iPod touch G3 Hardware Review

For our iPhone 3GS hardware review, we joked it was the same as last year, end of story. Thanks to Apple, we’re left with pretty much the same opening line here: the iPod touch G3 is the same as last year.

Except, of course, like the iPhone 3GS, that outward assessment doesn’t tell the inner story at all, and while Apple marketing didn’t see fit to call this the iPod touch S, that inner story is again all about speed.

Note: You’ll see a lot of “like the iPhone 3GS here” because, frankly, it is and we reviewed that member of Apple’s mobile platform family first. That also means we’ll focus on what differences there are, and we’ll also take a look at whether the iPod touch G3 is a good choice for those who want in on Apple’s iPod and App Store ecosystem, but don’t want an iPhone or smartphone contract. (Yes, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, Palm, Android, and feature-phone users want an “App for That” too…)

On the Outs

The shell is the same as last year’s iPod touch. Indeed, the 8GB version IS last year’s model. Regardless, they all share the insanely thin form factor, enhanced by the deep curves of the mirror-like chrome backing. For those who’ve never held one, it’s noticeable slimmer, and not-quite-as-noticeably lighter than an iPhone 3GS. It’s also smaller, roughly the height and width of an iPhone if you removed its silver bezel. The sleep and home buttons are of course in place, as are the volume rockers and external speaker(-ish) that snuck in during the second generation.

Inner Beauty

The 32GB, and the 64GB model iPod touch G3 we’re looking at here get all new guts this year, the same glorious guts the iPhone 3GS got. Almost.

Turns out the iPod touch G3 has a slightly newer version of the same Samsung Cortex A8 processor — S5L8922X as opposed to the iPhone 3GS S5L8920X. Last year’s iPhone touch 2G was clocked faster than last year’s iPhone 3G, and it’s possible this year’s is clocked faster than the iPhone 3GS as well, but we haven’t seen any hard evidence of that yet. Likewise, iPod touch G3 seems to have the same PowerVR SGX graphics core as the iPhone 3GS, but since Apple never, not ever, speaks about specs, we’ll have to wait until all the tear down data is in.

We do know, however, that the iPod touch G3 has a newer Broadcom BCM4329 Wi-Fi/Bluetooth chip that could, potentially, be unlocked to run at 802.11n speeds. The iPhone 3GS doesn’t have that chip, or that potential. Whether Apple ever does unlock it, however, is anyone’s guess.

Cut the Cameras, Kill the Mics

The biggest news following the release of the iPod touch G3 wasn’t the speed, however, or any of the software functionality. It wasn’t a feature at all. It was the lack of a widely rumored, universally anticipated feature — a camera and mic with video recording and sharing capabilities.

We saw cases with cutouts for cameras. We saw prototypes with cameras. We even saw tear downs with holes for where the cameras could — arguably should — have been.

But the iPod touch G3 is here and the camera isn’t. Apple doubtless stopped that signal.

We don’t know for a fact why. Steve Jobs said it was to keep costs down and the focus on the App Store. Rumor said the cameras Apple planned to use were defective or otherwise didn’t work out. Our guess is that an iPod nano G5-style VGA video-only camera was a deal-breaker for Apple when it came to their flagship iPod touch, and if Apple can’t do something great, they tend not to do it at all.

Bottom line, maybe next year.

Home Bittersweet Home

While the iPod touch shares Apple’s multitouch-centric mobile OS X with the iPhone, it obviously doesn’t include the phone part (or any of the telephony, which means no SMS/MMS or tethering either — nothing that uses a cellular network), and — as mentioned — it doesn’t have a camera. That means it doesn’t include the Phone, Messages, Compass, and Camera apps, and that means the home screen is slightly different. Under the iPhone 3.1 OS (or 3.1.1 as it quickly prompts you to update) that means the default set includes, in order: Mail (not in dock), Calendar, Photos, Contacts (on the first page), YouTube, Stocks, Maps (without GPS), Weather, Voice Memos, Notes, Clock, Calculator, Settings, iTunes, Music (in dock instead of Phone), Videos (in dock in place of Mail), Safari, and App Store (in dock).

Yes, iPod isn’t there, and Music and Videos are broken out, though both Music and Videos provide access to video podcasts. (Music supports landscape and portrait mode videos, Videos only landscape mode). A tad confusing, even if it does help fill out the home screen.

Speaking of which…

iPods and Pocket Computers and Portable Game Players… Oh, My!

The original iPod touch was marketed as a great iPod, with Wi-Fi seemingly added so you could download content from iTunes, and Safari so you could log into hotspots to do the same. Later, and for a controversial price, Apple added Mail and the Weather and Stocks widgets, conceding almost full “breakthrough internet device” to the iPod touch.

Then came iPhone OS 2.0, and a few months after it, the iPod touch G2, and suddenly it was all about the gaming. This year, at the “It’s only rock and roll, but we like it” annual music event, Apple kept the focus on gaming, but came full circle to stress the iPod aspect again, and — amazingly — the pocket computer aspect as well.

