iPod Classic or iPod Touch? Your opinions and experiences

[Lydia Leftcoast]

With a boring plane ride and layovers ahead of me next week, I got out the old iPod and realized that it was a first-generation Nano, which means a whopping 2GBs of memory. That won't even hold the music (4GB) I have currently downloaded and transferred from CDs, not to mention the TV shows that I have downloaded from iTunes and not watched yet.

I've seen in-store demos of both, as well as the demos on the Apple website. I realize that the iPod Touch doesn't hold nearly as much stuff as the Classic, which holds amazing amounts, and is more expensive. However, it has two other advantages: that larger screen with the landscape view, and wireless Internet, which would mean being able to travel without lugging my computer, a huge consideration in these days of security lines and the need to pack light.

On the other hand, once I get my entire music collection (nearly 400 CDs, mostly classical, jazz, and world beat) transferred, the iPod Touch won't come anywhere near being able to hold it all.

What's a puzzled Mac user to do? Any thoughts from actual users of the two?

Thanks!

(NOTE: I posted this in the Lounge, but it's getting no attention. I think the whole Lounge may have me on ignore.)

[Lost-in-FL]

1. I have a 30G Classic iPod (first video ipod)...

and it worked very well for me during a long trip to Europe. The battery is now starting to fail and it also glitches a lot. This is why I want to get a new one and I am debating if to get the 120G iPod New Classic or an iTouch. My husband has an iTouch and it is awesome. I would love to have one but there is not enough memory for I use it for school and use lots of audiobooks and videos.

Here are my reason why I am strongly considering getting the 120G instead of the iTouch.

1) Because it is cheaper (can't beat 120G for only $249, the price of the old 4G Nano). The iTouch is +$300 for only 16G's.
2) Can hold much more music, audiobooks and videos and I know I will be adding a lot more. I don't have to pick and choose what I need and everything is available if i need it there with me.
3) The most important reason is because surfing the net in the iTouch is a PITA after a while and the battery won't last as much as the classic when the wifi is constantly looking for a connection (I might be wrong here and also you can turn the wifi off). It is good if you need quick information but after a while, surfing the net gets tiring. Typing is a real PITA, unless of course you are used to using a Blackberry or similar devise which I don't have. I rather have my Macbook around if I need to surf the net and besides, there aren't many places with free wifi around here so what is the point of having an ipod with wifi? Also, many applications need internet connection like Google earth or local restaurant listings, etc. If you don't have a wifi around the wifi capabilities of the iTouch are worthless.

I don't have problems with the iPod classic screen since I use reading glasses and again, I had a first generation video ipod and I am used to it. Looking at both classic and iTouch the screen size do not make much difference to me, it is just a little bigger. The screen in the iTouch might be better but it can break (The ipod Classic seems stronger to me) easier IMO than in the classic.

I hope this helps.

[moggie]

2. I have both

I was happy with my 80 GB Classic as a pure iPod, but bought a 32 GB Touch to get some PDA-like capabilities (ideally I'd go for an iPhone, but apart from the price I'm already locked into a phone contract). I have too much music to fit it all on the Touch, but to be honest I don't listen to much of it at present, so I'm not finding that much of a problem.

I haven't made much use of the wireless, after the initial gosh-wow novelty period. It drains the battery pretty quickly, and I don't have much need of it. Your mileage may vary.

The display on the Touch is excellent, and certainly good enough for video, if you want to do that. You can watch video on the Classic, but with that tiny screen you probably wouldn't want to for long.

Where the Touch really scores is the functionality it provides above and beyond playing music and videos, including its programmability. Mine has pretty much replaced my old PDA, and keeps my calendar and address book, syncing with my Mac. It also securely remembers the many passwords I have to use in my job, has my shopping list, and is a general-purpose notepad. I even have a few games for it. The majority of the applications available via Apple's app store are rubbish, but there are gems to be found.

I suppose the one area where the Classic is still better, apart from the huge storage, is how it's controlled. I'll normally have shuffle mode enabled, so I'm listening to tracks at random, which means that I'll sometimes want to skip a track. With the Classic, I can do this without even removing it from my pocket, but with the Touch I need to: click the home button, use the on-screen slider to unlock, then touch the on-screen 'next track' button - and this can't realistically be done with it in your pocket. Mine doesn't even have physical volume controls (the later model does).

Oh, I nearly forgot: the Classic can also be used as a regular external disk, which can be handy if you work on a number of computers and often need to move large files around. I actually used my pre-Classic iPod once to do an emergency backup of a system. The Touch can't be used in this way.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

3. Announcement of Decision:

I went for a 16GB touch. The reason was that my immediate need was for something to travel with. I don't like taking my computer around (it contains everything I need for my livelihood, and even if it's backed up...), especially with the hassle of having to take it out and put it back at the security checkpoints. (Besides, that horizontal screen is just irresistibly cool.)

The guy in the store let me play with the e-mail function, and it will do as long as I don't have to write anything very complicated. However, I do need to have e-mail. Even though I notify all my customers before leaving, SOMEONE always forgets and sends an urgent job to be done by the next morning.

Anyway, the plan is to put a selection of music and a couple of TV shows on it for the purposes of this trip.

I can always get a Classic later. :-)

Thanks for all your input!

[ChairmanAgnostic]

4. what a conversation.

Someplace, there is an original Apple without the hard drive. Hell, i remember my first 486 machine, that had A HARD DRIVE with a whole 20 megs (had to pay extra for that. it normally came with 5 or 10 megs).

[OrwellwasRight]

6. Yeah, I used to do work for grad school on my nephew's Mac that had no hard drive.

I had to switch back and forth between the floppy disk that had MacWrite on it and the floppy disk that I was saving my papers to. Wow. How times change.

Now I think I am the only one in the world who still has a G3 iBook.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

5. I'm posting this on my new iPod Touch

This will take some getting used to, but so far it's a great little gadget.

[erinlough]

7. Love mine and I use it every day.

you will find there are increasingly more places to pick up wifi. Some I've found are libraries, McDonald's, Culvers restaurant, Most Casinos, Truck Stops, Schools, Panera Bread and the list goes on. Have Fun!!!!

[awoke_in_2003]

11. I have a 32gig iTouch...

it is simply the greatest thing ever invented :)

[Spritz57]

8. For what its worth,

Wadia has introduced an iPod interface which bypasses the iPod's D/A chips and gives audiophile quality playback for those with home stereo's. Apparently (if I read the reviews correctly) the Classic has some advantages over the Nano due to the menu interface. The added storage of the Classic would then be a terrific advantage--imagine having all of your CD's (and records if you use something like an iMic) available for playback on your stereo! This Wadia unit will work though with the Nano, Classic, and Touch. This maybe the future of music servers for those who want the convenience of an iPod and use it in their home stereo's. :headbang:

[Pierre.Suave]

13. Here is a link to that

the Wadia 170 iTransport

http://www.musicdirect.com/product/82178

[Lydia Leftcoast]

9. Interesting twist of fate

I am attending a professional convention, and in talking with a potential client, I decided to enter their biz card drawing. So guess what I won: an ipod Classic! I guess it was destiny. :-)

[Pierre.Suave]

12. Nice

congrats

[47of74]

10. I have a Touch and wonder how I ever got along without.