iPod Touch - is it a PDA yet?

[Paul Robinson]

The new iPod Touch is an incredible device. I'd be ready to buy it and sell off the various PDAs I have except for several serious shortcomings:

1) No to-do list functionality. It needs the full PIM software to replace a regular PDA.

2) No ebook reader. Having to read a book on line or convert them into html for that what 8K limited notes reader just doesn't work...

3) No 3rd party apps. I need my astronomy programs.

Just imagine if Jobs had announced, "Oh, one more thing" and shown off some cool new PIM programs... and then "Oh, just one other thing" and shown off a new ebook reading paradigm with book buying off of iTunes.

With Jobs's reality distortion field, he could make it sound as if Apple had invented ebook reading and revolutionized the field in one fell swoop.

The iPod touch cand less $$ iPhone ould have been the exact same products, only he would have opened up extra worlds of consumers and buyers. They'd be selling like hotcakes to all of us disillusioned PDA users!

[r0k]

The new iPod Touch is an incredible device. I'd be ready to buy it and sell off the various PDAs I have except for several serious shortcomings:

1) No to-do list functionality. It needs the full PIM software to replace a regular PDA.

2) No ebook reader. Having to read a book on line or convert them into html for that what 8K limited notes reader just doesn't work...

3) No 3rd party apps. I need my astronomy programs.

Just imagine if Jobs had announced, "Oh, one more thing" and shown off some cool new PIM programs... and then "Oh, just one other thing" and shown off a new ebook reading paradigm with book buying off of iTunes.

With Jobs's reality distortion field, he could make it sound as if Apple had invented ebook reading and revolutionized the field in one fell swoop.

The iPod touch cand less $$ iPhone ould have been the exact same products, only he would have opened up extra worlds of consumers and buyers. They'd be selling like hotcakes to all of us disillusioned PDA users!

1) I don't use the todo's on my Treo so this is not a dealbreaker for me

2) I agree the lack of ebooks is a dealbreaker at this time.

3) Absolutely. The lack of 3rd party apps is also a dealbreaker at this time.

I would also add #4

4) I haven't had that much time with it, but the touchscreen keyboard is clunky. Perhaps too clunky for the amount of data entry I need to do on a pda.

[Ed Hardy]

Paul, I've combined your thread into one that was already going on on the same topic: using the iPod touch as a PDA.

[RobbM]

Here's a good synopsis of how the iPhone and the iPod touch differ:

http://www.iphoneatlas.com/2007/09/0...nd-ipod-touch/

Personally, I'll still be saving my pennies (but now FEWER! Thank you, Steve!) for an iPhone. The iPod touch has the functionality I need, but it doesn't fulfill my quest: My 3 devices compressed into 1. The iPhone does.

As for the question of the thread, I'll have to answer YES. The iPod touch is a PDA.

[Adama D. Brown]

Frankly most people (myself included) don't care for tiny keyboards and want the largest screen possible for the smallest size and lowest weight.... it was a design trade-off and you can forget about Apple adding a keyboard/card slot/removable battery.

(Shrug) Frankly I think there's a decent chance of at least seeing some of those things in their next design iteration. To keep driving sales, they're going to have to offer something better than the choice of 8 or 16 GB of memory, particularly for the iPhone line where they want to lock people in for 2 years.

[Adama D. Brown]

A device or two every fall and a device or two every spring. This hectic pace goes to economic realities in the electronics business. If Palm had stayed on their former release pace, or even released half as many devices as their former "normal" pace, they would not be standing there with a 128 meg pda to compete with a comparably priced 8 GIG pda.

True. Coasting on the technology market is begging for trouble. Hell, Dell did it well, and look what happened to them.

... around presidential election time you hear people shouting "It's the economy, stupid". A similar cry is needed in the Garnet world...

It's the OS, stupid!

The new Apple PDA offers a real OS and a real browser. When I played with an iPhone yesterday and viewed brighthand, I saw what I expected to see, not a "narrow" or "stripped down" version.

It's ironic that Apple is considered to be beating out Palm on the OS front, when Apple's offering isn't even open to proper third-party apps. I wish they'd open it up--with supposedly around 200 MB of OS X bits inside the iPhone, there's the potential for a hell of a lot of interesting programs.

