[leng jai]

Is this thing still really hard to get in the US? The lack of impressions would suggest so. I know shops in Australia still don't have it yet.

 

[Maxvla]

I ordered mine the day of the Apple press event and received it a week later. I don't know if there is shortage, but I can't see why. Perhaps brick and mortars are out of stock, but online should always get you a player shipped out next day.
 
I think a lot of people on this site are hesitant to acknowledge they are using an iPod because of the whole PC vs. Mac thing plus iPods haven't exactly had the best track record for sound quality and thus they don't want to be thought less of because they bought a new iPod. It's fashionable to buy a S:Flo2 or Hifiman, Cowon, among others, but not an iPod or Zune so you see very few posts about them.

 

[shigzeo]

^^ pretty astute. There is a lot of prejudice here against iPods, unfortunately is almost completely unfounded. Back in the day, the iPod wasn't the best sounding device, surpassed by a number of other players, but then there were very few players on the market. Around 2005, Apple really started making good sounding devices and has not stopped. Sure, there's no custom EQ yet, but apart from that, I'd put the iPod among the very top of the consumer DAP's unless, of course, we bring EQ into the equation.
 
No amount of innovation by Apple will be acknowledged by anti-Applers - that's just the way it is. Of course, in America, it makes sense that people want to find alternatives because Apple players and phones are very popular. But that isn't the case (to the same degree) around the world. And despite their ubiquity in the portable arena, Apple remain a very small global player compared to true giants like Samsung and Microsoft. 
 
Their success doesn't mean they don't know SQ, it means that they are successful. Their feature-focused advertising doesn't mean that they ignore sound - it must means they don't lie about it. Contrast/compare that to a lot of other brands whose prerogative is advertising schemes to make consumers believe in the sound of their products. 

 

[grokit]

I agree with the above, but I would also venture that sales are starting to level off for iPods and Mp3 players in general; that could also be why they went for such a radical re-design in the first place. Had to happen sometime.

 

[shigzeo]

The market is saturated, that is for sure. I've kept my players for years; my favourite still is the iPod shuffle 1G but it is finally starting to die. I will probably replace it with the new 5G version and for Christmas, I'll get the iPod touch 4G (kind of need it for one of my jobs anyway!)

 

[alpha10]

Glad you think so, it's exactly what I'm hearing too, a nice improvement in sound quality.
 
Quote:

Just got my ipod touch 4g i was quite surprised, the sound is a bit more warmer now, a bit thicker sounding ,unlike the 3g that had which was more digital sounding i think because it was a bit more neutral.I think the sound signature has changed on the ipod touch 4 i dont think its better than the 3g for some reason thats just through my ears. Then again the sound may change over time

 

[voicemaster]

I got my Ipod Touch 4th gen 32 GB at launch day. The 1st time I listened to it, I noticed a punchier bass than my 1st gen touch. I am using my Denon C551 for my comparison and it has strong bass to begin with. I am happy with the sound improvement, but notice that I am comparing 1st gen and 4th gen, I am sure 1st gen and 2nd or 3rd gen will be different sound wise. For EQing, I don't normally use EQ on my 1st gen touch because the sound will be distorted and the EQ suck in general. But, I tried using EQ for my 4th gen when using Ibud (that came with the player) that I put into my case as a back up. I found that using EQ in my 4th gen does not distort the sound and the sound of the EQ seems different from my 1st gen (using the same EQ setting). So, I believe that they improve the EQing in the 4th gen.
Feature wise, the 4th gen for sure is slimmer and slicker than my 1st gen lol. It also has better screen resolution which I love so much (I don't even have to zoom when browsing to this forum, I never able to do that with my 1st gen). The speed when browsing has also improve a lot (again I am comparing 1st and 4th gen), web pages open faster, scrolling also smoother, clicking also more precise. People complain that the screen is not as good as the Iphone 4 and that's true, but I find it actually better. The screen will become washed out when seeing from an angle, but it is not that bad (same like watching TV with LCD HDTV compared to Plasma), when seeing directly it's great. I find this to be better because I don't want people to see what I am doing when using my Ipod and even when you showing something to your friends, the most will be 2-3 people, so no problem for that.

