They say sequels often fail to live up to the original. That’s not so with the second generation of Apple’s iPod touch. Apple has managed to construct the touch look better, work better, and deliver more features — all for a $229 starting price, significantly cheaper than the previous entry-level $299 version. The changes, while subtle, are so significant that I give the second-generation touch a rare perfect score.

The touch, while an iPod, is close to the iPhone in lineage. It has the same touchscreen, plays music and videos the same way, and includes a wireless Web connection that lets you access the Web from your home network and wireless hotspots, such as those set up by AT&T in Starbucks.

Apple tweaked the look of the touch, too. It’s a lot thinner than the previous touch, measuring 4.1 inches by 2.4 inches by 0.33 inches, and weighs a scant 4.05 ounces. The back sports a

contoured stainless steel casing, whereas the updated iPhone switches to glossy black or white plastic.

New Speakers

A year ago, when I reviewed the original touch, many readers took me to task for complaining that there was no committed volume button for music and no built-in speaker for listening to music without headphones. In the new generation, Apple’s engineers addressed both complaints by adding a rocker volume button on the left side and speakers on the bottom. The plus added software to let you fetch e-mail and use other applications previously limited to the iPhone.

Perhaps the biggest shocker is Apple’s decision to sell $29 headphones with a built-in microphone. The upshot? Users can download third-party applications from iTunes that will turn a Web-connected touch into a Skype phone. In effect, the combination of features turns your touch into a poor man’s iPhone, letting you compose cheap calls anywhere…

Orginal post by Mike

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