Reviews

Oct 25 2007

iPod touch–5 Things it is and isn’t

I would not have thought to post a review of the touch after so many others, except that I keep running into review after review that does nothing but list the iPhone features not in the touch. So, in an effort to promote good, rational buying decisions and give the iPod touch a fair look I’m going to run down my impressions of the new iPod.

ipodTouch1 iPod touch 5 Things it is and isnt

The touch is NOT an iPhone

If you dig down into the comments on most of the reviews where the touch gets beat up, you find someone pointing out that the touch is not an iPhone minus the phone. It does not include the same feature set or applications and never will. As much as we can demand as consumers that everything Apple makes have every feature we can dream up and still be stable, there is something called product differentiation. And our slim friend must sink or swim on his own virtues. That doesn’t mean things aren’t missing, though, read on.

The touch is the Sexiest iPod Ever Made

If you haven’t held one in your hands, you just don’t know how well crafted this iPod is. It makes the iPhone look fat. I can (and have) spent ten minutes just holding the thing, admiring the weight, balance and smooth surface. And that’s before you turn it on. Coverflow and animations in the OS make the interface a match for the exquisite shell.

The touch is Almost the Best Internet Tablet on the Market

Safari on the touch is fantastic. It is the best handheld browser available. It is more stable, faster and easier to navigate than Opera on Nokia’s Internet Tablets. And it makes Pocket Internet Explorer look ridiculous. Thanks to great developers making the most of the “webapp” guidelines from Apple, just-for-iPhone web interfaces are almost as good as the iPod’s own interface. So why almost? Wifi takes its toll on the battery (about 2x the drain of off-line use) and without support for Bluetooth tethering – so you can use your phone’s internet access – once the wifi goes, so does the fun. But that leads me to my next point:

Off-line, the touch isn’t Half as Fun

ipodTouch2 iPod touch 5 Things it is and isnt

The iPod touch is an iPod right? So we should be listening to U2 and watching episodes of the Office, right? But that’s no fun. We could do that on our old iPod videos. Unfortunately, the new added functionality we love on the touch (including webapps) vaporize with our internet connection. What do we need? Off-line applications (the kind that come from 3rd parties hacked now, or legit SDK in February) to allow us to play with downloaded content while saving battery life between hotspots or on a plane. Until then, its nothing but boring podcasts, songs, videos and photos.

The touch isn’t a PDA, but will Replace the PDA

With the smart-phone and personal media + browsing device duo, Apple brings doom to the product category is created. Introducing the web (and soon 3rd party apps), Apple has turned the gadget everybody is dying to have into the gadget that can do anything. From corporate intranets to Facebook, the fruits of a web interface in a grown-up browser make the touch infinitely more powerful than a PDA.

Go, now and buy! Or don’t. Either way, be sure to evaluate the touch on its own merits.

Brian

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Sep 8 2007

HDHomeRun Network PVR

The iPod with video and Apple TV have shown us that television at last has a home on your Mac. Although Apple wold be fine with you buying that programming from them, there is another way.

Mac PVRs are nothing new. Elgato’s EyeTV has made a name for itself as the most powerful and easiest software solution. The hardware side is a little more open.

The Hardware

The key to picking our the right EyeTV compatible PVR is understanding your television setup. Users with an coaxial interface to digital programming (digital cable, broadcast digital) will find a home for the HDHomeRun. If you have satellite, you’ll want to check out Elgato’s Hybrid.

The ability to tune digital programming is just the start of this PVR. The HomeRun is unique in that it has two tuners that can be accessed by two computers at the same time, via a wired network connection. This means that rather than moving your computer to your cable or antenna, you can place the HDHomeRun there and wire it back to your network with cheaper CAT5.

Wireless? Sadly no. While its possible it is not recommended due to the bandwidth needed to stream raw HDTV. Also, your network must be controlled by a router with a DHCP server for the HomeRun to work. With all that, though, I found the setup a breeze.

