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Apple Ipod Reviews

Published: Monday, January 03, 2011, 10:03 AM     Updated: Monday, January 03, 2011, 12:57 PM

By

Seth Augenstein/The Star-Ledger

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Noah K. Murray/ The Star-Ledger

Autistic student Marc Rader watches a music video on an iPod Touch during his weekly session with Therapist Mark Mautone. (Noah K. Murray/The Star Ledger)
Apple gadgets help teen with autism gallery (5 photos)

With a simple touch, Marc Rader knows what comes next in his day.

The 13-year old taps the tablet computer screen, and a picture of the kitchen sink pops up, accompanied by his mother’s voice.

"Wash your hands," the recording says.

A video pops up demonstrating the soap-lather-rinse routine, and he goes across the apartment to the sink and mimics it under the stream of the tap. Then, he rushes back to the screen where more chores pop up — setting the table for dinner, starting the microwave, vacuuming the floor, brushing his teeth. The basic "app" is specifically tailored by his tutor to guide him through his nightly ritual: one touch, a task, a next step, and a video reminder.

For the autistic teenager, the first steps toward independence comes with some trendy new gadgets: the touch-screen accessibility of Apple’s iPod Touch, and, more recently, the iPad, according to his mother, Lisa Rader.

"It structures every day — it makes everything easier," she said.

RELATED COVERAGE:

• Princeton playwright uses family's experience with autism as inspiration for play 'Love and Communication'

• N.J. lawmakers introduce bill to restore $4M for children's autism aid

• N.J. bubble-blowing effort does not beat world record, but raises $18,000 for autism research

• N.J. parents of autistic children need more state support, resources, report says

• Newark center trains N.J. police, emergency personnel on autism awareness

• Caldwell College autism program receives $1M federal funding to build center

• Gov. Chris Christie vows to fight for N.J. children with autism

Autistic children like Marc have taken to Apple’s popular devices, poking the tactile screens customized to their needs. It all began when parents started noticing that their autistic children were attracted to the touch screen technology of the iPad. Word quickly spread by word of mouth from parents to parent about this surprising new use for the computer.

"I think it’s really going to change the game," said Sharon Reeve, the director of the applied behavior analysis graduate programs and center for autism at Caldwell College.

Computers have been used by autistic children for decades. But experts say the customizable and intuitive interface of the Apple machines, along with their portability, offers promise beyond the relatively-bulky computers of the past.

Other companies are creating similar applications for different devices, such as Motorola’s Droid. But autism experts say Apple is the leader — for now.

Entire schools have started to rely on the new technology. Every child at the Reed Academy, a non-profit school in Garfield for autistic pupils, has an iPod Touch. They use it for their individual scheduling, from lesson to lesson and activity to activity, according to the school’s executive director, Todd Eachus.

"It gives us a degree of independence on the spectrum that they would otherwise not have," Eachus said.

The two dozen Reed Academy students, ranging in age from 3 to 14, go about their individualized days — but return constantly to their touch screens with their teachers.

Dunstan, 6, has begun writing for the first time on the iPad’s touch-screen. He has difficulty putting a pencil or crayon to paper but is able to trace his ABCs directly onto the screen with his index finger.

"I like the letters," Dunstan said.

Millburn musicians compile album of songs about autism
When John O’Neil approached his friends Jon Fried and Deena Shoshkes, of the alternative pop band the Cucumbers, with lyrics he’d written about his son’s autism, Fried admits he was worried. He knew O’Neil as a friend and neighbor in Millburn. Their children were friends. And though O’Neil is a writer, he had never written songs before. But the words, which document the joys and difficulties of having an autistic child, leapt off the page. Fried wrote the first five songs in 15 minutes. After raising money through private performances, Fried and Shoshkes reached out to established musicians, like Jackson Browne and Marshall Crenshaw, to record the songs. The album, “Songs of the Spectrum” — a reference to the spectrum of disorders considered autism — will benefit autism research and awareness. The album can be purchased at www.singsos.org. (Video by Nyier Abdou/The Star-Ledger)
Watch video

The next goal is to teach students to bring their high-tech tools out into the world, said Reed Academy teacher Kelli De Rosa. The upside of the device, she said, is it could actually help autistic kids fit in with their peers who have the same devices.

