All about the iPod

So about 3 years ago I got a 1st generation iPod nano, and that was the beginning of my relationship with Apple…so after that my dad got me a used Mac G4 which strengthened our bond. Soon after the Zune came out and Apple and I began to have problems and had to split and I got the Microsoft Zune. I was so happy…and very anti Apple. This relationship with Microsoft lasted for a about a year, then suddenly Zune began to let itself GO and we broke up around the beginning of school. After that I was digging trough old stuff in my closet and found my old reliable iPod nano and we re-kindled our relationship. We had some rough patches (Zune HD)…but our love prevailed. Around Christmastime I saw the lovely 3rd generation iPod Touch and fell in deep love. And I’ve been hooked ever since…thanks to iPod and Mac and am forever an Apple person.

I got my iPod Touch for Christmas of 2009 and have had it for about 2-3 days, depending on how you count, and I must say I love it. As some of you know I name many things in my life my cars, Pamela/Bertha, and Kate, TV’s Christmas trees, Bertha/La’Dynasty (Lady Nasty), and now my iPod Touch (Gogo Youbari). I don’t know why I name them but I do and it makes me feel special. Ok now on to the real reason for this blog…an iPod Touch review and app Suggestion Blog. FYI this review is not super in-depth but hey it can help you to solidify your choice.

Overall the iPod touch is great and I love it the touch screen is really smooth and slides easy. The screen is very responsive and there is no need to calibrate it works perfectly……you know what I’m really lazy and I don’t feel like writing all of this so I’ll just grab one off the web and post it here…I will cite it but I just don’t feel like doing this written review. By the way if you don’t care about this review then skip to the bottom for the app part where I’ll actually write stuff.

ALL PARTS OF THIS iPod REVIEW COME FORM CNET.COM

http://reviews.cnet.com/mp3-players/apple-ipod-touch-third/4505-6490_7-33770783.html


For better or worse, the first thing we noticed about the third-generation iPod Touch is how unchanged it looks. Side by side with the second-generation iPod Touch, you'd be hard-pressed to find a way to distinguish the two models from each other. Aside from minor differences in the etching on the back of the Touch, the second- and third-generation models are spitting images of each other

Just like its phone-wielding sibling, the iPhone, the iPod Touch is a touch-screen device with a glass-covered 3.5-inch screen that sports a 480x320-pixel resolution. In spite of its touch-screen interface, Apple includes a few physical buttons, including a slim volume control on the left edge, a hold switch on the top, and a home button on the face of the player, placed below the screen. The bottom edge of the Touch includes the same universal dock port and 3.5-millimeter headphone jack as previous models, piercing the otherwise unbroken expanse of chromed steel that wraps around the back and edges of the device.

The shape and dimensions of the Touch also remain unchanged (4.3 inches tall by 2.4 inches wide 0.33 inch thick), defined by a flat-glass front set inside a curved steel backing that feels natural in the hand but makes the iPod a little wobbly when you set it down on a table. Packaged with the Touch is an Apple universal dock connector USB cable, a pair of white earbuds that include a microphone and remote control on the cable, and a molded universal dock insert to use with any charging or speaker accessories.

I have some problems with this...it is correct but it talks about the 3rd generation being the same size as the 2nd generation as a negative when it’s a positive…for example when you go and buy a case, you can buy a 2nd gen and use it on your 3rd gen iPod. Another positive talked about as if it were a negative is the dock…be glad it’s the same size now you can you it on old stuff instead of having to buy all new accessories because “this new iPod doesn’t work with my old shit.” Aside from that this part is really good

