Apple's second-gen iPod touch features contoured metal design

[AppleInsider]

At its "Let's Rock" even on Tuesday, Apple introduced the second generation iPod touch featuring a thin contoured metal design, integrated volume control buttons, a built-in speaker for casual listening, and more.

The new iPod touch is smaller and lighter than the original, with a new tapered design that features a contoured metal enclosure with integrated volume control buttons and a 3.5-inch widescreen glass display. With its rounded edges, flush display and curved, more compact design, the new iPod touch was designed to be more comfortable to hold and more portable.

"iPod touch is the funnest iPod we’ve ever created," said Apple chief executive Steve Jobs. "Users can listen to millions of songs, watch thousands of Hollywood movies and now, thanks to the App Store, download and play hundreds of great games on their iPod touch."

The new iPod touch includes iPod software v2.1 that enables it to work with the new iTunes 8 Genius feature, which allows customers to automatically create playlists while on the go. Users can preview the playlist Genius creates, refresh the list to choose different songs and save Genius playlists to enjoy again later.

Built-in Nike + iPod support

Each new iPod touch also features built-in Nike + iPod support making it an ideal workout companion. Users simply place the optional Nike + iPod sensor ($19 US) in their Nike + shoe to seamlessly connect with the new iPod touch to track miles run or sync with the latest generation gym equipment.

Battery Life

Users can expect up to 36 hours of music playback or six hours of video playback on a single charge. The 32GB model holds up to 7,000 songs, 25,000 photos or 40 hours of video; the 16GB model holds up to 3,500 songs, 20,000 photos or 20 hours of video, and the 8GB model holds up to 1,750 songs, 10,000 photos and 10 hours of video.



Battery Life

iPod touch users can also connect to the App Store over Wi-Fi to browse, purchase and wirelessly download applications directly onto their players, including over 700 game titles such as "Spore Origins" and "Scrabble" from Electronic Arts, and "Real Football 2009" from Gameloft.

Pricing

The new iPod touch is available immediately for a suggested price of $229 (US) for the 8GB model, $299 (US) for the 16GB and $399 (US) for the 32 GB model. Existing iPod touch users can update to the latest 2.1 software for just $9.95 to add the new Genius feature. iPod touch owners who already have the 2.0 software get the 2.1 software update for free. iTunes 8.0, released today, is also required.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[teckstud]

My "precious"!

[walshbj]

As a shareholder I'm glad they didn't drop the price of the touch too much, as many have suggested they should. Comparing it to the price of the iPhone obviously doesn't make sense. I've been surprised that so many Apple related sites expected the price to come down to $199.

[amac4me]

I want one of these to go with my new Nike Air Vomero +3 running shoes.

[Buck]

So where are those fabled "products" that the competitors "wouldn't be able to match"? Nothing terribly new so far.

[Hal 9000]

No camera...that was a simple thing to include within the price range...GPS was probably a different kind of beast to consider...

[Phlake]

On a side note, the 2.1 software made the scrubber suck less! It's wide enough to actually fast-forward by less than half a song at a time.

[FuturePastNow]

+1 to putting volume buttons on the side of the thing.

[Chris Cuilla]

Did anyone catch (and this might be a previously existing feature so not worth mentioning today) whether the "shake to shuffle" feature exists on the iPod touch?

[solipsism]

$229 for the Touch which seems to be going for the Nintendo DS' jugular. While the DS is $100 cheaper right now—and I'm assuming a price drop to at least $99 for the holiday season—the Touch does have a much better display (albeit only one), more RAM, faster CPU, better GPU, potentially cheaper games, a physical D-pad coming to market, and 8GB of flash with means that you only have to have an iPod, not an iPod and DS to achieve the same basic function. There are plenty of arguments as to why one would want a DS or PSP, but the Touch is very compelling. This is going to be fun!

[yama]

Originally Posted by solipsism

$229 for the Touch which seems to be going for the Nintendo DS' jugular. While the DS is $100 cheaper right now—and I'm assuming a price drop to at least $99 for the holiday season—the Touch does have a much better display (albeit only one), more RAM, faster CPU, better GPU, potentially cheaper games, a physical D-pad coming to market, and 8GB of flash with means that you only have to have an iPod, not an iPod and DS to achieve the same basic function. There are plenty of arguments as to why one would want a DS or PSP, but the Touch is very compelling. This is going to be fun!

Also, iPod games are much, much cheaper than DS games.

[Ireland]

Originally Posted by yama

Also, iPod games are much, much cheaper than DS games.

Actually that's a big deal, some are 1/10 the price. And you don't have to move your butt or cue up to buy them.

[Rokken]

Does it mean the back of the new iPod Touch is scratch and finger print resistant?

[Chris Cuilla]

Also, I assume they do, but does anyone know if video podcasts, work on the iPod touch?

I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on a new iPod touch (upgrading from a 3G iPod) and just crossing all my t's and dotting all my i's.

[resnyc]

Was considering getting a new Touch if they had included a camera, since I don't need a phone. So, I'll just wait it out with my 4-year-old Classic, which does 90 percent of what I would use Touch for - and I can still use it without looking at it!

[anantksundaram]

Originally Posted by resnyc

Was considering getting a new Touch if they had included a camera, since I don't need a phone. So, I'll just wait it out with my 4-year-old Classic, which does 90 percent of what I would use Touch for - and I can still use it without looking at it!

That's just great! I am happy for you!

[anantksundaram]

Originally Posted by Buck

So where are those fabled "products" that the competitors "wouldn't be able to match"? Nothing terribly new so far.

I have no doubt that there will now be an October event..... let the speculation begin!

The 'special event' is dead, long live the 'special event'!

