I’m constantly amazed at the sheer pocket-sized power that is the iPod. I mean, even when the first-generation came out, wasn’t the idea that you could hold 5GB in a device that was just about the size of your hand totally amazing? And the fact that it’s also a bootable FireWire drive too? That’s sweet.
One week ago, a great new application for the iPod Photo was released: iPod Subway Maps. The iPod Subway Maps is just what it sounds like. It takes photo files of subway maps and divides them into individual chunks to be viewed on the iPod screen. There are maps for New York, San Francisco, London, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Montreal, and many others. I’m sure more will follow soon.
iPod Subway Maps sport full-color maps of each of these cities. I’m so in love with this idea, that I’m very tempted to sell my 10GB third-generation iPod in order to fund the purchase of a 20GB iPod with color screen.
Of course, the iPod Subway Map isn’t the first iPod-based application out there. There’s the piPod, the Podtender, the WiPod, and the newer one for the color screen iPods, Clickwheel, which allows you to view Web-based comics as a slideshow.
The iPod can do so much, including integration with Apple’s Address Book and iCal, but beyond WiFi for the iPod (a man can dream, can’t he?), what I would really like to see someone develop is something along the lines of AvantGo for the iPod.
Yes, I know there are RSS readers out there, but I want something that I can read The New York Times on during my commute to work. Currently, the Gray Lady only offers headlines and teasers for the articles in RSS, sending you to the site for the real deal. I want to be able to read the top five stories on my iPod. Is that so much to ask?