Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I've had some time to use my 5th Gen iPod Touch (I got the silver) and I like it. On the surface it doesn't seem like much improvement over my 4th Gen model except it is longer, but after playing around with it I can explain the differences. The 5G is definitely lighter than the 4G. The steel back of the previous model feels archaic compared to the sleek aluminum casing on the 5G. The extra 1/2" of screen real estate does not sound like much, but being the owner of a Samsung Galaxy S2 I'm accustomed to using a larger screen and I can say that the 4G iPod Touch's screen was definitely too small. The 5G seems about right, not too big or small. It can be used for one handed operation in portrait mode. The retina screen is better than the 4G Touch which would suffer from yellow discoloration when viewed off angle. The 5G Touch screen does suffer when viewed off angle, but just becomes dimmer and the color does not lose integrity. Looking at other reviews I've noticed others have complained about a yellow tint but I have not experienced this. I had pre-ordered the Silver model. The screen actually feels much more responsive and accurate than the 4G. It almost feels like Apple increased the touch sensitivity. Knowing what kind of improvement in technology Apple made, I know that the increase in sensitivity is likely due to improvements in hardware, not software. The layer that receives your touch input is now much closer to the surface, I think this is why the screen feels more responsive. The camera is much improved over the 4G. I can honestly consider using the 5G iPod Touch as a cheap replacement camera. The functionality has improved as well. iOS 6 offers a foolproof Panorama feature that allows you to take Panoramic pictures. My previous phone (HTC Amaze) also had this feature but it was not implemented nearly as well. As you operate the panorama feature, the app will tell you to slow down, move up or down, in order to make the picture. It even shows you in a smaller picture, where the camera is in the process of making the panorama so you can see if you are half way done, or are almost done making the picture. I would say the panorama is close to 270 degrees, not quite a 360 degree panorama. Also improved is the ability to share pictures on the fly (if you have wifi connection). You can click on the picture, then share, then compose the email. A window will pop up telling you how large the email message is and give you options to scale down the image so that it will not take up so much space, a very nifty feature indeed. Another nice touch is you can use the Vol Up/Down button to take the picture which is much more ergonomically friendly. The faster processor has been a blessing. I like to play Virtua Tennis and the 4G iPod Touch was unable to play this game without slowing and freezing up. The 5G Touch has no problems running this game which is a relief. I feel like this device can pretty much take anything I throw at it. I am playing a game of 'Words With Friends'. I downloaded it for my Galaxy S2 phone and my iPod Touch. The iPod Touch's version looks much better, the tiles are actually transparent so you can see if a Triple Letter or Double Word was used or not. The tiles for Android system are solid so you can't see anything underneath them. The Lightening connector makes it easier to plug and recharge. It doesn't matter which way you plug it in, it will work. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for the other end of the cable which is a USB interface. That interface can only be plugged in one way. The included earbuds are not so good and I'm going to Ebay mine. They are definitely an improvement over the previous earbuds. At the end of the day, I still prefer my Sony's in-ear headphones. They (the Apple earbuds) sound a bit hollow to me I think because they don't fit quite right in my ears. Of course your ears are shaped differently from mine, so you might have a completely different experience. As an mp3 player this iPod Touch excels. I just need to order an armband from Ebay. I have compared the sound quality between this one and the 5th generation iPod (not Touch) as well as my Galaxy S2 phone. The iPod Touch 5G sounds much stronger and detailed across the music spectrum, there is no comparison. I don't know what they put inside the iPod Touch to make it sound better, but it definitely sounds better than any other portable device I currently own. I have purchased an inexpensive wireless bluetooth adapter and connected it to some portable Bose speakers. I listen to music, play games, and watch movies through my iPod Touch in my bedroom because I find the small built-in speaker to be lacking in oomph. The sound quality is very good and satisfying and being wireless is awesome. The built in speaker for the 5G iPod Touch is decent, don't get me wrong. It's just one speaker on the bottom and it won't blow your socks off, but it's not offensively bad either. When I'm outside, it's better than nothing and I appreciate having it when headphones are not available. There's a lanyard that comes with the phone, feels like leather in construction or maybe it's faux leather. It's very lightweight, soft, and strong. It is attached via a flexible plastic ring, which doesn't feel as reassuring, but probably is. Is the 5G iPod Touch worth $300? I think it is. It's a massive upgrade in so many ways from the 4G. The camera lens is the same as the 4S but has better algorithms so it takes better low light photos. I wish I could change the aspect ratio to 3:2 (like a DSLR) but there's no option for this. The ability to do panoramas quickly and easily and send them off to friends and family will really be neat. The overall package of having a lighter weight aluminum casing and attractive bezel makes the 5G Touch feel like a smaller iPhone 5. No doubt in my mind, Apple has really worked hard to put a lot into your hand with this little device. I own a Samsung Galaxy S2 phone and I prefer the iPod Touch 5G for my home web surfing and fun. The screen is much better and it's just a much better constructed device, hardware and software included. If you've never owned an iPod Touch and are considering it, iOS is part of a much larger eco-system. There are many good quality apps available as well as third party support. Bose makes a high quality Sound Dock that really makes the Touch shine for music. Of course there's the added Passbook feature which allows easier booking for certain airlines and purchases like Walgreens and Target. If you own a Nest, electric thermostat, you will be able to control it remotely. If you have Airplay (wireless data transfer), or Apple TV, you will also be able to use your iPod Touch to control those devices. You also get Facetime which is Apple's video chat feature, making it easy to connect with family and friends with another idevice. ***Update 11/1/2012*** I'm loving my iPod Touch more and more each day. I took several pictures during our Halloween office party and made some nice collages using the apps from the app store. My boss really liked them and gave me compliments! There are many quality apps for making nice pictures including Instagram which seems to be integrated with many of the other picture editing apps. The camera is proving to be quite useful. I have Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, Photoshop, Elements, and an old version of Photoshop. After playing around with the photo editors in my iPod Touch I don't feel like dealing with any of those softwares anymore because the apps make life so much quicker and easier. Because collages are so easy to make and share, I plan to make future collages of vacations and trips, even though I have much nicer cameras at my disposal (Panasonic GX1 and Panasonic ZS7 both expen$ive cameras!). I feel like I'm just scratching the surface of what I can do with the camera. I am also ordering a tripod mount to take videos. Hopefully iMovie will help me make a nice video. Lots of high quality apps available. The games I've downloaded are very much enjoyable and run great. Now I am not afraid to arrive early to an appointment, nor do I mind waiting in line at supermarket because I can play games to kill the time. I went farther than I ever did playing Jetpack Joyride while waiting in line at Top Foods yesterday. ***UPDATE AUG 17, 2013*** I did it. I bought an iPhone. I sold my iPod touch to help pay for some of it. It's the app ecosystem that is attractive and keeps me coming back for more. Because of the iPhone, I can use apps that I could not use before because the iPod touch does not have a compass. I feel like I simply moved up the ladder. If you like the iPod touch, you'll like the iPhone. Now I see why people simply opt for the iPhone and don't bother with the touch. The iPhone 5 definitely feels more upscale compared with the touch. The Home button fits better (there isn't quite the ledge between button and top surface. The speakers are louder and things seem to move along quicker. The camera takes pictures that are just as good but may look better. iP5 is a freaking work of art. It's so small and lightweight. No wonder people drop it all the time. Every smart device I've ever owned needed to be treated gingerly, but iP5 takes it to a whole other level.