Apple iPod touch 32 GB (2nd Generation) [Previous Model]
by Apple Computer
![Apple iPod touch 32 GB (2nd Generation) [Previous Model]](/images/Apple-iPod-touch-32-GB-2nd-Generation-Previous-Model-B001FA1O0E-L.jpg)
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List Price: Our Price: $393.40 You Save: $5.60 (1%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $134.99 (click here) Category: Network Media Player See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Apple iPod touch 32 GB (2nd Generation) [Previous Model]
Customer Review: Touching makes everything better!
Summary: 5 Stars
I've held off on writing a review of the iPod Touch 2G 32GB...simply because I was afraid of how long a review it would be. Lengthy, only because of its fine features and excellent performance!
*exhales deeply*
...let's give it a go, shall we?
The 2nd generation of the iPod touch features:
-motion sensitivity, which means that the screen on your touch will rotate depending on how you hold your iPod touch. VERY COOL!
-volume buttons on the side, which is VERY, VERY convenient for being able to adjust volume without having to unlock the iPod every time a song gets too loud/quiet!
Some Favorite Features:
CALENDAR
I bought the Touch because of it's Calendar feature, as surprising as it may be! Once synced with Microsoft Outlook, all my calendar data was immediately transferred to the Touch. Rather than being a music/video/photo player, exclusively, the Touch also became my personal day-timer. And boy, with a busy schedule, it's nice to be able to have all that information at your fingertips...literally. Adding/editing appointments is easy as anything.
Which leads me into typing with the Touch
TYPING
Typing with the Touch, is AMAZINGLY sensitive! Granted the thinner your fingers are, the easier it will be, but still...it can accurately tell the difference between typing a 'T' or a 'Y'. Fabulous! I will say that typing on the landscape mode (or horizontally) is preferred and considerably easier and feels more natural.
Typing e-mails, web URLS, calendar events...all this, is very easy and convenient. For e-mails, please note that the 'Mail' application of the Touch does not rotate and thus, you cannot type horizontally. HOWEVER, there are a variety of 3rd party applications available for that, and they work marvelously...so, no worries. (I recommend FireMail).
WEB-BROWSING
By far, the COOLEST feature, in my opinion. There's nothing like checking your favorite websites and physically interacting it! With a touch of my finger, I can click a link. With simple finger movements, you can zoom in/zoom out...anywhere on the page.
Now, granted, you need a WIFI connection, but if you are like me (a college student), then...hopefully, most of your campus/work-environment is already wireless! In which case, you are good to go! I can be in the Student Union or in my dorm, and still be fully connected at all times!
APPLICATIONS
Applications, are your best friend...thanks to some savvy programmers! Of all the applications I have downloaded and used, the Apple Remote application blows my mind the most!
Just imagine...you can control the iTunes library on your computer...BY YOUR IPOD TOUCH! SNAP! Once I got it connected (easy to do...takes...1 second), I was just browsing my computer's music library on my Touch. VERY COOL!
Some other games/apps utilize the Touch's internal gyroscope (which allows for motion sensitivity) and makes usage a lot of fun. From bowling to beer pong, you can find many games to entertain you (and people watching you swing your Touch in the air and scream, "STRIKE!").
VIDEO
Fight Club or Casino Royale...in the palm of your hands! Damn straight! The video quality is phenomenal and it's just, overall, very convenient to be able to watch movies whenever you want. There is a nifty feature that, when you decide to leave the movie...it'll start up exactly where you left off when you return to the movie!
ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS
The Touch also features a built-in NIKE+ receiver...which I have yet to use as I use my 1G NANO for that. In all honesty, I'm still a little bit too nervous to go running with a 400 dollar iPod. But that's just me.
I didn't cover the Photo feature, so here's my 5 seconds on it: The pictures will rotate when you rotate your Touch. You can also zoom/zoom out by using your fingers. Simply put, too cool.
NOW, you're thinking...okay...okay...I'm gonna spend the money on it, but wait...what about protecting it from everyday use?
WISE QUESTION!
I had the same concerns and from my experience with iPods (I own 4), the back of the iPod is like a scratch magnet! Not to mention, the entire front screen of the iPod is well...pretty darned important. For that, I would recommend Zagg's Invisible Shield. You may have seen the youtube videos where a key is used on the back of an iPhone?
