iOS 4 Review
Attention, readers! This review is now dated, as I recently obtained a fourth-generation iPod Touch, which has EVERYTHING, literally, except calling capability (apart from Skype, which is very handy). Thank you for reading this. We now return you to your regularly scheduled review, already in progress…
The new update for iPhone and iPod Touch users came out recently, and owning one of these systems, I now have the pleasure of relaying to you my personal opinions of the features that I received. Unfortunately, I own a 2nd Generation iPod Touch, which got the short end of the shaft from Apple. Here’s my review:
First of all: Wallpapers and Multitasking…
…Are not available for users of 2nd Generation iPod Touches… The decision by Apple to exclude multitasking is obvious: it requires far more processing power that, although 2nd Generation iPods have enough, would be an incredible drain on the battery and would cause the iDevice to heat up prematurely.
The exclusion of wallpapers, however, is clearly a ploy by Apple to force the obsolescence of older devices in order to persuade more people to purchase a new, more expensive item. Because all that is required is to place an image behind the icons, which is already done in the permanent bar at the bottom of the screen.
Both of these features are available for users who Jailbreak their devices, and this shows how Apple is clearly either forcing obsolescence or being lazy.
Anyway, the next feature I will be reviewing is: iBooks
iBooks is a feature that allows users to download and read virtual books in the .epub format.
At first, after first installing iOS 4, iBooks is buggy and slow. But this is quickly remedied by a simple “Power Off & Restart”. After this, it is pretty much smooth.
Despite the small screen, the books on the iPod/iPhone version of iBooks are very readable, however the quality is nowhere near what can be seen on an iPad.
Another thing I found good about iBooks is that you can import your own .epub and .pdf files from your computer into iBooks, a feature which has long been anticipated. These files read well and have customizable cover art.
Finally, the only other major change for 2nd Generation iPod Touch users, Folders.
Folders is by far a great new feature. As a person who has many pages worth of apps, these folders have organised my iPod into a single page.
Folders has a smooth, stylish interface and although they cannot be organised on the computer, the time it takes to drag apps to and fro in organisation is definitely worth it.
Unfortunately, this review cannot be any longer as Apple has excluded many features on 2nd Generation iPods that could have been taken on board had they wanted or tried to. While the new interface and new ideas are fun and cool, these exclusions leave me with a final rating of just 6.5 out of 10.
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