Apple iPod touch 8 GB (2nd Generation) [OLD MODEL]
by Apple Computer
![Apple iPod touch 8 GB (2nd Generation) [OLD MODEL]](/images/Apple-iPod-touch-8-GB-2nd-Generation-OLD-MODEL-B002M3SOBU-L.jpg)
|
List Price: Our Price: $84.99 You Save: $275.00 (76%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Network Media Player See more product details |
|---|
Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Apple iPod touch 8 GB (2nd Generation) [OLD MODEL]
Customer Review: WARNNING for new 8GB 3G owners and ipod touch 3G Review
Summary: 5 Stars
Before i start let me just tell you "what's New" with the iPod touch Third generation" :
-Faster Cpu/Double the ram/Better graphic (faster Boot time/faster loading is all what i did notice)
-Double the storage for the same old price
-Voice control (I'll explain it in a second)
-Latest firmware for free
-New Earbuds with built in remote+Microphone (So you can use voice control)
And that is everything~ depends on your needs upgrading from 2G to 3G might be not worth it.
*Important Note* : only the New iPod touch 32GB/64GB are third generation ~ (8GB is repacked 2G) Details below.
About the new Voice control function, if you love to take your iPod with you to the Gym the new feature "Voice control" is pretty cool, it does allow you to control your music via your voice, no need to get the iPod out of your pocket you can simply say "Next" to move to next song, say "shuffle" for shuffle , say "Pause" and music playback will stop etc, that is why i recommend the iPod touch over iPod classic for gym users, my friend bought an iPod classic and now he complains that the iPod classic is too heavy for him when he goes to the gym and he will have to buy another iPod "properly Nano" for his Gym, for me i use my iPod touch for the gym, it's so light that sometimes i forgot that it's even in my pocket.
After playing with my iPod touch 3g for a while i honestly did not notice any difference from the outside or the inside compared to my old iPod touch Second generation (It's supposed to be faster but i did not notice anything during music and video playback or the menus, however browsing with safari and loading facebook was faster, same thing with boot time), you properly can only notice it being faster with heavy applications since video/music playback is already fast enough with 2G.
I got the 64GB iPod 3G for [...]$, if you think of upgrading your 2G iPod touch honestly do yourself a favor and save yourself the money unless you really need that much of a storage (I do that is why i bought one), also remember that the 3G battery lasts less than 2G,(3G battery = 30 Hours of music playback versus 2G 36 hours of music playback according to apple official specs)
*VERY IMPORTANT* for the people who wants the new 8GB version, the new third generation 8GB iPod touch is NOT 3G it's a second generation iPod touch but apple did repack it/renamed it to 3rd generation, which seems to be misleading by APPLE and it's not cool at all, it is IPod Touch 2G+Updated firmware and that is it.
The iPod touch 3rd generation 32GB/64GB versions comes with a free mic+remote with the earbuds while the 8GB do not (it comes with normal earbuds), the 32GB/64GB have the New CPU+Graphic (According to apple the new cpu is twice as fast just like the iPhone 3GS) while the new 8GB use the same old CPU/Chip from the old iPod touch second generation.
Here is APPLE description on the iPod touches page about the 32/64GB versions : """Enjoy all the great features of the 8GB model along with better performance, richer graphics and voice control"""
The iPod touch 3rd generation is the same awesome iPod touch second generation was.
You can play your music/watch your videos/play games, even read your kindle books/etc "you can read amazon big description of what it's capable of if you do not know yet, it's better than what would i say because it has pictures and everything.
The iPod touch got the best browser i have ever seen in a portable device, i do not even need to carry my netbook with me anymore thanks to my iPod touch, if you hated browsing with lame browsers that crash a lot or slow (many mobile phones) trust me on this one, the iPod touch browser is not a toy or a gimmick it is a browser you can depends on, it's super fast and smooth and after using it for like a full year it has only crashed on me once!
