No Virginia, the gen 2 iPod Touch does not fly through the atmosphere

First, let's establish exactly what the Apple iPod Touch is; it's predominantly a personal entertainment device.  Yes, it's also an organizer, web browser, and mapper, but it's equipped with so many fun recreational applications that it can keep you mesmerized for physically unhealthy chunks of time. Once again Apple has used Martian technology from crashed UFO's to cram astounding capabilities into this mind-bogglingly thin device.

Internet Capability

The Touch automatically connects to available Wi-Fi networks.  As expected, it comes with Apple's proprietary Safari browser.  Unlike analogous, but out classed smart-phones, the Touch allows multiple windows to be open at once. Also unlike smart-phones, web pages load exactly as they would on your home computer, rather than in garbled fragments of the original page that are impossible to browse. Browsing on the Touch is accomplished simply by touching the screen. To open links you tap them, to scroll down you drag your finger down the screen, and to resize the page you double-tap the screen (which sometimes does not work).  When scrolling down you don't have to drag your finger on the screen with continuous contact, rather a quick "sweep" sends the page cascading down with momentum.  This feature is shared throughout the Touch's applications.  When you rotate the Touch horizontally, the web page automatically rotates and resizes along with the device.    

Web sites that would normally be accessed by a browser on your home computer are treated as individual applications on the Touch, and open separately.  These are Stocks, YouTube, Weather, and Clock (which shows the time in chosen international cities). 

Browsing speed is perplexingly fast; equal to the speed of my notebook when operating on a Wi-Fi network.

The Touch also comes with Google Maps, which automatically locates your Touch based on the closest Wi-Fi hotspot, and gives you directions to anyplace from your current location.  Obviousy the Touch can only be connected to the internet when at a Wi-Fi hotspot, so it's not possible to navigate while driving down the highway.

Movies

WOW!  The Touch's picture quality is great, with good colors, sharp resolution and high dynamic range.  Zap an HD widescreen TV with a shrink ray, and you've got an Touch.  The sound is dramatic, crisp, and booming through the ear buds, and literally makes the small screen seem bigger than it actually is.  If lacking the ear buds, the Touch is equipped with internal speakers.  Their performance isn't  particularly impressive, but they aren't intended for primary use in the first place.  Movies are loaded onto the Touch in the same way as music.  On your computer you simply place movies into your iTunes library, and your Touch will automatically sync the selected movies when docked to the computer.  Movies can be rented or purchased directly through the iTunes store. 

Music

As an iPod, the Touch obviously does a superb job of playing music. The real beauty is that the Touch plays music through a scaled-down version of iTunes, rather than a series of hierarchical lists controlled by a touch wheel like on traditional iPods.

Games and Apps

This is the magic of the Touch, and albeit a profit factory for Apple.  The Touch doesn't come with any games, but launches directly to the App Store where you can download thousands of games, and clever entertainment applications.  Most apps cost between $.99- $10.00, but surprisingly there are plenty that are free, which are perfectly fun; you just have to put up with the occasional add that pops up between levels.  The download process is very streamlined.  Once you've chosen an app from a categorized list, it installs directly to your Touch on your home screen, and the same iTunes account that you buy music with is charged.  In addition to games, you can download such ridiculous apps as Fart Machine, Voice Changer, and Mug of Beer, where the Touch's integral motion sensor turns the screen into a virtual mug of beer that tilts in response to the device's motions.  There are also functional apps that serve as tools for specific professions. 

While certainly not of the same gaming calibre as the PSP for example, games on the touch are fairly sophisticated for such a tiny, multifaceted device, and definitely a step above the primitive games found on smart phones.  I downloaded Band of Brothers, a first person shooter game.  Playing it on the Touch is very exciting as you navigate across the virtual battfield, full of explosions, obstacles, and aiplanes zooming overhead.  To move your character around you simply tilt the Touch in the desired direction.   

Size, Ergonomics and Operation

In keeping with Apple's minimalist design tradition, there's only one button on the Touch; the "home" button, which navigates you back to the home screen from any application.  All other navigation is accomplished by directly touching, dragging, and "pinching" the screen.  Apple is so successful at keeping things simple and uncluttered that sometimes there's a bit of investigation required to figure out where certain functions are "hidden".  This problem however is infrequent, and the Touch is generally simple and intuitive to figure out.  To seemingly push minimalist extremes even further, there are no operating instructions included with the Touch, which is the case with all iPods. Typing is accomplished via a digital keyboard, and requires a bit of precision and adaptation to type without fumbling your letters.  The Touch is perfectly sized; any larger and it wouldn't slip into my breast pocket, any smaller and I wouldn't be able to watch movies enjoyably.  Its tapered wing-shape is wondrous in form, and only 3/8" at its thickest point.  As with all iPods, the Touch is solidly built, sleek, without seems, cracks or joints, and seemingly impervious...just like the UFO's from which this device inherited its technology.        

Battery Life

According to the power indicator, there was over 75% battery life left after watching a 2 hour movie, which I consider very acceptable.  It took another cumulative 3 hours of Wi-Fi use, playing games, and watching YouTube videos to trigger the 10% warning.  At that point a 1.5 hour charge restored the battery to full life.

Price

$250-$300 is a lot of money for a sack of rice, but not for the iPod Touch. It costs a lot to put this kind of technology and capability into this infinitesimal shell.  The Touch has such a variety of adictive entertainment possibilities that it has made otherwise deathly boring airline flights so enjoyable that I wished the plane wouldn’t land.