i-Family

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 * The Apple i-Family ** media type="file" key="Addams Family for Tips.mp3"

iPad, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3Gs, iTouch, iPod Nano, iPod Shuffle...Ay yai yai yai yai! In late February a colleague asked me about the i-difference...oops, I mean the difference between an iPhone and an iTouch. My best answer was that an iTouch is a cross between an iPod classic and an iPhone minus a phone service contract. Since that conversation, I've revisited the pile of nerdy magazines I keep in the corner of my home office--the same pile my dog, nicknamed "Shredder", threatens to take care of in his own way--and lo and behold I came across an article in Macworld that not only explains the difference but also explains the members of the i-Family. I'm sharing with you a quick and easy comparison chart of the i-products. Please click on the attachment. (To view the image more clearly, adjust the zoom feature in Word.)

The article also goes into what each is good for and what each ain't good for. Here's the 411 in plain English.

Good for folks who want a lightweight music player for exercising or anyone who wants a spare, relatively cheap iPod (for the kiddies maybe?)
 * iPod Shuffle**--media player (audio only) [[image:Apple_Shuffle width="40" height="48"]]

Not good for folks who are annoyed by the earbuds supplied with the Shuffle as the controls are not on the Shuffle device itself but on the earbuds. A special Belkin-made adapter that allows other headphones to be used costs an extra $20. The Shuffle won't do for folks who want to carry lots of music or "need" a screen.

Good for folks who want something small and lightweight and don't want to carry their entire music library with them. It's also good for folks who "need" a screen, an FM radio, and on-iPod controls. It's designed for users who are looking for a full-featured music and video player albeit with a smaller screen and lower storage capacity than an iPod classic or iTouch. The Nano also features spoken menus and voice-over features for visually impaired users.
 * iPod Nano**--media player (video and audio) [[image:Apple_nano width="66" height="87"]]

Not good for folks who want to carry a large media library with them or folks who want a larger screen.

Note: The iPod Nano has recently evolved with a larger screen, buffered FM radio, and pedometer. Videos taken indoors aren't very clear, FM reception is OK, and each unit comes with the standard Apple earbuds.

Good for folks who want to carry lots of media with them.
 * iPod Classic**--media player (videos and audio)[[image:Apple_ipod_classic width="53" height="72"]]

Not good for folks with visual impairments or folks who require just a few gigs of storage space

Good for folks who want to use Apple's plethora of add-on applications, iTunes Store, Wi-Fi access to the Web, and portable video.
 * iPod Touch**--iPod +pocket computer+portable game player [[image:Apple_iTouch width="84" height="68"]]

Not good for folks who want an all-in-one phone. It's also rather bulky to use for exercising. What's more, it's got a glass screen. Ooops.

Good for folks who have a service plan they are happy with.
 * iPhone**--iPod Touch +mobile phone [[image:Apple_Iphone width="47" height="78"]]

Not good for folks who are primarily attracted to the iPhone's media capabilities. I believe its touch screen is made of glass.

Caveat emptor! The quality of the phone feature is dependent on the service to which you subscribe. In some countries users are obliged to subscribe to a monopoly which often binds subscribers with a 2-year contract for service.


 * The iPad** [[image:apple_ipad width="70" height="65"]]

What can I say about the iPad that hasn't been said already? The iPad is Apple's answer to e-readers, especially e-readers that use e-ink, which isn't in color. The iPad features color, the Safari Web browser, Web-based email service (Yahoo, Google, MSN to name a few), photo applications, video playback, iTunes, iPod applications, 140,000 applications (also known as "apps"), **iBooks**, maps and more, more, more! To see what all the hype is about, visit apple.com and click on Apple's iPad video, which provides more information about the iPad. 