New iPod touch: The reviews are in

Glowing notices across the board for Apple's (AAPL) latest "iPhone without the phone"

Photo: Apple Inc.

CNET's Donald Bell: "The iPod Touch is the best iPod yet, offering all the fun of the iPhone experience without a carrier contract or monthly bill."

Engadet's Joshua Topolsky: "With the addition of HD video shooting, the new Retina Display, and a faster A4 processor, the touch has just gone from 'nice to have' to nearly irresistible."

New York Times' David Pogue: "At 4.4 by 2.3 by 0.28 inches, the Touch is also noticeably thinner, almost nuttily so. You could use it as a letter opener."

TechCrunch's MG Siegler: "For gaming, the combination of the A4 chip and the Retina display makes this an awesome machine."

USA Today's Edward Baig: "As on the iPhone, FaceTime is fun, cool and a boon for long-distance grandparents who want to see the newborn."

SlashGear's Vincent Nguyen: "If ever there was a device to overshadow the iPhone 4, this is it."

PCMag's Tom Gideon: "Despite the cost, the iPod touch remains, by far, the best portable media player you can buy -- and it retains our Editors' Choice crown."

All Things D's Katherine Boehret (for the vacationing Walt Mossberg): "I brought my iPod Touch with me to the U.S. Open tennis tournament last weekend and used it to capture beautiful HD video footage of matches."

[Follow Philip Elmer-DeWitt on Twitter @philiped]