"It’s not stigmatizing — everyone has one," De Rosa said.

Some children have benefitted from task-to-task scheduling with the Keynote presentation app, which Marc Rader uses. Others are working with communication software such as Proloquo2Go, which translates selected pictures into spoken speech. There are also dozens of other programs touted by various experts in the autism community, as well — some of which tell stories, others which work on vocabulary, and others which simply entertain.

However, the experts also warn the touch-screen technologies are not a "magic bullet." Although Marc Rader played his first video game within a week of laying hands on his iPad, he still has fine motor difficulties and difficulty focusing and his tutor Mark Mautone spends hours tailoring apps and software for his student. He also must help Marc tap the right parts of the screen and cycle through the menus.

"Every child is completely different," Mautone said.

Apple Inc. declined to comment on the use of the iPod Touch or iPad, which was unveiled in April, for kids with autism. But they do highlight possible iPad and iPod Touch uses for people with motor skill or speech problems on their website.

Experts note that the benefits of the Apple gadgets are still clinically unproven. But in February, Caldwell College plans to conduct the first formal investigation into both the iPod Touch and iPad.

"We don’t have a lot of research on the technologies because they’re new," said Reeve, who heads the college’s applied behavioral analysis program. "But we suspect we’ll get some great results with it."

Apple Ipod Reviews

Published: Monday, January 03, 2011, 10:03 AM     Updated: Monday, January 03, 2011, 12:57 PM

By

Seth Augenstein/The Star-Ledger

Follow

Share
Email

Print

Enlarge

Noah K. Murray/ The Star-Ledger

Autistic student Marc Rader watches a music video on an iPod Touch during his weekly session with Therapist Mark Mautone. (Noah K. Murray/The Star Ledger)
Apple gadgets help teen with autism gallery (5 photos)

With a simple touch, Marc Rader knows what comes next in his day.

The 13-year old taps the tablet computer screen, and a picture of the kitchen sink pops up, accompanied by his mother’s voice.

"Wash your hands," the recording says.

A video pops up demonstrating the soap-lather-rinse routine, and he goes across the apartment to the sink and mimics it under the stream of the tap. Then, he rushes back to the screen where more chores pop up — setting the table for dinner, starting the microwave, vacuuming the floor, brushing his teeth. The basic "app" is specifically tailored by his tutor to guide him through his nightly ritual: one touch, a task, a next step, and a video reminder.

For the autistic teenager, the first steps toward independence comes with some trendy new gadgets: the touch-screen accessibility of Apple’s iPod Touch, and, more recently, the iPad, according to his mother, Lisa Rader.

"It structures every day — it makes everything easier," she said.

RELATED COVERAGE:

• Princeton playwright uses family's experience with autism as inspiration for play 'Love and Communication'

• N.J. lawmakers introduce bill to restore $4M for children's autism aid

• N.J. bubble-blowing effort does not beat world record, but raises $18,000 for autism research

• N.J. parents of autistic children need more state support, resources, report says

• Newark center trains N.J. police, emergency personnel on autism awareness

• Caldwell College autism program receives $1M federal funding to build center

• Gov. Chris Christie vows to fight for N.J. children with autism

Autistic children like Marc have taken to Apple’s popular devices, poking the tactile screens customized to their needs. It all began when parents started noticing that their autistic children were attracted to the touch screen technology of the iPad. Word quickly spread by word of mouth from parents to parent about this surprising new use for the computer.

"I think it’s really going to change the game," said Sharon Reeve, the director of the applied behavior analysis graduate programs and center for autism at Caldwell College.

Computers have been used by autistic children for decades. But experts say the customizable and intuitive interface of the Apple machines, along with their portability, offers promise beyond the relatively-bulky computers of the past.

