Apple’s third-generation iPod Touch and iPhone 3G and 3GS are the leading contenders in the Wi-Fi media players and smartphones market. These popular devices are not only about playing music and games, making phone calls, and running applications, they’re about elegant style, ease of use, and speed.
When you compare and contrast the iPhone and iPod Touch, there is little difference between the outside design features of the two, and though under their hood they both share similar robust features, there are some significant differences that you should consider in deciding which one to purchase.
Compare and Contrast: iPhone and iPod Touch Have Similar Features
Both the iPhone and iPod Touch have the following features in common:
• Both share Apple’s 3.0 operating system which features touch technology; cut, copy and pasting; landscape keyboard typing, spotlight search features, and Wi-Fi access, which makes them essentially a computer in the palm of your hand. Touch and accelerometer technology by the way provides for smooth and easy navigation on the devices, enabling users to zoom in and out on images and webpages, and use titling and other hand movements to play games and other similar applications.
• Both include the following default applications: Safari web browser; Calendar, Internet Mail, Address Book; YouTube video player, Calculator, Notes, Photo Browser, Stocks reporting, Weather reporting; Clock, GPS Maps, Voice Memo, Nike + iPod exercise tracking support, and an iPod music player app.
• You can sync both devices to Apple’s iTunes software (for both Mac and Windows PC) to add and remove songs, videos, photos, and other data files. The entire process is fairly automatic, and with an Apple MobileMe account you can sync information to the devices wirelessly.
• The iTunes App Store features 5,000+ applications specifically designed mostly by third party developers to run on both devices.
• Both devices feature voice-control technology to navigate music playback with spoken commands. This is done on the devices themselves or through the remote mic on the earphones that come with the devices. (Note: only the 32GB and 64GB models of iPod Touch come with voice control.)
The iPod Touch
The third generation iPod Touch comes in three models: 8GB ($199), 32GB ($299), and 64GB ($399). These models can hold from 1,750 to 14,000 songs, 10,000 to 90,000 photos, and up to 30 hours music and 6 hours of video playback time. However, these stats depend a lot on how you use the device and what other data files you have stored on them. Plus, in my average use of both both the iPod Touch and the iPhone 3G, the battery usage isn’t that great. So get accustomed to daily charging.
No Phone
Of course, the iPod Touch models do not come with a phone or instant messaging. However, there are several third party apps like AIM that enable users to use instant messaging on the touch. And there are a few hacks, such as one that involves using Skype, for making phone calls on the touch. Though of course you still need a Wi-Fi connection and a remote microphone on say the earphone cord to make the calls.
WiFi But No 3G
The iPod Touch does not require an AT&T phone or WiFi contract to use it, which saves you well over $700 per year. As with the iPhone, the iPod Touch has built-in WiFi capability but it does not have what’s called 3G access, which only comes with the iPhone 3G and 3GS. So basically, if the places you travel to and frequent have WiFi servers, you should be okay with Internet access on the device. For instance, McDonald’s now provides free Wi-Fi connections, as do many colleges and universities. With 3G capability, however, you pretty much have connections to the Internet nearly everywhere AT&T provide the services.
No Camera or Video Cam
The iPod Touch also lacks a camera and video recorder. This has been a huge criticism of the device, and many critics think that a digital camera should have been included with the third generation touch. More than likely the fourth gen will finally get this feature.
iPhone 3G and 3GS
The latest version of the iPhone comes in two models: the iPhone 3G 8GB (from $99), 16GB (from $199) and the 32GB (from $299) The price variances are also based on a required two-year wireless service contract with AT&T, starting at $69.99 per month. AT&T subsidizes the iPhone, which attributes to its lower cost than the iPod Touch. You can purchase an iPhone without an AT&T service contract, but it will cost you between $499 and $699. See rate plans. You will also want to check the availability of AT&T services in your area for the terms of 3G service, signal strength, bandwidth speeds, and phone rates.
Phone and Instant Messaging
Of course the iPhone does include a full service phone and AT&T instant messaging. Rates for messaging are $5 per month for 200 messages, $15 per month for 1500 messages, or $20 per month for unlimited SMS messages. There’s also higher cost family packages. But again, as stated above, there are applications for the iPhone that do instant messaging for free, such as IM+Lite.
The voice technology of the iPhone 3GS also extends to voice dialing so that you can make voice commands to call someone in your list of contacts or to dial a specific number.