Short list of pros and cons about the iPod touch
Pros:
-Slick,small and light device
-Great touch screen
-The BEST web browser on a portable device
-Amazing video/music playback
-App Store (Too many cool applications for Free)
-Display screen is clear and bright
-No bugs and annoying stuff a very reliable hardware
-64GB Flash based mp3 player
Cons:
-Not much of an upgrade over 2G (people were disappointed because they did not get upgrades like camera/OLED/etc)
-Weaker battery, only lasts 30 hours for music playback versus 2G iPod touch 36 Hours music playback
-Expensive for the 64GB version
-Still no FM radio without the use of online applications
-Bluetooth is still half locked
Update : one more reason to avoid the 8GB ipod touch, Apple announced today "April 09 2010" that iPhone 4.0 OS will be released this summer and it will bring many new features to the iphone and ipod touch, however some features like Multitasking will only be available for iphone 3GS and higher or Ipod touch third generation and higher (As i said before the 8GB is second Generation only, a third generation 8gb ipod touch do not exist! so you wont be getting multitasking if you buy the 8GB ipod touch),
I hope my review was helpful :)
Customer Review: Why the new iPods piss me off. Planned & engineered obsolescence.
Summary: 1 Stars
This should make you really mad. I will explain the issues and offer some solutions.
I have owned a lot of iPods, I just got a new 64GB Touch 3G only to find it would not charge with any of my docking stations, car chargers or wall chargers. Why?
Apple decided they needed to make more money by selling you new chargers for your new iPods, so instead of leaving well enough alone they engineered a change in their newer iPods so they would NOT WORK with older chargers.
First I will explain some basic facts about the methods used to charge an iPod. Typically, your iPod will connect to a USB or a Firewire connection to charge. There are some other dedicated chargers that connect directly to your iPod and they suffer the same ailments I describe here and also have similar fixes, though they are somewhat more complex.
USB has one and only one voltage that it uses, that is 5 volts DC. Firewire has one and only one voltage that it uses, that is 12 volts DC. There is no difference in voltage between devices of the same type, period. So why is it your old USB charger worked on your old iPod, but wont work on the new iPod? After all 5 volts is 5 volts is 5 volts.
USB Type A connectors (as used on iPods) have four contacts, the two outer contacts are the power, one side is ground (pin 4) and the other is 5 volts (pin 1). The two inner contacts (pins 2 & 3) are the send and receive data contacts for communications between devices, for instance your computer and your iPod.
Apple engineered a new "feature" in their new iPods that looks for a signal on the data contacts (pins 2 & 3) before it will accept the device to charge the iPod. Older chargers had only two contacts in use, the outer ones to provide the power for the iPod. There was nothing connected to the data contacts because there was no reason to have anything connected to them, at least not until now. You new iPod will reject a charging device that does not have a signal on the data contacts (pins 2 & 3). This could be your computer communicating with it or simply a small voltage (2.5 volts) on EACH data contact. If it sees this signal it will accept the 5 volts on the power contacts and charge the iPod. If it sees the 5 volts, but does not see the signal on the data pins it will present a message to you informing you it will not work with that device. Bear in mind again, this is the same 5 volts that is on all the older chargers and it must see the 5 volts to even give you the message that it won't use the device. There is no excuse for not using the 5 volts and simply charging itself.
There can be no other explanation for why they engineered this change into the newer iPods other than they wanted to purposely make the old charging accessories obsolete so they can sell you new ones. As an electronics engineer for the last 37 years I can say this with absolute certainty. I can understand why the new iPods do not work with the Firewire devices, Apple probably did not want to support both 12 volts and 5 volts as it takes separate circuitry for each one, but to work with newer and to not work with the older USB devices is in my opinion, criminal.
I would like to see a class action lawsuit against Apple for this greedy stunt.
By the way, if you can get inside your old charging devices there is a fairly simple way to modify them to work with the newer iPods if you are somewhat handy with a soldering iron. I just modified an old automotive (cigarette lighter socket) charger using this technique and it works great with my new iPod Touch 3G. You will need four 47K ohm resistors (1/8 watt is large enough, but any wattage will work) and possibly a few inches or small gauge wire.