Other companies are creating similar applications for different devices, such as Motorola’s Droid. But autism experts say Apple is the leader — for now.

Entire schools have started to rely on the new technology. Every child at the Reed Academy, a non-profit school in Garfield for autistic pupils, has an iPod Touch. They use it for their individual scheduling, from lesson to lesson and activity to activity, according to the school’s executive director, Todd Eachus.

"It gives us a degree of independence on the spectrum that they would otherwise not have," Eachus said.

The two dozen Reed Academy students, ranging in age from 3 to 14, go about their individualized days — but return constantly to their touch screens with their teachers.

Dunstan, 6, has begun writing for the first time on the iPad’s touch-screen. He has difficulty putting a pencil or crayon to paper but is able to trace his ABCs directly onto the screen with his index finger.

"I like the letters," Dunstan said.

Millburn musicians compile album of songs about autism
When John O’Neil approached his friends Jon Fried and Deena Shoshkes, of the alternative pop band the Cucumbers, with lyrics he’d written about his son’s autism, Fried admits he was worried. He knew O’Neil as a friend and neighbor in Millburn. Their children were friends. And though O’Neil is a writer, he had never written songs before. But the words, which document the joys and difficulties of having an autistic child, leapt off the page. Fried wrote the first five songs in 15 minutes. After raising money through private performances, Fried and Shoshkes reached out to established musicians, like Jackson Browne and Marshall Crenshaw, to record the songs. The album, “Songs of the Spectrum” — a reference to the spectrum of disorders considered autism — will benefit autism research and awareness. The album can be purchased at www.singsos.org. (Video by Nyier Abdou/The Star-Ledger)
Watch video

The next goal is to teach students to bring their high-tech tools out into the world, said Reed Academy teacher Kelli De Rosa. The upside of the device, she said, is it could actually help autistic kids fit in with their peers who have the same devices.

"It’s not stigmatizing — everyone has one," De Rosa said.

Some children have benefitted from task-to-task scheduling with the Keynote presentation app, which Marc Rader uses. Others are working with communication software such as Proloquo2Go, which translates selected pictures into spoken speech. There are also dozens of other programs touted by various experts in the autism community, as well — some of which tell stories, others which work on vocabulary, and others which simply entertain.

However, the experts also warn the touch-screen technologies are not a "magic bullet." Although Marc Rader played his first video game within a week of laying hands on his iPad, he still has fine motor difficulties and difficulty focusing and his tutor Mark Mautone spends hours tailoring apps and software for his student. He also must help Marc tap the right parts of the screen and cycle through the menus.

"Every child is completely different," Mautone said.

Apple Inc. declined to comment on the use of the iPod Touch or iPad, which was unveiled in April, for kids with autism. But they do highlight possible iPad and iPod Touch uses for people with motor skill or speech problems on their website.

Experts note that the benefits of the Apple gadgets are still clinically unproven. But in February, Caldwell College plans to conduct the first formal investigation into both the iPod Touch and iPad.

"We don’t have a lot of research on the technologies because they’re new," said Reeve, who heads the college’s applied behavioral analysis program. "But we suspect we’ll get some great results with it."

Apple Ipod Reviews

(Vincent J. Brown)

Unlike houseplants, iPod Touches don't take kindly to watering. After Emily accidentally victimized her device in such a manner, she contacted Apple to see what it would cost to replace it. When she balked at the price, a helpful customer service rep sent her a free one.

She writes:

I know hearing a story about how Apple goes above and beyond isn't new to you guys, but I just got back from the nearby mall and have to share my story.

For Christmas 2008 I got a 16GB iPod Touch, and it was working perfectly until I spilled water on it about three weeks ago. After that it wouldn't even turn on. I made an appointment at a Genius Bar to see if there was anything they could do or if they could recommend a repair center. The employee who helped me, Mike, explained that liquid damage isn't covered under their warranty, and in any case, mine expired a long time ago. He said I could get a replacement for $150, which I was more than willing to pay if I needed to. He then said he needed to check something, and went to the back. When he came back he told me that since I never had to take advantage of my warranty when I had it, he could make a special exception and give me a new iPod Touch for free! I couldn't believe it; I almost jumped out of my chair and hugged him. He gave me a new one of the same model I had.

