IPod touch 4: review, compared to the iPhone 4 and the reflection of the eternal

Long before the iPhone announcement, when the development of the Apple phone is also out of the question, the network there were rumors about the future of "apple" player in which uses touch screen and traditional Wheel Click Wheel can appear in any place under its fingers user. This concept has not been implemented in a commercial product, but its ideas were to a certain extent used in the iPod touch - «very funny player» Apple. Incidentally, the announcement of this gadget after the iPhone was quite unexpected and at first the product is understood not all that natural. After all, there was no App Store, and the functional unit to be diminished quite compared to telephone fellow. But the years passed, generations were replaced, and a modern iPod touch not only turned into a processor, combining PDA, handheld game console and media player, but also has become much closer to their elder brother. What does this mean? Read on.

Unboxing

My hands got a brand new, with a needle wrapped iPod touch fourth generation. The external packaging looks identical to the previous one, but still there are differences. The device hidden in a transparent plastic box, in which it is mounted on a separate plate. Actually fixing it is an important difference. On the screen the player is adhered film is reminiscent of vinyl material, and its fairly long edges are threaded into the slot on the transparent plate and converge on the reverse side. The device is fixed very firmly that it can not fail to please (prevent accidental loss during transport it in the package).

Supplied standard: player, headphones, sync and charging cable, a small collection of waste paper and, of course, the stickers apples. Note: offers simple headphones, rather than the headset. The microphone is on the player, but the control unit on the headphone wire would not hurt.

Learning appearance

Like its predecessor, the player looks monolithic and it is very thin: Dimensions - 111h58,9h7,2 mm, weight - 101 g I note that the reduced by more than one millimeter thickness does not matter much in comparison with the iPod touch the third generation. A new form of interesting gadgets, but the design of the previous model is visually made it thinner than it actually is.

Characterized in novelty and an upper panel structure. It resembles that of the iPhone 4, as it is raised above the surface of the metal housing (less than the phone) and fringed black solid material. The distance between the rim and the glass in the player a bit more than the phone.

In the off-state player display almost merges with the surface - like it. The phone has it too much darker than its predecessor, but slightly lighter than the iPod touch 4.

Slightly changed body shape - now it stricter. Increased bending of the back, with the result that the line has become more acute. It's not annoying, on the contrary, to keep the player in hands nice and fine lines tactile reduce its size.

I should add that the inscription on the back and bitten apple - this is clearly engraved on metal. Looks cool.

Eyeing the display quality

An important innovation in the iPod touch fourth generation became the new display with a significantly increased Released (640h960 points against its predecessors 320x480 pixels) but with the same diagonal 3.5 inches. The assumption that the player will get reduced in diagonal screen, did not materialize.
According to the definition display in the new player is identical to the screen of the iPhone 4, but the matrix in which all the different uses, which became known immediately after the start of sales of the player. The handset used IPS-matrix with wide viewing angles and a significantly enhanced contrast. The picture is bright and warm. The player is clearly something more cheaper, probably ordinary TN + Film. This is reflected in the picture is not so bright and faded colors more. The viewing angles are much worse, contrast too. When looking at a large angle black color becomes purple - behaved similarly displays all iPhone and iPod touch of the previous generation. But in general, they have the displays were good compared to most competitors, and iPod touch 4 screen was also a higher resolution.

But the fact is not hurt if the widest viewing angle in the daily operation of the player? No, it can not hurt. We're not looking at an angle to the screen - and right in such a case, the picture in the player is good. Someone might even colder gamma its display like more. iPhone 4 screen gives slightly in yellowness on a white background. Although I prefer the warm picture phone, however, I am a longtime fan of the IPS and warm colors.

