NEWS: Apple's Wi-Fi iPod has the magic touch

Apple has unveiled its latest baby, the iPod touch, which comes complete with built-in Wi-Fi wireless networking and touchscreen control.

Also announced was a 160GB iPod classic, a new nano – boasting a two-inch colour screen – and the imminent arrival of the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store.

Clearly taking its queue from the Apple iPhone, the iPod touch looks like its slightly smaller sibling, largely due to its use of the same 'multi-touch user interface' – touchscreen control to you and I.

Also on board is Wi-Fi wireless networking complete with quick shortcuts to Google, Yahoo, YouTube and the iTunes Wi-Fi music store, all accessed using the Safari web browser.

Boasting a 320 x 480 resolution screen, the touch is available in 8GB and 16GB incarnations, and is essentially a slightly smaller iPhone, minus the phone. Scheduled for release later this month, the touch will cost £199 and £269 respectively.

The other all new addition to the iPod range is a revamped nano. Most obvious is a much larger, two-inch colour screen, turning the nano into a video-enabled iPod. Boasting the same 320 x 240 resolution as the existing video iPod, the squat-looking nano is just 6.5mm thick.

There's an enhanced interface on board, and a range of five new colours – silver, black, blue, green and red. Available from today, the nano costs £99 for the 4GB model or £129 for the 8GB model.

What we used to call a standard iPod is now the iPod classic, and comes crucially in 80GB and 160GB versions. There's also a new interface and an all-metal enclosure.

Available in silver or black – it's the end of the road for the hugely influential iPod white – the iPod classic costs £159 for the 80GB machine and £229 for the monster 160GB version. Talking of colours, there are a whole host of new hues for the good ol' iPod Shuffle, too.

Finally, Apple announced its plans for an iTunes Wi-Fi music store, to go live later this month. This will allow iPhone and iPod touch owners to access the store on the move, preview music, then instantly download files to their respective device. The tunes will also be synced with the owner's computer the next time their portable device is connected.

Now - with the iPhone's release just around the corner – is the world domination set to continue? Let us know what you think by posting a comment or heading over to the forums...

Joe is the Content Director for What Hi-Fi? and Future’s Product Testing, having previously been the Global Editor-in-Chief of What Hi-Fi?. He has worked on What Hi-Fi? across the print magazine and website for almost 20 years, writing news, reviews and features on everything from turntables to TVs, headphones to hi-fi separates. He has covered product launch events across the world, from Apple to Technics, Sony and Samsung; reported from CES, the Bristol Show, and Munich High End for many years; and written for sites such as the BBC, Stuff and The Guardian. In his spare time, he enjoys expanding his vinyl collection and cycling (not at the same time).