I am still in shock over this- they didn't charge me at all and it was entirely my fault it didn't work. They have definitely secured me as a customer for life.

What's the luckiest you've gotten when you've sought to replace a broken electronic device?

Apple Ipod Reviews

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Apple Ipod Reviews

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  Apple Ipod Reviews

Sword of Fargoal 1.7 iPhone iPad and iPod touch

★★★ FEATURED IN APPLE’S "WHAT WE’RE PLAYING" ★★★ Welcome to Sword of Fargoal®, the classic dungeon adventure with completely random map generation so it is different every time! Embark on your quest to rescue the Sword of Fargoal, hidden deep within the dungeon on the 20th level, and make it out alive before the walls begin to collapse around you!

★ WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING:

5-Stars — Selected as one of the "Best iPhone Games" by TouchArcade’s "2009 Buyer’s Guide"

"Just spent some quality time with it, i’m hopelessly in love"

"This game is really worth its price and even more. There are games you pay 5 to 10 bucks for and they aren’t nearly as addicting as Sword of Fargoal is. I hadn’t more fun with the last RPGs I played."

— Fans from TouchArcade forum

“Sword of Fargoal is one of the best loved roguelike games ever to light up a CRT … Those who’ve never played a dungeon crawler before might just find themselves drawn in to Sword of Fargoal.”

— TouchArcade

FREE updates with thematic “Episodes” and new App icon (like “Pocket God”). Also, next release will have in-App purchases with new dungeon tile sets, including the original C64 version tiles!

★ KEY FEATURES:

✔ Completely randomly generated — different every time!

✔ Over 20 Dungeon levels 100 unique dungeon maps per game

✔ Over 28 monster types with special abilities, weapons, spells

✔ Hidden traps treasures, gold, spells potions

✔ Subtle 3D dungeon with cool “retro” top-down map

✔ Full zoom, tap, swipe intuitive on-screen movement

✔ All original music by British composer, Daniel Pemberton

✔ Animations by Emmy-winning animator, Charlie Canfield

What’s new in Version 1.7

We’re still busy at work (and having fun) — Version 1.7 just keeps getting better!

- iPhone 4 (retina) display support

- High-res game graphics for newer hardware (iPod gen3, iPhone 3GS)

- Fixed a problem with background music

- Fixed a problem with video flicker

- Fixed an upside-down keyboard

- Added some sound effects

★ PLEASE UPDATE YOUR APP STORE REVIEWS SO OTHERS WILL DISCOVER US!! ★

We recently added (1.5 earlier)…

★ OS4 ready; multitasking enabled ★ New Artifacts (think new wands, spell behaviors) ★ New Monsters (think Lizard Men, Wasps) ★ Graphical Updates (cool sprite and particle effect changes) ★ Map Updates (several new cave types) ★ Bug Fixes (streamlining code memory use) ★ New UI Sound Effects ★ New Dungeon Levels ★ New Potions Magic ★ New Traps Treasures ★ Three New Difficulty Levels ★ Much More!

[Only registered and activated users can see links.
]

Apple Ipod Reviews

The Apple iPod Touch, since its release in 2007, has ruled the  portable-media-player waves like Britannia. It's by far the best  designed, most feature-packed, and easiest-to-use media device on the  market. But now  that Apple's iPhone and iPad have so successfully edged in on its  domain, does the iPod Touch still have a viable place in the  media-consumption market? We would answer that question with a  resounding yes. To an extent, the new iPod Touch  is the iPad, but even more portable. And it's the iPhone, without the  reception issues (and not, entirely, without the phone). To put it  simply: The 2010 iPod Touch is as close to perfection as any portable  media player has come yet.

Click to read our full review of the Apple iPod Touch (Fourth Generation, 2010 Version).