Wi-Fi, 3G, and EDGE Connectivity
With the AT&T service plan, each of the iPhone models comes with wireless Internet and network connections. So in places where you get free or paid Wi-Fi connections, your iPhone is automatically connected. If however you are in a location with no Wi-Fi or free Wi-Fi, you can connect to the Internet through AT&T‘s 3G and EDGE wireless connection services. The 3G connection is about is even faster than traditional Wi-Fi connection speeds, while the EDGE connection is slow as a turtle.
Camera and Video Recorder
Both the iPhone 3G and 3GS include a digital camera. The 3G has a 2 megapixel sensor while the 3GS modal has 3 megapixels, plus autofocusing and photo geotagging, which keeps track of the locations where you shot images using the iPhone‘s camera. iPhone 3GS also includes built-in video recording, for a clear 30 frames per second capturing.
The 3G iPhone does not include a video recorder; however, there are a few third party applications, such as Qik that Nancy listed in her article The Top 7 Apple iPhone Complaints & Some Simple Solutions, that can be used on the 3G model that provide reasonable video recording capabilities.
Though I can’t vouch for it personally, the iPhone 3GS also has greater performance whereby applications open faster and there’s increased Internet speed. The 3GS also comes with a Compass which “re-orients maps to match the direction you’re facing.“
Advantages and Disadvantages
Perhaps the number one factor in determining which device you should purchase is price. The extra $360-$700 AT&T service fee may be the best reason for not getting the iPhone. If you don’t make many mobile phone calls, the iPod Touch makes for a great mini computer and media player without the monthly service costs of a smartphone.
However, if you’re already paying for a mobile phone service plan, the extra $30 or more a month for 3G access on the iPhone can be very convenient, for it means that in most cities throughout the country you will have Internet access nearly everywhere you go. With the built-in Maps app, 3G networking provides good, but not full fledged, GPS mapping for when you need driving or walking directions.
The additional camera and video recorder may also be worth the extra costs of the iPhone because it means carrying around one or two less devices in order to grab candid camera and video shots. The imaging features on the iPhone also connect with hundreds of additional applications that can’t of course be used with iPod Touch. There are applications, such as the Best Camera App, that really enhance the image making capabilities of the iPhone which Jackson previously showcased in his article The Best Free Alternatives To Top Commercial iPhone Photography Apps.
What’s Your Feedback?
So MUO readers and existing iPhone and iPod Touch users, what suggestions do you have for those considering purchasing one of these devices? Are you a former iPod Touch user who upgraded to the iPhone? Why? Are you an iPhone user who regrets your purchase? Give us your feedback.
Causecast:
February 14 is just around the corner and you know what that means - love is in the air. There are lots of ways to declare your love this Valentine's Day, but the reality is few gifts have a lasting impact. This year, why not make your display of affection a gift that not only shows how much you care, but also a gift that gives back. Whether you want to buy an extravagant present or you've only got a few bucks to spare, whether you're shopping for your romantic interest or your grandmother, you can find a gift that gives back for everyone in your life and make the world just that much brighter while you're at it.
Here's our countdown of the top ten Valentine's Day gifts for a cause:
A Peek Inside A Noby Noby Boy Meeting Reveals So Much
Who knew that the creation of the iPhone and iPod Touch version of Keita Takahashi's Noby Noby Boy was the outcome of product meetings, focused consumer research and plush executives chanting “iPhone! iPod Touch! iPod Touch! iPhone! iPod Touch! iPhone!!”
That's the cold, profit-driven reality behind Noby Noby Boy's journey to the iPhone, sadly. A bunch of knitted and cotton-stuffed suits trying to target the kindergarten crowd and party people of the world, dazzling them with crazy Boy toys. Curse this industry!
At least we'll benefit from the zany set of mini-apps that let us stretch and shrink Boy, then snap pictures and include them in the iPhone spin-off of the PlayStation Network game. Truth be told, Noby Noby Boy for the iPhone looks like a hell of a lot of fun, even less of a game than the PlayStation 3 original.
Namco Bandai execs, you've figured me out. I'm a party person and I want some Noby Noby Boy on my phone. Here's another look.
In summary, iPhone! iPod Touch! iPod Touch! iPhone! iPod Touch! iPhone!!
Namco Bandai Games iPhone Channel
Send an email to Michael McWhertor, the author of this post, at mike@kotaku.com.
@Steve B,
I have used Flash to view embedded web content almost 3 yrs. now. I started with Nokia Symbian phones, watching YouTube in the browser of my Nokia N95-2. It was far from painless, and was in fact a joyful experience.
