I really don't understand the RDF behind Walt Mossberg. Must be too much time in Steve Job's lap.

Reply

Other than the fact min ehas like 30 dead pixels and negative blacks i love it. (apple is replacing it they just don't have replacement ones yet).

My one complaint is that it really needs a remote or physical controls. Maybe they will introduce a new remote like the iphone one iwth the mic only without the mic.

That woudl be great. But I hope they do an in ear version of it since those are the only headphones I use. Or an attachment.

Reply

So... I've had 3 touches with the negative black problems. Went to exchange it for the 4th time today at the Apple store. I got one from week 38 (4th and 5th digits in the serial number) and it looks fantastic. No negative black problem! :)

Reply

I didn't know about the web browser being an afterthought like that.

I wonder if Apple will make a way around the lack of apps. I'd pay $5 for the Mail app on the Touch. Could they open it to that possibility? Whats the state of the hacking?

Reply

I like that idea, I'd pay more than 5 for an e-mail/full ical unlock "productivity package." Why wouldnt they do that?

Reply

I have a huge struggle with not having access to editing the calendar. Honestly, I think it's a bit dumb. Yes...I said it...apple is dumb (with this particular setting). We know the software exists (iphone) and the fact that this setting doesn't exist on the touch does not make me take one step closer to the iPhone (which is what they would hope I would do I am guessing). I would snatch one up today if I could edit my own calendar. In fact...I would probably go straight to the apple store right now. I wonder if anyone like me exists out there?

Reply

Purely out of curiosity, has Mossberg ever NOT liked an Apple product?

Reply

I got mine two days ago and It's amazing. The screen is great, there are tons of features compared to any other ipod (or any other music player) so it doesn't feel gimped (though I hope they fix iCal since there's no reason at all to gimp that). Mobile safari is totally sweet, I haven't found a page yet that it can't display perfectly and relatively quickly. Apart from getting the iphone apps onto it, I don't even care about hacking it much - though all the efforts by Erica are awesome!

Reply

I think he really wanted the iPod Touch to be an iPhone.

Reply

I agree with Blair... The iPod touch is awsome minus the screen issues which mine has and will be replaced, thanks for the s/n tip.. Looks like mine is from week 37 d'oh!

Reply

The touch is a good device, but eh, I'm not a nano fan and that's exactly what this felt like to me: a nano with a touch screen. It just felt too damn thin. The gimped OS didn't feel right either and, while it may just have been me, it seemed like apps loaded a little sluggishly on the touch. Anyone else think so? I've since returned it (the guys at the apple store were saying how people were killing to get these) and I'm getting a refurb iPhone.

Reply

Love it. Not having the negative black problem, just need a good protective case for it. By the way, my first ever iPod, the one I knew they would build someday...needs an FM Tuner though.

Reply

Love the iPod Touch, but it really needs Flash built-in for browsing. Plus, how difficult would it have been to add the Google maps (wif-fi edition) and stock ticker functionalities? Hopefully they have a business model in place to sell iPhone/iPod Touch software add-ons through iTunes. I'd pay a few dollars for widgets...

Reply

You can check to see which retailers are in stock for the iPod Touch at:

www.ipodtouchlocator.com

There are some retailers that are already shipping, though you have to be quick.

Reply

"I wonder if anyone like me exists out there?"

Me!

Since the iPhone won't make it to my shores for at least another 6 months, I was hoping for an iPod with PDA-like functionality. Not too bothered by a mail program though, given that most of my mail is web-based.

Will be interested to see whether some hacks come out for the calendar. If they do, I'd be tempted to get one, hack it up, and then not update the software a whole lot...

Looks like a lovely by of kit, and given that I only have about 20Gig of music (and listen to about 1/4 of it), the size isn't a problem for me.

Reply

I'm down with you Jerri. I had my $50 Apple gift card in hand, ready to pick up an iTouch other day, and then the reality of the iCal input and lack of a mail app stopped me cold. I've been an Apple user (yeah, fanboy) since 1983, and it took these foolish little gimp steps by Apple to get my dander up enough to email them a complaint. I have a Palm Tungsten E2 I'd love to throw aside, but without iCal input, I might as well just keep using my 3G iPod. And, as a .Mac subscriber, don't I deserve a chance to use a mail app if I'm on wifi? So why not just get an iPhone? Well, I already have a large family plan phone that's stuck on T-mobile, don't need the added monthly costs of a data plan, and 8gb is just too small. I really hope that Apple didn't make a deal with the devil (ATT), that's forcing contractual limitations on their other products for years to come. I hope Steve hears out our strong opinions, and reconsiders these limitations. Like that little rebate incident he had to deal with recently.

Reply

Hey - mine I ordered from the Apple online store has a status change.

"Prepared for Shipment"

Reply

Why do you need a remote for something that's supposed to go in your pocket?

Reply

@ calendar / email posts,
The iPod touch is a media player device. Complaining that it doesn't replace your PDA is just lame.

Reply

@19 - Not complaining, just observing.

Plus, for most of us not living in iPhone areas (life exists outside of USA you know), there isn't an iPhone v iPod touch choice that you have.

I'm in no hurry though, happy to let you USA based folk to the beta testing for the rest of us...

Reply