Here are some highlight from our review:

"At first  glance, it's not easy to tell the difference between the latest  generation of the iPod Touch and the previous. The first thing you'll  notice, though, is that it's slightly thinner and lighter."

"As far as new features go, the iPod Touch has a few exceptional ones. Of  these, several were introduced with the latest version of the iPhone,  including the gorgeous, LED-backlit Retina Display screen."

"For shooting video, the front camera features only VGA resolution (640x480 pixels), whereas the rear camera shoots in 720p."

"Two features that make gaming a whole lot of fun on the 2010 Touch are  the new, faster A4 processor chip and the three-axis gyro sensor."

"But when it comes right down to it, the iPod's roots are as a music player, and the iPod Touch does that impeccably."

"We were also impressed by the previously discussed FaceTime  video-calling feature, which brings a little bit of the iPhone 4 to the  iPod Touch."

"We also noted a ton of other practical, albeit more mundane, features  built into the Touch. Most are not new: calendar, weather, maps  (although there's no GPS tracking), notes, clock, voice memos, stocks,  and calculator."

"Battery life is one of the most important aspects of a portable media player, and the Touch did not disappoint."

Click to read our full review of the Apple iPod Touch (Fourth Generation, 2010 Version).

Apple Ipod Reviews

You know the story by now. For many, the iPod Touch is the iPhone without the phone and GPS features--no cellular voice calls, no texting, and no EDGE or 3G wireless service. The remaining features that the two have in common (or lack) are often the criteria on which the Touch is judged. In the case of the fourth-generation Touch--available in 8GB ($229), 32GB ($299), and 64GB ($399) capacities--the two come closer to feature parity than ever before. (Even more so this time around as all three Touch models have the same features, unlike with the previous generation of Touches.) This, for many people, makes for a compelling iPod. It does for us as well.

Similarities and Differences

Thin as the iPhone 4 is, the 4G iPod Touch is thinner still--two sandwiched 4G Touches come very close to the thickness of the iPhone 4. It's also a little less wide and lighter than the third-generation iPod Touch that preceded it. Its edges are also more angled. This angling is sharp enough that owners of iPhones and previous iPod Touches will have to train themselves to search for the volume and Sleep/Wake buttons near the back edge of the iPod rather than the side and top, respectively.

Unlike previous iPod Touches, the 4G version lacks the small black plastic patch on the back's top-left corner that covered the Wi-Fi antenna. That corner now holds the iPod's built-in omnidirectional microphone and its high-definition rear-facing camera (like the iPhone 4, the 4G Touch also has a standard-definition front-facing camera).

Thanks to the built-in microphone, you have a way to control the Touch hands-free. Press and hold on the Home button until the Voice Control screen appears and tell the iPod what you'd like it to play using the same voice commands you'd use with an iPhone. Voice Control works only for playing music, however. You can't use it to initiate a FaceTime call (more on FaceTime later in the review).

In addition, the latest Touch has a dedicated speaker port, which you find just to the left of the dock connector port at the bottom of the iPod. The second- and third-generation Touches also had a speaker, but sound emanated generally from inside the iPod rather than from a dedicated port. Whether it's the quality of the speaker component inside the iPod or the existence of the port, the 4G Touch's speaker is much brighter than previous Touches'. This is welcome as the previous Touches' speakers managed to be tinny and muffled at the same time. The speaker on the current iPod Touch doesn't have the quality of the iPhone 4's speaker, but it's a definite improvement over the previous models.

The combination of the microphone and speaker means that the iPod Touch becomes a better device for Skype/VoIP calls. In the past you could use VoIP apps with the Touch (Wi-Fi only, of course), but, because those iPods had no built-in mic, you had to use a headset that included both headphones and a microphone. With the new Touch you can make such calls without a headset. Even though the mic is on the back of the iPod, it's sensitive enough to pick up your voice. And the speaker is audible enough to carry on a conversation.