Solder one end of each of two resistors to one of the two center contacts of the USB A connector inside your charger. If there is no room to place he resistors directly at the connector use a small piece of wire to connect the resistors and place them where there is room. Now take the other end of one of the resistors and connect it to the 5 volts outer contact and take the other end of the second resistor and connect it to the other outer (Ground) contact. Do the same thing using the other two resistors from the other of the two center contacts this time. What you have done with these resistors if split the 5 volts in half at the center point between each pair of resistors and connected it to one of the data contacts. The second pair of resistors does the same for the other data contact. This puts a 2.5 volt signal on both data contacts and the iPod will now allow itself to be charged with the device.
I have also created a small 1.5 inch long male/female USB A adapter using the exact same technique with four resistors. By placing this adapter in line with my iPod USB cable I am able to charge my iPod from any older USB charging device (or hub). I did not have to buy any new chargers and all it cost me was about 16 cents for the resistors, an old USB A extension cable and a little time.
I hope this helps. It is not that hard to make these alterations.
Now go out and get mad at Apple for trying to rob you.
Customer Review: Magnificent
Summary: 5 Stars
Well, I purchased an ipod touch wondering exactly how much I would use it, and now am glad I did. It's wonderfully compact, the apps are great, and the whole experience is something Apple really pulled off well.
SAFARI:
The web browser that comes on your little 'dock' on the home screen is the best of any portable device I've ever played with. The pages load quickly, you can easily open up three pages, the navigation is well layed out, and if you're somewhere with slower wifi, you can go do something else while the three pages load. Within four taps of the main screen, I can be at [...]. You can pinch and rotate, zooming in and out flawlessly, and scroll with a swipe across the screen, even diagonally. Links are nice, you click somewhere in the proximity and they open right up on a new page. 5 start browser, the best on a mobile device.
APPS:
I've only spent $1 on one app, and I'm constantly entertained. iTunes on my computer manages very well the apps that constantly flow in and out of my ipod. If I'm in range of wifi, I'll jump on the app store and browse around, there are plenty of free apps to keep one occupied. Once I click to download an app, it will just ask for my password, and then pop up on the main screen, with a loading bar while it downloads. I am free to go do other things. I'm quite dissapointed there are no great free racing apps, but other than that, the app store is well layed out, quick, and a great experience.
WIFI:
The wifi on the ipod touch is something else. The reciever is about as good as my laptops, and accessing secure internets even is a breeze with the password. Free apps on the app store greatly increase the ease of accessing wifi, but it's great even without it.
iTUNES:
iTunes is probably the hit sell for me. It easily downloads from the website on my PC, and it manages every aspect of my ipod. I can sync music and photos with a click from a single file, or from a set of files, or just my whole computer. It shows the memory of your ipod, and what types of things are using how much. Apps are stored and shared with other plugged in ipods (even paid ones)easily, and the whole layout is much better than Windows Media Player. The only fit I have about it is it too easily jumps to the Store to buy more songs when browsing music.
MUSIC!:
Now, for what the ipod was really made to do. It holds my music flawlessly, and if I don't like the song, I just shake the ipod, and it switches. I'll tell it to play a certain playlist, then move on and close back out to play with something else, while the music still runs in the background. It has internal speakers, but you have to hold it up to your ear for music. Overall, it's a breeze.
PHYSICAL PRODUCT:
The ipod touch needs a case. That's it. The back is easily scratched, but the glass screen is fine. I would get the ipod touch with a little $5 silicon case and a screen protector, as it keeps the ipod protected. It is extremely slim, and does not have any issues with one's pocket. I have gone through multiple phones that dial, go on the internet, etc. in my pocket, but the buttons on the ipod are very well placed, with the power/sleep button, the volume control, and the home screen. That's it.
HOME SCREEN:
I love the home screen of the ipod, it has to be the best feature on it. If I find myself ANYWHERE where I don't know how to get out of, I can hit the home button and start from the beginnning. All my apps are layed out nicely, and the dock is customizable (as well as everything else). I can run many different things, then as they load, hit the home button and go to something else. Sometimes the little X's on some things to close out is just in the way, or hard to reach, but the home button is a nice alternative to that.
