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Apple iPod Touch (second generation, 16GB)

Manufacturer: Apple Part number: MB531LL/A

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$269.99 - $319.95 at 9 online stores

CNET Editor rating:
4.5 stars Spectacular
Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 45 reviews

Sep 2008

More product information:: Editors' review; User reviews; Specifications; Product series; Manufacturer info

Bottom Line:: The second-generation iPod Touch includes features that are light-years ahead of the competition, its design has improved, and its price has finally come down to earth.
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CNET editors' review

Apple iPod Touch (second generation, 16GB)

price range: $269.99 - $319.95

Reviewed by: Donald Bell
Reviewed on: 09/11/2008

The good: The second-generation Apple iPod Touch has it all: music, videos, photos, podcasts, e-mail, Web browsing, Internet radio, games, Nike+, Wi-Fi music downloads, and an App Store for adding thousands of custom features.

The bad: The second-generation iPod Touch may be overwhelming to users looking for a simple music player; audio quality is average; and iTunes software is required.

The bottom line: The second-generation iPod Touch includes features that are light-years ahead of the competition, its design has improved, and its price has finally come down to earth.

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iPod Touch (second generation)

As the less-gifted sibling of Apple's celebrated iPhone, the iPod Touch has had to work hard to prove itself. Now in its second generation, Apple has finally given the iPod Touch a chance to shine by lowering its price (an 8GB model now runs $229), improving the hardware, and practically doubling the features from last year's original model.

Design
Apple's updates to the iPod Touch's design are subtle, but the hardware has definitely changed for the better. A slim volume switch now graces the left edge of the Touch, making it easier to make quick volume adjustments. The chromed steel back of the second-generation iPod Touch now mimics the rounded design of the iPhone 3G, giving the device a slimmer profile at its edges. Whether psychological or by design, the second-generation iPod Touch feels less fragile than last year's model and makes the plastic enclosure of the iPhone 3G feel cheap by comparison.

Minor improvements aside, the second-generation iPod Touch hardware is largely unchanged. Both the first- and second-generation iPod Touch share the same dimensions (4.3 inches by 2.4 inches by 0.31 inch), same glass-covered screen (3.5 inch), and same arrangement of headphone jack, dock connector, sleep button, and home button.

Apple's Cover Flow music menu is a bit useless on the smaller screens of the iPod Nano and iPod Classic, but it's a fantastic way to browse music on the iPod Touch.

Features
Priced at $229 (8GB), $299 (16GB), and $399 (32GB), the second-generation iPod Touch still commands a fairly high price compared with other MP3 players with similar capacities. When you weigh the price of the iPod Touch against its features, however, the device becomes much more attractive. Out of the box, the second-generation iPod Touch includes an amazing music player, podcast support, video playback (including iTunes rentals and a YouTube player), a Safari Web browser, photo viewer, an e-mail reader (compatible with Outlook, Exchange, MobileMe, Gmail, Yahoo, AOL, or any POP e-mail service), an integrated Wi-Fi music store, and a host of smaller utilities (weather, calendar, maps, stocks, notes, clock, contacts, and calculator). Provided you can become proficient with its touch-screen keyboard, the iPod Touch is more pocket PC than MP3 player.

As of version 2.0 of Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch firmware, the device's stock features are just the beginning. The new iTunes App Store, accessible from your computer or directly from the iPod Touch, lets users download and install thousands of applications, including Internet radio players, games, voice recorders, and social-networking tools. You can also extend the capabilities of the iPod Touch using third-party "Made for iPod" hardware accessories such as Bluetooth transmitters, audio/video docks, external battery packs, and speaker systems.

The second-generation of the iPod Touch also introduces Apple's new Genius feature, which lets you create an instant 25-song playlists based on the musical characteristics of a single song. The Genius feature is easy to use, and the results are fun, provided your music collection holds enough songs to make interesting connections. You can create and save Genius playlists directly onto your iPod Touch, and with automatic syncing enabled in iTunes you can also transfer them back to your computer. Oddly, the Touch's Genius feature won't work if you haven't enabled Genius on your computer's iTunes software. If you find iTunes' Genius feature too demanding on your computer's resources or too invasive of your privacy (the feature reports your listening habits to Apple), then you'll need to live without the feature on your iPod as well.

Competing MP3 players like the Samsung P2 (right) do an admirable job emulating Apple's touch-screen control. But when push comes to shove, it's easy to tell which of the two companies has more experience with software design.

