see on standard iPod models. Some users hoped for a wirelessly enabled iPod so they could synch their music or share files with friends over a Bluetooth or WiFi connection. The iPod touch is the first iPod to have wireless capability, although it doesn't use it to synch with a computer or friends' iPods. Instead, you can use it to browse the Web, watch YouTube videos or download music from a WiFi-specific iTunes Music Store. With its widescreen display and WiFi capability, the iPod touch might sound like a big step up from older iPod models. But the iPod touch isn't for everyone.'"

Yes it is

[Selfbain]

Well, according to appleinsider at least: http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/07/09/13/ipod_touch_unpacking_tour_and_first_look_photos.html [appleinsider.com]

Pesky Rebate?

[BMonger]

http://www.apple.com/iphone/storecredit/ [apple.com]

That's a very pesky "rebate" which I received within 5 minutes of clicking the link.

Not 6-8 weeks if I'm lucky.

Re:But what if it's in my pocket?

[MrP-(at work)]

I know with my iPhone I can easily click the volume up/down button on the side in my pocket and I can stop/start/skip ahead songs using the button/microphone on the headphones. (which can also answer calls, send to vm, place on hold, etc). iPod touch probably has a similar feature.

Re:CmdrTaco's dream come true!

[Mattintosh]

It simply doesn't support Firewire any more.

The first time I heard this, I was shocked and dismayed. Every time I've heard it since, I've been angry.

Via USB, my iPod takes 15 to 20 minutes to transfer my 18 GB of music.

Via Firewire, the same operation takes 8 minutes.

Why am I forced to put up with inferior mechanisms when I replace it? New iPods suck ass because of stupid people that don't know that Firewire is better. This isn't just simple anger, this is pure hate. I hate idiots and the stupidity they cause.

4G iPod forever! (Or at least until Apple puts Firewire support back in.)

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[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:CmdrTaco's dream come true!

[0100010001010011]

The reason Firewire is faster is that everything is its own device on the network. USB requires a host. It's also why USB requires more CPU. However, that firewire chip isn't small. When Apple had to choose between firewire chip or video chip, they choose the video.

Re:eBook?

[radish]

Assuming it's like the iPhone (and everything I've read says it is) then no - there's no way to store anything on it other than loading music/video etc through iTunes.

Re:CmdrTaco's dream come true!

[Neo_piper]

The Reason given at the time was that the Physical Size of the Firewire chips was holding back the reduction in size

Re:Storage is the biggest limitation

[ajs]

Either you use a low bitrate, or listen to short track (or both). My music collection is just over 2000 tracks at the moment, and is just under 16GB. It will probably go over 16GB by the time I get a new iPod; I've been waiting for a 24GB iPod Nano.

I took a random sampling of my mp3s which includes one 44MB concert, 2 x 26ish MB symphonies, and a plethora of other files. They average 5569258 bytes or about 3000 songs per 16GB.

If you're using an aggressively large bitrate, then perhaps you are seeing only 2/3rds of the song capacity that I am. That's not outside the bounds of probability at all. I've ripped mine with a mix of tools over the years, and it looks like I'm averaging about 144 Kbits/s, with most being 128 or 192 Kb/s.