iPod touch What the touch REALLY needs

[PMB]

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I think a better resolution screen is much higher up on my want list than a speaker. I want a hd screen 1080i with 2x as many pixels

Just a though/ wish.

 

[brandonzar]

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I think a better resolution screen is much higher up on my want list than a speaker. I want a hd screen 1080i with 2x as many pixels

Just a though/ wish.

It seems like that high of resolution might be impractical. I don't even think you would be able to tell the difference between 480i and 1080i on a screen that small. HD movie files are really big too so they wouldn't be practical on a touch. I really haven't ever given the screen resolution a second thought until now, what are you using the touch for that would require that high of resolution?

 

[PMB]

It seems like that high of resolution might be impractical. I don't even think you would be able to tell the difference between 480i and 1080i on a screen that small. HD movie files are really big too so they wouldn't be practical on a touch. I really haven't ever given the screen resolution a second thought until now, what are you using the touch for that would require that high of resolution?

I dont know, i just with it had slightly higher resolution, those specs are probably impraticle, but sompthing with a higher res would be nice for games, etc.

 

[dmkemick]

@jbarr - you make it sound like that speaker is the cure for cancer

I thought of another thing I'd like to see, a camera. Not an essential addition but I think a lot of the applications on the app store will take advantage of the iPhone's camera pretty handily, and it would be a nice feature to have in a pinch.

 

[brandonzar]

@jbarr - you make it sound like that speaker is the cure for cancer

I thought of another thing I'd like to see, a camera. Not an essential addition but I think a lot of the applications on the app store will take advantage of the iPhone's camera pretty handily, and it would be a nice feature to have in a pinch.

That is the first convincing argument I have seen for a camera on the Touch yet. I don't ever use the camera on my phone so I can't imagine using it on the Touch either unless someone wrote some useful program like a barcode scanner or something.

 

[Apple-Man23]

I think a speaker would be a terrible idea.. (IMO)

Battery Life Issues
Bulk
Sound Quality
Price Increase
Tacky

so true, apple would be shooting itself in the foot if it put a speaker on an iPod

 

[crmccashin]

knock-off model

Add Wifi to this model, and for $99 it would be my ideal iPod.
http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?in...-_-newarrivals_html-_-24MAY08-_-BLK-CN-45-8GB

FM Radio,recorder,camera,speaker and SD expansion slot. Pretty much what the Touch is missing.....

 

[sonofaresiii]

i'd have to second the speaker idea. I dunno how much battery drain it would be.. if any (I can't see how it would drain the battery if you're not using it) and i dunno what the price increase would be

but i think the ipod touch would be SO much better with it. I know it'd produce low quality audio, but i'm not looking to use it to listen to music. i think it'd be insanely difficult when i'm say, playing a snes or gba ROM and don't want to put headphones on. or when i'm watching a youtube video. or when i'm watching a movie. there's tons of instances where i'd really like to hear SOME sort of sound when i'm using the touch, instead of unnerving silence or something.

 

[cjasper]

Keep in mind that adding a speaker to the ipt would make it bigger and chunkier giving people more of a reason to skip over the already expensive ipods.

 

[aethelbert]

I just find it so amazing that so many of you are so adamantly against a built-in speaker on the iPT. I think you're really missing the point. The intent of adding an internal speaker is NOT to provide high quality sound. I think we can all agree that if you want to hear high quality sound from an iPT, then use earbuds, headphones, or connect it to an external speaker or amp--that seems to be a no-brainer.

Yeah, and then when the speaker sucks, people will complain and expect a better one to come within six weeks...

But we're not looking for high quality sound here. We just want the ability to simply hear sound without the hassle of headphones or earbuds. Just about EVERY modern (and not-so-modern) PDA has some sort of speaker that is more capable than what's currently included. Why should the iPT be different? I really think it's because of the fact that the iPT has "iPod" in its name, so therefore it MUST immediately get relegated to a "device + earbuds" status.

Believe it or not, the PDA market has been dead for a few years. I don't see why people seem to be forced to refer to this device as a PDA, but whatever. It's a personal media player and I really don't want to hear everyone else's movies/music on the bus, train, or plane.

