So Apple has finally released their new iPod Touch 3rd generation today. I’ll do a Zune HD vs new iPod Touch 3rd generation comparison once I get my Zune HD. For now here are some specs.

Zune HD

Display: 3.3 inch touchscreen, OLED
Software: Zune Firmware 3.0
Memory: 16 GB/32GB
Colors: Black, Platinum, Blue, Lime green, and red
Price: $219.99/$289.99
Music Store: Zune Marketplace
Applications Store: Not yet, but there has been strong evidence that Microsoft may be starting one.
WiFi: Yes
Touchscreen keyboard and accelerometor
HD Video Radio: Yes
HD out: Yes

iPod Touch 3rd Generation
Display: 3.5 inch touchscreen, no OLED
Software: iPhone OS 3.1
Memory: 8GB/32 GB/64 GB
Colors: Black
Price: $199/$299/$399
Music Store: iTunes
Applications Store: Yes
WiFi: Yes
Touchscreen keyboard and accelerometer
HD Radio: No
HD Video out:No

Once my Zune HD arrives, I’ll be comparing the two. Of course the iPhone/iPod Touch software beats the Zune HD, because of the App Store and all the interesting applications it offers. The Zune HD is not intended to compete with that, it’s trying to be one of the best music players and  I think that the Zune HD will be do better than the iPod Touch as a music player. What do you think?

When we found out that the iPod Touch wouldn’t have a camera, we were shocked. The new iPod Touch 3G has no camera because Steve Jobs wanted to reduce the price and not add any unnecessary stuff to the iPod Touch 3G. He does have a good reason for not wanting to add it. Now man people can buy the iPod Touch 3G at a more affordable price. Read Steve Job’s explanation below:

Originally, we weren’t exactly sure how to market the Touch. Was it an iPhone without the phone? Was it a pocket computer? What happened was, what customers told us was, they started to see it as a game machine. Because a lot of the games were free on the store. Customers started to tell us, “You don’t know what you’ve got here — it’s a great game machine, with the multitouch screen, the accelerometer, and so on.”

We started to market it that way, and it just took off. And now what we really see is it’s the lowest-cost way to the App Store, and that’s the big draw. So what we were focused on is just reducing the price to $199. We don’t need to add new stuff — we need to get the price down where everyone can afford it. – Steve Jobs

You can read more Q&A’s with Steve Job at The New York Times. It’s all good Steve, I’ll still be preordering my Zune HD!

In a few hours Apple will be holding their September 9 event and announcing their new products. That doesn’t stop other companies from leaking it before they do. Has the new iPod Touch 3G been revealed by Cygnett, an iPod & MP3 accessories store located in Australia? Look at the picture above and decide.

The picture Cygnett posted on their site shows an iPod Touch 3G with a camera and volume buttons on the right. While we already knew that the iPod Touch 3G is getting a camera, we did not know that it would have the volume up and down buttons like the iPhone does. If so, this is good news for iPod owners! I’m sure Apple will have other changes to the iPod Touch 3G as well.

The new iPod Nano 5th Generation is also on Cygnett. There doesn’t seem to be any indication of a camera in the new iPod Nano as many people thought there would be, but you can take a look at the pictures on the Cygnett website. Whether or not Cygnett made this up, we will find out in a few hours. Stay tuned on QuickPWN.com, as we will be doing a live blog on Apple’s event as soon as it starts (1:00 PM Est/10:00 AM Pacific).

ArsTechnica has posted a screenshot of the USBConfiguration.plist file for the most recent iPhone 3.1 beta 3 release. As you can see in the screenshot below, there is a key that says “iProd0,1” and “iProd1,1“. This key suggests that Apple may be releasing a new Apple device soon.

Earlier on in the iPhone 3.1 beta firmware releases the iProd0,1 reference was found. Apple uses the “0,1” in products when they’re in the prototype stage. With the recent 3.1 beta release, the iProd string has been updated to “1,1” which means the device may be released soon.

Last month there were rumors of an iPod Touch with a camera. We think “iProd” is the iPod Touch third Generation and it may be released as early as September.

[via Ars Technica]