Apple iPod Touch 32GB Second Generation - Review
Apple iPod Touch Second generation - The funniest iPod ever
The second generation of iPod touch has almost sealed the gap between the iPods and the iPhone. If you are a technology lover, then ipod-touch 32GB might be just the right one that you are searching for. The volume control and the internal speakers were the two desirable features that were available in the iPhone and that has now been included in the iPod Touch.
The first generation iPod touch which was released along with the fourth generation Nano was just seen as an MP3 player for people who could not afford the iPhone 3G. But, this 2nd gen iPod Touch, looks just identical to the iPhone and has most of its functionalities except for the ability to make calls or surf the web using 3G. But, if you are looking only for a MP4 player and not a phone, then the good news is that, the music played in iPod touch sounds better than the one played using iPhone.
Little design tweaks:
The design tweaks done to the second generation touch are very minimal. The iPod touch 32gb has a very slim and extremely compact design with its dimensions being 62 x 110 x 8 mm. It has an all metal and glass design with its new stainless steel back and feels very expensive as it looks to be. One factor that can easily spoil the reputation of a MP4 player is if it sports a bad screen. But, Apple wisely has employed the same scratch resistant 3.5″ screen that is found in the iPhone. However, we would advice you to buy a protective case as the body of the iPod is still glossy which means scratch and smudge magnet but this time around, it feels less fragile than its previous model. Apple seems to have known it previously as it has included the cleaning cloth in the package. Viewing angles on the second-generation iPod Touch seem better than the previous model, while color balance and brightness seem about the same.
Physical controls:
Coming to the physical controls, there is a button in the front face of the Touch that calls the main menu and it also sports a deactivation button found in the top left edge of the Apple iPod Touch 32gb 2nd generation. There is a volume rocker available for you in the right side of the Touch that enables you to adjust the volume on a fly. Touch has the standard 3.5mm headphone jack, which means, you can use any standard minijack headphone connection. The speaker that is included in Touch is not visible form outside.
The incredible interface- seller point:
As we all know, the main selling point of both the iPod Touch and the iPhone lies not only on its incredible load of features, but also on the interface. There are a lot of other devices that offer a better load of features with better audio and video features, but Apple’s multi-touch interface of the Touch can never be matched by any other device. The menu is predominantly icon based as is the case of the iPhone, but since Touch is basically a player, the emphasis is placed more on the music, photo and video playback. Apart from the physical volume control, you can bring-up an onscreen volume slider with a double click over the main menu button. The volume screen thus appearing can also be used for playing, pausing and skipping your music. When you flip the iPod touch on its side, a scrolling Cover Flow view of your library is shown with large album covers. Zooming of the pictures with a pinch of your fingers and gliding through your music cover makes you realize that you are certainly in the 21st century. A lot of attention has been paid to even minute details.
Ambient light sensor:
The ambient light sensor automatically adjusts the brightness to suite your ambient light in your surroundings. And as a result of this feature, you can save your battery life efficiently.
Features:
The biggest blunder that an iPhone owner can ever make is to invest on the iPod Touch as it is simply the same. If you do not own any then lucky you as you can get all the exquisite features of the iPhone without any costly contracts. The list of features that touch offers, makes it more of a pocket PC than a player.
PDA like features:
Apart from audio and video playback, the other features that iPod Touch 2nd Gen from Apple offers you are, a photo viewer, Safari web browser, email reader and an integrated Wi-Fi music store. The other miscellaneous features available are, calendar, weather, maps, notes, stocks, contacts, clock, calendar and notes. The iTunes App store is the new feature that allows you to download in install a wide range of applications such as games, voice recorders, radio players, social networking tools and much more. This feature can be accessed either form your PC or the iPod touch itself. If the list of features that Apple offers you for the iPod touch is not enough for you, you can also opt to use a lot of other third party accessories known as, “Made for iPod” which include Bluetooth transmitters, battery packs, speaker systems and audio or video docks.
The genius software:
The 32gb Apple iPod Touch Black also has the Genius feature that allows you to create a play list of 25 songs that have similar characteristics of that of a single song. This is a real fun feature for you to enjoy on if you have a really large database of songs. The play lists that you had created using the genius software can be saved in your touch if you like the collection and they get synced automatically with your iTunes in your PC. But for this, you have to remember to enable the genius feature in your computer else, the play lists would not sync.
Upgrade worthy?
If you ask us the question if it is worth an upgrade from your first generation iPod Touch to this Second generation model, here is our answer. By spending just over 20 dollars, you will get all the software that is included in the 2nd generation Touch. But there are still a few things that you cannot get unless you spend on the Touch that is, the built-in speaker, Nike plus support, the GPS capabilities, camera and headphone jack microphone input. The inclusion of Nike plus proves Touch to be a good companion to the regular exercisers.
