OK so, my mother just told me she ordered fourth generation iPod for me as a present. It should arrive tomorrow. I never even held one in my hand, I understand there are some applications to get... but how do I get started? Do I download iTunes first or how does it work? All I wanted as a present was a new MP3 player and my mother went nuts! And I am lost and dont really know what is this device capable of!
 
Any help appriciated, I am stoked to get my hands on it. 
 
Also, I love you, mom!

Yes you need itunes. If i'm not mistaken it comes with itunes. So install it first, then plug in your ipod, set it up (choose a name and what not). Then you can add your music library into itunes and it will sync it to ur ipod and you will be good to go. Is it a touch? I don't think you can download apps unless its a touch.

Yes it its called "iPod Touch 4th 8GB". Thanks, prince.
 
EDIT: also, what is up with these generations? is there hardware difference, or are we talking about firmware? are apps specific to certain generation?

First of all, your mom is awesome 
 
second: 
 
It can be a bit confusing, let me try to clear it up for you.  The generation refers to a change in the hardware.  Between the 3rd and 4th gen, i believe they put in a nicer screen, updated the battery life some and lightened/thinned the entire thing.  They also made the speakers a lil clearer and louder.
 
You can install itunes on your computer right now if you would like, its a free download from apple.  then when your ipod arrives, all you need to do is plug the 3 foot white cable into your ipod and usb ports.  itunes will automatically recognize it like (just like any computer sees a flashdrive) and say "oh hey, i dont recognize this ipod, you wanna name it and call it your own?"  Pick a cool name (i got with greek and roman gods) and then start thinking about what you want on there. 
 
How to fill it: 
do you have more than 8 gigs of music?  tell it to allow you to manually select what songs are on it (a main option from the first ipod screen in itunes, its really obvious, dont worry) 
from there you pick which songs/movies you want on it 
 
Do you have less than 8 gigs? 
let itunes automatically fill it up.  then if you have enough extra space, maybe look at what pictures or video you want with ya. 
 
 In preperation for receiving your ipod, you can download itunes, surf around itunes for some apps you want to add once you get it and have thenm downloaded and ready. 
 
 
Apps 
there are tons of great free ones: 
 
games: 
words with friends; its more addictive than you think 
 
Info: 
The Weather Channel; its a decent weather program for free 
twitter 
ny times 
facebook 
pandora 
aim free 
netflix 

Nice!  
 
1st it is important to see an ipod touch as something more than just an mp3 player, you can see it as a small computer. i can do pretty much everything you want it to do. 
 it is more or less an iphone 4 without the calling or 3g.  
 
as for games, download the epic citadel to showcase its graphical capabilities (ipods look better than psp's nowadays) and angry birds for fun. 
 
it is a hell of a machine and also pretty expensive so be greatfull!  
 
PS if you want to know more head over to tested.com and search for their review

Get a case and a screen protector for it.

oh yeah, just remembered: tested.com does a near weekly thing on iphone/ipod apps. 
 
no one else has mentioned it yet, but that ipod is also capable of understanding voice commands.  you can just say what band you want and it will go to it.  it can be a bit tricky at first though

Man, so many responses! Thanks everyone, I will go thru all you guys mentioned here and try it out. I am 24 years old, but I feel like a 6 year old day before christmas!

Have fun.

Music,videos,stand-up comedies for long trips,and apps.

Lots of them.Doodle Jump,Worms,Pocket God,Space Invaders-Infinity Gene,N.O.V.A,Tap Tap,Moron Test,Asphalt,FUCKING TETRIS,EliminatePro,Zen Bound,Paper Toss,Fruit Ninja,The Impossible Game,Peggle and We Doodle.

Get to it.

Parcel is still in the mail... in the meantime i was looking up some info.
 
So these "generations" are hardware revisions, are all the apps for all generations? I will have the 4th one which is, as I undrstand, the newest one but does it mean that in future there will be apps for lets say generation 5 and newer? Or are those revisions mainly about improving components like display or camere, while maintaining the actual guts of the device, which run the apps?