Comments on: Touched by the iPod update

After anxiously applying the iPhone 3.0 update to my iPod Touch last week, I took the new features for a test drive. How did they fare?

[Mergatroid Mania]

Wow, well worth your $10?

Yet again Apple charges for something that should be free. I used to laugh when I saw local Apple retailers selling Apple Mac computers with no keyboard. "You don't need a keyboard to use a Mac" they would say, like the premium they were selling the Mac for at the time shouldn't include a keyboard.

I get free o/s updates for my WinMo phone, my PS3, and my computer. Why would anyone be happy to pay for what they should get for free? If it was a completely new o/s, that would be different. But, an update?

I guess...people have always said Apple were good programmers, too bad they didn't mention just what Apple was programming.

[Perry_Clease]

Heavens to you Mergatroid

iPhone 3.0 isn't an update, it isn't a service pack, it is an upgrade. MicroSoft isn't giving away free upgrades from XP to Vista.

[goodspeed8701]

Perry upgrade and update are have different meaning. Service pack is an update and vista is a new operating system so its upgrade.

The os 3.0 in this case is an update.

[SiliconValleyJoe]

OS 3.0 is not OS 2.0 as in Windows XP is not VISTA or the repackaged Windows 7.

So, do you get Windows 7 for free "updating" from Windows XP? May be you get your whole new PC box fro free too while "updating" from XP spec to VISTA-capable spec? Wow!

You are either confusing "update" versus a whole new version of OS or you have no clue what you are writing about.

[SiliconValleyJoe]

The $10 for the touch is also due to how Apple has to report its earnings. If you (@Mergatroid) are too lazy to read up and learn, I am not interested in educating you.

As for update vs. upgrade, no, technically speaking, OS 3.0 is NOT an update. It is OS 3.0 right? Not OS 2.0, right? 3.0 is an upgrade. The API and framework changes are extensive allowing developers to do a whole lot more.

[Vegaman_Dan]

I have paid $30 in the last year for these OS updates and have yet to benefit from any of them except for limited Exchange support.

The myth of the financial requirements to charge for the update because it was a fixed cost item has been debunked multiple times. Apple doesn't have to charge for the update- they could also just charge $0.00 to be compliant. No other company charges for a firmware update like this, but then it's Apple and we Apple product owners are entirely too eager to bend over and pay for it.

[SiliconValleyJoe]

@goodspeed8701 - You are RIGHT! My office buddy just showed me Apple's website and it clearly shows "Update". So 3.0 is officially an update.

Still the $10 is necessary because of how Apple is reporting its revenue over time.

[curlytop999]

If you look closely the OS 3.0 update only has a fee on the iPod touch not on any iPhone so @Mergtroid Mania when saying that you get free OS updates on WinMo and no one should pay for something they should get for free, you should remember iPhone owners of any type get the OS 3.0 upgrade for free.

[Police_States_of_America]

paying for updates is something that usually comes with cheap products so they can slash the bottom line on the initial sale. but why pay less for a better portable audio player when you can pay more for an ipod AND pay for the updates? but since ipod owners dont have much choice in the matter, why not put on a happy face when you have to shell out more cash for an upgrade? if you're getting ripped off, no point in being angry too :)

[Perry_Clease]

iPod Touch user do have a choice, they can stay with stay with 2.0. Of course they can spend less than the cost of an MRE, the price of which tinfoil hat wearers know, for the upgrade.

[Vegaman_Dan]

@Perry_Clease:

You're making apologies and excuses for Apple. Let them stand on their own policy.

[Perry_Clease]

"by Vegaman_Dan June 23, 2009 12:43 PM PDT
@Perry_Clease:

You're making apologies and excuses for Apple. "

No I am countering calumny, which is the reason I got an account here.

"Let them stand on their own policy."

Sure, there is nothing wrong with their policy.

[Police_States_of_America]

the ipod provided low quality audio and mandated use of itunes from the birth. it is truly a product of inferior quality and fascist policy from its birth. BUT IT WAS MARKETED WELL :D

[mwhit274]

I really like the update's addition to changing playback speed for podcasts and audio books within the listening panel.

[JoshuaVining]

I am hesitate of OS 3.0 because of hardware performance concerns because I have a 1st gen ipod touch. That aside I remember reading ifixit's report about the bluetooth chips in the 2nd gen ipod touch. But what I haven't been able to find is wether or not the chips are also in the 1st gen ipod touches. I have a really nice Motorola S9 Bluetooth head set and it would be nice not to have use the dongle.

[Get_a_life_Leo]

The first generation iPod Touch does not have BlueTooth capability (locked or unlocked). The AD2P functionality is limited to iPhones and the 2nd generation iPod Touch (this is noted on the page describing the Touch update). Other than that, there are no noticeable performance concerns although I think it takes a bit longer (2-3 secs) to join a WiFi network when cold started. I updated my 1st Generation iPod Touch with no hassle. Everything else works well and Spotlight alone makes it worthwhile (as well as the horizontal keyboard). Lot's of small improvements too.

[Blueskyfox]

Well, I'm glad it worked for you. Once I upgraded I found that while my 2G iTouch could see wi-fi networks, it could not download any web page nor retrieve e-mail. I tried everything to get it to work, following any advice I could find on the matter. Finally, I downgraded back to the previous version and it works fine again. Is Apple planning to address this at all or am I out $10.00?

[Perry_Clease]

" Is Apple planning to address this at all or am I out $10.00?'

Did you ask Apple? http://www.apple.com/contact/

[cvaldes1831]

I would bring this up with Apple customer service. The issue you describe probably affects a handful of users and will likely be resolved in a future release. Heck, the 2.0 firmware wasn't perfect either. Since you have already paid the $10 for the 3.0 firmware, you should be eligible to get bug fixes (3.0.1, 3.0.2, et cetera) when they are made available.

