PC Mag praises iPod touch

Although the iPod touch has yet to be released online or to retail, PC Magazine has posted an early review, giving the player a lucrative five-star rating. The Touch is described as an iPhone stripped down to essential perks: its touchscreen is identical, as is the interface, which lets users quickly browse their albums through Cover Flow, as well as the web via Wi-Fi and the Safari and YouTube browsers. A new option on the Touch is the "double-click," which lets users double-tap the Home button to display music controls over any other window, even if the screen has gone dark.

The magazine expresses fondness for the wireless iTunes Store, which lets shoppers buy music away from their computer and have it instantly playable. One complaint, however, is that users cannot buy video, which the Touch is otherwise capable of playing. It is also noted that the ability to discover and buy tracks heard at Starbucks can be meaningless, since some never venture inside.

Other concerns include the price, which ranges between $300 and $400, while offering just a fraction of the storage on even last-generation video iPods. The bundled earbuds are said to be inferior to third-party alternatives, and there is still no custom EQ for maximizing quality, only presets. Regardless, the magazine says the Touch is "probably the best portable media player ever made."

by MacNN Staff