The external speaker and audio:
Apple iPod Touch 2G 32gb Black enjoys the fact that it was the first ever iPod to include a speaker for music and video. The sound from the external speaker is good but cannot be said as spectacular. The amount of attention that had been paid to the design has not been shown on the audio quality. The sound enhancement options form its competitors like Sony Walkman are far beyond the reach of iPod Touch which has only the average EQ presets included. The audio though is smooth and balanced and does not suffer from degradation which would satisfy most of the listeners. This second generation does not use its traditional ventilation and interestingly does not create any new holes in the case for ventilation. Rather, it is using the metal back surface of the iPod touch as a speaker, sort of like an NXT flat panel audio system. You can feel a very slight vibration when the music is put on a very high volume, but otherwise, you cannot feel any difference.
With the addition of the external speaker, games are going to be more fun. One disappointing fact is that the Touch still cannot stream flash video or audio content through its safari browser.
Video quality:
If you are a video freak, Touch has a lot to offer you. You can load you iPod Touch with video podcasts, music, TV shows, and even watch ever-ending amount of video using the included You Tube widget. Apple iPod touch’s video feature is identical to that of the iPhone’s iPod feature. The screen quality is much superior to that of its previous version. This second generation iPod display is brighter and differentiates the colors well and also does not suffer from the “negative black” (the dark colors become reflective washing out the details in the process) problem that was experienced in most of the previous Apple iPods. The TV-out feature is still absent in iPod touch. This means that you have to either buy an expensive authentication chip-based video cable, otherwise a similarly overpriced docking device in case you want to watch iPod-stored videos on an external display.
Supported formats:
The supported audio formats are, MP3, AAC (including protected files), Audible, WAV, AIFF, and Apple Lossless with no support for WMA. The MPEG-4 and H.264 are the video formats supported, and it still does not play back hi-def video than the 640×480 files.
ITunes WiFi:
The iTunes WiFi store allows you to view, purchase and download music. Only music is allowed and no movies, pod casts or games. In order to purchase you will have to enter your iTunes password for the sake of security. Once the download is complete, it is instantly available for you to listen and the next time you sync your iPod, it is transferred to your PC. This feature is almost flawless as even interrupted download continues when the WiFi connection is re-established.
Regarding the iTunes, as you know it is the music software exclusive to Apple iPods with the most number of both pros and cons. You will need the iTunes 8 to use the iPod Touch. If you are new to apple iPods and hence to iTunes, then just have a go through before you actually use the product.
Battery life:
Coming to the battery life, the iPod Touch has 36 hours of audio playback and 6 hours of video playback. Yet, the performance is mode when the WiFi is turned off. The battery performance has been increased considerably from the pervious version which had 22 hours of audio playback and 5hours of video.
Box contents:
The box contents include Apple earphones, USB-to-Dock Connector cable, Universal Dock Adapter, an adapter of version 16, two Apple logo stickers, a safety and warranty booklet and a quick start pamphlet. Apple has a thinner and cheaper cleaning cloth, and the package also lacks the small plastic stand for viewing video. The media synchronization software is not included and so you will have to download iTunes from web. Apple iPod Touch second generation comes with one year warranty.
Verdict:
Apple iPod Touch 32gb second generation is one of the best iPods in the current market. If you are planning to buy one, then this would be a great choice for you. But if you already own the first generation touch or an iPhone, then this may not impress you much with only upgrades in display and battery life. The new apple ipod touch makes you feel good but its price may not please you much.
Check the reviews of iPod Classic 160GB, Shuffle 1Gb, Nano 4GB 2nd generation in our website.
Apple iPod Touch 32GB 2nd Generation - Technical Data
| Model | Apple iPod touch 32GB |
| Manufacturer | Apple |
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 110 x 61.8 x 8 mm |
| Display | 3.5 inch (diagonal) wide screen multi-touch display |
| Resolution | 480 x 320 pixel |
| Interface | USB 2.0 |
| Audio formats supported | ACC, MP3, MP3 VBR, audible (formats 2, 3 and 4), WAV, AIFF, Apple lossless |
| Battery | Built-in rechargeable lithium ion battery |
| Battery life | 5hrs video play back 22hrs audio play back |
| Charge time | Fast charge time - 1.5hrs ( charges 80% of battery capacity) Full charge time - 3hrs |
| Memory capacity | 32GB |
| Photo formats supported | JPEG, GIF, BMP, TIFF, PSD (Mac only), PNG |
| Ports | Stereo minijack (3.5 mm) / dock connector |
| Video formats supported | MPEG-4 (mp4), h.264 |
| Play back modes | All tracks repeat, one track repeat, play list, random play/ shuffle |
| Ear phones | Yes (binaural stereo) |
| Photo viewer | Yes |
| USB cable included | Yes |
| Wireless internet access | Yes |
| Special features | Wi-Fi web access, multi-touch display, maps, app store, and ambient light sensor. |
| Mounting options | Arm band |
| Color | Black |
| Included accessories | Docking station adapter |
| Weight | 4.2 oz |
| Box content | Apple ipod touch 32GB Ear phones USB2.0 cable Dock adapter Polishing cloth Quick starter guide |
| Warranty | One year |
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