[arlomedia]

I have a 60 GB iPod Video that's 90% full. If Apple had increased the iPod Touch capacity to 64 MB, I would have bought one this month. I'd love to be able to browse the web and check email from my iPod, and I'd love a larger screen for watching videos, but I can't see cutting my storage capacity to approximately half of what I'm using now.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by Rokken

Does it mean the back of the new iPod Touch is scratch and finger print resistant?

Very funny- try the opposite.
You've never seen an older iPod with the same backing? The case makers must be very happy with this new model.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by anantksundaram

I have no doubt that there will now be an October event..... let the speculation begin!

The 'special event' is dead, long live the 'special event'!

By then Jack Skellington will preside.

[Mr Underhill]

Originally Posted by Chris Cuilla

Also, I assume they do, but does anyone know if video podcasts, work on the iPod touch?

I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on a new iPod touch (upgrading from a 3G iPod) and just crossing all my t's and dotting all my i's.

They sure do!!

[Rokken]

Originally Posted by teckstud

Very funny- try the opposite.
You've never seen an older iPod with the same backing? The case makers must be very happy with this new model.

dammit. I forgot my current 3G Nano has the same backing. I hate having cases. It just doesn't feel right. anyway, invisible shield isn't that bad :s

[joelsalt]

as someone who's camera just broke one would have been nice

solid, safe updates. I think flash and touch prices have to go down before they can increase their product range much more than it is.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by anantksundaram

I have no doubt that there will now be an October event..... let the speculation begin!

The 'special event' is dead, long live the 'special event'!

they longer they wait to update to Montevina, the better our chances that a new case design is coming, I think.

Originally Posted by arlomedia

I have a 60 GB iPod Video that's 90% full. If Apple had increased the iPod Touch capacity to 64 MB, I would have bought one this month. I'd love to be able to browse the web and check email from my iPod, and I'd love a larger screen for watching videos, but I can't see cutting my storage capacity to approximately half of what I'm using now.

64GB would be at least an $900 Touch. The 32GB chips just came on the market.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by Rokken

dammit. I forgot my current 3G Nano has the same backing. I hate having cases. It just doesn't feel right. anyway, invisible shield isn't that bad :s

I know but we have no choice. I 'll have to get one too- from day one. I'll check that one out. I had a click shield one and there's one by Contour too- not bad.

[stompy]

Originally Posted by arlomedia

I have a 60 GB iPod Video that's 90% full. If Apple had increased the iPod Touch capacity to 64 MB, I would have bought one this month. I'd love to be able to browse the web and check email from my iPod, and I'd love a larger screen for watching videos, but I can't see cutting my storage capacity to approximately half of what I'm using now.

There's probably a lot of us in this boat. The price cuts offer some hope for a mid-2009 64GB Touch. (or not? LOL)

[Mr Underhill]

Originally Posted by teckstud

By then Jack Skellington will preside.

I'd laugh it if wasn't so serious. Show some compassion!!

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by Mr Underhill

I'd laugh it if wasn't so serious. Show some compassion!!

What do you mean? It's only that it's near Halloween.

[probably]

Okay.

Generation 1: 4.2 ounces, 22hrs battery life for audio
Generation 2: 4.0 ounces, 36hrs battery life for audio

Thinner at the edges; the new one is .5mm bigger at the thickest.

Same steel back. Same glass front.

Hi, rapid advances in power usage.

[Virgil-TB2]

Originally Posted by stompy

There's probably a lot of us in this boat. The price cuts offer some hope for a mid-2009 64GB Touch. (or not? LOL)

If you want to look on the bright side ...

Nothing is doing more to lower the prices of flash than Apple pushing all these flash iPods. It's a snowball that's only just begun to roll.

[probably]

Also the iPhone's Tech Specs should be monitored before and after 2.1 launch for battery life changes.

[merdhead]

Originally Posted by Virgil-TB2

If you want to look on the bright side ...

Nothing is doing more to lower the prices of flash than Apple pushing all these flash iPods. It's a snowball that's only just begun to roll.

More demand would increase the prices, not lower them.

[Virgil-TB2]

Originally Posted by merdhead

More demand would increase the prices, not lower them.

nope.

[wizard69]

Originally Posted by Hal 9000

No camera...that was a simple thing to include within the price range...GPS was probably a different kind of beast to consider...

The camera would be a different beast GPS not so much a problem. The thing is it looks like Apple made a decision to go as small (thin) as possible, maybe not a bad idea but it eliminates a lot of possibilities. Frankly I think Apple could have done a bit better with the new Touches feature set but I will refrain from calling it an update failure until I get a hold of the new firmware.

Dave

[merdhead]

Originally Posted by Virgil-TB2

nope.

Yes, they would. Are you saying established and proven economic theory is wrong?

If you say increased volume will lower prices then you're ignorant of the fact that most flash companies are selling them at a loss or close to it and are producing above demand.

[jowie74]

Still more expensive than an iPhone (under contract, obviously)... So that clinches the deal for me - iPhone it is!

[mitchleeh]

does anyone know the deal with new touches and back to school? i'd love to know!

[merdhead]

Originally Posted by jowie74

Still more expensive than an iPhone (under contract, obviously)... So that clinches the deal for me - iPhone it is!

It's not possible to be cheaper than an iPhone since they are available for free by that logic.

[Multimedia]

Nothing on the Apple site shows where the speaker(s) is/are. Ars Technica wrote there are descent sounding "speakers". Does anyone know if it's one or two and where it or they are?!?!? How can such a major new feature not even be explained in this article?!?

Called Apple. They had to track down an engineer to finally tell me it's one speaker between the headphone jack and the comm/charge slot.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by mitchleeh

does anyone know the deal with new touches and back to school? i'd love to know!

Not eligible!