The Sleep/Wake button has moved to the top-right edge, and the volume buttons are now two discreet buttons rather than a rocker switch. Although you can control the iPod's volume, music, and video navigation with headphones that include volume and play controls, you won't find those headphones in the iPod's box. Apple provides just the bare-bones earbuds that lack any play controls. We regret this omission as it's nice to have the option to remotely control an iPod tucked deep in a pocket. If you want that option from Apple, you'll have to pay $29 for the Apple Earphones with Remote and Mic.

Like the iPhone 4, the 4G Touch has a 960 by 640 retina display. The display--at least on the Touch I tested--has a slightly yellower cast than the previous-generation Touch. (That cast is completely unnoticeable unless you put the two devices side by side.) Just as with the iPhone 4, you see no pixels when looking at text on the 4G Touch's screen--images are very, very clean and you can make the display very bright.

Inside, the new Touch has Apple's A4 processor--the same kind of chip found in the iPhone 4 and the iPad. I compared the performance of a new 32GB Touch with that of a 32GB third-generation model and, quite honestly, I noticed very little performance difference. The 4G Touch booted 2 seconds more quickly (26 seconds versus 28 seconds), but apps launched equally as fast on the two iPods and the two performed nearly identically in a variety of applications. The 4G Touch was, however, noticeably more responsive than my first- and second-generation Touches.

As with previous iPod Touches, this one has no GPS hardware--it uses Wi-Fi location data only to determine its coordinates. (And yes, by default, that location information is embedded in pictures snapped with the Touch's cameras.) Like the iPhone 4, however, it does have a gyroscope. That gyroscope makes for a richer gaming experience with apps that take advantage of the gyroscope's ability to sense roll, yaw, and pitch.

And thanks to iOS 4.1, the 4G Touch provides better support for AVRCP (Audio/Video Remote Control Profile)--a Bluetooth profile that lets you control playback functions with A2DP devices such as headphones and speakers. In practical terms this means that the Touch and iPhone 4 will now respond not only to play/pause and volume commands from A2DP devices, but also next and previous track commands. I tested this with a Plantronics P590 stereo headset and the iPod Touch responded to each of these commands. (iOS 4.1 also brings better AVRCP support to the iPhone 4.)

The iPod Touch as a Video Camera

The Touch's cameras are not identical to those found in the iPhone 4. Although the rear-facing camera shoots video at the same 720p (1280 by 720) resolution, when you compare the results of the same scene shot with each device, differences are apparent. To begin with, the Touch's videos appear to be zoomed out slightly as compared to videos taken with the iPhone 4. Shoot both cameras side by side and the iPod Touch captures more of what's in front of it. Also, the iPod's rear-facing camera is more likely to produce washed-out results in bright conditions than the iPhone 4's camera. Still, while its results aren't as good as those produced by the iPhone 4 or one of the better HD pocket camcorders, the Touch takes reasonable-looking videos under well-lit conditions.

In underlit conditions you more clearly see the difference between the two devices' cameras. The iPod Touch's video is grainier and shows less detail. And, unlike with the iPhone 4, you don't have the option to switch on the flash because the iPod lacks a flash. Rather, the Touch includes a backside illumination sensor, which is designed to make the rear-facing camera perform better in low-light. Yet even with this sensor the iPod Touch's results were poorer than the iPhone 4. But perhaps without the illumination sensor they'd be worse yet.

The 4G Touch supports Apple's $5 iMovie app. Just as with the iPhone 4, you can create movies on the Touch complete with titles, themes, and soundtracks. And, you can now upload those movies in HD. Under iOS 4 on the iPhone 4, you could create and export 720p movies, but when you uploaded them from the Photos app their resolution was reduced. With iOS 4.1 that's no longer the case. You can now upload HD videos to YouTube and a MobileMe gallery and they retain their 720p resolution.

