iPod Touch: January update

A week after the much-awaited Macworld 2008 keynote, I got to install the January update for the iPod Touch which adds five new functionalities to it namely Mail, Maps, Weather, Notes and Stocks.

I have to admit, when I first got my iPod Touch, as cool as it was, I still felt I was getting an incomplete product, compared to the iPhone. What actually got me the most was the absence of a note-taking app.

One of the updates Apple pushed out a while back was enabling Calendar events… a feature that I never thought they would leave out in the first place. Nonetheless, I was pretty happy being able to add events from then on.

The $20 (A$24.99) January update was a bit disappointing for me. I thought that being an early adopter of one of its latest products, Apple would cut me some slack… right.

Everything seems clearly now (or at least justifiable), as trying out the update, I realized that having the new apps was a really good thing.

Mail
Although I usually have my computer on most of the time, its nice to know that this little gadget can check my email for me without having to login to my accounts. The bad thing though is that it does not display all messages. For some reason, it has to be formatted a specific way. How, I have no idea.

Maps
This is probably Kitchie’s favorite feature. We’re thinking of bringing family to the different attractions here in South Australia, and this feature gives us complete directions on how to get to them. Unfortunately though, this app currently cannot pinpoint my location… yet. I hope this feature will become available soon… I want to know where I am…

Weather
Coming from the Philippines where the weather consists of mainly dry, wet and wetter… and then living here in Australia where it can change in just 30 minutes is a stretch. So we learned to rely on the various weather reports on the news and in the paper. This nifty little app makes it even easier for us.

Notes
Finally, I don’t have to whip out my really old school mobile phone when I need to take down notes, especially for urls when I listen to podcasts. Syncs with Mail too!

Stocks
Well, I would be ecstatic if I were my brother… in the family, I am the only one not interested in the stock market… the technical side of things that is. The earning part I really like. But if you at least want to have an idea on how AAPL is doing, then this app is for you.

The verdict
At A$24.99, this update may be too much for most, and then again maybe not. In just a few days of using the new apps, I have already grown to love them… but if you don’t want to add more to the already premium price of the iPod Touch, there’s still hope out there… but do it at your own risk.

Related posts:

1. Using the iPod Touch
2. Smooth to the Touch
3. Trouble in touch paradise
4. The new iPod family
5. An update

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