Really, how many times have you wanted to simply show someone a small video clip or play a sound byte, but you decided against it because you either didn't have, or don't want to hassle with headphones or earbuds? And as applications become available, you can be sure that many will have sound that would be better played with a speaker more capable than what's currently included.

I've never really wanted to show someone a video, and those sounds from applications will play just fine through the headphone jack.

Some of us chose the iPT over the iPhone for cost reasons. (The cost of an iPhone is over 6 times that of an iPT, when considering the required 24-month service plan) yet how much would it cost Apple and the consumer to add a simple internal speaker? And no, it wouldn't be "always on". Obviously, a System Settings would let the user configure it. Come on, let's step out of the restrictive mold of an MP3 or Media player, and have a little vision.

I'd imagine that most people on here also have a cell phone, so the cost argument is hardly valid here. You're still paying for a phone, just not the iPhone. Also keep in mind that phones have the "speaker phone" option, which is a standard in the cell phone market, but not the multimedia player market.

Many users are seeing the iPT not as "just an iPod" but as SO MUCH more. I firmly believe that Apple has a HUGE opportunity to become the PDA/SmartPhone leader, snagging the title from Palm. With AppStore coming soon and the overall amazing design and implementation of the iPhone and iPT, it just seems that omitting something as basic as an internal speaker just because "it's an iPod" is really limiting and short-sighted.

Snagging the PDA title from Palm means absolutely nothing, seeing as that company has been struggling to stay alive for quite a while. It is just an iPod. If they want to make a similar product with every feature under the sun that people expect in the next iPod revision, they can. It'll cost more and it will be bigger, too. Adding a speaker won't really boost sales, seeing as this thing has been selling extremely well since its release. If every other iPod can get by just fine without a speaker, so can this one.

What makes it "so much more" than the other iPods is the software system. The hardware has almost nothing to do with that statement.

 

[wizard]

This is the only good reason!

A speaker, though only in so far as it being able to make alarm sounds that are audible in a standard office environment - it could then better replace any of my previous PDAs. Other than that, Bluetooth would be handy.

Beyond this usage I can't see a built in speaker working out at all well on a device sized like the current Touch. A larger device maybe if it is targeting a different market. For example if Apple debuts a larger Touch optimized for the playback of video. Then only if the device is large enough to allow one to share the video with friends. Even though a speaker could do the job of an audible alarm, I think most of us would rather have a buzzer / vibrator.

The negatives for a high quality speaker are:
1. The extended cost to the unit.
2. The difficulty of obtaining high quality in the current form factor.
3. The fact that such speakers are subject to premature death.

Now what I do agree with is the idea expressed already that external volume controls are needed. That is simply huge in my opinion, and a big over site in the way of human factors on Apples part. Bluetooth and more storage is of course important but everything is a far second from the volume controls.

Dave

 

[ProwlingTiger]

Yeah...I don't think it needs a speaker. As someone already said with the kids on the bus... #ipods used daily in public / #ipods total = massive #

 

[ZiggyPastorius]

I just find it so amazing that so many of you are so adamantly against a built-in speaker on the iPT. I think you're really missing the point. The intent of adding an internal speaker is NOT to provide high quality sound. I think we can all agree that if you want to hear high quality sound from an iPT, then use earbuds, headphones, or connect it to an external speaker or amp--that seems to be a no-brainer.

But we're not looking for high quality sound here. We just want the ability to simply hear sound without the hassle of headphones or earbuds. Just about EVERY modern (and not-so-modern) PDA has some sort of speaker that is more capable than what's currently included. Why should the iPT be different? I really think it's because of the fact that the iPT has "iPod" in its name, so therefore it MUST immediately get relegated to a "device + earbuds" status.

Really, how many times have you wanted to simply show someone a small video clip or play a sound byte, but you decided against it because you either didn't have, or don't want to hassle with headphones or earbuds? And as applications become available, you can be sure that many will have sound that would be better played with a speaker more capable than what's currently included.