The iPod Touch as a Still Camera

I mentioned that with video, the Touch's rear-facing camera is a bit more zoomed out than the iPhone 4's. The opposite is true with still images. With these images, the iPod's camera is more zoomed in, hinting at a smaller sensor. Also, iPhone 4's camera captures stills at 1936 by 2592 pixels, while the iPod Touch's rear-facing camera shoots at 720 by 960 pixels. That's 5 megapixels on the iPhone 4 versus less than 1 megapixel on the Touch.

Given the lower resolution and lack of a flash, it shouldn't be surprising that the 4G Touch's still pictures don't measure up to the iPhone 4's. The images it produces are far less detailed and the camera's more susceptible to being blown out when capturing bright images--vibrant yellows, pinks, and reds, for example. Inside, in under-lit conditions, the Touch's camera pushes very hard to get the image, but in the process can produce grainy and washed out results. Unless you're shooting under ideal conditions or you don't have a better camera at hand, this is not the camera you want to use to create prints.

FaceTime and the iPod Touch

With the cameras comes FaceTime, which works on the new Touch very much as it does on the iPhone 4. As with an iPhone 4, you have the option to switch between the front- and rear-facing camera and your voice is picked up by the external mic. Again, even though the microphone is on the back of the iPod--and thus facing away from you as you talk into the front of the device--the mic is sensitive enough to pick up your voice. And, again, the internal speaker is loud enough that you can easily hear the person speaking to you. You can optionally use a compatible wired headset--the microphone and headphones on Apple's iPhone headset works perfectly with FaceTime. My Plantronics Bluetooth headset, however, didn't work at all for FaceTime calls.

The difference between FaceTime on the Touch and FaceTime on the iPhone 4 is that with the former you don't need a phone number to place or receive a FaceTime call. Instead, FaceTime requires only an e-mail address. When you first launch the FaceTime app on the Touch, you're asked to enter an e-mail address. Apple sends an e-mail message to that address that asks you to verify your address by clicking a link in the message. This launches your Web browser and takes you to a Web page on Apple's Website where you enter your Apple ID and the password associated with that ID. Click a Verify Address button and your Touch is verified to receive FaceTime calls at that address. (You can add additional e-mail addresses within the FaceTime setting. Do so and you repeat this process for each added address.)

To make a call, just open a contact. (You can choose contacts from Favorites, Recents, and Contacts screens within the FaceTime app or select a contact within the Contacts app). On a contact's screen will be a FaceTime button. Tap it to initiate a FaceTime call. Alternatively, if you know that the person you're calling has an iPhone 4, you can simply tap that phone's number in the Contact screen and the Touch will place a FaceTime call. All you need is a Wi-Fi connection. You can disable FaceTime simply by tapping FaceTime in the Settings screen and flicking the On/Off toggle switch to Off.

Buying Advice

The iPod Touch is wildly popular for good reason. It's an extremely versatile device--media player; pocket gaming machine; productivity tool; Internet communication device; and, with this latest update, pocket camcorder, still camera, handheld recorder, and FaceTime video phone. While its cameras fail to produce results as good as the iPhone 4, they make FaceTime possible, which allows us to more easily forgive their less-than-pristine images and movies.

Despite the cameras' weaknesses, this is a very good iPod Touch. If you have a third-generation Touch and lack an iPhone 4, this iPod's FaceTime capabilities may tempt you to upgrade. If you're unhappy with the performance or capacity of an even earlier Touch, this version is more compelling still. And if you're without iPhone or iPod Touch and have been holding out for a device thiiiis close to the iPhone--without the incumbent data plan and two-year commitment (and, of course, the phone features)--that realization has never been closer. It's hard to imagine what more Apple could do to tempt you.

Christopher Breen is a senior editor for Macworld.

Apple Ipod Reviews

Want to play with

Samsung first announced its plans for the Galaxy Player 50 in August and it appears the devices are already hitting France, with roll outs in other parts of the world scheduled soon. Unfortunately, U.S. users shouldn't expect to see the Android-based player until sometime next year.

Although companies like Archos have been releasing Android-based players and devices for several years, the Samsung device will be unique in that it supports official Google apps like http://www.mashable.com/tag/youtube">YouTube and http://mashable.com/tag/android-market">Android Market. To date, the only devices with official http://mashable.com/tag/google-apps">Google apps support are those that can make a 3G data connection.