I am now using the Nokia N900, which runs the desktop Flash plugin gracefully. I have yet to have Flash damage my device or ruin my battery life. All it has done is allow me more access to the content, applications, and games available all over the web that most n.eophyte mobile users assume are inaccessible from a mobile without an added application. Last.fm and Pandora in the browser? Check! Most embedded video sites played right in the browser, with all coming soon? Got 'em! Farmville right in the browser! You got it! The list goes on and on…
So when Steve Jobs tells you how multitasking, Flash, or anything else will mess up the user experience, he really means something else. It will mess up his scheme to fleece consumers, allowing them to bypass the App Store. It will also expose Apple as immature in its development of processor and battery management, since everyone else is able to implement Flash and exceed the supposed standard for mobile browsing set by the iPhone according to the media. If Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, and HTC can do it, why can't Apple?
A criminologist from England's University of Leicester claims his research shows that UK burglars are switching to mugging because cheap Chinese imports have crashed the market for used DVD players and other pawnables:
“Cheap labour in China has had an impact on the type of crime that's committed in the UK and the type of goods that are stolen today. Gradually, the prices of such goods has fallen so low as to they almost have no resale value. If you can buy a DVD player for £19.99, it's simply not worth stealing…”
“While DVD players for example, got cheaper, certain consumer items became smaller and were very, very expensive and sought after and so the latest mobile phone, or the latest ipod, which people carry about them, have become targets for robbers.”
It is these expensive, personal items, which are the most attractive to thieves today as they still retain value and can therefore be sold on, igniting a career change for criminals from the more traditional household burglaries to personal muggings.
Burglars Have Changed Their 'Shopping List', New Research Reveals
The iPod product line is a masterpiece of design. Sleek, stylish, and very fragile toys.
A single scratch, a broken glass, or malfunctioning hardware quickly destroy that fleeting beauty. Worse still, you find out that your warranty is up or doesn’t cover the damage.
Repairs for expensive toys never come cheap. Or do they? What if you could undo the damage yourself for a small percentage of the cost?
I have compiled a collection of sites that provide tutorials on how to fix various damages and problems that are typical for the iPod, including hard drive, battery, and LCD replacement. You will find iPod repair help for different iPod generations, iPod Touch, iPod Mini, iPod Photo, iPod Nano, iPod Shuffle, and even the iPhone or your Mac.
Warning: MakeUseOf is not liable for damages caused by iPod repair that you do yourself. If you decide to do it yourself, follow the instructions carefully, but do so at your own risk.
iFixit
As the screenshot below reveals, iFixit provides manuals for the iPod, iPhone and Mac. From the iPod product line the original device, the iPod Nano, iPod Mini, iPod Shuffle, and iPod Touch are covered, including different generations of each item.
Once you have tracked down your device, you’ll see an overview of available information.
The “Step-By-Step Guides” address specific issues and how to fix them.
The “Teardown” explains how to open your device and examine its inner beauty. This is also helpful if you need to replace single parts, for example the battery. Generally, each step of the guide also has user comments with questions or further information on what may or may not work as described.
“Related Questions” come from the “Answers” category of the website. If you’re having an issue that has not yet been described, you may find a hint in this section.
The “Troubleshooting” guides help you to track down the origin of your problem and finally you may need “Parts” to perform your own iPod repair. Here is a list of all Troubleshooting Guides.
ipodrepair
This site is mostly interested in selling you parts. However, they have produced PDF tutorials that show how to disassemble the iPod 3rd and 4th generation, the iPod Mini, and the iPhone 1st generation (2G) and 3G. A video is available for the iPhone 3G.
Sometimes it helps to consider several guides for the same procedure, as they may highlight different details in the text and images.
Do-it-yourself repair descriptions in pictures and text are all good. However, nothing beats a video, which reveals all the subtle details and difficulties of using tools and fixing devices.
ifixipodsfast
“I Fix iPods Fast” provides Video iPod repair Tutorials for the iPod Video, iPod Photo, iPod Mini, and iPod 3rd and 4th generation. More models are listed, but no videos are available, yet.
There is a list of available video tutorials in each iPod category and below each video you’ll find a summary of its content, a warning in case it’s especially difficult, and tools needed.
Further assistance may be provided at FixYa, a sited dedicated to free product support. You may also find help on wikiHow, Instructables, and YouTube.
Did you ever successfully fix your iPod? Which resources did you use?
Image credits: ugaldew