A few weeks ago I did something that I swore I’d never do.

I bought an iDevice.

This makes me a complete hypocrite. For years I’ve been telling everyone who would listen that Steve Jobs is the antichrist, and that his products are the spawn of Satan. This springs from my deep hatred towards the Mac. I’m not really sure why I hate the Mac, but I do. It’s one of those things that we do without any real provocation, such as disliking a perfect stranger without even meeting them (don’t lie; we all do it). But I’m sure that those odious Apple/PC TV commercials from a few years back have something to do with it. PC users everywhere wished that John Hodgman (PC) would grow a pair and clock Justin Long (Mac) just once, and I was no exception.

Why did I lose my faith and join the ranks of the technologically unwashed? It was a matter of necessity, actually. Last year I missed some important emails while I was on the show floor at E3, so I needed a device that I could use to check my email on the go. Yes, my cell phone would do that. But the quality of service that I get from my pay-as-you-go phone is dodgy at best (thank you, AT&T; my father spent his lifetime working for you—he’d turn over in his grave if he found out what you’ve become), and I have no desire to commit to another monthly bill. In essence, what I needed was an iPhone without the phone. Friends suggested the Zune, but it’s a good thing I passed on that idea, since the actual phones are about to go the way of the dinosaur after the meteor hit.

So, there I was, using the last of my Best Buy holiday gift cards to buy the 4th generation iPod Touch. It does what I need it to do (without a monthly fee), provided that I’m in an area with free wifi, and the App Store provides access to a seemingly endless list of cheap little programs that I can download, although the download process is so streamlined that it’s scary. Once you put your credit card info into the system, you never have to confirm that information again; just press “Buy Now” and it’s yours. Suppose someone gets their hands on my device without my knowledge? That useless unlock feature isn’t going to stop anybody, unless my iPod has stored my fingerprints or scanned my retinas without my knowledge. Amazingly horrible things could be done to my account, and perhaps even my credit. All a potential thief has to do is to hack my iTunes password and it’s all theirs. I’m careful with my passwords, but like most people, not nearly careful enough.

Of course I’d be lying if I said that the wealth of games available at the App Store wasn’t a factor in my decision-making. Sure, Zune has a marketplace with a growing collection of games. But even an Apple-hater such as myself has to admit that the selection available for the iDevices is unparalleled. Most of the stuff is total crap, thrown together by pimply 14-year-olds in their darkened bedrooms in a day or two, but if you stick to the established content providers such as Chillingo or Rovio or PopCap, you’ll usually come out ahead.

Now that I’ve had the iPod for a month or so, it’s time to see how it matches up against my other mobile gaming platform of choice, the Nintendo DSI.

Portability: iPod gets the nod here. I can put the iPod in my pocket and carry it anywhere. The DSI is just a bit too bulky to fit in anything other than a jacket pocket or a backpack. Which is fine in the winter, when we in the Northeast don’t leave our homes without a coat. Not so good in the summer, though.

Graphics: iPod is the clear winner. Or it could be that the only games that I own so far (Angry Birds, Bejeweled 2 and Painkiller: Purgatory) have better than average visuals. The DSI just doesn’t have the clarity and color palate that the iPod possesses. But who knows; maybe as my iPod game collection expands, my opinion might change.

Features: The devices have things in common. Both have cameras installed, both have available web browsers (you have to download one for the DSI, while the iPod comes with one already installed). iPod was designed to be a multifunctional device, not just a game system. It has more installed memory, it has 3G Internet connectivity, and it allows you to connect to your email client of choice. However, the DSI’s extra screen gives it a significant advantage on the iPod when only considering gaming.

Controls: Here is where the DSI puts the iPod to shame. The combination of face buttons and stylus makes it possible to play just about any kind of game with very little trouble. Until someone figures out how to create virtual thumbsticks that are responsive and conveniently placed so that your fingers don’t obscure half the screen, iPod will always trail the DSI in this category.

Games: Here it all depends on which factor is most important to you: quality or quantity. The iPod certainly offers far more available titles, but for overall quality, the DSI is far superior, since there are far fewer piles of steaming dung in the Nintendo library. You’re paying 30 or 40 times more for a DSI game, but the product is usually worth it.

Battery Life: Another big win for Nintendo. I’ve been playing Dragon Quest IX on the DSI for 15 minutes a day on my lunch break (and another hour or so at the laundromat), and I can usually go a couple of weeks before that pretty blue light turns red. But one 15-minute session of Painkiller on the iPod drained almost 25 percent of my battery bar; I’ve been recharging it at least once a week since I got it. Hopefully this problem will be addressed in future generations of the iPod, but right now the DSI takes the longevity prize.

So am I happy with my iPod purchase? Despite my ingrained instincts, I have to say that I am. It’ll get its baptism of fire at E3 in June, but for now I grudgingly admit that it gives me everything that I need from it. However, my Mac prohibition remains inviolate, mostly because anything a Mac can do, a Windows PC can do better (with the possible exception of video editing). PCs are also easier to build and upgrade, and there are far more games available for them (if it wasn’t for Intel CPUs and Boot Camp, Mac owners would still be playing Myst).

But mostly, it’s because anything with a half-eaten fruit on the case is the offal of the evil one. Which is why there’s a crucifix around my neck as I launch those birds at those pigs. You can never be too careful when it comes to your immortal soul.