14 DAY TRIAL // There simply can't be a Macworld without some sort of iPod-related announcement, but not every such event can bring about some breathtaking novelty. Nevertheless, the company from Cupertino has brought a pretty interesting set of new features to the iPod touch, adding five mobile applications -- Mail, Maps, Stocks, Weather and Notes, as well as other new features, such as Web Clips, a customizable home screen and the ability to watch iTunes Movie Rentals.
The Mail feature on the iPod touch is a HTML email client that fetches email in the background from most POP3 or IMAP mail services and displays photos and graphics along with the text of the email. What's really important to note here is that users can configure Mail for Google's Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, .Mac Mail or most POP or IMAP based mail services in a relatively fast and easy manner.
The Maps service on the iPod touch features the ability to automatically find the user's current location using nearby Wi-Fi base stations (no GPS, as there's no such module in Apple's player), and use it as a starting or ending point for directions or to find local points of interest. Users can get real-time traffic conditions, and view maps in map or satellite view, or a hybrid view which combines map and satellite views, so you can see major street names overlaid on satellite imagery.
Next on the list of updates, the Stocks and Weather services allow users to access live stock and weather reports, while Notes allows them to jot down information on-the-go using the intelligent keyboard.
Moreover, the iPod touch home screen can now be customized, allowing users to reorder and add new icons, with support for up to nine different home screens which they can easily flick between. With the new Web Clips feature, one can create custom icons on the home screen for his/her favorite websites, as well as easily track the respective pages.
"These amazing new mobile applications make iPod touch not only the best iPod, but the best Wi-Fi mobile device in the world," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "With its revolutionary touch interface and software, plus its stunning 3.5 inch screen, iPod touch is evolving into the first mainstream Wi-Fi mobile platform of the 21st century."
Yes, Mr. Jobs might have a point, but the biggest problem here is the price. Thus, those users who actually want to take advantage of the apps mentioned above will have to cough up an extra 20 US dollars for the software update, which is not exactly that small a price, considering just how expensive Apple's touch-enabled player is in the first place.