---PROS:
1. Wonderful apps, many free, others $0.21. (Some ARE rediculously priced)
2. Great programs
3. WOWing layout
4. Anti-scratch screen
5. iTunes+ipod=(:
6. (I haven't mentioned it) The keyboard! It is so much nicer than I anticipated, and I rarely mess up.
7. Screen brightness. It automatically detects brightness, and changes. So in the dark, I'm not shielding my eyes from the blazing light, and in bright sunlight there is minimal glare, and it is easily read.
---CONS:
1. Easily scratched back.
2. Too easily wants you to buy things (mostly iTunes)
3. Battery life. When you are constantly downloading and playing and browsing and... The battery is short lived, but often I am hooked up to the computer, where it is quickly charged.
4. YOU NEED A COMPUTER. The ipod needs a computer to fully function, and it gives you more of the experience. So if your are browsing for ipod touches, GET A COMPUTER (either Windows or Mac, they both work fine) FIRST.
If you're contemplating whether or not to get one of this little gadgets, DO. But you NEED A COMPUTER.
Hope I helped...
Customer Review: iPod Touch... worth joining Mac?
Summary: 4 Stars
So here's the difficult decision: You're looking for a new mp3 player. Should you break down and join the Mac bandwagon? Is it really that epic? Don't worry; as someone who has used multiple types of mp3 players (including the iPod Touch and Creative Zen Micro), I'm here to help.
I know, I know, the iPod Touch is the big thing, especially with those awesome Mac commercials to back it up. You know the ones:
Mac: I'm a mac!
PC: I'm a PC!
Mac: Hey PC, you suck!
PC: I know...
Mac: Hahaha, buy me, I'm young and cool!
But seriously, memorable marketing techniques aside, is Mac really that much better? Or are they just taking advantage of the unstoppable mechanical abomination that was Windows Vista?
Darth Vader PC: What is thy bidding, my master?
Emperor Bill Gates: Destroy Microsoft's public image FOREVER!!!
I know, I know, I'm getting off topic with the whole Mac/PC thing, but isn't that the point? It is, actually, and I'll tell you why: The iPod is kind of like the poster child for the ever-expanding Mac empire. And now, the iPod Touch slash iPhone has become the unstoppable force against which all other mp3 players (and phones) must be compared.
Some of the key features of this capitalist behemoth include:
Massive amounts of space for music!
***** Video players
***** Wifi for all of us internet dweebs (or teenage girls who can¡¦t be separated from Facebook)
***** And, of course, the apps.
So whether you want to play Call of Duty: World at War: Zombies, or lose a million consecutive games of chess against a Chinese Master-Computer, or look up the word Grandiloquence, or find a map somewhere, or browse around at your cute little Lolcats, or a bajillion other things, the iPod can help you do it!
So, at this point the iPod is looking pretty much awesome, right?
Okay, sure, but what about in comparison to others? Here's the thing: any self-respecting computer geek who knows anything about PC's versus Macs can tell you that Macs can be extremely frustrating when you try to do... well... anything.
All I want to do is make a project in iMovie, save the file on my flash drive, and take it to another computer, maybe to convert it to a different type of video file. Buuut... no, you can't do it. Mac won't let you save your project as a file that can be moved.
Second example: I want to use my iPod with a different computer-media-player than iTunes. It's a simple request. Buuut... no. You can't do it. iPod and iTunes go together in a fascistically controlled way.
My point is this: When you use a Mac, it¡¦s great if you don't know squat about how to creatively manage files and devices on and with your computer. But if you¡¦re somebody who actually has half a brain, you'll quickly learn that if you want a computer that doesn't treat you with the same amount of condescending control as, say, Super Nanny, you'll want a PC.
The same holds true for Mac's little poster child, the iPod. You have to follow the rules of the iPod, no question, no choice, no freedom.
Perfect example: On my iPod I can play movies that iTunes lets me upload, or I can use my YouTube app, or find the very rare Quicktime video online, but beyond that, I'm pretty much sunk. And the sad reality of today's universe is that a huge amount of the videos/games/websites on the internet require, of course, Flash Player.
