electronicsme - Electronics / Portable Audio/Video made easy

Print this page

Apple iPod touch 16GB: Review

Posted to Portable Audio/Video 2008-12-22

For all of you "got to have it" gadget freaks out there, the Apple iPod touch 16GB may just be the newest addition to your gadget collection. Apple offers a generation 2 version of the iPod Touch which gives you a better bang for your buck. If you love the look and feel of the iPhone, but don't really require the "phone" part of the iPhone and don't want to pay the pricey monthly fee to use all of the features, then the iPod Touch is the way to go.

Although the hardware, such as the 3.5-inch wide-screen multi-touch display and the inclusion of 802.11b/g is the same as its predecessor, the best upgrade (although it may be small) is the addition of volume controls to the side of the touch. These controls make it much easier to change the volume level. Apple has also added an external speaker similar to that which exists on the iPhone. Size is about the same but the new Touch is just a little lighter than its predecessor at a weight of 4.05 ounces compared to the 4.2 ounces of the generation 1 model. You will also want to make sure you have the newest version of iTunes installed; otherwise you will not be able to communicate with the Touch.

Rating:

3.6 out of 5

Features

There are many features on the Touch. The 802.11b/g wireless allows you to connect to any secured or unsecured wireless network in range, allowing you to enjoy all the web-based tools that the Touch has to offer. An ambient light sensor is also included. This sensor can tell if it is bright or dark out and will adjust the screen brightness accordingly, a plus for economizing your battery life.

One of the newest additions to the Touch is the Genius Play list Creation software. To use this feature, it must first be enabled on iTunes 8, after that, you can use it to create a 25-song play list from any song in your library. But keep in mind, the software may not work for every song out there. If by some possibility the song is not on iTunes or it doesn't have a complete set of ID3 tags, you will receive a message telling you to "try again". The tool also will not work if it has not already been enabled on your pc's iTunes software, so enabling the feature is a must to get all it has to offer. <\p> There is also the much requested Nike+ iPod software and receiver. With the popularity of mp3 players being used during workouts, the Touch has added the capability to capture your movement data and saving it. Just add the Nike+ iPod sensor accessory to your shoe, which then makes the Touch a great workout companion.

Performance

Audio output is better than the predecessor. Battery life is longer with a playback time of 36 hours for music and 6 hours for video when the Touch is fully charged.

The external speaker, which is new to the Touch, doesn't perform as well as the similar version on the iPhone. The location of the speaker on the iPhone is easy to find, but the location on the Touch is hard to determine. The sound appears to come from no particular location and sounds tinny and thin in comparison to the performance of a similar speaker on the iPhone. <\p> Apple has also improved the feel of the case. The feel may be psychological but the new case gives the impression that the Touch is not as fragile as its predecessor.

Summary

In conclusion, the Apple iPod Touch gives you the best bang for your buck. You get all the tools available on the much coveted Apple iPhone, just minus the phone. If you want your mp3 player to do more for you than just play music than the Apple iPod Touch 16GB would be the way to go.

Pros

Improved look and feel
Longer Battery life when fully charged (36 hrs for music, 6 hrs for video)
Genius Play list creation software
Inclusion of the Nike+ software, making it a great workout companion

Cons

Built in speaker not as powerful as the one on the iPhone