iPod Touch 4th Gen could be a nice tablet

Most people I know use their cellphones in a limited matter, you know for calls and texting, and rely on other gadgets for web browsing, social media and so on. For them I believe the new iPod Touch 4th Gen, launched by Apple yesterday, is the best portable device to get. It’s cheaper than the iPhone 4, way smaller, has option for increased storage and won’t bother you with the iPhone 4 reception problems since it doesn’t have cell phone radios inside.

Let’s take a short look at the forth generation of Apple’s most advanced MP3 player, the one that you can really use as a mobile gaming device thanks to the enhancements received for this 2010 generation:

• A4 chip, the same family found inside the iPad
• 3.5-inch (diagonal) widescreen Multi-Touch display, 960-by-640-pixel resolution at 326 pixels per inch (Retina display)
• 8GB, 32GB or 64GB flash drive storage
• 802.11n + Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
• Maps-location based service
• Nike + iPod support built in
• Video recording, HD (720p) up to 30 frames per second with audio, still photos (960 x 720) with back camera + front facing VGA camera with Facetime support over WiFi
• Lithium-ion battery good for 40 hours of music, 7 hours video; recharges in 2 hours at 80% and a full charge takes 4 hours
• Dimensions: H – 4.4 inches (111.0 mm), W – 2.3 inches (58.9 mm), D – 0.28 inch (7.2 mm)
• Weight: 3.56 ounces (101 grams)

Basically the new iPod Touch 2010 model (4th generation) is a smaller iPhone 4, without the radio chips and a less impressive digital camera (limited to less than 1 megapixel still shots, but can record videos in HD format). Smaller and with less less features also means less money to pay (I always count the fact that you have to get an AT&T contract for two years with the iPhone 4) so here’s how much Apple is charging for one of their sexiest MP3 players: 229$ for the 8 GB version, 299$ for  the 32 GB model and 399$ for the 64 GB one.

Sexy from all directions

If you take a look at the title of this post you may be wondering why I said the new iPod Touch could be a tablet. Well, considering that Archos just launched 5 tablets yesterday at IFA Berlin 2010, from which two are smaller (2.8 and 3.2 inches) and one is barely bigger (4.3 inches) it’s clear that there’s a market for smaller diagonal tablets, so why not a 3.5 inch device like this one. Probably Apple will launch the second generation iPad with smaller version (7 inches is a big bet here) so if the hardware is the same, except the screen, why not get the tablet you want according to the size you feel most comfortable with.

This is how it feels in hand

The iPod Touch 4th Gen is also a terrible mobile gaming platform that now it’s upgraded with better three-axis gyro, accelerometer and faster CPU. Game developers can now push further the limits of their imagination. I expect to see better mobile games especially developed for the new iPod Touch and iPhone 4. We’ve already seen iPad games that are really fun and engaging.

Gamers should be happy

Below there are two videos, one with the official Steve Jobs keynote of the new iPod Touch and one with a very short hands on made by Engadget: