Another shape, but oh isn't it like the old one, but updated? I like the previous squashed one better than this new one. Anyone else?

My first thought - I prefer the shape of the new-old Nano, even though I didn't at first. Confused? You bet.

is that a guitar hero clone on the touch?

... but what's missing from the report is why Apple have decided that this is an evolution - however this would involve saying "we got it wrong" presumably, and I haven't seen that before!

Fairly "meh" about the whole thing, but why oh why give the Touch a speaker?? Isn't it bad enough chavs on the bus/tube with their phones? Now they've got 32GB of songs for 36 hours to annoy us with...

Oh dear, I appear to have turned 60 and have an urge to go and buy a Daily Mail tomorrow... I'll go and lie down

But Apple shares still slumped with traders thinking Steve Jobs looks like he is at death's door, just like in June at the 3-Jesus Phone launch.

Bloombergs early obituary may have also been prompted by him looking thinner than one of his new iPods.

Anyway, what's with his usual uniform of black shirt, blue jeans, and white trainers? Hasn't he got anything else in his wardrobe?!

I like the shorter nano just because it is so small. (But then that's the one I have.) The only reason for having a larger iPod should be to have a larger screen.

I'm wondering how the "shake to enter shuffle mode" feature will cope with joggers. Can it be turned off?

I prefer the original nano shape myself. Actually it looks more like a slimmed down iPod mini, which wasn't too bad either.

My favourite has to be the iPod Touch though. With it's $80 price cut (US price) it's become worth getting. I tend to have around 2gb free on my 8gb PSP at any one time, so that works for me. That's with all my music, a few audio books (yes, I know, I promise to buy the matching anorak) and a few movies.

hear those fanbois sigh, is it sighing or preorgasmic breathing.

Is there an IT angle here, he asks sarcastically.

Efros

Prices down a bit (should be closer to £260 for the 32Gb even with VAT really) but keeps the nice shiny back .. glad they did not go plastic.

Pity they did not add the rumoured GPS .. that would have been the hook for me to upgrade.

My 16Gb touch is being updated to 2.1 now .. hopefully it will fix the random oddities and DRM issues.

An okay update overall but thanks to the rumours sites nothing too new. Nice new headphones but rubbish high price .. I'll stick with my white skullcandy and black sony in-ears for now thanks.

AAPL 151.68 -6.24 3.95% (Crash, smash, boing, flop)

He he he he he he he he he he

Yes Apple buying idiots, it that time to throw away into the local landfill you 6 month old iPud and buy ANOTHER Stevie Gods pocket fillin' Chinese Sweatshop made gadget with an irreplaceable battery that only lasts one month past the end of the warranty.

Dopes.

...is that it all becomes about software. As the interface is all software driven, your hardware is a just a screen and a case - thats it.

Things is, how many times can Apple fiddle with the screen and case to make people want to buy a new version. Or will the next touch come out with rainbow coloured backs etc.....

Maybe this is why Apple are charging for the 2.1 update ($10US?). Perhaps they realise that the impetus to change hardware with the new touch interfaces will diminish, and that software is where the money will be.

Of course there is an IT angle:

- it's hardware

- there's firmware and software involved

- for the first time, someone makes a device that reacts to young male activities when used to display porn (also rumoured to be an IT activitity). If the shaking feature cannot be switched off it will greatly reduce repetitive st(r)ain injury amongst that population as it would switch tracks.

Call if you need more help, always a pleasure..

First the Googlasms now this how much of this nonsense can a man take, its just a bloody media player who cares if its nano or micro not there at all!

The 2.1 update is free for 2.0 users.

@Efros;

"Is there an IT angle here, he asks sarcastically." It would appear that this is the Reg Hardware site. You know the one that reports on hardware. Like mp3 players. And stuff.

What makes it worse is you have read some other nerds comment on another story and thought you'd be "funny" too. I don't see any fanbois here either, just the usual nokia/microsoft/sonyplaystaion lot (oops! Not supposed to call them fanbois...).

Sigh as usual, we are ripped off again.

iPod Touch, $229 = £130 and even if you add add VAT 21% = £157

Apple UK = £169

/Mike

"Like the iPhone 3G, the new Touch is not only slimmer but sports a curvier, shiny metal back and a speaker."

What?

"shiny metal back and a speaker."

Oh no...

"a speaker."

Are you insane?? Now chavs (and others moronic enough to buy an iPod over a proper player) can play their entire repertoire of hideous R&B directly from the iPod's tinny speaker, rather than being limited to what they can cram onto their equally shitty phones.

JOBS, YOU BASTARD!

A bit thinner ? OK

A bit cheaper/more memory? Fair

A few new gimmicks (Genius)? OK

No GPS on iPod Touch. No Stereo Bluetooth ? Bye Bye.

That's Tap Tap - it's a free game available for the Touch and iPhone. Been around pretty much since the App Store launched I think.

You're right, Wall Street knows all, judges every event objectively and rationally, and then aportions it the correct market value. There can be no arguing with Wall Street.

See also "Google News farce triggers Wall Street sell-off," on the front page.

First time in a good while that I am actually interested in new iPods. The old squat nano shape was, IMHO, horrible. The slim one is much... it just looks more elegant, with the clickwheel not lost in the planes of a overly fat iPod. Got to see them IRL, maybe I'll get myself a rad red one although I totally don't need it.

It was a bit sad to see a picture of Steve holding the nano subbed "incredibly thin" on engadget. Nevertheless, he is on his feet, that's what counts. Keep it up, Steve!

Er, who said you should throw away your 6 month old player? It seems you expect Apple to never bring new stuff out, but when they do, people are idiots for buying them.

You must be a real blast at Christmas. Do you limit yourself to a new pair of socks and no more than a sip of sherry?

The one thing I'm upset about is the withdrawl of the 160Gb Classic and no suitably huge replacement. Sure the 160Gb was a little chunky but it actually allowed you to havea decent array of movies and music without having to pick and choose ideal if you are away from your computer for a few weeks.

I will have to nurse my model protecting it from the wet welsh summer

You fail to factor in the transport costs, Customs charges, and the fact that we're 50% further away from China than the West Coast of the USA is. The fact that it's only £16 more expensive from the US price (incl. 17.5% VAT) is actually quite a fair price parity.

Considering that if you ordered it from the US, you would likely have the privilege of paying either your chosen courier or ParcelForce a minimum of £8 for HANDLING alone, nevermind the additional $40 or so in shipping to your vendor, and the customs fees and the 17.5% VAT on all of that to HMRC. Unless of course you cheat by underdeclaring the value of the parcel or marking it as "gift" to appeal to the warm and fuzzies in the customs inspector (it doesn't work, fact).

So consider those extra £16 a bargain.

fsck that. I bought my touch after 2.0 was out, but I still had to pay for 2.0 when it came with 1.x -- not happy.

A curvier back. And a speaker and physical volume control. Meh is about right.

And I'll be waiting for pwnage tools for 2.1 before I update. (Apple, Get A Clue, just open it up.)

Gold plated plugs, decent earphones and better sound quality ? Oh wait, its Apple !

that the Mac line is unchanged.

" the fact that we're 50% further away from China than the West Coast of the USA is."

What? London is roughly 5,000 miles from Beijing, in the East of China. San Francisco is nearly 6,000 miles from Beijing.

"Classic remains a black-and-white offering..."

huh?

Do you mean that the Classic has a monochrome screen (which is does not) or that it's available either in black or in silver?

... out on a tuesday already... we should pay those guards better...

As I said before, it's the first time in *years* I am compelled by the new iPod lineup. I am still on my "ancient" 20GB iPod, and yes, its battery was down to 30 minutes after *years* of hard use. You know what? I got me a quality replacement battery for what, €20 shipped and replaced it myself in less than ten minutes. Easy as pie.

is it just me or does everyone find his 'grammar' confusing?

"Form over function" eh? Typical stupid comment by someone with no understanding of a product.

Ask yourself how an iPod Touch would download maps to use with a GPS when it's not connected to a wi-fi network. And do you even know how the iPhone GPS works? Via the MOBILE PHONE MASTS. (Look up A-GPS) No phone antenna, no GPS location.

It's not because you have turned 60. ;)

FFS Apple, under what circumstances is that speaker going to be useful?

This is the last straw, I'm installing Linux on my Apple TV, who's with me?

Chris says: "What? London is roughly 5,000 miles from Beijing, in the East of China. San Francisco is nearly 6,000 miles from Beijing."

iPods are not delivered by crows:

- Taiwan to San Francisco: 5844 miles

- Taiwan to London: 9839 miles

- Taiwan to London, avoiding Suez Canal: 13153 miles

http://www.portworld.com/map/

Would really like a new iPod, but until Apple release an one that supports ogg natively and Linux I'm sticking with my 2nd had 4th gen iPod running Rockbox.

They've withdrawn the 160GB version? I'm surprised, I love mine, never go round Asia without it. Still got about 18GB free as well!

@ Webster - I'm no Apple fanboi but please, fuck off and do your tiresome trolling elsewhere. It wasn't ever funny, or clever and no-one's interested.

"Funnest" ????

Mind you, "Think Different" is grammatically incorrect as well....