If you own a first-generation iPod Touch, you can spend $10 to upgrade its firmware to include all of the software capabilities (including Genius playlists) found on the second-generation model. There are three features, however, that you're only going to get on the second-generation Touch: a built-in speaker, Nike+ support, and headphone jack microphone input. The speaker included on the second-generation iPod Touch isn't visible from the outside and its sound quality is far from spectacular. Despite its poor quality, the addition of a speaker makes it easier to play games or listen to your morning podcasts without hunting down your headphones. We're also happy to see the inclusion of Nike+ functionality considering the popularity of MP3 players as workout companions. And if you're interested in making voice memos, an investment in a compatible iPod microphone headset (due out in October) will allow you to make voice recordings directly to the iPod Touch, provided that third-party developers begin creating voice applications specific to the Touch.

We're still disappointed that the iPod Touch still can't stream Flash video or audio content through its Safari browser; however, many of the Web's more popular content providers are working around the problem by creating specific App Store applications for their content (Pandora Radio and vSnax video are prime examples). We also can't help but crave the camera and GPS capabilities included on the Touch's close relative, the iPhone 3G. With any luck, a third-party manufacturer will step in with some clever accessories.

iTunes Wi-Fi
Both the iPod Touch and iPhone let users browse, preview, purchase, and download music from the new iTunes Wi-Fi music store. The store is limited strictly to music downloads--no movies, TV shows, podcasts, or games--at least, not yet. You'll have to hop onto an available Wi-Fi Internet connection to take advantage of the wireless music store, but once connected, you can search for any artist, album, or song in the iTunes catalog, as well as browse by genre, top sellers, featured artists, and new releases. Store purchases require you to enter your iTunes password as a security measure. Once the download is complete, the song is immediately available to listen to and will transfer to your computer's iTunes music library the next time you sync the device. The feature seems to work without any kinks. Even interrupted downloads pick up once a Wi-Fi connection is re-established.

Taking some design cues from the Apple iPhone 3G, the second-generation iPod Touch has a rounded back and includes a rocker switch for volume adjustments.

Performance
Having handled our share of touch-screen iPod and iPhone imitators this past year, we've yet to find a product that measures up to the responsiveness of Apple's multitouch technology. Granted, some Web-based applications need a few seconds to warm up, but the majority of the features on the iPod Touch react with an uncanny immediacy and fluidness. Small things such as album cover art that flips over to reveal track listings, menus that scroll with artificial momentum, and photos that resize with a pinch of your fingers, all illustrate an attention to detail not offered by the iPod's competitors.

For reasons known only to Apple, the obsessive detail poured into the iPod's design doesn't translate into audio performance. The barrage of sound enhancement settings packed into MP3 players from Sony, Cowon, and Samsung, are in stark contrast to the unchanged and marginally useful list of EQ presets included on the iPod. That said, the balanced and smooth audio quality of the iPod Touch is likely to satisfy the majority of listeners, despite the limited scope of its audio control. Like all iPods, the second-generation iPod Touch supports playback for MP3, AAC (including protected files), Audible, WAV, AIFF, and Apple Lossless. There's still no support for WMA music files, but you can always convert your WMA tracks to MP3 within Apple's iTunes software.

If you are looking for a way to take video on-the-go, the iPod Touch has a lot to offer. You can load the iPod Touch with video podcasts, TV shows, and iTunes movie rentals, or watch endless amounts of free video clips using the included YouTube widget. Viewing angles on the second-generation iPod Touch seem better than the previous model, while color balance and brightness seem about the same.

Apple rates the new iPod Touch at 36 hours for music (up from the first-generation's 22 hours) and 6 hours of video (up from 5 hours). Our CNET Labs found the second-generation iPod Touch realistically capable of 38 hours of music playback when Wi-Fi is turned off, or 35 hours with Wi-Fi turned on.

Video battery life test results for the iPod Touch are harder to nail down, because of the product's unique auto-brightness sensor and battery management features. Bearing this in mind, our lab team tested the iPod Touch with Wi-Fi switched off, screen brightness set at half, and the auto-brightness sensor deactivated, and reached around 4.5 hours of video playback before the screen went to sleep. After waking the screen and resuming the video, the iPod Touch made it to 5 hours before giving its first low battery warning. Then, after tolerating a few more low battery messages and narcoleptic screens, the labs team finally clawed their way to about 5.8 total hours of video playback.

The iTunes factor
Before you run off to buy an iPod Touch, consider this caveat: those who use the Touch (or any iPod) will be required to install and use iTunes. No other piece of software has equaled iTunes in both praise and scorn from CNET's users. Some argue that iTunes is a top-notch media library tool and online music store, while others become infuriated by the software's insatiable demand for system resources and frequent updates.

Whatever side of the iTunes debate you take, know that iTunes 8 is a mandatory install for the second-generation iPod Touch. If you haven't used iTunes before or haven't upgraded the software in a while, we strongly recommend giving the new software a spin before committing to a new iPod.

Is it worth the upgrade?
We think the second-generation iPod Touch is one of the best iPod's ever made. Inside and out, the iPod Touch is in a league of its own in the world of portable entertainment. If you have an old, worn-out iPod, and you're ready to upgrade, we think the second-generation iPod Touch should be your first consideration.