Out of the box, the third-generation iPod Touch includes an amazing music player, podcast support, video playback (including iTunes rentals and a YouTube player), a Safari Web browser, photo viewer, an e-mail reader (compatible with Outlook, Exchange, MobileMe, Gmail, Yahoo, AOL, or any POP e-mail service), an integrated iTunes Store for music and video downloads, and a host of smaller utilities (weather, calendar, maps, stocks, notes, voice memos, clock, contacts, and calculator). Provided become proficient with its touch-screen keyboard, the iPod Touch is more pocket PC than an MP3 player.
An iTunes App Store, accessible from the computer or directly from the iPod Touch, lets you download and install thousands of applications, including Internet radio players, games, voice recorders, and social-networking tools. You can also extend the capabilities of the iPod Touch using third-party "Made for iPod" hardware accessories such as AV docks, external battery packs, and speaker systems.
Are you confused about what features are available on the 8GB Touch compared with the 32GB and 64GB versions? So were we. For the record, iPhone OS 3.1 features such as Bluetooth audio, Genius Mixes, and voice memo recording are available on all versions of the third-generation iPod Touch. Voice Control and accessibility settings, however, are the only features we've found so far that can only be found on the 32GB and 64GB Touch models (or iPhone 3GS).

There’s this thing called Genius on Apple I don’t know what it does nor do I care so I will omit any Genius talk in this blog…it’s not really a selling point anyway.

The iPod Touch now includes the capability to control playback using voice commands. To activate this feature, you'll need to press and hold the headphone remote control button until the Voice Control screen appears. Using the microphone built into the included pair of earbuds, you can call out a song, artist name, album, or playlist, and the iPod will interpret your commands and play the request. Playback features such as shuffle, skip, play, and pause can also be controlled using voice commands, but it feels a little unnecessary, since the earbud remote control is available to perform these functions without making you look like a crazy person.

I don’t use the voice commands much because in all the time I can do that I can just press it on the iPod…so I don’t use it… it’s nice to have but again I don’t use it.

Apple is pushing the speed barrier where users feel it most: gaming. With a promised 50 percent increase in processor power and a new OpenGL graphic processing system, the load time and responsiveness of games on the third-generation Touch have been quickened dramatically. A game of Spore that took 14 seconds to load on our second-generation Touch, launched in just 8 seconds on the third-generation model. If games are your distraction of choice on the iPod Touch, the improved speed and graphics capabilities of the 32GB or 64GB third-generation models are certainly the way to go.
Unfortunately, as much as Apple seems inspired to push the limits of processor speed and video game graphics rendering, the attention it pays to audio quality and sound enhancement is at a standstill. The arsenal of sound enhancement settings packed into MP3 players from Sony, Cowon, and Samsung, lay in stark contrast to the unchanged and marginally useful list of EQ presets included on the iPod. That said, the balanced and smooth audio quality of the iPod Touch is likely to satisfy the majority of listeners, despite the limited scope of its audio control. Like all iPods, the third-generation iPod Touch supports playback for MP3, AAC (including protected files), Audible, WAV, AIFF, and Apple Lossless. There's still no support for WMA music files, but you can always convert your WMA tracks to MP3 within Apple's iTunes software.
If you are looking for a way to take video on the go, the iPod Touch may just be your new best friend. You can load the iPod Touch with video podcasts, TV shows, and iTunes movie rentals, or watch endless amounts of free video clips using the included YouTube widget or other third-party video applications. The viewing angles weren't quite as generous on the third-generation Touch as our second-generation model, but it's not worth us raising a stink over. Whatever diminishment you may notice in viewing angles is made up for in what we perceived as a noticeable improvement to color balance and contrast. During testing, the 32GB third-generation Touch presented a cooler, more natural color balance than the second-generation Touch, and it seemed less prone to washing out at higher brightness settings.

One more thing there’s no camera on here.

Pictures of Gogo. (these are not to scale they may look a little longer/shorter in these pictures








all above pictures taken by ryangno@gmail.com


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APPS APPS APPS!!!!

So I my main reason for getting this iPod was the apps…which after about 2-3 days I have 72. Here I will make a list of my top 12… why 12?... because I feel like it. These are I NO order.

1. Tap Tap 3 (FREE)
- I didn’t originally want to get this but I caved in and to tell you the truth I’m glad. If you’ve played other Tap Taps then you already know how this game works. For those of you who don’t know Tap Tap is a game where you press balls as they come toward you while the move to the music…wow this is really hard to explain essentially its Rock Band/ Guitar Hero for your iPod. You set up and avatar and you play songs to unlock other songs and play more…the songs are fairly contemporary like Owl City’s Fireflies, and Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance (her song does set you back about 99 cents.

