What Hi Fi Sound and Vision 18 NOV 2008

Apple iPod Touch 32GB

£ 289 5

* * * * *

Pretty, portable and a superb performer – it’s another endlessly desirable iPod

For
Portable dimensions and stylish design; excellent interface and benefit of iTunes content; brilliant all-round performance; extra functionality
Against
Only compatible with Apple’s choice of movie formats; there are larger capacity players around

There's no point beating about the bush when it comes to Apple’s position in the MP3 player market. The company’s market share remains huge, its influence unrivalled, and its products are still the most covetable around.

The iPod Touch may have been the only product in Apple’s range not to pick-up an Award this year but its last incarnation was still a five-star product.

The new iPod Touch was launched with much fanfare earlier this year. There are a number of tweaks, with the addition of a contoured, stainless-steel back panel and the moving of the volume controls to the top left of the machine. It remains undoubtedly pocket-friendly and portable.

Battery life has been improved. It now clocks in at 36 hours of music and six hours of video. Support for the Nike + iPod running tool is now incorporated and there’s an external speaker.

Last, but not least, the new Apple App Store can be accessed, giving you access to hundreds of free and paid-for applications, from games and e-books, to news and information.

Touchscreen superb, as usual
At the heart of the Touch is a 32GB hard disk drive – there are cheaper 8 and 16 GB versions – that feeds a 3.5in widescreen, boasting a 480 x 320 screen resolution.

The touchscreen interface works brilliantly; coupled with the usability of iTunes and the content available makes for an unrivalled experience (if you’re happy to stick to Apple-friendly files).

Performance is top notch, too. Watching an episode of The Wire, we’re greeted by a pin-sharp, detailed picture that’s as pleasing with bright, colourful pictures as with dark, gloomy scenes.

Motion is handled smoothly, too, while sound has insight and subtlety – as listening to music rams home confidently, not least when you upgrade the freebie headphones.

Sound, vision and internet browsing are excellent, there are bags of extra features, and that brilliant interface remains every bit as special to use.

If you want a truly portable, genuine multimedia player, this is hard to beat