Apple's new iPod

Are you tired of waiting for the Apple iPhone to arrive in India. Well then here���s something that could give you the same experience minus only the phone ��� the iPod Touch. If you wish to experience the latest Hollywood flicks on the palm of your hand with an earphone giving you surround sound experience ��� Apple���s new iPod is just what you need. Amazing screen resolution, sensitive touch screen and great music are the highlights.

Priced at around Rs 15,000 for the 8GB model which goes up to Rs 19,900 (for 16 GB) and Rs 24,700 for 32 GB, an Apple iPod is worth every rupee. An 8 GB iPod can store up to 1,750 songs, 10,000 photos, or 10 hours of video. The 16 GB iPod can store twice that. If you cannot do without your e-mails and regular web search, the device has a built in Wi-Fi (802.11). It also has a built-in non-removable battery which can play up to 5 hours of video and 22 hours of audio to keep you grooving along.

The only shortcoming is the absence of a camera and bluetooth. An addition of a camera and a phone just converts the iPod touch into the all popular Apple iPhone. ���A camera and a GSM signal catcher would make it complete,��� echoes almost everyone whom you show the device to. The other feature which Apple may have added is an FM radio. But then Apple has to keep a differentiation with phones and MP3 players to sell various products. The iPod Touch comes with multi-touch technology built onto the 3.5-inch coloured display. The iPod lets you pinch, zoom, scroll, and flick with your fingertips just like an iPhone. The 120 grams, 3.5 inch screen-wide iPod fits comfortably into your palm.

And for the workaholic executive it has the built-in PDF, Word, and Excel software. While the touchpad keyboard may seem a bit small, an excellent auto correct dictionary makes up for it. To connect to a PC, just download the Apple iTunes software on your PC from Apple.com. Once downloaded you can connect to your PC via USB 2.0 port dock connector provided with the iPod. The device has a built in Safari web browser, YouTube client, Mail client and Google Maps application. The device has good Wi-Fi connectivity in a Wi-Fi zone. In the US, the iPod touch and iPhone instantly get connected to the iTunes site ��� when you enter a Starbucks cafe. But this may not happen automatically when you enter a Wi-Fi Barista or Cafe Coffee Day outlet in India. One may have to manually connect.

If you are stock savvy, you can also configure the device to report live stocks on the go in a WiFi zone. You can also get monthly, yearly or six monthly stock charts configured on it. The iPod scores purely because of its entertainment value. With its great picture clarity one can enjoy the cinematic experience on a palm with the great iPod speakers. The iPod Touch 8GB can store about 4 Bollywood movies, easily. Great sound is obviously the forte of Apple with the legendary iPod headphones. While listening to songs, one can even memorise the lyrics scrolling on the screen. And if you are a YouTube fan, just plug into a WiFi zone and start playing your latest YouTube videos. (Many areas in metro cities in India becoming free WiFi zones).

The device has inbuilt connections to Gmail, Yahoo and AOL. And if you are lost, the inbuilt Google maps application may act as your guide. The application will have to configure itself to the city map you are in to give you directions. Google Maps can provide you instant directions for most US cities. For Indian cities, one may to get it configured.

Then there are other icons like weather report, world clock, alarm and calculator which can convert itself into a full scientific calculator. In the coming months, the iPod Touch may, however, find competition from none other than Big Brother iPhone once it is launched in India. But for those who are not planning to buy an iPhone, the iPod Touch may give you the same feel.