Got iTunes and iPod Touch 2.0

When Steve Jobs announced all the countries that would get the iPhone 3G the UAE was not included. The situation was the same for most of the Middle East and we were of course disappointed. Imagine our joy and surprise when the day before the iPhone 3G started selling in various parts around the world we found out we had a UAE iTunes Store. Sure it’s not for movies, TV and music, at least not yet, but it’s a start.
The only thing you can access so far in the UAE iTunes Store is applications and games for iPhone and iPod Touch, in other words the AppStore. You can register for an account with a UAE credit card and billing address, so obviously the infrastructure is there for future expansion. Music videos from Lebanon or Bollywood movies, anyone?
If you already happen to have an ITunes account you have to sign up for a new one, you can’t just switch or combine stores. Each account is tied to a particular store. This is a good step in the right direction. Now let’s hope Apple will bring us a complete iTunes Store.

The software update for the iPhone and iPod Touch has been out for some time now and I’m sure many of you have upgraded already. But for those who haven’t, the question is, is it worth it? I’ve been asked by a few people so I thought I’d try to answer it in this article.
First of all, remember there was an update for the Touch back in January? If you paid for the $20 iPod Touch update in January you might be a bit upset now since that update is rolled into the new 2.0 update. So in a sense you’re paying for the same thing twice. This includes Google Maps, Mail, Weather, Web Clips, Stocks and more.
So what’s new in the iPod Touch update? It’s really much the same as the iPhone, and you probably know most of those details already. The two main new things are Mobile Me support and the AppStore. With Mobile Me you can get email, calendar and address book information pushed to your Touch when it’s connected to the internet. With the iPod Touch that only works of course when it’s connected to a Wi-Fi network. Also as with the iPhone there is Microsoft Exchange support so an iPod Touch might now actually be a valid option in some companies.
Among the other new things you will find updated language and keyboard support, searchable contacts, a calculator with different modes, support for more types of e-mail attachments (iWork and PowerPoint files), mass delete and moving of e-mail messages, parental controls, and you can now take a screenshot of the iPod Touch’s screen. Individually these new features may not make you jump for joy in excitement but taken together they make for a much improved user experience.
The AppStore arrives as a new icon on the home screen of the iPod Touch and it will let you buy or download for free apps from the iTunes Store. Since the AppStore now is available in the Middle East (see separate article in this issue) you can buy your apps with a UAE credit card, for example. The selection of apps is growing all the time and many of them are available for free.
One app that stands out from the AppeStore’s selection is the Remote app. It adds remote control functionality of iPod Touch after the upgrade. Basically this means it will let you control an AppleTV or iTunes library remotely over a Wi-Fi connection. This works really well and will alone be worth the $10 upgrade fee for some users.
So is the iPod Touch 2.0 upgrade worth $10? Your experience may vary but I say it’s money well spent.

by Magnus Nystedt