2. Hottest Free App (FREE)
- this has to be one of my favorite apps. This is an app that shows other apps that people get apple only shows the top 100 apps in the app store and some of the best apps go unnoticed and this helps to take care of that. It has a list of different apps and ratings on them then this app takes you to the app store to get the app of you want it. It shows both free and paid apps. (Wi-Fi required)

3. Facebook (FREE)
- do I really need to explain…you can get on facebook from here…you can chat from this app. (Wi-Fi Required)

4. PS Mobile- Photoshop.com mobile (FREE)
- this app lets you edit photos on your iPod you don’t do heavy editing like selections and layers but you get basic things like blur and color change…no brushes. I use it mainly to crop and rotate.

5. I Retouch Lite (FREE) no pic could'nt get one in time
- what I call the extension to Photoshop…it’s like the brushes for Photoshop and I use it to highlight stuff.

6. Music God (FREE)
- just a fun app that shows how you listen to music for example I have listened to 66% of all songs in my Library, and another one…my library costs $600.93.

7. Battery Master (FREE)
- this apps just lets you know how much batter you have life by percent and the time you have left to listen to music, surf internet, and watch videos.

8. FML (FREE)
- this app it just like the website (Wi-Fi Required).

9. MILA Lite (FREE)
- same explanation as FML. (Wi-Fi Required).

10. Mr. Aah…Lite (FREE)
- this is a game where you are this little gut that swings from a string and you have to land him on a pad safely. Really fun.

11. 20 Q Mindreader (FREE)
- this is like the normal 20 Questions game where you choose and object and you get asked 20 question to determine what it is. Really fun and not as boring as you’d think.

12. Bump (FREE
this is an app that lets you trade with other iPod/ iPhone users, you both have to have bump for this to work…here’s how it works…you both turn on Bump then bump iPods (while in you hands of course) you can exchange pictures and contact cards where you can then email things. (Wi-Fi Required).

Well that’s all the apps I’ll tell you about if you really want to know all the apps I have you can email me at ryangno@gmail.com , if I left out your favorite app post it as a comment to this blog.

Getting Ready For It All.

Well it is that time again, where we all stress out over how we will buy the right thing for this person with out spending all of your money. You also have to plan this and plan that and cook this and cook that. Months worth of planning just for one day: December 25….the lovely Christmas. Well I’m here to help relieve some stress….in my own way.

In my plan….the way I get ready for Christmas it’s mostly on the whim…not much planning…mostly none. So that’s how your Christmas will be but with a little more planning.

Step 1. The first way you get ready for the holiday season is to get Christmas music. Any music you like but it has to deal with Christmas…weather you like songs like “Noel, Noel, Noel….” Or songs like “What do the lonely do…..at Christmastime,” you need to get some. Some of my favorites are (my list is what you can call…ethnic)..
Christmas A’int Christmas (Without the One you Love)-O’ Jays
What Do the Lonely Do at Christmas?- The Emotions
White Christmas- The Drifters
Someday At Christmas- Jackson 5
Merry Christmas, Baby- Otis Redding
Just go around on the internet and find songs you like then burn them to a CD or put them or your iPod or other music carrying device... and listen and enjoy….start this around the first week of December or the second week…depending weather or not Christmas is late in the month.

Step 2. This is up to you personally I don’t cook and if you don’t either then you go to your favorite department store (Wal*mart, Sam’s, Winn*Dixie, Rouses Save A Center etc.) and splurge on the best frozen dinners you’ve ever had…they have some dinners that are dinner’s you pop in the microwave for 10 minutes then BAM it’s a meal…get more if you have more guests coming…if you have so many to where u cant get T.V. dinners have them bring something if you invite enough they will now how to cook AT LEAST one thing. Some of my favorites are “Stouffer’s”, and “Bird’s Eye” just go and look and if I looks nice then you get it. Also most stores have pre cooked hams for the cooking inept. DON’T go cheap…unless you have to…. none of that “Swanson” stuff it’s bland. Then you bring your food out and it’s done! Get the food like 3 or 4 days before the dinner or you can get it like 5 days max before but keep it frozen…not the ham or turkey that has to be day before stuff.