Clarity small text in the case of the iPhone 4 a little bit higher, but it is noticeable only when compared directly. In general, the phone's display is brighter, more colorful and more contrast. But if you do not have the possibility to compare directly these two screens, as compared, for example, touch the third generation and 4th, the display last user very happy. Incidentally, the oleophobic coating on the protective glass there, that is, fingerprints erased more difficult than with iPhone 3GS / 4. I think this is unjustified "savings on matches" from the Apple side. The presence of such a coating is very positive impact on the experience of operation of the gadget, it would not hurt and on the player's rear panel mirror.

controls

The controls remain the same and are located almost in their usual places. Only by blanking the screen button is moved to the right, to the same place where it was always in the iPhone. I think that is a good thing, though, can I just accustomed to, because I've always enjoyed only Apple phones.

Changed the form of the Power button and volume rocker. Rather, it is now no longer rocker and two separate keys. Earlier they were ribbed and angular, now got a round shape with a smooth transition that is clearly related to the changing shape of the body.

It seemed that it would be inconvenient to press the Power button, it is a bit too tricky, right on the bevel edge, in fact it is not. Well pressed when the player is in his left hand and the right hand. And what about the volume buttons that I can not say. When the player is in the right hand, then, in principle, the forefinger can operate more or less certain, but it is desirable to the opposite side of the device rested against the thumb. If the device in the left hand, the attempt to change the volume may end in failure: the player simply jump out of his hands.

Home button size is slightly smaller than the phone, click her not so clear, but works nicely as a whole.

speed

The speed of the new player is similar to the iPhone 4. That is, you can expect a little more quickly launch applications in comparison with the third generation iPod touch (32/64 GB model, as 8-ka - is relabeled touch 2G) and increased productivity in a particularly demanding 3D-games like Hero of Sparta 2. But do not forget about quadruple the load on the processor when processing the image, the resolution of something higher. Let me remind you that the device uses a SoC-System Apple A4, first applied to the iPad. The only pity is that the memory is installed only 256MB versus 512MB on the iPhone 4. In principle, according to the iPad operating experienceWhere the same 256 MB RAM, it will affect only a browser - will be more likely to overload the page, if open a lot of tabs. On the other hand, nothing prevents use an alternative browser. iCab Mobile is very bad in this regard, can you start to lift open the page from the cache, in the case of the lack of RAM will warn about this, and not just fly on the desktop, as does Safari.

Sound

Speaker in the new player has become better than the previous unit. A little louder, a little more bass, but it is somewhat worse than that of in the iPhone 4 (even more bass, loudness and sound seems bulkier).

As for the player, then compared with the iPhone 4, it sounds no less well and maybe even better. At least headphones iPod touch 4 "pumps" more, ie at the same level produces a more powerful sound volume. By the way used to test Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10vi. According to my purely subjective sensations in a player more than the sound of bass, energetic, while the phone just above its clarity. In any case, both the device for sound sredeestatisticheskogo user is not burdened with high musical matter, very good.

Camera

The player has a camera, even two and only this fact, it surpasses its predecessor, in which there was no such module. As for the quality of these components, the front camera, according to my impressions, apparently similar to that of the iPhone 4, and the back, of course, worse. Basically, it focuses only on a video recording and photo shooting there just for show - too low resolution images.

In general, says the module is normal, a little more snows than the camera in the iPhone 4, but as an addition to other functions of the player will do. I basically never seriously took a camera phone, no matter how many megapixels it was. Any relatively decent soap dish for $ 150-200 still takes pictures better.

Closer to the phone

Thus, the player is very close to the iPhone in terms of functionality. In fact, compared to the current generation phone, iPod touch only deprived of GSM-module, GPS-receiver, a digital compass and a flash on the camera. Apple has divided these two products are not functionally and qualitatively. She used to display player and speaker simpler photomodule modest and not covered by a protective glass oleophobic layer.

But the company offered to the player something special - FaceTime. IPod touch is now able to call, only need access to a Wi-Fi and iTunes account record. And video calls are supported, not only between the player and the phone or player and player, but you can also contact with the owner of the Mac, because Apple released FaceTime for Mac OS X. Do not forget about Skype.

