iPod,redux

iPod Touch

The Touch will now feature Apple’s stunning new Retina display with 960 x 640 pixels — four times more than before – that will add real life to videos and games. The 326 pixels per inch of the new screen is so dense that the human eye is unable to distinguish individual pixels when iPod Touch is held at a normal distance,making text,images and video look sharper,smoother and more realistic.

Then there is the new front-facing camera and mic so that users can make FaceTime video calls over Wi-Fi,making it almost an iPhone,maybe with the SIM missing. With just one tap of the new FaceTime app,new iPod Touch users can call each other or iPhone 4 users and see what their friends are up to.The rear-facing camera now had HD video recording and content captured can be easily shared via email,MobileMe and YouTube. With the iMovie app,users can combine movie clips,add dynamic transitions and themes and include photos and music right on their iPod Touch.

“The world’s most popular portable game player” now has Game Center which allows users to challenge and play friends or be matched automatically with new opponents. Game Center lets users showcase their scores and achievements and discover new games. With the App Store on iPod Touch,users have access to over 250,000 apps. The A4 chip,meanwhile,provides iPod Touch users with exceptional processor and graphics performance along with long battery life. In fact,the new Touch can play up to 40 hours of music and seven hours of video on a single battery charge. The new Touch will be available for Rs 15,400 for the 8GB model,Rs 19,900 for the 32GB model and Rs 25,900 for the 64GB model.

iPod Nano

The iPod Nano has also gone touch,thanks to Apple’s Multi-Touch interface that lets users navigate their music collection by simply tapping or swiping a finger on the display. Nearly half the size and weight of the previous generation,the new Nano features a polished aluminum and glass enclosure with a built-in clip,making it instantly wearable. The Nano now has Genius Mixes,the ability to create and edit playlists,a built-in FM radio with live pause and up to 24 hours of music playback on a single battery charge.

“This is the biggest reinvention of the iPod Nano since its debut in 2005,and we think users are going to love it,” says Apple CEO Steve Jobs. “Replacing the click wheel with our Multi-Touch interface has enabled us to shrink the iPod nano into an amazingly small design that is instantly wearable with its built-in clip.”The new iPod Nano with Apple’s Multi-Touch interface allows users to access their songs by just tapping or swiping on the display. Holding down a finger returns the user to the homescreen,and users can easily use two fingers to rotate the screen. Users can also customise their homescreen by simply dragging icons from other screens. The new iPod Nano will be available for Rs 10,700 for the 8GB model and Rs 12,700 for the 16GB model.

iPod Shuffle

The smallest iPod too has undergone a rebirth with clickable “ring” buttons and Apple’s innovative VoiceOver technology,enabling users to easily navigate their music and playlists without ever looking at their iPod shuffle. With nearly 50 per cent more battery life,the new iPod Shuffle features over 15 hours of music playback on a single battery charge and offers 2GB of storage for just Rs 3,200.The clickable buttons make the new Shuffle even easier to use. Press the centre button to play and pause,press the outer buttons to skip forward and back or adjust the volume up and down.

The new VoiceOver button on top of iPod shuffle allows users to hear the name of the currently playing song and to switch between songs,playlists or Genius Mixes. VoiceOver speaks 25 different languages and even alerts users when their battery needs charging.