Some of us chose the iPT over the iPhone for cost reasons. (The cost of an iPhone is over 6 times that of an iPT, when considering the required 24-month service plan) yet how much would it cost Apple and the consumer to add a simple internal speaker? And no, it wouldn't be "always on". Obviously, a System Settings would let the user configure it. Come on, let's step out of the restrictive mold of an MP3 or Media player, and have a little vision.

Many users are seeing the iPT not as "just an iPod" but as SO MUCH more. I firmly believe that Apple has a HUGE opportunity to become the PDA/SmartPhone leader, snagging the title from Palm. With AppStore coming soon and the overall amazing design and implementation of the iPhone and iPT, it just seems that omitting something as basic as an internal speaker just because "it's an iPod" is really limiting and short-sighted.

I agree with this. I personally bought the iPod touch for use mainly as a PDA type device. I jailbroke mine so I could put the MooCowMusic applications on it. There is nothing I'd love more than to just be able to hear what I'm tinkering with in Drummer or Guitarist or whatever without getting out earphones, and there have been many times where I've wanted to just show someone something real quick, but couldn't, because of headphones. I also agree with whoever said we should confront the issue when things like people playing loud music on buses and planes happen, not just restrict any potential use for a little security.

 

[ProwlingTiger]

Or, there are some relatively small speaker options to plug into the ipod. Sure it may be an inconvenience, but there are those less responsible ipod-tauting teens that would be a pain to society if they had speakers built-in.

 

[stana2z]

Louder Alarms

I agree that the iPod should be kept personal (without external music speakers). However, for the speaker that IS there, for alarms, it does need to be louder. Many times, unless I'm in a silent room, I can't hear the alarms at all.

GPS might be a good addition, but I find the Wi-Fi location to be decent enough. Maybe add a GPS with it's own battery via the universal connector?

 

[PinkStars]

I completly agree with what you say. But you forgot …

Kids on public transport listening to music without headphones on.

I never ever missed speakers on my iPod touch, and I can't imagine using them.

My thought EXACTLY! I work in a dentist office and we have this one patient who has an iPhone and does not bring in headphones and listens to his music. I don't really mind much since we share a liking in the same music.....and it is MUCH better than the crappy music we have to listen to everyday.....but I know that it is disruptive and annoying to the other patients waiting in the other rooms. If the iPod touch had the internal speakers then EVERYONE would use it like that.......no thanks!

 

[PinkStars]

Now for what I would like to see....

It would be cool to have the camera on it......since my phone itself (Motorola Rizr) does not hold very many pix and it would be nice to be able to bust out my iPod touch and take some nice pix......also bluetooth!!! That would be awesome! It would be nice to see if there was some way to connect the iPod touch to my MacBook via bluetooth......????? Don't know if this would be possible IF bluetooth was added, but just a thought. But as it is right now.....I think the iPod touch is wonderful......but camera and bluetooth would make it even better!

 

[AppleNewton]

this might infringe on airtunes or something along those lines, but with the advent of the time capsule, and the whole wireless campaign apple kind of has with alot of its products and iTunes [somewhat going wifi].

Perhaps a way to have a Wireless Library you can stream (music/movies) to your iPod Touch without loading them onto the iPod, say you have your entire catalog backed up on a harddrive connected to your system or on a TimeCapsule; large amounts [250gb, 500gb , etc etc]

Maybe a feature in iTunes to create "Streamed Music" so the iPod Touch may recognize the format and allow that direct access to them.



might need alot of tweaking but im sure it wouldnt be too bad of an idea.

 

[manatree]

lack of an FM radio.....

lack of an FM radio.....is the main reason I haven't jumped on the iWagon. maybe i'm the only one who likes to listen to local radio, news, ball game, etc.

however, as more apps come out for the iTouch line, I might finally retire my palm. the new stylus for the i line would be crucial for me as my big hands don't work that well with the current i touch keyboard

as handhelds get more powerful and laptops smaller, eventually I think the model will be an iTouch sized device that is as powerful as a midlevel desktop/laptop that can be plugged into a full sized keyboard and monitor for home or office work. think along the lines of a cross between an iPhone and a mac mini.