Music to Our Ears

So how is the iPod touch G3 as an iPod? Pretty much the same as the iPod touch G2, but that’s saying a lot. While audiophiles may still scoff at digital music (and true audiophiles at anything other than live music), to our ears the iPod touch line sounds great, even if that’s just like always.

Video looks just the same as on the iPhone 3GS, crisp and clear, even if Apple is still fiddling with the color cast and white balance. 480×320 at 120dpi is aging but isn’t showing it yet. Held close, it’s big and beautiful and plays video without a hiccup.

Apps for That

Apple is stressing the iPod touch is a gateway to the 75,000 strong App Store, and a lower cost gateway, especially when considered against an iPhone and it’s 1.5 – 3 years contract (depending on where you live) that can add up to thousands of dollars.

With its new processors the iPod touch G3 runs almost all apps easily as well as the iPhone 3GS and that means blisteringly fast. Almost all apps, of course, except for those requiring cellular telephony, GPS and Compass, or Camera functionality.

On Wi-Fi, with CoreLocation’s Wi-Fi triangulation, you can fudge that a little, but you can’t really fudge the loss of ubiquitous, always-on network connectivity, precise location data, and the ability to take, trim, and share still pictures and video. More on that later, however.

Game On

Along with the iPod touch G3′s beefier internals is support for Open GL ES 2.0, which means that — again like the iPhone 3GS — games have the potential to reach “the next level”. Potential, however, because most developers will no doubt target that 40 something million install-base of iPod touch G1 and G2, and iPhone 2G and 3G that don’t support the new processors or graphics standards. A few will, however, either with universal binaries or specific versions that target the new hardware.

While Nintendo DS and Sony PSP are clearly on Apple’s radar with the iPod touch, the lack of physical buttons will always keep some hard core gamers from fully buying into the multi-touch controlled, accelerometer driven, more casual-style focus of the iPod touch. There are some third party accessories that aim to blend cases with thumb-sticks and triggers, but it remains to be seen if that’s a better solution for the marketplace as a whole.

Either way, Apple is now referring to games and apps, as though games were equal to everything else combined in the app store. In terms of what dominates the top seller charts, and likely drives income levels, that’s no doubt true.

New and Somewhat Improved

iPod touch G3 gets several of the features that were introduced since the last touch, and have already been added to the newer devices like iPod shuffle and iPhone 3GS.

Talk to the Mic… er… Headset

Voice Control makes its debut in the 32GB and 64GB iPod touch G3. Since it doesn’t have a mic like the iPhone 3GS, there’s no hold-down-home to activate. Instead, you hold down the center button on the Apple Earphones with Remote and Mic, and speak into the earphone’s mic.

Since the iPod touch’s speaker isn’t much to talk about anyway, most users will have the earphones on most of the time anyway, though we still hope to see a built-in mic at some point.

(And, of course, there’s none of the iPhone 3GS phone control).

A for Accessibility

While Apple gets — deservedly — a lot of flack for some of their behavior, one thing at which they have excelled with as of late is accessibility. Yes, the iPod touch G3 gets the same amazing accessibility options as the iPhone 3GS.

There’s no way to do it justice in a brief review paragraph, so head on over to Apple.com and watch their video walkthrough.

Well done, sirs.

What’s Missing

Here’s the part for non-iPhone owners to pay attention to. If you’re considering getting an iPod touch instead of an iPhone, if you’re already happy with your BlackBerry, Palm, Windows Phone, Android, Symbian, or feature phone, or if you just hate phones but want in on the iPhone OS action, here’s what you need to know.

You get most of the experience. Where you miss out, however, is exactly what we mentioned before. You’re not online all the time. You don’t get precise GPS location data. You can’t take pictures or share video.

In short, while you don’t have the high monthly carrier bills to contend with, you end up with a device that’s somewhat less than convergent, and convergence is the future.

Conclusion

Strictly as an iPod, the iPod touch G3 is an evolution that will appeal to those who really want a faster device or the expanded memory 64GB offers. If those are your primary criteria, it’s an easy choice.

If you already have an original iPod touch G1, and certainly if you have last year’s iPod touch G2, you might want to hold out for the next revision which — hopefully! — will get that camera and mic.

If you’re new to the iPod ecosystem, this is the flag ship device for a reason. It’s super snappy, a media beast, and can access the App Store. However, you may still want to consider an iPhone first.

Now, if you have kids and don’t want them to have a phone, but do want to share all your iTunes media and apps with them for fun and vacation, then the latest iPod touch is a dream device. If you really can’t cut that other (smart)phone cord but want a taste of the iPhone experience, then this is definitely the way to go.

Just make really, truly sure you wouldn’t prefer an iPhone first. And if you get that taste and decide your really want that always-on connection and video goodness, hey, you can always upgrade to an iPhone later.

For existing iPhone owners, it’s a tough sell. If you already have an iPhone 2G and don’t want a new one, the iPod touch 3G can give you some new hardware, but it’s one more thing to carry around. Same for iPhone 3G owners.

For iPhone 3GS owners, unless you’re an uber-geek who needs a device to develop for beta firmware, run jailbroken or otherwise experiment with, or just to keep around the house as an ultra-compact web tablet and iTunes remote, you’re already covered.

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