It works...seriously. I took a key to the front and back and...nothing. Now it is a bit tricky to install, but once it's done...it is well worth the effort...and price!
I use my Touch...everyday! I check my e-mails, weather, websites, calendar, and even my to-do list. And protected by the Invisible Shield, I have no worries about putting it in my pocket with my keys!
All I can really say is: You have to experience owning a Touch, to really understand why we Touch owners love it so much. You won't get tired of playing with it, and even if you do...you cannot get tired of its functionality, which is unparalleled!
BUY IT!
Customer Review: the best player in the world
Summary: 5 Stars
The iPod Touch debuted only one year ago, and this is the first update. I was excited to pick up the new iPod Touch at the Apple Store because I had never owned a first generation, though I do own iPhones.
I want to concentrate primarily on the new features:
First, physical volume buttons are now placed on the side of the iPod Touch as they are on the iPhone. This is very convenient. It allows you to adjust the volume of your music, without having to pull the entire device out of your pocket and activate the screen. A time saver.
Second, many people requested a built-in speaker for the iPod Touch like is available on the iPhone. Apple listened. However, there is one important point to make on this! The iPod Touch is incredibly small, and Apple is forced to put an incredibly small speaker. The speaker in the iPod Touch sounds worst than the speaker in the iPhone. I have compared it side by side, and it's fairly significant, and the iPhone speaker isn't that great to begin with. However, in a quiet room, the speaker is still useful for previewing a song you might want to buy, or for playing games. However, still, if you want great sound, you need to connect your headphones.
Genius - This new feature is really surprisingly good. When you're listening to a song you enjoy, select the genius option. It will create a playlist for you, with songs that go together nicely with the one you started with. It helps you rediscover great music from your collection with a playlist suited to the mood you're in. I didn't think it would do a good job compiling this list, but it has been quite impressive.
Applications - It's great to have the ability to buy (or get some free) applications right on the iPod Touch. Furthermore, with the software update this new iPod Touch comes with, the Application installation process is so much smoother than it had been even on my iPhone. It now works how you want it to, seamlessly. I like having a weather application that includes doppler radar images, and that is free. I also have several games on it. There is a great variety of applications available from hundreds of third-parties right on the iPod itself, so you are certain to find something that interests you. I really like the new release of Spore, for the iPod Touch and iPhone. Apple is really pushing the games and quietly suggest they are challenging Nintendo and Sony. They are innovative and interesting games, but I think they have a ways to go, to challenge those game makers.
Nike + is now built in too, so if you have the shoes and the puck, the iPod Touch is ready to receive the data from it. Battery life is improved to 36 hours audio and 6 hours video according to Apple. I find the audio number fairly accurate if you don't light up the display much, but the video number is a slight bit harder to achieve.
Of course, the new ipod Touch does look and feel even better than the first generation, from my small experiences with the previous one. I also think it feels cooler than my iPhones, but obviously your interpretation may very. I like the metal back on the iPod Touch. It looks classy, though it is prone to scratches.
One of my favorite features continues to be, when in my home on Wi-Fi, to reach down for the Touch, use Safari web browser and look something up. It's great.
Overall, it was a solid update for the iPod Touch. I wish the speaker could be better on it, but I believe that is due to the physical restrictions of the small device. I could have knocked it to four stars for that, but I think most people realize a built in speaker isn't the way you want to listen to most audio on an iPod to begin with. I'm impressed by the second generation iPod Touch, and I think with the third party applications getting better and becoming more popular, more people will consider the Touch.
