A first look at the Apple iTouch

Macy Gray

An artist named Macy Gray is on the box cover - I have no idea who that is - but then I'm not really hip anymore.

Assembled in China

Not much in the box

Apple continues the tradition of sparse documentation. Tips on how to use the iTouch are going to have to come from somewhere else.

Cables

The Apple iTouch includes ear buds - I hate those things.

Pristine

Apple packages the iTouch with plenty of protective plastic -- too bad that as soon as you start using it the greasy fingerprints will never go completely away.

TechRepublic personalization

No fingerprints yet

The screen is crystal clear and bright -- I almost hated to touch it.

Connections

The Apple iTouch has a standard mini audio jack so you won't have to deal with the klunky adapter. The main port doubles as a power and USB connector.

On button

The only other button on the iTouch is the power button. There are no external controls for volume, pause, next on the playlist etc.

Small

Wallpaper

Interface

The iTouch interface is similar to the iPhone. Push the icons with your finger and away you go.

Images

The visual features of the Apple iTouch allow you more flexibility when it comes to seeing your music collection.

List

You can also view your music via lists if you prefer.

Settings

There are numerous setting options you can play with in the Apple iTouch.

WiFi

One setting area you will find yourself visiting over and over again is the one for WiFi. The iTouch does a good job of seeing WiFi signals, but sometimes it takes a little effort to complete the connection. The Safari browser is very limited.

Movies

Movies on the Apple iTouch are not high-definition obviously, but they look pretty good. It is hard to tell from these pictures, but the screen is just about the right size for palm-of-the-hand viewing.

Simple interface

The movie interface is simple but effective, but I would still like to have some physical buttons to press.

Wide screen

For Star Trek: First Contact, which i downloaded from iTunes, the screen was easy to see. Much better than the iPod Video Nano which was way too small.