Since the iPhone was introduced earlier this year, Apple finally offers a handheld device capable of text-input. Now the all-new iPod touch adds an alternative just lacking the phone-capabilities. Is this Apple returning to PDA-business almost 10 years after the Newton Messagepad was discontinued? Is this the iNewton long howled for? I was hoping so, but then after reading about the iPhone-PIM-applications on Macworld I was a bit dissappointed. It seems both devices are equipped with nearly the same software for managing your personal data and that these apps fall short in syncing all information seamless. No support for syncing Notes to the Mac or all iCal-calendars being merged into one file on the iPhone/iPod touch is not what many of us are expecting from a Palm- or PocketPC-substitute. Seeing the iPod touch even lacking some features the iPhone ships with (Google Maps or Weather-widget) to me means, it is clearly positioned to be an iPod with some add-ons while it´s not meant to digg off iPhone sales in the more business-oriented world. Despite these drawbacks, both devices with their fascinating techniques and features are a groundwork for future developments of a more refined Apple-PDA reintroduction. This you can also see from the new iPod leading the list of most popular PDAs on Brighthand.com. None of the competitors can offer devices with better screens, multi-touch technology, higher storage capacity or more intuitive interfaces by now. Cupertino, start you webbrowsers now and read the fixes we want to see!
UPDATE: As the first “touchs” have been delivered, it´s no longer any doubt: The iPod´s software has been crippled compared to the iPhone´s. No calendar-entries or modifications can be made on the new iPod, whereas contacts can be added or changed (but no calls can be made obviously).
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