That said, if you already own an iPhone or an original iPod Touch, it would be hard to justify buying the second-generation Touch. Also, if all you really want is a no-frills portable music player, the iPod Touch is probably overkill.

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User reviews

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Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 45 reviews
My rating: 0 stars

Showing opinion 1 to 10 out of 45

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9 stars

It's worth the money!

by jcrew123 on September 12, 2008

Pros: Better video quality, internal speaker, side volume bar and the genius!

Cons: Chrome back cover that will probably be scratched to death if you don't purchase a case for it.

Summary: I have just upgraded from the 1st gen. touch to this unit. Overall design is beautiful. I am very pleased with the video quality of the screen as apposed to ...

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Summary: I have just upgraded from the 1st gen. touch to this unit. Overall design is beautiful. I am very pleased with the video quality of the screen as apposed to the 1st gen. Touch. Images look very clean and sharp. Nice littles touches like the app store, and now when searching thru your songs, it displays below it, the album name and artist. I am very impressed with the Genius feature as well. It takes you out of the habit of putting together your own songs, and allows you to hear songs that you probably forgot you had. Of course, this is depending on how much music you have on your device. The more the better this feature works. I could go on and on about this awesome Ipod. Great buy and awesome new features!

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9 out of 10 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 stars

One of the Best Mobile Devices Available

by z1221 on September 13, 2008

Pros: New lower price, The App Store with a variety of content options, wifi, iTunes Mobile, and built in speakers

Cons: iTunes only connectivity, Maps and location service is not perfect but works just fine.

Summary: Looking at buying an iPhone or smart phone? Don't want the contract or the high data plan price? Then, this is the perfect device for you!

Summary: Looking at buying an iPhone or smart phone? Don't want the contract or the high data plan price? Then, this is the perfect device for you!

5 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
10 stars

Great product. Not an Mp3 Player But A computer

by random truth on September 13, 2008

Pros: apps, music, video, internet, pictures, podcasts, games, speaker

Cons: no bluetooth support yet.

Summary: The product is excellent. The screen is like bullet proof. The new stainless steel back hides more scratches than the chrome of the old one. It has excellent audio quality ...

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Summary: The product is excellent. The screen is like bullet proof. The new stainless steel back hides more scratches than the chrome of the old one. It has excellent audio quality in my opinion. (the headphones that come with it are crap but I use v-moda vibes.) The graphical capabilities of the device are amazing. Sure you will not get console quality games but just wait. It takes about a year to make console games. Best MP3 player I have ever used. It goes onto youtube, plays games. plays music, surfs the internet Dang it just replaced my computer. I would wish though that they let the bluetooth chip do more than just nike+.

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5 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.
4 stars

Very buggy, not ready for market

by ArtTatum on September 15, 2008

Pros: Typically nice Apple ergonomics, well designed, nice looking, good screen, good feature set.

Cons: Wifi does not work at all with WPA secured networks. Battery life was supposed to be improved but is MUCH WORSE than it was with my 1st gen Touch.

Summary: Wifi on my unit does not work with WPA secured routers at all. Many others are having the same problem (see Apple Support discussions). The battery drains very rapidly, much ...

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Summary: Wifi on my unit does not work with WPA secured routers at all. Many others are having the same problem (see Apple Support discussions). The battery drains very rapidly, much quicker than it did with my 1G Touch and improved battery life is allegedly one of the benefits of going from 1G to 2G units. If you read through the Apple Support discussions, you'll see that the 2.1 software "upgrade" created a huge amount of bugs with both 1G and 2G Touches.

I like mine for what it offers but I bought it specifically to serve as a small, handy wifi device with other fun features. If Apple doesn't fix these bugs soon I'm returning it and going with something else. Apple seems to gotten into a bad habit of pushing new products out that have not been fully tested (latest iPhone anybody?) and yet they still charge top dollar for their products.

By the way, I wish CNET actually spent more time with products before giving them rave 4 -5 star reviews. Giving a 4 1/2 star review to something this buggy is irresponsible. Getting the first full review out there is not as important as offering an accurate assessment of a product.

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4 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
10 stars

Excellent product

by ChrisMLost on September 13, 2008

Pros: Great Audio, External volume control, much improved software 2.1, Sleek design, Wifi, Mail, App store, Battery life, Stunning Video playbac

Cons: Stainless steel back will be prone to scratches

Summary: Apple have got it perfect this time, my 16gb first gen Touch had good audio quality but it wasn't as good as my old 5.5 video ipod. I ...

