I was browsing thru the Apple.com website and I learned that Apple has just released the new iPod Touch software. This software update will install the missing applications in the iPod Touch that the iPhone has. Here’s a list of the “new” applications you’ll be getting:

• Mail Application - Email client for the iPod Touch. This one lets you view rich html documents, PDF, Word and Excel attachments. This is very useful.
• Maps - Google maps. Very nice, indeed.
• Web Clips - creates a shortcut icon for web clips. Not really that great.
• Customizable Homescreen -let’s you customize your homescreen. You can rearrange the icons in the dock and the screen. SMB can do better than that.
• Stocks - Checks your stock. This isn’t really useful at all for people like me.
• Notes - Let’s you take notes and reminder. A very helpful application.
• Weather - Tells you the weather forecast.
• Movies and Music - Let’s you rent a movie from iTunes and watch it on the go. Enables you to view the lyrics from your favorite music while a song plays. Pretty useful.

That’s totally cool but wait — the software update is NOT free. How shitty is that? I mean What the Fuck?! I’ve already spent more than $300 buying the thing. Why can’t they just give it to you for free? This is a big disappointment for iPod Touch owners out there. Well, blame Apple.

The thing is I’m really not disappointed because I had those applications since I had my iPod Touch jailbroken. So my advice to all iPod Touch owners out there, if you want those applications but you don’t want to pay for it because you’ve already spent a lot of money just for the device, jailbreak your iPod. You’ll get more applications than you could ever imagine.

I really hope Sony doesn’t do this stupid thing too - I mean make the PSP owners pay for a firmware update. Because that is not the right way you treat your loyal fanboys.

I’m really not a fan of the iPod but when I saw iPod Touch promotional videos on the web, I was really amazed. It was weeks ago when I told myself that I’m gonna be buying this thing. But not for me, it’s for my significant other. Although my first priority was the iPhone, I decided to go for the iPod touch first. I can have my iPhone later.

I synced it with my iTunes and tried every stuff available to do with it. I tried putting movies and songs in it. I really love the cover flow. It’s one of the best ideas apple came up with. I mean who would have thought of making that. By scrolling through the album covers and making a few taps, you will be able to play the right song you are looking for. That’s great.

And then I tapped on the videos icon to try out how the videos would look like. My reaction? Amazing. Although yesterday I was watching “Powerless”, the 11th episode of Heroes second season, the sound was disappearing at some point of the video. Maybe it was the video but I have to find it out later.

Another nice feature of the device is the YouTube application. It’s nice, really. It makes up for the absense of a Flash Player on the Safari browser on the iPod Touch. Yeah you read that right, there’s no Flash Player for the iPod Touch’s browser. Apple intended not to include that. Well, I just read about it on the web. The Photo application for the iPod Touch is also nice. But I’m really wondering why did Apple not put a camera for the device. It could have been a lot more better.

The calendar application is not really helpful at all. You can’t even add an event. Well that was before my firmware was 1.1.1. If you upgrade the firmware to 1.1.2 you’ll be able to add events now. But that’s it. No more nice features. I actually upgraded to 1.1.2 just to get that add event feature on the calendar. Then I realized there must be something more. So I searched the internet about hacking the iPod Touch and that’s when I learned about Jailbreaking the iPod Touch.

Last two days ago, I downgraded the iPod Touch to 1.1.1 again and then had Jailbreak performed on it. It’s actually really easy. Unlike the PSP which you always have the risk of bricking but with the iPod Touch, all you have to do is restore and you won’t have to worry about bricking it.

I’m really quite happy now that the iPod is Jailbroken. I had installed lots of apps on it. Mostly the useful ones, like the Last.fm scrobbler, weDict, SMBPrefs, NES Emulator and lots of neat stuff. The ipod Touch actually has 32 apps running on it now. Compare that to the 7 stock applications that comes with the device when we first purchased it. What are you gonna do with just 7 applications? You can’t live with that. So for those new owners of the iPod Touch, learn to Jailbreak it. Here’s a video on jailbreaking the iPod Touch if you want it easier. It’s easy, even a kid could do it.

You can view a gallery of the iPod touch on my flickr page.