The Apple iPod Touch is the crown jewel of Apple’s iPod family.  The “Touch”, as it’s so affectionately known (no doubt we will one day find this name to be redundant and slightly regrettable), has changed perceptions about what MP3 players are capable of with its bevy of features and highly-responsive touch screen interface.  But which of these features are truly something to write home about, and which are simply elaborate smoke and mirrors.  We set out to answer this question with a trip to Shopaholic’s tech lab, and here’s what we found:

Best for video junkies: Retina display

I belong to the camp of people who prefer to watch video on a screen that you don’t have to squint at, but even the most stubborn amongst us have to admit that the iPod Touch’s visuals are impressive.  With the same 960×640 resolution as Apple’s other giant, the iPhone, the Touch also features LED backlighting and an ambient light sensor that adjusts the brightness of the screen for the best viewing possible.  Even if you’re not planning on watching Avatar on your iPod, these gorgeous graphics are hard to ignore.

Best for aspiring YouTube stars: HD recording

Five years ago the thought of recording HD video on a device this small would have been preposterous, but the iPod Touch delivers such capability with one-touch ease.  The iPod’s ability to take both high quality video and still images in just about any lighting is staggering, but things are amped up even further with the addition of the iMovie software (available via the app store).  On-board iMovie allows you to edit, streamline, and publish your video on the go.  Very impressive stuff.

Best for Mum and Dad: FaceTime

Apple made quite a splash when the company introduced FaceTime technology on the iPhone 4.  The iPod Touch brings the service to an even broader audience, allowing users to video chat with other iPod users, those with iPads, or iPhone 4 owners over Wi-Fi.  The best part?  The video is silky smooth, meaning you won’t have to leave your loved ones behind on your next out-of-town business trip.

Best for commuters: App Store & Game Center

Anyone who has spent significant time on a train or bus with their Touch knows what a Godsend Apple’s apps can be.  Game Center adds a new social element to your daily Angry Birds habit, while new games and apps can be added in just a moment’s time (provided you have a Wi-Fi connection) with the App Store.  Both programs add incredible value to an already impressive device.

Best overall feature: Music playback

No, this isn’t a joke.  Apple’s iPod asserted its dominance as the number one MP3 player long ago with its superior music interface, and the iPod Touch does little to tarnish this standing.  Cover flow, Genius mixes, and the built-in iTunes store are all new features here, but really the star of the show is the ease with which you can instantly locate and play your favourite music.  It’s a feature that is often overlooked when discussing the iPod these days, but really – what more could you want from an MP3 player?

Did you know?
As of Jan. 22, 2011, Apple’s App Store had over 10 billion downloads.

-Jeff O.

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