User Experience

The HDHomeRun works with other capture applications on Linux and Windows, so you can share the device across platforms. On the Mac, you’ll enjoy a bundled copy of EyeTV 2 (available together only from Elgato’s website). EyeTV provides a brilliant interface for accessing the HomeRun. Version 2 includes an integrated program guide and one-button export to iPod and Apple TV.

hdhomerun2 HDHomeRun Network PVR

By far the biggest reason to pick one of these up is the experience of digital TV on your Mac. HD and SD programming comes in crisp and clean and looks great. And even if you don’t have digital cable, there’s plenty to watch. Most analog/basic cable contains basic programming in digital (usually network TV) and a $9 antenna can provide you with a dozen or more over-the-air digital channels. Among these will be HD channels too.

A completely unscientific comparison of video recorded from an analog channel versus a digital one:

hdhomerun3 HDHomeRun Network PVR
hdhomerun4 HDHomeRun Network PVR

Performance

I tested the HDHomeRun on a G4 1GHz+ Mac running Tiger (required for EyeTV 2). The performance watching and recording SD programming was perfect. HD programming stuttered, though both viewing and recording. In previous experience with analog EyeTV tuners (connected via USB) live TV would stutter a bit, but recordings wouldn’t. I don’t know if the processor (well above the system requirements) or the network interface were to blame, but if I were making recordings to be archived or burned, the quality would be sub par. That said, given the amount of data required to stream HD, I’m not shocked. Not even the Apple TV tries that.

With the exception of the choppy HD, the unit performed very well. Its small (about the size of a VHS tape) although not particularly stylish. Export to iPod wasn’t quick, but that’s to be expected. There are faster ways of getting this done. Because the video is coming in MPEG-2 in the digital signal, it requires a minimal amount of processing. You won’t see your Mac strain until you open more than one live TV window.

Conclusion

The HDHomeRun is a solid performer. Its unique network interface makes is a great network-based media solution. HD on your Mac will be a truly memorable experience, and digital quality will make your recordings look good even on an Apple TV.

If you have a slower Mac, expect choppy HD. If you have satellite TV, then you won’t be able to do much with this. If you have a 1 GHz or better Mac, you’ll have plenty of fun with the excellent EyeTV 2 and the HomeRun’s digital quality.

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Jul 24 2007

iTrip Pocket from Griffin Tech

FM transmitters come in several types. The iTrip Pocket joins a very successful line of iTrip adapters, and excels in convenience. Unlike others – including other iTrip adapters – this FM transmitter is powered by the iPod.

We’ve also got plenty of choices with built-in displays. The iTrip also turns to the iPod to take care of this with on-screen display. The adapter does include hardware preset buttons, making it easy to switch between frequently used frequencies.

iTripPocket2 iTrip Pocket from Griffin Tech

I found the trade-offs mentioned above more than worth it. The simplicity of popping on the adapter and turning on the radio outweighs the battery drain and complements the Apple iPod experience. On connection or power on the unit tunes to the last used frequency automatically.

In fact, the battery pull (I’d guess about 3x the normal music playback) actually helps cycle my battery and keep the battery’s memory adjusted for long video playback. On my video iPod, the meter would be above 3/4 after 45 minutes of play with the adapter.

iTripPocket1 iTrip Pocket from Griffin Tech

The iTrip X also simplifies volume adjustments – by taking it away. I found this convenient as well. Previously I was always turning up my iPod for better reception, and them back down for out-of-the-car use.

The one feature I didn’t use at all? The iTrip Pocket has a keychain loop on a cap that covers the iPod port that could make it easy to tote your iTrip on your keychain. I passed on this, and left it in my car instead.

Disappointments? Nothing was a let-down on this device, though there is somethings I’d change: it’s odd to me that the adapter starts playing music from the top of your library on connect. I start my day off with podcasts, so each time I connect the adapter in the morning, I have to jump into podcasts to stop the “autoplay”.

While the unit works on most modern iPods (including the video iPod) , it is designed to look best on a nano. The buttons (frequency adjust and presets) are sound and provide good tactile feedback.

If you take your iPod on the road – be sure to queue up that playlist before hitting traffic. And if your vehicle does not sport an auxiliary input, grab an iTrip X. Its easy to use, broadcasts a clear signal and unless your commute exceeds two hours a day, the battery drain won’t slow you down.

The iTrip Pocket has an MSRP of $49. At press time you could buy it at Amazon for $28.

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