Customer Review: Entertainment Powerhouse
Summary: 5 Stars
I had wanted a music player for a long time and held off until I saw the 2nd generation iPod Touch. This is essentially an iPhone without the phone. WOW! Let me say that again, WOW. There are other versions of the iPod, but for those who have larger hands or don't want something too small and slim, this is perfect. It is not too large, but comfortable to hold and flat out fun to use. The color screen is beautiful and video is simply amazing to watch on the Touch. While the Touch is designed to be easy to use and mostly it is, it is not intuitive if you are not familiar with the design and how it is supposed to work. Being a geek, I purchased several books to learn about the Touch before hand, so I was ready to go when I received it. Syncing via iTunes is very easy and it is wonderful to have music, video (TV Shows, movies, movie trailers and You Tube to name a few), Internet, GPS and helpful apps make this a must have device. The Touch has Wi-Fi, so you can browse the Internet, check your mail, browse the iTunes Wi-Fi and App stores, get GPS info, check weather or stocks only on a Wi-Fi connection. If you are not near a Wi-Fi signal the Internet connection features and apps will not work. It should also be noted that only the music and App store sections of iTunes work on the Wi-Fi connection, all others are available only on your computer. The Touch also has some handy PIM widgets for a Calendar, Contacts, Notes, Clock and a Calculator. You can also view photos in vivid color. Your music library can be sorted by artist, song title, album (check out the cool cover flow feature by flicking your finger across the screen) and you can search for any of the above. The new Genius feature is also included in the 2nd generation version, suggesting music you may have forgotten you have. I don't use the Genius feature that much because the artist category feature is my favorite to find music. There are a number of paid and free aps available for the Touch and the iPhone since they are similar. Many do not need an Internet connection to work.
It is fantastic to be able to listen to your music library nearly anytime and anywhere you like. The Touch has full stereo sound and is espcecially good with headphones. The ear buds that come with it are okay, but I prefer over the ear headsets for full, rich sound. I never would have thought I would have enjoyed watching TV Shows or video on the go, but I love watching my favorite shows on the Touch. iTunes has nearly every cable channel show you can think of and it is a cost effective way to view a single episode to see if you like a show you have not seen before. One thing I am not wild about is touch typing. Contrary to popular opinion, there are stylus' made that will work with the touch. I purchsed a wonderful one from Hand Held Items that makes it much easier to type. The Touch syncs fairly quickly. Video will run the battery down faster than music will, but it charges very fast. I bought a 32 GB so that I would have plenty of room for music and video. I would like to mention an important point, once you have filled your iPod with your favorite entertainment, make sure you back up your iTunes libarary. iTunes will back up your iPod, but many people forget to back up their computers. If you lose it, it is gone and you will have to re-purchase anything you have lost. I backup all items purchased on my computer using both a backup drive and Arconis True Image software and an online storage site, Flipdrive. You can get 20GB of storage for $5.00 a month and unlimited photos backed up. If it is on your iPod and important to you, take the time to back it up. The iPod Touch is a must for powerful packed and mostly easy to use features. It really is a fun and useful player to have.
Customer Review: Coming From A First-Time Ipod Touch Owner - I Don't Know How I Lived Without This Thing!
Summary: 5 Stars
I've been an Ipod user for the last 4 1/2 years, starting with the 20gb 4th generation and the moving up to the 80gb Classic. I had been eyeing the Ipod Touch for the last year now, waiting for the 2nd generation version to come out, and now that I've bought one, I have to say, this is one of the best products I've ever used!
When you see the Touch for the first time, especially the 32gb version, you'll marvel at how thin the device actually is. It's actually thinner than the iPhone and lighter than my old 80gb Classic. The Ipod Touch fits my hand perfectly, and I've got big hands and long E.T. fingers (not that long). The build quality looks to be up to snuff although I haven't, and don't intend, to drop it (its bound to happen).
The external volume control, which only comes with the 2nd generation version, is a great thing to have when working out or listening to music. You can put the Touch to sleep, the screen will turn off and it will still play music, which is perfect for saving battery life. The Touch screen is prone to getting sticky if you like eating foods with grease and sauce but can be cleaned quite easily. The actual touch screen is very responsive. Its responsive enough to know exactly what you want to do with it and yet, it won't detect your fingers when you slightly brush against it by mistake.
The Ipod Touch has virtually every feature that the Iphone has, with the exception of phone capabilites, GPS, and microphone recording capabilites. Its got Music, Videos, Photos, Internet/WiFi, YouTube (You can bookmark and download Youtube videos, with an app...), E-Mail, Notes, Calculator, Stocks, Weather, Web Browser, Maps, ITunes...the works. But the one thing thats better than all of those features, is the App Store.