Why would I bother with WAPified web page viewing using skweezer on blazer? Either we need Firefox on Garnet (another band aid) or we need some real browser on a new Palm OS.

I will just say on the browser note that there's something to be said for reformatted pages. I used one of those zoomable browsers on the Nokia E62, and it's cool for awhile, but it eventually becomes annoying to have to move in and out to see things. One of the reasons I like Opera Mini so much.

There are still a few stumbling blocks between ipod touch and a real pda experience. There was no bluetooth. There was no sd slot. The keyboard seemed like a joke when I tried it in the Apple store. I'm not sure if I could get used to it. That sort sort of thing might be forgiven on a smartphone as its focus for many users is on retrieval of data such as contacts. But a PDA is as much a data capture device as a portable data retrieval device. I'd get frustrated pretty quick if every time I typed a W, I missed but forgot to slide my finger over and got a Q. Lastly, since OSX is a real OS, why not give me usb master so I can hook up a keyboard and mouse? Or at least bluetooth with the appropriate profiles.

I think that if anything, Apple is underestimating the potential of their new toys. Instead of tightly focusing on the phone/PMP designs to the point of exclusion, open it up a little, and just imagine all the added peripherals you'll be able to sell. The official Apple folding keyboard and BT mouse, the Apple USB-based power and memory expansion jacket, etc....

[rkevwill]

One note about the availability of bluetooth. Engadget says, it does have the chip in there. Apparently its not passed FCC yet, so one can assume it will be activated at some future time. Regarding the to-do's, my guess is, since Ical is supported, that the next version in the works will have that. Its just logical. Remember folks, this OS in this form, has only been out a few months. It will mature over time.

We all have our needs. I just don't like the Winmobile OS myself, and have had two of those pda's. I prefer palm. However, thats long in the tooth. I would LOVE to use my TX with the Garmin 10 with XT, but it is woefully buggy at this point. (works fine with winmobile 5.0). I'm sticking to my Ique 3600 as long as it keeps working, but using it just for navigation. I'm gonna play with my iPod touch when it arrives, and just enjoy it for what it is, and grow with the OS over time. For everything else, I'll stick to my 755p. btw, never had an ipod of my own before

[PHibon]

I own an iPod video, and I wanted to share some of my experiences with the device and the Apple company. I don’t think there is no one in the world that wouldn’t fall in love with the iPod touch. I too have played the video where CEO Steve talks and demonstrates the various features. I too like the looks and features of it.
Having the iPod video for quite some time now there are two things I learned the “hard” way:

1. Battery live sucks. Apple promises nice figures for the battery live on their products. I experienced the real world. I don’t remember the exact number; I think it should be something like 8 hours audio play time. In the real live I get only 5 hours out of it. And this is by carefully following Apple’s advice on battery management. And yes, I charged the device for 8 hours before first time use. And yes, I have the display at minimum brightness, and yes, the display shuts off after 5 seconds. But I still get no more than 5 hours out of. Imagine what it would be if I ever would play a video on it. So, do I believe Apple’s statement on the iPod touch battery live: no.
2. Apple’s support is a joke. Try to find a support email address on their site. Good luck with that one. No worries, there is a forum. Yes, all Apple users try their best helping out, but in the end, they are only users. They can’t correct software bugs. I have tried to report an annoying flaw in the software, but without any luck. I guess that once the product is older than one year they don’t bother updating the firmware no more. Instead, they put their efforts in developing new products.

Although the iPod touch looks very appealing I will not buy it. Instead I will cherish my TX and enjoy this wonderful machine. Okay, the sound quality of the TX is not as good as the iPod, but it’s good enough for the intended use. And the battery live is fantastic. There are tons of applications around, even free ones, to make it an all round machine. To me, this is more appealing than what the iPod touch has to offer.
So, I guess this makes me a TX fan, he...

[Girt]

Is everyone aware that the iTouch apparently also doesn't have an email client?
I see it as a good start, but won't be seriously considering it until iTouch III or IV.

[Girt]

STOP THE PRESSES - iPhone price drop! Who will buy the 8G when you can get the same thing with a phone and email for another $100?

I know some don't want the data plan, and the 2-yr. contract, but a device that can't have any apps on it unless it is connected seems to demand it.