Posts Tagged ‘pirastro’
So, this is yet another Touch review in a sea of these. I waited to get a touch until the storage capacity increased and I’m glad I waited — the 64GB touch finally has reasonable storage for the increasing demands of apps and videos, and an ever-growing music library. I’d like to see it doubled again, but perhaps that’ll be the next generation. OS compatibility, as with many of Apple’s products, isn’t an issue for OSX and Windows, but Linux users are left out. Linux support for the Touch isn’t available from Apple, so those that value Free/Open platforms might be better off with an Android phone, or a third party MP3 player (but that’s pretty widely known anyway). ITunes on Windows has improved dramatically since version 7, and although 3rd party options are unavailable, using iTunes on Windows is much better than it used to be, which makes it tolerable, since using iTunes is necessary to use the Touch (initial setup, adding content, getting apps). Ironically, i haven’t used any iPods on OSX, so I can’t say what iTunes is like on the Mac.
On to the device itself. Some player quirks remain, and some are more annoying than others. For example not being able to play an album in playlist order without creating a playlist (unlike the old style pods/nanos) and clipped sound and/or distortion when using the eq (like the more recent pods) are livable and can be easily rectified or worked-around. One of the more serious quirks is the volume control becoming unusable when the Touch is moved from dock to dock to headphones (don’t wear ‘phones when you plug them in), and which requires a restart of the device to correct. I’m hoping to see a firmware update to correct that one.
In terms of ease-of-use, and response, Apple sets the bar for music/video playback devices, and this iteration is right in line with its cousins. Battery life for playing music is decent, but for apps it’s not great. Two to three hours on a processor-intensive game and it’s time for a recha
Pirastro Obligato 4 4
I have used this for about two months now and it has seen some 10 degree mornings. Seems to keep working well, although the heart rate monitor cuts out once your sensors dry from the cold.
Pirastro Synoxa 4 4