Reflections on the topic: "Is it worth it?"

Thus, the most fun "apple" player has also become something like IP-phones, videophone rolled into one. This is a sensible move on the Apple side. She stressed ecosystem of its own products and tossed iPod touch users of the previous generation one more reason to go for the novelty. By the way, the big question - whether the iPod touch 3 owners should change it to your iPod touch 4? On speed no significant difference between them in the games visual contrast can be seen only in the event that they are adapted to the new display, and there are still little. But the non-adapted toys will look a little blurry, but you get used to it quickly. On the quality of watching high-definition video screen, too, is not particularly affected - it is comparable. Here on the iPhone 4 thanks to IPS-matrix, the difference is visible to the naked eye. iPod touch 4 outperforms its predecessor only in the case of viewing HD-video (720p pulls no problems), but then the size of the film will then be much greater.

Where the difference is felt strongly - this is when surfing the web and reading. This is where the high-resolution display shows itself in all its glory. The interface looks nice, too - in folders, you can easily distinguish each icon and the virtual shelf in the iBooks - really see the book covers, not blurred tab. The presence of the camera - it's a nice addition, not more. Particularly strong on the functionality it has no effect, but this is my opinion. I have the iPhone 4 is almost never used photomodule, what can we say about the player. But FaceTime, especially if you have a lot of friends with a Mac, iPhone 4, and the same player - this argument. This function is really cool. With traditional video calls through 3G-networks do not go to any comparison.

As a result, for iPod touch users transition to the third generation of a novelty it will be justified only in certain cases, depending on the patterns of use of the player. If you frequently surf the Internet on the go, communicate in social networks and "ICQ", read, then I was not thinking - your eyes will tell you "thank you". When the machine is mainly used for games, watching videos and listening to music, you can feel free to stay with what we have.

Users of iPod touch 1G and 2G reasons to upgrade more and one of the main - significantly increased performance trends. And those who are still using the PDA based on Windows Mobile, I would advise to look towards the iPod touch. Try as they say, «Think Different» - this may like :).

A little poetry at last

I visited in operation all Apple phones and work with all of them, except for the iPhone 4, often arose seditious little thought and buy another iPod touch - it was too like his compactness. And now, no such desire. Very Apple has cut a new iPod as compared with the phone: memory, display, speaker. Attracted and metal rear panel, even if it is scratched, but it is metal, not plastic in the iPhone 3G / 3GS. Now we have the phone steel and glass. Tactile feel and appearance - is a fairy tale. And in size iPhone 4 has become much thinner than its predecessor. What I mean. If you ponder over a bunch of iPod touch + any phone or whether to take them instead of the iPhone 4, I advise the latter option, you will not regret.

As a whole, iPod touch as being the best portable entertainment device, and it still is, in acquiring its new reincarnation and extra features becoming more interesting, even further from the competition, which this device in principle and not. While the industry has buried PDAs, Apple has revived the idea and became a monopolist. Just do not remember about the openness of WM-PDA users, about the ability to copy files directly from any file manager and other "fragments of freedom." For example, I basically CCP used to read, sometimes games, listening to music on the go video playback. With Web surfing does not work out - a few years ago he was strongly in Windows Mobile was reproaching. Experience shows that the majority of users just for your amusement handhelds and use. So, in the iPod touch is all sold better, more convenient and more efficient. He, along with the iPhone, the first handheld device that format, which is really nice to surf the Internet, which is easily and convenient to put the software and in which there is a smart system of data backup when the transition from one to another iGadzhetov you just do not notice.

Apple is not perfect and has its skeletons in the closet. She kind of pricing policy in Russia, Ukraine and other countries of the former Soviet Union, not the best service in the same place, she was wrong in the software, wrong in the "hardware", but you can not deny the fact that the company produces incredible products. Apple - it is not a religion. Apple - is a small fairy tale, offering a little bit of magic in the harsh and pragmatic world of business.

iPod touch for viewing given store "America"