 

[Young Spade]

@voicemaster: Nice writeup man. I remember back when I had the 1G touch and loved it; then realized how bad it was when I got other players (5G Nano, T51, etc).
 
Care to post a pic to show size differences? 

 

[Maxvla]

Anyone find a good case yet? Been waiting for Otterbox, but I'm open to suggestions.

 

[voicemaster]

I bought a silicone case for my 4th gen for $16 from a accessories vendor in a mall. It doesn't come with screen protector, but having my 1st gen for over 2 years (put it in my pocket with keys and cellphone, dropped on the pavement), I haven't scratch the screen yet. But the metal case back is full of scratches that is why I am more worried to scratch my metal case back than my screen. 

 

[Maxvla]

Silicone cases are not for me. I hate those grabby rubber things. Impossible to pocket them. I had a Corsair USB key with that stuff on it and when it died in the washer one day I was almost glad.

 

[voicemaster]

hmm the silicone case that I have is not rubbery and doesn't really sticky. I put them in my pocket just fine (thanks to 4th gen slimness). I have those super sticky silicone case for my mini long time ago and that thing is a lint magnet and impossible to clean. The one that I use for my 4th is more plastic than rubber and doesn't seem to attract lint so much. Very simple case. Just give it time so that other manufacturers are starting to make cases for 4th gen and I am sure it won't take too long.

 

[leng jai]

I used the iSkin Vibe for my Touch and really liked it. The fit was nice and tight and it didn't add much bulk. Not sure if they have made 4th gen versions yet though

 

[xavierrenegade]

I was reading an article in the Los Angeles Times a couple of days ago it explained how you can get an Ipod Clasic that's 160GB but with an Ipod touch you can only get up 64GB. They felt a problem with the Ipod Touch is you cant get one with more than 64GB of storage space and you would think they would realize people want a Ipod Touch with a larger storage. I found with the Microsoft Zune you can get a 16GB, 32GB and 64GB version. It's not like the other companies out there are making MP3 players with any more storage space than an Apple Ipod.
 
Personally I would be fine with a 16GB Zune HD. I think I could find at least 200-300 songs I like but not enough stuff to fill a 16GB MP3.  I don't see how you could fill up a 64GB Ipod Touch? Maybe you purchased some  TV Shows, Movies or something. I don't see Itunes as being a big issue when buying a Ipod Touch. I would rather have a Zune HD. I don't want to pay full price for an Ipod Touch. I would rather buy an MP3 player where I know I'm getting a good discount off the retail price and not being overcharged. I noticed there is an 8GB version of the 4th Gereneration Ipod Touch for $229. That was the same price a 16GB Zune HD cost a year ago. I could get a Zune HD probably for $50-80 cheaper that 8GB Ipod Touch.
 
I could also get one of those new Archos Internet Tablets that run off the Google Android platform.  The cheapest model Archos has is the 28 Internet Tablet which comes with either 4GB or 8GB internal memory for $100. If you don't mind not having an FM reciever these new Archos Internet Tablets look nice and can also be used as an MP3 Player. Only problem is I don't know if there are many app's for those things. They also have a 32 Internet Tablet for $150 and a 43 Internet Tablet for $200.

 

[Achmedisdead]

 
Quote:

 I think I could find at least 200-300 songs I like but not enough stuff to fill a 16GB MP3.  I don't see how you could fill up a 64GB Ipod Touch?

Quite a few people here use lossless files on their DAP's,(FLAC, ALAC, etc.) so it would be easy to fill a 64GB player. Then again, I'd bet that most of the members here could easily fill a 64GB player with even lossy files. Even with my one 30GB capacity player, I had to make some hard decisions on what not to put on it because I was running out of room....and that was with only lossy files.