Do I Need a New iPod?

I love my iPod and use it daily, but it’s almost five years old, has horrid battery life, and gets a little more scratched and scuffed each day. Almost exactly one year ago, I was excited to see something new: an iPod Touch. Its capacity and features were just enough to give me pause. But yesterday, a second generation iPod Touch was announced! More features! Lower price! More space!

The 32 GB iPod Touch has been available for a while, but the new price is much more reasonable. (For my current listening habits I need 32 GB.) A physical volume button was added—something I was disappointed to see left off of the first generation model. The Genius playlist-maker looks like a great feature to help me listen to the music I’m specifically in the mood for.

Playing music and listening to podcasts is where my primary interest lies. Safari and the App Store (along with the Wi-Fi connection) expand that, however: the calendar, mail, and an assortment of other applications would make the device more useful. (My experience with PDAs is that I do have some need for these things, though I’m too lazy to carry two devices.)

On the other hand, my work environment will be changing soon! I won’t be going to an office where I need to take music with me. I can play anything I like all day long with iTunes. I would like to use an iPod on walks and in the car still, but I’m not sure that necessitates something new—perhaps my current iPod is still good enough. Or, perhaps I don’t need 32 GB anymore. Do I need a new iPod?