The App Store allows you to download, straight to your Ipod Touch of course, any application (Apps) that people create for the product. With the App Store, you can get, FOR FREE...Associated Press News, Internet Radio, Games (Card Games, Racing Games, RPG Games, All Games...), Wikipedia, More Stocks/Bonds, Online Book Readers and probably a thousand differnt things that I haven't mentioned. The App Store even has a customer-based 5-star review system for each application, so that you don't download a crappy one by mistake. The "Apps" and App Store is the Ipod Touch's bread and butter. The apps will have you using the Ipod Touch for the next 3-4 years as they greatly extend the usage and importance of the Ipod.
The battery life of the 2nd Gen Ipod Touch is supposed to be better than the first one and so far, I haven't run into any battery issues. The video quality looks great to me, especially when you download a high-def movie (Youtube videos look good as well). Everything can be displayed in Widescreen and the Touch can even flip the videos over, depending on how you tilt the device in your hand (Very Cool Feature, takes a min or two to get used to). Audio quality is similiar to any other Ipod, if you've ever used one. It sounds better than most mp3 players and now, with the 2nd generation Ipod Touch, its got an external speeaker, so you can pull out the headphones, put it on your desk at work, and dance until your fired.
It seems like Apple continues to reinvent the wheel with every new Ipod that they bring out to the market. Where the old Ipods where know for the "click-wheel," the Ipod Touch is going to be know for its near-perfect touch screen interface. Maybe it wasn't the first device to have a touch-screen but its certainly one of the best. I can't believe I waited a year to buy this thing. 10/10.
Customer Review: Amazing Piece of Technology both Hardware and Software
Summary: 5 Stars
Let me start by saying I am a total nerd when it comes to technology. I buy pretty much anything that is supposed to make my life easier (but typically ends up making it harder!) as far as electronics go. One thing I never really got into though was the whole mp3 player fad and iPod's, etc. I listen to music but not enough to where I want to have ear buds stuck in my ears during every bit of the day. I think it's quite nice to hear the car horns from time to time or if you are really lucky hear a bird chirp or whatever. So because of that reason I figured I would just listen to music on one of my computers while I worked. I have always preferred a Blackberry to what Apple has been offering because it provided GPS services, Exchange syncing, SSH applications, and more. Everything about having a Blackberry was always more attractive. Anyhow I have always liked very small computers for example my daily laptop has a 12 inch screen and I would not go any larger. It is way too convenient to have something I can carry around either by hand or in a backpack easily. I always think its funny when you see people lugging around a desktop with a lid... they always look so frustrated!
Well recently I started to be in the market for a smaller computing device and was looking really hard at the Dell mini 9. Then a light clicked on and told me to compare it to the iPod Touch.... so I did! I was amazed to find many of the same features when I really looked into things including applications, etc. What was even more amazing is getting twice the hard disk space, in 1/20th of the size, for less money!
So I thought to myself... can I really type on this little keyboard? I was worried about how it would feel when actually, I mean really, using the thing. Have no fear the Apple engineers have developed an amazing piece of software here. Typing is easy to get used to and moving around the little guy is even easier. When you start to become comfortable with the Touch you will start to ask yourself why doesn't everyone have one of these?! How did I survive without it? There are so many cool applications that are either free or $10 and less. Currently I find a lot of use in the SSH application to manage servers, a time tracking application to record consulting hours when I am on site with a client, the email application is great, an e-book application, and the list goes on and on. No matter who you are there is something for you.
On top of it all I have found amazing programming in the form of podcasts and video podcasts. It blows away what is on network television and the radio. Now when I get a little time to relax I prefer sitting outside watching a video podcast versus sitting inside watching TV. Even reading one of the e-books available for free easily beats watching TV.
Many of my friends would find this review amazing since I have never really been a big fan of Apple products. I always had a hard time getting used to the no right mouse button! I still prefer PC to Mac and Linux to OSX but hey I don't mind admitting that the iPhone and Touch are two of the most amazing pieces of electronics ever created to date.
Hope this helps any of the people out there like me that have never really been mp3 player fanatics or Apple lovers... trust me when I say you will not be disappointed here if you have any amount of love for technology then you are missing out without owning one of these.