As an iPod Touch user, I am also thoroughly disappointed about the lack of new Maps functionality. This was the feature I was most looking forward to and now I don't have it.

This apple "accounting" stuff is really getting annoying...

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Peace - Evan Stumpges - MacBook Pro 2.5GHz - Leopard

is it me or does it look like there is a little more space between the rows of the keyboard

1. "iPhone and iPod Touch" takes up a lot of space

2. There are more iPhones out there than iPod Touches

3. The OS first debuted on the iPhone, so people think of it as the iPhone OS

4. When I first wrote this story and gave it the headline, I didn't have independent confirmation of the iPod touch release - I don't have a touch at home so I couldn't test it.

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Jason Snell, Editorial Director, Macworld

What about being able to send and receive photos via SMS? I love my iPhone, but am really bummed that I have to log onto a website and use a funky username/password to see a photo a friend has sent from their phone. And most of the time this does not work. The iPhone can do everything else... why not SMS pictures?

Re: Including the iPod Touch in updates and stories. Many of us live in the areas (even in the U.S.) that AT&T does provide service. All we can get and make use of is the iPod Touch.

Does the Touch have constant connection to maps without phone service? If not, woudln't seem much point in putting walking directions on it?

"SMS is a key communication tool"

No one should be using SMS. It is over priced. Someone calculated that if the SMS pricing was applied to the bandwidth of your email, a 1mb file to send would be $768.

There may be more iPhones than iPod Touches out there, but I still don't like the idea of being treated as a second class citizen because I have a Touch instead of an iPhone. I am retired from an educational technology position and continue to keep up to date with technology. I would love to have an iPhone, but (believe it or not) I make very few phone calls (even from a land line) and cannot justify the monthly cost of the iPhone.

I use the Touch constantly for Internet access on my own Wi-Fi network. Why use it for Internet access instead of a computer? My primary computer is an iMac that is located on the top floor of my house. The Touch usually goes with me to our lower level media room when watching TV. It is great for quickly checking game scores and looking up answers to questions that arise when watching a TV show. I wake up rather early in the a.m. and the Touch is a quick way to check email and the morning news--quicker than going to my computer.

The Touch is very convenient for Internet access when traveling. When I was in San Francisco & Seattle (a cross country trip) this past summer, it was much more convenient to take/use the Touch than to take a computer with me. I will be in Europe next month and the Touch will definitely prove its worth on the long flights and from hotel rooms with Wi-Fi access.

Of course, I use the Touch for its original purpose--music, videos, podcasts. The apps feature is great. Currently, I am using German & Czech phrase books apps.