Hands on with IPod Touch 3.0
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Yesterday Apple announced the new features in the upcoming iPhone/iPod Touch 3.0 firmware. Included are MMS(iPhone only), Spotlight, updated Apple apps, push, and finally copy/past/cut. Also Apple announced major updates to the SDK which will make games and apps even more powerful. This morning I headed to the Apple website and downloaded the new 3.0 firmware for my iPod Touch. After playing around with it for a few hours I would like to show off some of the new features and what to expect from the new firmware release.
Spotlight and Search
On the Mac i use Spotlight as my app Launcher so when Apple announced it would be on the iPod Touch it only made sense to me. Spotlight gets its on spot to the left of the main home screen and you can use it to search for any piece of information on your device. This includes mail, contacts, iPod, and calendars. Even in the beta firmware Spotlight is really responsive and this may be the answer for better app management on the iPod Touch.
Apple has also added search into most of their apps. Now you can search in Mail, 
Music, Videos, and of course contacts. Because my iPod is only 8gb search really isn’t that big of a deal in the Music app but its very useful in Mail. Not only does it search the mail installed on the device it checks the rest of your mailbox, so if you are using Exchange it will check the server.
Copy and Paste
Finally Apple has jumped into the 21st century and added copy and paste into the iPhone firmware. This is done by double tapping on a word and up comes the new menu with Cut, Copy, and Paste. You can select more text with this menu open by selecting the two points on the ends of the word to extend the selecting area. In Safari you just click and hold on a block to text to select it and the new menu will appear.
Copy and Paste is built into the firmware so all apps on the iPod Touch will be able to use the feature. Developers can even extend on the functionality with their own apps in the new SDK. In Safari its hit or miss on selecting text and it is rather frustrating, but because this is beta firmware Apple still has time to perfect this. Obviously this feature is needed for businesses users and is perfect for those of us who do a lot of emailing on the device. Adding the feature is a nice step in the right direction but it feels like it needs some fine tuning.
Other new features
- Youtube app now allows you to sign in and view your subscriptions. This is another thing that should have been there since day one and is a welcomed addition.
- Street View is available inside Google Maps on the iPod Touch. The feature was included on iPhones in the 2.2 update a few months ago and works great on Wifi.
- Landscape for more Apple apps. You can now type in landscape for Mail and Notes. Stocks is now available in landscape and you can get more information on your stocks.
- Like the new iPod Nanos you can shake your iPod Touch to shuffle your music.
- Of course Push is added but at this time there is no apps to test it out, unless we build one.
If you want to know anymore about the firwmare let me know via comment or if you have any comments about it you know what to do.
28 Comments
Wes Vear
March 30th, 2009
at 1:04pm
Are you able to make more playlists than just the one On the Go? Then is it possible to edit it after saving and name that playlist?
Anonymous
April 3rd, 2009
at 11:13am
You forgot bluetooth and FM radio my friend!
willyboi123456789
April 4th, 2009
at 10:56am
it’s so lame that ipod touch users have to pay ANOTHER 10 bucks for this. i’m sure apple will eventually release a 4.0 that iphone users get for free and ipod touch users will have to pay ANOTHER 10$. sigh…
Denise
April 10th, 2009
at 10:29am
when is the 3.0 software going to be available?
jOESPEN fLINT
April 14th, 2009
at 8:37am
cAN YOU SHAKE IT TO SHUFFLE YOUR MUSIC THIS REVIEW LACKS THE MOST BASIC INFO. i KNOW MORE iPOD TOUCH THEN YOU!
Matt
April 18th, 2009
at 5:14pm
@jOESPEN fLINT: Yes you can shake the device to shuffle, but honestly it is a little funky and is not that great of a feature. Again I did not post all of the new features like Bluetooth because I have a first gen iPod Touch.
And as an update I am now on an iPhone so I am not running 3.0, I am going to wait until the official release to run it, the device is too important to have beta software running.
frank
April 28th, 2009
at 4:54am
“Wes Vear
March 30th, 2009
at 1:04pm
Are you able to make more playlists than just the one On the Go? Then is it possible to edit it after saving and name that playlist?”
you can make a new playlist in itunes. so way would the make it on the ipod touch??
Tyler
May 11th, 2009
at 9:54pm
I’m going to get an ipod touch. Would you suggest waiting until 3.0 is released or should I buy it now and just pay the 10 bucks to update. Is the actual hardware going to be different or is it just the software. Because from touch 1st gen to 2nd gen they added external speaker, volume buttons, etc.
Will there be any additions like these? Please help!!!
Aaron
May 20th, 2009
at 5:34am
are u gonna b able to get wifi anywhere, like the iphone?
nupe18
May 20th, 2009
at 11:36pm
Does 3.0 provide the capability to view show notes on podcasts?