Presumably, Samsung has worked with http://mashable.com/2010/07/26/galaxy-s-review/">Samsung Galaxy S series has been http://mashable.com/2010/09/01/apple-overhauls-ipod-lineup/">iPod touch, although judging by the video, it does seem a bit thicker. It features a 3.2-inch screen (so slightly smaller than the 4-inch http://mashable.com/tag/galaxy-s/">Galaxy S devices), ships with Android 2.1, comes with http://mashable.com/tag/dlna/">DLNA, 8GB or 16GB of internal memory, a microSD card slot, support for http://mashable.com/tag/divx/">DivX and FM Radio. It also has 2-megapixel camera and can record video.

Prices of the new Galaxy Player aren't available, but if you live in France and happen to see one for sale -- please let us know the price in the comments.

The horrendous compositing of the video aside (seriously, worst green screen ever), the device looks pretty neat. The iPod touch is a great gateway drug of sorts to the overall http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/10/20/samsung-galaxy-player-androids-ipod-to..." target="_blank">FortuneTech and

Fling Soft LLC, one of the premium iOS applications providers, has just released the Movie Vault 1.0.0 app for iPhone and iPod Touch. Movie vault was first introduced on iPad. The users –friendly has a easy and simple to use interface was designed to provide access to more than thousand classic public domain movies that can be streamed for no additional charges over 3G or Wi-Fi.

“We felt that despite the fact the iPhone and iPad are tremendous content consumption devices, there was truly a gap in the video market and most applications were restricted to Members Only usage,” says Jeremy Krall, Fling Soft co-founder. “We wanted to remove that barrier and let our customers have open access to a wide variety of content once they purchased the application.”

Some highlights of Movie Vault for iPhone and iPod Touch includes:

• Stream over 1000 movies to your iPhone over Wi-fi or 3G with nothing more to buy!
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• Simple to use interface with custom designed shelves for each Genre!
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• To navigate just swipe or use the arrows in the top left.
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• True Cover Art and movie information fed directly from IMDB!
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• Browse movies by Genre or Search by Keyword, Actor Name, Title, Director, and more.
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• Automatic updates of movie listing without app upgrade.
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• Watch movies in portrait or landscape mode.
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The Movie Vault 1.0.0 app for the iPhone requires iOS 4.1 or later. Movie Vault is available worldwide exclusively through the App store in the Entertainment category. Movie Vault for iPhone and iPod Touch is available for $2.99 and Movie Vault for iPad will cost $4.99.

Stay tune with ziPhone News for the latest iPhone and Apple news.

Apple Ipod Reviews

Usually we don’t post much about the jailbreak scene here at TheAPPera, but some things catch our eyes and we can’t help but share. In this case, the new PwnageTool has caught our eye.

Mostly everyone is familiar with the tool, it creates a custom ISPW to restore from that let’s you jailbreak iPhone’s and iPod Touches and now Apple TV’s too? More after the jump.

Supported Devices

• AppleTV 2G
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• iPad (firmware 3.2.2)
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• iPod touch 4G
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• iPod touch 3G
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• iPhone4
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• iPhone 3GS
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• iPhone 3G
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I’ll get straight to the point: Apple TV2G jailbreak. And who better to explain it than the dev team themselves:

Welcome to the JB family! Right now, about all you can do is command-line stuff via ssh. You also have afc2 available, so you can use tools like ifunbox to move files around. These are the *very* early days of Apple TV 2G jailbreaking, so it’ll take some time for JB app developers to come up with methods to use your Apple TV 2G from the remote, versus the command line.

And the app development has begun already, with people already releasing sample source code for the Apple TV. It’s pretty cool, especially since it’s a much bigger deal than on iPhone, since the Apple TV doesn’t do apps, AT ALL. We’ll be sure to post anything interest that catches our eye.

Apple Ipod Reviews