iPod Touch...the review...

**** Disclaimer*****

I was not paid in any way for this review, but if Apple wants to give me free credit in their store, I will gladly take it ;)!!!

I LOVE my iPod Touch!!!! (how's that for a technical review?).

Seriously, though, this is an incredible device.

First of all, I got the 3rd Generation model with a 64 GB memory. Now, many people's jaws have dropped when I told them how much memory I have, but there is a reason.

I didn't just want this to be a portable music and game player. It is going to be taking the place of my beloved Palm Tungsten E2. You see, I've been a Palm Pilot girl for many years. I got my first Palm when Kyle was 2, and it's been integral to organizing my life ever since. Unfortunately, now they don't make Palm's without the phone included. I wasn't sure I wanted to go the Palm Pre, or Palm Pixie route with my phone. I knew that the Touch (because of the iPhone before it) had countless apps available, and I figured on being able to download anything I needed. Plus, the touchscreen is much more like the original Palm, without the bulkiness of a stylus.

I've loved the iPod for music. I played my first video podcast on it last night, and it was incredibly cool. The playback is perfect, every bit as good as it plays back on our laptop. I love the Genius feature that is enabled in iTunes.

I have had great luck with the apps I have downloaded. The amount of apps that are free or low priced is astounding...I've been able to find everything I could possibly need for less than $3. There are a few things I'm considering that are more than that, but most of what I've downloaded has been free. I like free.

I had 2 main concerns for this device. I needed a good checkbook program, and I needed a good shopping program. For years I have used SplashMoney and SplashShopper on my Palm. I've loved those applications. I was excited that they were offered on the iPod, only to see that the reviews (from dedicated SplashData users) were TERRIBLE. So, I found other applications that suited my needs that got better reviews. The best part was that they were both free.

I went shopping with my new shopping list app today. It was soooooo much easier than what I've been using for years. Part of that is the touch screen, but my new app has lists divided up by store aisles...it made my shopping list so much easier to manage.

I've also transferred all my accounts into my Checkbook app. It's pretty basic, but it was free and is working great.

I love being able to search the internet anywhere there's WiFi, quickly look up info, or even shop. The games are a fun distraction as well.

I am disappointed that there's not a way to load DVD's you already own onto the iPod Touch. To my mind, it's no different than CD's I've already purchased. I can add the CD's to my iTunes library, so why can't I do the same with the DVD's I've already bought?
(and if there's a way to do it that I just don't know about, please, please let me know! :))

Overall, I'm extremely pleased and satisfied with my gift.
I'm really glad Cole convinced me to upgrade to the most memory.