SmegHead
June 6th, 2009
at 1:48pm
Still no native falsh support for website’s? Considering that Adobe and apple are such close partners, one would assume that development of such software would be a relatively easy. The YouTube app streams FLV’s no prob so what’s the hold-up?
chris gunter
June 8th, 2009
at 6:26pm
will the 3.0 have a flash player for the itouch so u can view hulu and other video websites? thks chris
J33zy
June 10th, 2009
at 4:46pm
@Aaron
The iphone hasn’t got wifi everywere it’s got 3G. Networks
And since it’s the iPod and not the phone and didn’t have 3g hardware the answers no
Chuk-O
June 11th, 2009
at 2:37am
Will the 3.0 update also be compatible with the first generation itouch. A lot of the the reviews that I’m seeing they only mention 2nd generation?
anonymous
June 16th, 2009
at 6:44pm
How did the publisher of this article get the update? Is he a developer?
anonymous
June 16th, 2009
at 6:55pm
In regard to Aaron’s question: yes, you can get Wi-Fi where ever it’s available.
In regard to Tyler’s question: The only difference is the software, there are no physical hardware changes, also, it has yet to be released whether or not the new 3.0 software will be included with the new iPod touch or whether you will have to purchase it separately. So, if I were you then I would wait until word arrives that the new software comes included with the new iPod touch, if, you care about $10, if you don’t mind to pay $10 then I would go ahead and purchase it instead of waiting.
Matt
June 16th, 2009
at 7:00pm
To clear some things up guys. My touch is registered under the developer program. This was beta 1 used on a iPod Touch g1. I no longer use the touch and I am now on an iPhone running 3.0 GM.
-matt
Sara
June 17th, 2009
at 4:27am
guys..any word on whether the iPodTouch will have OS 3.0 if its bought from apple store after the 20th of this month or so???Cos I stay in India and my brother is coming back on the 25th of this month..
-$ara
Sxoeab
June 17th, 2009
at 9:09am
You will be able to download the iPhone update for the iPod Touch therefore saving you 10$.
henry
June 17th, 2009
at 7:16pm
I’m curious that if I buy a brand new ipod touch, will I get firmware 3.0 preloaded? Can i upgrade for free? Or are they going to make me pay $10 to update to 3.0?
Thanks in advance.
Munk
June 18th, 2009
at 1:53pm
I personally feel that the 3.0 upgrade felt more like a version 2.3 upgrade as there isn’t anything really big to talk about. I know I now have Bluetooth opened up on my iPod Touch but it really is pretty much useless. I don’t know of any modern device with as much power as the Touch that can’t do file transfers, dial-up networking, pair with an external GPS, etc. The DUN was the item I wanted the most and other websites eluded to the idea that it was possibly in there.
But hey, at least I can now use Bluetooth stereo headsets if I bought one.
I currently walk around with my Nokia N810 and laptop using Bluetooth DUN to connect through my 3G phone and was hoping that my iPod Touch could replace the N810 once this was possible. Maybe one day I guess.
Other than that, the other changes seem like small upgrades such as street view added to the already pretty capable Google Maps app. Landscape typing in more apps is good but again it feels more like a small upgrade rather than a new revision. The search is nice but I’m not sure that a simple app couldn’t have provided this feature, albeit certainly not integrated into every app. All in all, this was a cheap upgrade but it still seemed pretty expensive for offering very little in actual usability for my needs. Your needs might be different but for me, I feel cheated by Apple.
Reed
June 18th, 2009
at 6:41pm
There are Parental Controls too.
austin
June 20th, 2009
at 4:06pm
Want to get the new ipod touch 3.0 for free witout the $9.95 fee? Well here
is a script which goes directly to the 3.0 IPSW for the iPod touch.
Just g to my site http://austinschwabnow.wordpress.com/
Hope you enjoy
Richard
June 20th, 2009
at 4:17pm
I’m not paying for this garbage upgrade, it’s a waste of money! How fucking dare Apple to make anyone pay for a software upgrade that is always free, especially since you forked out $400 for it!
James C
June 22nd, 2009
at 1:44pm
I’m currently running on the ipod touch 3.0 firmware, and to be quite honest, it does offer more to the user than what the previous firmware did.
The search at the left of the springboard is absolutely brilliant, and essential for users with a lot of apps and you can’t be bothered to flick through them all.
I haven’t found any use for the bluetooth yet, only that i can turn it on and off. It can’t find my mobile phone’s bluetooth. So maybe it’s just ipod to ipod.
Also in the app store, they have incorporated it so that the screenshots of the app are visible via a swipe left or right to view multiple images which is better.
And the shake to shuffle is quite good, but is very annoying when moving around a lot, say the ipod is in the pocket of the user.
Overall, it’s quite a brilliant update and I hope to see the new features used quite well in new apps
Charara
July 14th, 2009
at 11:29am
Can anyone tell us about the bluetooth in depth, whats it soppsed to do?
are there any bluetooth earphones out there that can be used via bluetooth?
what else can be used via bluetooth?!
thank you very much..
av
July 15th, 2009
at 7:21pm
this is crap who wants to buy these update to keep there i pod going
John
August 7th, 2009
at 6:43am
There is also the autofill setting which makes entering passwords and what not very easy, and the Bluetooth does work with mobil phones. The only annoying thing is how the shake to shuffle works but I’m sure it’s only going to get better. My advice, get the new softwar.