For what it's worth, my first-generation iPod touch did not have any problems from the upgrade.

[DalTexCowboy72]

Did you try rebooting your iTouch? Mine was having issues with WiFi and after doing a reboot, it worked just fine. (This was well before I upgraded to 3.0, I haven't had any issued after the 3.0 upgrade)

[Vegaman_Dan]

Touch owners are not entitled to refunds by Apple. That is reserved for iPhone owners only.

Touch owners instead are expected to pay for this feature.

Sad, but true.

[polaris20]

My iPod touch had the wifi issues. power the unit down, leave it off for 10 minutes, and then re-sync it. Weird solution, but so far the wifi drop-outs and slow access problems have gone away.

[DalTexCowboy72]

I own a 2nd generation iPod touch and I was willing and satisfied with paying $10 for the upgrade to 3.0 I see it as paying $10 for the Bluetooth support without having to purchase a new iPod touch to get that ability. I was not expecting an upgrade with Bluetooth support when I heard about the new OS coming out earlier this year.

I agree with Perry_Clease, this is an UPGRADE, not and UPDATE. Updates I expect for free, but upgrades I expect to pay for, just as in operatings systems, be it OSX or Windows.

This reminds me of a similar situation a year or so ago when Apple upgraded the WiFi in some notebooks with a software update to 'n' when they were original sold and marketed as 'g'.

I'm satisfied with my purchase and had no problems with installation or degredation in performance. I agree with Lance Whitney, the update was well worth my $10.

[Synthmeister]

This is a major OS update and all iPod touch owners knew they would have to pay for it. I haven't updated yet but will gladly do so once the dust settles. I didn't want to buy $70 per month phone plan, so $10 after owning an almost magical device for 6 months is fine by me.

The real question is when does the iPod touchS come out?

[Synthmeister]

BTW, RoughlyDrafted has an article on the WiFi issue which might help. It is a real issue which Apple needs to fix quickly. One reason why I'm waiting to buy the update.

http://www.roughlydrafted.com/

[Negrit0]

Anyone who paid for 3.0 is a moron. use google next time. I had the official 3.0 jail broken on my iPod Touch 2 days before it was released!

[baconstang]

Come with any worms?

[The18thLetter]

@Lance Whitney (author), Negrit0, Vegaman_Dan, DalTexCowboy72, Blueskyfox, Get_A_Life_Leo, Perry_Clease: It's iPod touch, not iPod Touch (with an upper case T) or iTouch. Just iPod touch, or touch for short, all with a lower case t.

At Negrit0: Just because someone chooses to legally pay for the 3.0 update does not make them a moron. It makes them an honest consumer. Just as you choosing to pirate software from the web instead of paying for it doesn't make you a moron.

It may make you a thief, but not a moron.

[xpose]

What about push notifications for emails? How does that work

[Negrit0]

ok grammar natzi....

and as we all know it should have been free for us, just like the iPhone users. I pay for my apps and my music, but $10 for copy/paste and my bluetooth unlocked you have to be kidding me. I much rather 'pirate' it and spend the $10 on food or one of my bills.

So i guess you are right niether of us are morons. just different priorities...

[ckh1272]

If you were that concerned about spending money on food or bills, then you wouldn't have purchased a Touch in the first place. BTW, I do agree in regards to the grammar nazi remark. They should really find something better to do with their time.

[terminalblue]

lol...im getting a zuneHD...enjoy your $10 updates suckaz!

[ckh1272]

So what! Good luck with that.

[BsbllUH11C]

Are all you you guys who have talked about Bluetooth stupid?? Its A2DP!!!! NOT AD2P!!!!! retards. it stands for Advanced Audio Distribution Profile.

[video Pal]

Ver. 3.0 is an "UPDATE for the iPhone, and an UGRADE for the iPod Touch.

Apple provides AD2P stereo support for for BlueTooth in this version, but provided developers with an API so the hardware developers of B.T. headset manufactures can ofer the B.T. Apps to use them.

If you have a particular headset you want to use contact the maker for info on the S/W needed to use them on the iPod/iPhone.

[sstaylor]

I just upgraded my son's 2nd Gen., paired my Sony DR-BT22s, and am having some success. The music control functions (back, forward, pause) do not work, and I have experienced some drop-outs of the signal. Sony support says "...it's AD2P compliant, so it should be fully functional...". It does sound good, though (although his choice of music...). Anyway, I'll let Apple know about the apparent incompatibilities. Maybe they can work with Sony to fix it. Bummer about lack of Bluetooth for 1st Gen. owners, of which I am one. At least the dongle included with the BT22 works well (sucks power, though).

[SouthLes]

Apple clearly states across the top of it's webpage it is an UPDATE not an UPGRADE
http://www.apple.com/ipodtouch/softwareupdate.html
even in the URL!
Most normal companies provide "updates" for free...and so should apple especially considering we shelled out good amounts of money for these devices...

Now if it were a true UPGRADE...then I wouldn't mind paying but a few added features here and there with the same layout doesn't seem fair.....especially when the bluetooth was already in the phone and paid for by us and could have bin unlocked from the beginning.

[hybridgender]

I agree.
Why should I have to pay for Apple to fix their own lacking and/or faulty software? I, for one, won't be paying for the update anytime soon - Windows would hand this out for free, as would many other major competing companies.

[kumars1]

I am able to use my Sony Vaio CR590 notebook speakers as bluetooth speakers for ipod touch 2G. This is very interesting feature and is very convenient for me to have a decent quality speakers at disposal.