Thursday, February 7, 2013

Apple iPod Touch 5th Generation Review


The iPod is one of the products neglected by Apple over the past couple of years. The fourth generation was released in 2010, along with iPhone 4. Ever since then, nothing happened. A new generation of iPhone didn’t necessarily bring in a new generation for iPod, so the fans lost their confidence that they will see any major improvements anytime soon. However, the experts at Apple were not sleeping, so they have recently released the amazing iPod Touch 5. The new gadget brings in anything you might expect from a media player. A lot of people take this device for an MP3 player. For them, these two gadgets are synonyms. But Apple has managed to go further than that. It has created some great gadgets for this time. With every new item released, the iPod has advanced even more on the technological ladder and today, the fifth generation is rocking and we have decided to write Apple’s new iPod touch 5th generation review.
At the first view, the device seems pretty interesting. It is thinner than its predecessor with around 6 millimeters. On the other hand, it is wider due to the 4 inch wide display. With all these, it is 10% lighter than the fourth generation. It works pretty fast and responds immediately to your commands, therefore, the processor has definitely been worked on. Finally, the camera quality has also been increased. But what can you find under the hood? Is it really worth?

iPod Touch 5th Gen Review

Appearance
At the first view and touch, the new iPod Touch 5 seems a great device for these days. It has a curved appearance, but also a chrome back that makes it looks like coming from the future. The bad part is that such a chrome is very sensitive. Handle the gadget for a few minutes and you will fill the back with fingerprints and small scratches. With all these, the minimal design is great. The shell is made out of aluminum. It is available in six different matte colors, while the headphone jack is still covered in white.
If you used some previous versions before, this new one looks more squared at the corners, but it still feels better to hold in a hand. The whole metallic enclosure is full of sensors, while the sides bring in the headphone jack, volume, connector and a few holes for the speaker. The camera is located in the left side of the cover, accompanied by the popular microphone hole. Unlike the fourth generation, this fifth one also includes a LED flash. The flash is adopted from iPhone 4S, so it has the precise same functions.
The dual band module is located on the back as well, carefully hidden behind a small plastic area. You also have Bluetooth and Nike+ support, while the GPS has not been fully implemented yet. You can track yourself around the city with a few applications, but none of them will ever compare to the popular system.
If you don’t really feel like holding your iPod in a case or cover, feel free to add a wrist strap. Check out the bottom part of the gadget. You will see a little circular button, which pops up when you push it. This is where the wrist strap goes in. It is an interesting feature most devices today have, but a few hide it so well. It is simply part of the futuristic style Apple wants to bring in.


Screen
The display is one of the main changes in the new iPod Touch 5. It has suffered from a vertical growth. The screen ratio is now 16:9, which is great for those who like to watch movies. The screen brings in an extra row of icons. It was initially enlarged due to the new iPhone 5 release. Unlike the previous version, which had a small screen compared to the iPhone, this one shares the same display. It is by far one of the best screens ever created for a mobile gadget. It has an amazing brightness and contrast, so you can watch it from a few different angles too, without any shadows or excessive lights. However, if there is one difference between the screens on these two devices, that is the lack of a sensor for brightness in iPod.


Software
iPod Touch 5 runs with iOS 6. If you are somehow familiar with the previous versions of iPhone, you should know what to expect. For instance, you now have the chance to use Siri, a voice based program willing to give you advice or listen to you. Besides, the iCloud is also one of the best options you have today. Storing your stuff in cloud is definitely a good idea, as long as you got a constant Internet connection. As for browsing, Safari has been updated to the latest version. All in all, the new iPod 5 gathers together everything iPhone 5 has from this point of view.
The maps are also there, but they are not too useful if you don’t have a GPS. One of the greatest new features is the ability to load and use a few third party applications, but the Apple restrictions will not give you the freedom you have always dreamed about.


Camera
There are a series of updates, upgrades and differences compared to the previous model. All of them represent the evolution of such advanced technologies. But from all these, the cameras are probably the most significant updates. The frontal camera has 1.2 megapixels, which is more than enough. It has the same properties as most cameras used today in modern devices, so if you own a smartphone, you are probably familiar with it. It can work pretty well under low light conditions too.
On the other hand, the back of the gadget presents the real update. A 5 megapixel camera is definitely a plus for iPod Touch 5. You might expect the gadget to adopt more features from iPhone 5. Although it could not bring in the 8 megapixel one from iPhone 5, this one can definitely compete with iPhone 4S. You cannot even compare the pictures with the ones taken by the previous iPod generations. The new camera may also be used by amateur photographers. Of course, you cannot really hope to come up with artistic and professional pictures, but if you are looking for a device to get some holiday snaps, this one is great for this task.
The video quality benefits from the same updates, yet it cannot be used by a professional. It is acceptable if you know how to shoot a video. If you think you can walk down the street and shoot meanwhile, you are wrong. The result will be worthless. However, if you still have to move a little, at least do it softly.


Sound
iPod Touch 5 is quite flexible from this point of view. Of course, it is highly recommended to use the EarPods designed by Apple, but there are a few other alternatives you may use too. If you think the quality differs, you are wrong. Most headphones compatible will give you a good result, depending on what kind of model you pick. Completely covering your ears will definitely give you a better feeling than sticking some small headphones in your ears. When compared to the previous version, there are no noticeable differences. The internal speaker is in the same situation. It is just as bad as the one used in the fourth generation. You can use it and hear it, but you will definitely want a pair of headphones instead. It is good when you don’t have other options though.


Performance
If a lot of people mostly care for these features, the technical freaks will definitely want to know more about what is inside the gadget. The dual core A5 processor is able to run at 800MHz. The PowerVR graphics are borrowed from iPhone 4S, even if Apple refused to give out too many details about the processor. Fortunately, there are a series of benchmarking applications that can give out all the details you might need. The ranks and appreciations for the processor are pretty good and the fact that this new iPod Touch 5 successfully implements a series of features iPhone 4S had, makes it even better.
Apple claims its new device can give you up to 40 hours of music, while if you want to watch some movie, you have eight hours of freedom.




In conclusion
As a short final conclusion, iPod Touch 5 is definitely a reliable gadget. If you think about it, it might be a great alternative for those who simply cannot afford an iPhone, yet they want an Apple gadget for the technology implemented. Some basic comparisons will reveal a series of obvious aspects. The new iPod Touch 5 brings in some of the features and technologies used by iPhone 4S, but it is far from being as advanced as iPhone 5. It is definitely way better compared to the previous iPod generation though. However, judging by how things evolve, it is not unusual to see a next generation implementing the features of the current iPhone. I hope you have liked iPod Touch 5 review, you can share your thoughts on this review in the comments section below.

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