My ApplNion

In September, I said Apple don’t want my money, not yet!. But they finally got it.

No, I did not buy a new iPod touch, but I bought an 16 Gb iPhone 3GS. I got it last week, on Friday, and even if I have to pay a monthly fee for it, I appreciate it so far. Sometimes to get what you want, you need to get what you want. So that is what happened to me this time.

But, I must say, I do not find the iPhone 100% perfect. For example, the speakers are at the bottom of the iPhone. If I hand the iPhone with my right hand in landscape mode, my hand blocks the speakers, meaning I mute the sound at the same time. So that is one part of my new toy I do not appreciate so much. And if I use my left hand, the sound is send to my right, escaping my ears away.

So I have to push the volume up to hear correctly. I have to do some gymnastics to make sure I do not block the sound out of it, and hear well. So far, the solution is to use the right hand with a curve out of the speakers grid so that the sound is reflected toward me to hear correctly. Still the sound is not really stereo, but coming mostly to my right hear.

On the other side, I like the fact that the headphone jack is on top of the iPhone, instead of the bottom. My first iPod, an iPod photo 40 Gb, had the jack on top as well. When I bought my first generation iPod touch, I really hate the jack at the bottom. I still do after 2 years!

I was reading this article a few minutes ago, and damn, if true, why does Apple retains the feature from us! I want this camera. But not only the video one of the iPod nano, the full video/still camera of the iPhone.

As an amateur photographer, I now use the very nice Nikon D90. There is lots of advantage of using a DSLR as our main photo tool. You get the versatility of the lenses you can buy and use with it, and the quality is very nice too.

But one thing that you miss is the portability. First of all, a DSLR is not a small camera to bring with us, even if the D90 not that big, it is still not a point and shoot one. And even with a point and shoot, you don’t have it with you all the time.

But my iPod touch is most of the time with me, in my pocket somewhere. So having a camera on it will mean also to have a point and shoot with me. Not to mention that it is also a small portable computer that I can use to read my emails or surf the web when I have access to wifi.

Go, Apple, go. We want that camera!

With today’s announcement of new iPods, I must admit I’m really disappointed… I was ready to shout out a few dollars away at Apple to replace my first generation iPod Touch, but the new models does not satisfy me at all.

First, the 8 gig is the exact same model that the one of last year, except for the software version. The 32 and 64 gigs are better, using the same CPU and memory as the new iPhone 3GS, but no camera? No way I’ll buy that!

Not to mention another feature I wanted to have: a GPS. Like I mention previously, many apps now make usage of the core location features in the iPhone, but on the Touch, it is based only on Wifi networks around you. Useless if you’re not in an area with Wifi…

Sorry Apple, but this time is not the time I will upgrade my iPod Touch. I do not feel really bad still using it, after 2 years, just to have a barely more usable iPod. Maybe next time, who knows…

Now that we know what the new iPhone 3GS is, speculations about what the next iPod touch version will be are all around us. Rumours sites have already said that it should incorporate a still and (possibly) a video camera. Some sites have said that the capacity will range at 16, 32 and 64 Gb for each models. So far that makes senses. But there are many details that have not been said yet, and I hope Apple will integrate them to the iPod touch G3 (third generation).

For example, with all those apps that ask me if they can access my location, an integrated GPS would be a very nice add-on. My first generation 16 Gig iPod touch (the second generation has well) can only uses the Skyhook Wireless Inc. localization feature. But suppose you are in the middle of nowhere and such an app ask for your location, you won’t get any information to work with. And if the iPod touch incorporate a camera, I want to have the GPS data embedded in the pictures I take with it.

Since the second generation iPod touch, Apple is also positioning it as a gaming platform by tagging it as “The funnest iPod ever”. This enter in the market where the Nintendo DS and Sony’s PSP are already. Those two devices are portable gaming console that also try to be MP3 players and other functionality capable. Those devices also have a good set of speakers for gaming. My iPod touch does not have external speakers. And playing games with a headset is not really a good experience. The second generation iPod touch have a tiny speaker, but still not the ones of the iPhone. To really position it as a gaming platform, sound is really an important part of it.

So if we resume my asks to Apple, here are my wishes for the next iPod touch:

• It must include a still and video camera like the iPhone 3GS
• A GPS must be integrated to tag pictures and also to play nice with location capable apps
• I want a good set of speaker so I can play games with my iPod as I do with my DS
• I do not care much about the size, at some point you need to be able to use the content you have on your device
• I also want this new speedy processor, hey, why not, that the 3 GS have!

Sure, the iPhone is the best for this, but it come at a monthly price that not everyone need or want. I see the iPod touch as a less capable device than the iPhone, but not too less!