Apple iPod Touch / 32GB / 2nd Gen

This is my 4th MP3 player and 2nd iPod and it is without doubt the best one I have owned. It looks fantastic, feels great and is easy to use.
One of the main reasons I chose this iPod was for it's size, both in physical terms and memory wise. It must be the thinnest MP3 player there is for it's capacity of 32GB, it's incredibly thin and feels great in your hand.
The screen is gorgeous, it displays photos and videos brilliantly with vibrant colours and high resolution. Being able to download and watch HD videos from itunes is fantastic and they look great on the iPod.
The user interface is revolutionary in my opinion, it does exactly what you want it to do and doesn't haven't countless options and buttons on the screen. It's perfectly designed to compliment the touch screen capabilities and browsing through your music has never been so easy. The accelerometer is used neatly so you can tilt the iPod on it's side and it'll take you into cover flow.
Wi-fi is a great addition to the iPod, the ability to access itunes on the go is brilliant and a lot more convenient than having to use your PC/ Mac to add music to your iPod. An addition to this 2nd generation iPod touch is the ability to access the applications store from the iPod as well where the is a great range of applications and games to choose from, many of them free of charge. Apple are marketing this as "The funnest iPod ever" and they're right about it, the accelerometer and touch screen allow for a unique gaming experience and there are some great games to choose from. Through the wi-fi you can also access the internet in full which is great.
The sound quality is as good as any of the other MP3 players I have owned, including Microsoft's rival Zune player. Another new feature for this iPod is the addition of external volume controls and a built-in speaker which have both come in useful.
Overall this is a slimmer and sleeker version of the iPhone, with the phone substituted for double the memory. Looking at this devices competitors, nothing comes close.

By George Robinson "Read Chomsky." (Berkshire, England) - See all my reviews
This is an impartial review based on my experience of the iPod Touch 2nd Generation, and other Personal Media Players.

Strengths:

+ WiFi and Safari Browser. Superb mobile browsing experience. For example, you can stream BBC iPlayer to the Touch perfectly. A real joy.

+ Youtube widget for playback of youtube videos.

+ Integrated Nike + Support, so that you can use the device as a training tool for exercise.

+ App Store. You can download from thousands of Apps on iTunes, including games, and stream internet radio, for instance.

+ Superb capacitive glass touch screen. Older touch screens use `resistive' technology. These work on a different principle, and are less responsive. (The Archos 5 uses a resistive screen. The Cowon S9, however, uses a capacitive one like the iPod Touch).

+ Incredible User Interface. Beautifully conceived and implemented. Music and Videos are organised with an astonishing attention to the user's goals, and you regularly feel that Apple designers have read your mind when you go about tasks.

Here's an example: you wish to download a podcast. You go to an internet address in Safari. Safari automatically grabs the address, boots you into iTunes (on the device itself), and takes you to the podcast listing within the iTunes store. Two more clicks and you're downloading your content. That's the way things should be done.

+ Advantages over the previous generation include a dedicated volume rocker, slightly more curvaceous design, slightly improved battery life, integrated Nike + support and mini speaker.

Weaknesses:

- Very, very average sound quality. Now it is a mystery to me why so many users and reviewers overlook this issue. Having owned the Touch, I have come to the conclusion that it is a stylish Swiss Army Knife whose MAIN BLADE is blunt.

It is true that many people will have no issue with the sound quality probably because their only reference point to the world of personal media players is the iPod brand. This is useful ignorance, because I would challenge anyone not to be thoroughly crestfallen with the sound of this device compared to something as cheap yet beautiful sounding as the Sansa Clip.

- Video playback. If you are happy to be locked into the iTunes universe, then you will love this device. You will endlessly pay for movies and will enjoy them on this device. If like me, however, you like to play your own physical DVDs in DivX format,in addition to a range of movie files in various formats and codecs, then the Touch is simply not your friend. It only supports a few video codecs, which means as a device for video playback, it is somewhat paralysed.

- Terrible battery life. Three hours of mixed use, and the Touch is wheezing for a recharge. It's great being a Jack of all trades, but Jack gets tired rather too quickly sometimes!

- Being `locked in' to iTunes. There are some Apple hating brand lunatics who simply disparage anything Apple for the sake of it. For me, I feel that iTunes is an excellent software (especially on a Mac) but it is also limiting. With iTunes organising my device, I can't just drag and drop files onto the Touch, and this is a bit of a pain. But you may feel different, so this one is up in the air...

Conclusion and buying advice:

Having owned it, the Touch is either superb or mediocre depending on whether you wish to buy it as 1) your mini WiFi web browser with an App Store, or as 2) your multimedia player.

1) As a mini browser, it is excellent. Browse the web, download podcasts, stream iPlayer, etc. (But remember, when you're not near a WiFi signal, none of these capabilities count for anything)

The iTouch is so sleek, so space-age. It is also great fun to use. Touch, slide, touch, slide, touch, enjoy. Indeed many hours of enjoyment can be derived from the waif-like device before any media has been uploaded.
Of course it is when such media has been uploaded that the real entertainment commences. Scrolling through your music collection has not been so enthralling since the height of 12" vinyl records, when people knew how to make album covers.
In a way, the same principle goes with the iTouch. Album covers can be scrolled through at the flick of a finger, and while seeing the cover of Bat Out Of Hell on a 3.5" screen is not as breathtaking as on a 12" vinyl, it looks good nonetheless.
As television shows and are now available for download through iTunes, it makes it much easier to take your favourites with you, although the hard part will be deciding what to keep when the space runs out.
It is also a wonderful little photo album. Now I can take all of my favourite photographs anywhere, and at a decent size and resolution. Now I can gaze with a dream-like grin at the photo of Mum and myself with the actor David Hyde Pierce wherever I take the iTouch, and as it does everything except the washing up, I am guaranteed to take it everywhere.
However there are minor issues with the iTouch, namely that some websites take a while to load, the finicky miniature keyboard takes a while to master - and I have slim fingers - , and connecting it to a wireless account can sometimes be tricky. To keep it clean, one either has to sand off their fingerprints, or have a cloth to hand.
Also, battery life varies depending on the functions performed. It can last for weeks if it is solely used as an alarm clock, however this is very unlikely due to the novel nature of the gadget, and watching a 40 minute television programme can drain the battery by more than half.
Theoretically, I now only need a computer to print something out, download a video from iTunes, or play on The Sims 2; and Apple are sure to figure out a way to put all of these features on the iTouch. Maybe some way to transfer photographs directly from a camera or memory card would also eliminate any need for a computer.

Ok every thing seems very very well about this offer i can not see any faults, except one question is it 1generation or 2nd plz can some one reply that would be very much apperciated

Ipod touch v ipod classic. The touch is clearly the winner even if the classic beats the touch on memory which is to be perfectly honest the only thing which is better than the touch. The memory really suffices for any user i would actually recommend the 16gb one as that has enough memory for approx. 1500-2000 Songs and like 5 movies + apps.
This had revolutionized my ipod experience...go buy!