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Summary: Apple have got it perfect this time, my 16gb first gen Touch had good audio quality but it wasn't as good as my old 5.5 video ipod. I bought the new 32gb 2nd Gen touch and there is an improvement in audio. (Use quality headphones to hear the difference). 32GG is plenty for me even though as I only carry about 1200 songs around plus I have 7 movies, and 14 tv shows and a good few Apps and I still have enough room left to handle impulse buys. The screen is gorgeous and very bright and clear, UI is much improved over 2.0.2 for the older models. The volume controls are a welcome addition as is the speaker, which although tinny it's fine for showing off the gaming capabilities of the touch. The ipod touch is a great little mobile device, ideal for gaming, music, video, photos, email, web browsing and lots of fun Apps as well. Overall this is a fantastic and worthy update to the iPod line, not a dramatic update but a welcome one.

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3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 stars

LOVE It... Gotta Have It!

by Lioness73 on September 12, 2008

Pros: Large screen for viewing videos, movies, photos, album art, etc. Substantial sound for fairly quiet settings that don't require the use of headphones. Extra added benefit of large selection of free "downloadable" applications & Wi-fi access!

Cons: I haven't experienced any cons as of yet; but I'll be sure to let everyone know... Trust me!

Summary: I love the new iPod Touch 2.0! I can play, respond to email, surf the net, listen to music, watch movies and videos, browse photos and the list goes ...

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Summary: I love the new iPod Touch 2.0! I can play, respond to email, surf the net, listen to music, watch movies and videos, browse photos and the list goes on and on! It's a portable entertainment center that can make any boring day sustainable with your trusty "sidekick" (sorry T-Mobile)!

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2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
1 stars

2nd generation ipod touch wi-fi defective!

by cnet_newbie2012 on September 22, 2008

Pros: love the new volume controls on the side, they work well, and the built in speaker is very handy. Also, it is slimmer and lighter.

Cons: The wi-fi seems to be defective. On both of the touch products I purchased. A bad batch? Or is the complete product line defective! I would wait for them to fix this before purchasing. There is still no built-in camera, no recorder, and no FM radio.

Summary: I bought an iPod Touch 16 GB, 2nd generation, last week, and quickly noticed that it would connect me to a wi-fi network, but would not give me an IP ...

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Summary: I bought an iPod Touch 16 GB, 2nd generation, last week, and quickly noticed that it would connect me to a wi-fi network, but would not give me an IP address, meaning, I was supposedly connected, but had no access to the Internet! I found you had to turn on wi-fi, let it connect, wait at least 15 seconds, turn off wi-fi, then turn it back on again, before I could connect properly. I took it back for exchange, and there were no problems with that at the Apple store. Getting the new one home, one has to connect to iTunes before you can even access the iPod at all. But trying the new one at home later that day, and it has the same problem with wi-fi!!! So either they had a bad shipment of iPod Touch, or the whole product line is defective! Either way, I would NOT PURCHASE one right now. Why are people so impressed with Apple products? I certainly am NOT.

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1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
10 stars

outstanding

by trister43 on September 14, 2008

Pros: Slick feel, very thin, high quality package. The wireless connectivity opens it up to uses other than a music/video player.

Cons: nothing that I can think of, since the price has come down

1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
5 stars

Ipod Touch needs Flash Player in Safari

by xakic38 on September 13, 2008

Pros: you can listen without headphones. Volume slider is good.

Cons: Safari browser needs Flash Player.

Summary: It's frustrating that flash based navigation controls (or any embeded flash content for that matter) will not work in the ipod Touch Safari browser. Since most video on the ...

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Summary: It's frustrating that flash based navigation controls (or any embeded flash content for that matter) will not work in the ipod Touch Safari browser. Since most video on the internet is flash based it likely means that approx. 75% of websites don't work with the ipod touch Safari.

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2 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
1 stars

Very unhappy with Apple

by SUsqueak on December 3, 2008

Pros: Excellent marketing hype

Cons: Apple does not stand behind their products

Summary: STAY AWAY FROM THE APPLE IPOD TOUCH My son received an IPOD touch as a gift from his grandparents. It failed in less than two months. We purchased the extended ...

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Summary: STAY AWAY FROM THE APPLE IPOD TOUCH My son received an IPOD touch as a gift from his grandparents. It failed in less than two months. We purchased the extended warranty thinking we were safe from this type of loss. We took it back to the Apple store in Syracuse and were told the sensor in the headphone opening was tripped (turned pink), meaning the unit had water damage. My son walked home from the bus in a snowstorm carrying his IPOD in his front pants pocket the day his IPOD failed. This is the only moisture that came into contact with this unit. The real message from Apple is DO NOT TAKE THIS UNIT OUTSIDE. THIS IS A SENSITIVE ELECTRONIC DEVICE THAT WILL FAIL COMING INTO CONTACT WITH MOISTURE. Unbelievable!! Apple developed a clever way not to cover warranty claims. There is definitely a dark side to all of the Apple Glitz

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Apple iPod Touch (second generation, 16GB)

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