Step 3. Decorations and a tree. This all depends on you money situation. If you have the money to spend on fancy stuff do it. Go to Pier 1 Imports, or Big Lots, World Market, Bed Bath and Beyond, even Wal*mart, and look for the nicest stuff keep it in the red, maroon, burgundy, whites, and gold sections… they can be used year round and they look “Christmassy” around this time of year. My mom like to go all out for Christmas and bys all kind of stuff this her glass beads here an this and that there. If you or the less splergy side or you want to save your money… go to Wal*Mart, and Big Lots and buy stuff, they have really nice stuff that is inexpensive. Bows, and Garlands, and tensile (which I don’t advise getting… makes you look cheap and lazy). On to the tree, get one that fits your budget do try and splurge on this unless you can afford to, you do not need to work this hard for something for this short of time. If you are on the less splergy side then get a plastic tree, they have some that look real, they last years and years and they don’t put pine leaves all over the floor. They come in all shapes and sizes, just don’t get a colored one …no whites not blues no fiber optic kind again looks cheap. One thing you should also do with and “artificial tree” is get one pre-lit…it makes decorating it SO much easier. If you buy a pre lit one they are “medium brightness” (meaning that they don’t have too may lights but enough the satisfy those who don’t care) so you will want to buy another pack of WHITE lights to brighten it up more…DO NOT get blue, red, or another color…JUST WHITE…its cleaner. Decorating your Christmas tree can be fun and a hassle…the main rule behind decorating a tree is to GET DECORATIONS THAT MATCH….they should match each other and match the decorations you buy for the house…red gold and white are the easiest ones to get just about ever store has some of them. To make it easier don’t decorate the part people don’t see…people will not look around your entire tree to see what it looks like to the wall. Just decorate the visible part…another rule decorate evenly make sure you have an even amount…by sight, of colors and styles of ornaments spread on the tree. Don’t put all the big red balls at the top and none at the bottom it looks gross… and makes your tree look heavy which you don’t want. Last rule for now one of the best decorations you can get is this thing called a sent diffuser…I think…its basically a jar of a scented liquid with sticks in it the liquid goes up the sticks and DIFFUSE out into the room and its smells nice. Try to start this like 2 weeks b fore Christmas and about a week and a half after, by January 10 Christmas is over don’t leave you tree up or the Christmas themed decorations.

Step 4: Presents. This is what stresses most people out. Here’s is how to lighten the load… for mom the best thing to buy a mother is a bath, or lotion spa set. These range in price from about $5 to $25 and come with lotions, sops, body sprays all that jazz….or if you mom is lazy like mine then buy her a robe slippers, or really soft and cute socks. Dad…who is usually harder than mom…I normally buy a nice sweater thing from Wal Mart, Old Navy get about 2 in a neutral color so he can actually wear it…or you can buy him ties if he works in an office. I know that clichéd but buy him some REALLY nice ties that he would want to wear…don’t by weird stuff like light up ties… its tacky. Siblings…for them its ok to ask them what they want…they your siblings…ask them and if you can afford it get it…if not they have these gift card credit cards that you can use anywhere but they have a set limit on it. It’s like a VISA gift card they range in price probably from $10- $100. Don’t forget get yourself a present. If all else fails and you absolutely have no idea as to what to get…then ASK! Start this like 3 or 4 days ahead of Christmas they have less people and its not too early I DON’T NOT GO TO BLACK FRIDAY SALES…waaaaaay too many people. And do not go on Christmas Eve that’s even more stressful.

That concludes this Christmas blog and this is how I do Christmas and it works our fine with me.. Another way to make it fun it go and do all of this with people it’s fun and enjoyable and u can get them exactly what they want. If you have anymore questions then email me at ryangno@gmail.com. So have a Merry Christmas and keep it stress free.