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Apple iPod touch 32GB (2nd Gen) Review

Author Hugo Jobling
Published 20th Oct 2008
Manufacturer Apple
Price £251.30 (Exc VAT)
as reviewed £289.00 (Inc VAT)
Latest Price
Design & Features Score 8 for Design & Features
Sound Quality Score 8 for Sound Quality
Usability Score 10 for Usability
Value Score 8 for Value
Video Quality Score 8 for Video Quality
Overall Score 8 for Overall
Apple iPod touch 32GB (2nd Gen)
Video Review click here
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Sticking to the trend of incremental, rather than revolutionary improvements, the new touch slightly bests its predecessor's 22 hours music and five hours video playback by offering 36 hours of audio and six of video. Format support remains unchanged and as poor as ever compared to more than a few rivals. On the audio side up to 320kbps MP3, 320kbps AAC (including, obviously, iTunes DRMed tracks), Apple lossless, Audible (formats 2,3 and 4), AIFF and WAV files are catered for. Meanwhile video support is limited to either 1.5Mbps, 640 x 480, 30fps H.264 or 2.5Mbps, 640 x 480, 30fps MPEG-4.

Other players may have better format support - FLAC, Ogg and WMA for example - but frankly you don't buy an iPod for its audio quality. It's the interface and design that sets Apple's players apart from the crowd. You only have to wander around any reasonably sized town for half and hour to be reminded that, contrary to all good advice, most users are content to use the ghastly bundled earphones with their iPods. They probably all rip (or acquire…) their music at 128kbps so it takes up less space, too. That's just plain wrong if you ask me - Apple Lossless or nothing, thanks.


Rant aside (but seriously, if you buy any music player get a decent set of earphones as well, okay?) there's little to dislike about the iPod touch's audio performance in general. Firing up Anberlin's Cities highlighted the traditional iPod pitfalls of a slight lack in punch and clarity.The synth-heavy There is no Mathematics to Love and Loss, for example, while more than listenable, could definitely do with a touch (ho ho) more presence. The less complex Reclusion faired better, with the touch delivering a decently balanced sound and the synth effects nicely punctuating the electric guitar parts without overwhelming them.

Winding back a few years to The Smashing Pumpkins' Cherub Rock and the situation didn't differ much, the touch again making a decent show of itself. My biggest gripe is that vocals occasionally had a tendency of getting lost in the mix a little. Whether the touch or The Pumpkins are to blame for that, though, is a matter of debate. Incidentally, swapping from my Shure SE 420s to the bundled earbuds was a truly painful experience - who'd've thought it?


One good thing I can report is that the strange hiss Jon noticed with his 16GB first generation touch definitely wasn't present with my second gen model - either he had a dud or Apple has fixed whatever problem was previously present. If fidelity is your primary concern then the Trekstor Vibez (although good luck finding anywhere selling one) should be your first port of call, although a player from Sony, iRiver or Creative will also likely best anything from Apple when it comes to pure audio quality.

Video wise, a play through the three-part Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog - Firefly's Joss Whedon's side-project during the writers' strike - while sitting in bed confirmed what we've said before. The iPod touch's screen really is as small as I'd want to use on a semi-regular basis. That said, the screen is as vibrant, bright and colourful as anyone has any right to ask from such a relatively small device. I wouldn't want to use it to watch a film, but for TV shows (House, for example) it's pretty damn watchable.

So far, so good then, and I haven't even mentioned the most important feature of the touch…

 

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Latest 4 of 32 Comments

Have your say: Leave a comment below about this article.

comment I_Know_Better said on 28th March 2009

Well Rickysio, I just saw your comment and I think you're totally wrong and very far from the point too. I'm sick of all this stuff about people saying the iPod Touch�... more

comment Rickysio said on 10th April 2009

Hmm... What makes you think I haven't?

I *do* own an iPod Touch. It's web-browsing abilities cannot be understated, but the lack of flash leaves much to be... more

comment I_Know_Better said on 14th April 2009

Well actually before you started spouting off about your opinion is so great and almighty I actually changed my mind in the end and decided that I'm gonna get the Cowon, but i... more

comment Rickysio said on 14th April 2009

You know what?

Whatever.

I could, but I can't be bothered to argue with you any further. Not only is it a waste of time, it also kills my brain ... more

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