However, the Mac Nazi's have yet to allow Flash Player to be compatible with the iPod, rendering a good portion of the internet completely useless. This can be very annoying.
My final point is this: If you're somebody who doesn't need control, who wants a device that tells YOU what to do, and who doesn't really use the internet for that much, then sure, get an iPod. However, if you're a smart, independent person who believes that your mp3 player should bow to YOUR wishes, not the other way around, go out and get yourself a Zune. Power to the people.
Customer Review: I wanted a music player, but got a whole lot more
Summary: 5 Stars
I've never been a big fan of Apple. Maybe it started in college with Mac owners paying hundreds more for their computer, and having little to justify it but a simple, "it's better for film editing". Or maybe it began with the original iPod, and EVERYONE owning one a year later. Perhaps it was the iPhone, and how my friends acted like it was the greatest device ever built (well, it really is the best phone/PDA out there). Either way, I held off the Apple train, resisting the iPhone and buying the original Zune when it came out.
But here it is, years later and my poor Zune is dead. The headphone jack became loose and it will only play if I hold the connection at a particular angle (rendering it useless for any mobile activity). My first thought was to get the new Zune HD. It looked amazing (OLED = beautiful picture), and I have been a fan of the Zune Pass for quite some time. Then there was the iPod Touch. Right next to the Zune HD, staring at me with its big screen and thousands of apps. Deciding that I wanted just a little more than "just a mp3 player", I broke down and bought the iPod.
I've played with an iPhone before (who hasn't?), but never had any real time learning the OS of the iPhone/iPod. That being said, I had no problem understanding how to use the iPod Touch from the second it turned on. Ever aspect is easy to understand, and it moves very quickly from task to task. If there was an instruction manual in the box, I wouldn't know. The OS is amazingly friendly and within minutes I was connecting my WiFi and downloading apps.
Having come from a basic mp3 player, the iPod Touch is drastically more than just a music player. It does so much it boggles my mind. Sport scores (fantasy football!). Weather. I can order a pizza from it. I wanted to listen to music, and got much more. The size of it blows me away. It doesn't feel cheap, but it's light and tiny. It fits in my pocket, but does more than several items combined. It makes me have iPhone envy, only for the reason I could have one item in my pocket, and not the two I have now.
Oh yeah, I wanted a music player (notice how long it took me to get to this?). This is the best music player I have ever owned. Easy to use, with great sound and functionality. Within the first hour I had it I packed it with music, videos, apps, etc.. I went to buy groceries the other day, and had a tiny computer at my side, able to switch from song to song with ease. To top it off, the Genius feature (like a shuffle, but the a genre) gave me endless playlist to enjoy.
Not all is amazing with the iPod Touch though. iTunes does not get a thumbs up from me. I just don't like it. Having come from a Zune Pass where I downloaded what I wanted with no sync issues, iTunes just doesn't feel right to me. I have 70 gigs of music on my computer all pulled from CD's, but when I transfered some of it, the tags were messed up, music files were thrown all over the place, and album covers were available sporadically. Nothing a few hours of editing couldn't fix, but it was something I never had to do with my Zune.
As another small note, the included earbuds are average at best. Now, I own a pair of $200 Ultimate Ears, so it's not an issue for me, but if you got this as a gift, you get a pair of unbalanced earbuds (very muffled mids, and under-average highs). It's like buying a Lexus... with a tape deck. On the plus side, the internal amp is able to drive larger headphones like my Sennheiser HD-595. Granted, they sound DRASTICALLY better on my Headroom amp, but that's not portable. Take what you can get sometimes I suppose.
Rather than ramble on I'll stop here (your questions can be answered by this thing we call 'the internet'). It's fair to say I have used my iPod Touch more to explore apps than listen to music. I just wanted a mp3 player, and I have now have a pocket sidekick. I'm ordering food right now, on a device that fits in my pocket, has hundreds of songs, and replaces several items I own. Apple might have converted me (though I still won't admit it).