iPod touch 2.1 firmware update now available

Stoked about all those new features you heard about during today's Stevenote? Dying to get your paws on the improved battery life, smoother UI, and other bug-destroying goodies? Well if you're a current touch owner, you can download the update right now (for a tidy $9.95, of course). Just follow the read link's "buy now" button to iTunes, and keep a credit card handy.

Update: If you already have firmware 2.0, this upgrade is free.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[Ryan @ Sep 9th 2008 8:37PM]

update is free if you paid for 2.0 update. download is about 240mb, ui smoothing is definitely noticeable.

[Carl Vitullo @ Sep 9th 2008 9:02PM]

And if you didn't pay for the 2.0 update...
>.>

[Carl Vitullo @ Sep 9th 2008 9:03PM]

Hmm, posted *half* of my comment...
remaining half was:

[Carl Vitullo @ Sep 9th 2008 9:03PM]

dammit, is there a 2 line limit?
fuck it, the link's: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2DeqgFybK0

[required @ Sep 9th 2008 9:57PM]

I've never paid for a firmware update on my PSP. Just saying.

[phoomp @ Sep 9th 2008 10:24PM]

Why low ranking the PSP comment? It's true.

[Ninjakamster (PS360 FTW!) @ Sep 9th 2008 10:35PM]

Who else besides Apple charges for firmware updates? I can't think of any other company. Even Sony, the evil companny we love to hate has free firmware updates and yet good old lovalble Apple charges for them. If Sony had charged $10 for their updates, there'd be a shitstorm. Damn double standards. : /

[Ninjakamster (PS360 FTW!) @ Sep 9th 2008 10:35PM]

Who else besides Apple charges for firmware updates? I can't think of any other company. Even Sony, the evil companny we love to hate has free firmware updates and yet good old lovalble Apple charges for them. If Sony had charged $10 for their updates, there'd be a shitstorm. Damn double standards. : /

[Ninjakamster (PS360 FTW!) @ Sep 9th 2008 10:58PM]

Sorry for the double reply, my internet is a bit wonky.

[Vanillacide @ Sep 10th 2008 7:22AM]

Sony is publicly-quoted in Japan, Apple is publicly-quoted in USA and is therefore under SOX; Apple's corporate lawyers tell them that to be compliant with this regulation they have to charge for upgrades with material changes to functionality (e.g. v1.x to v2.x) so they do.

[iphonerulez @ Sep 10th 2008 9:57AM]

Microsoft updates make a bad product a little better. Apple updates make a great product outstanding. Thank you Apple for only charging $10. Most updates are worth far more than that.

[mabhatter @ Sep 10th 2008 12:21PM]

the SOX "compliance" is all about how they CHOOSE to take the profits and box themselves into a corner. Apple could well defer part of the profit from each iPod Touch sale as "future updates" and be just fine, or they could include the updates as part of warranty firmware costs. Apple CHOOSES to account this way because they like to count all the profit up front each quarter, and they WANT to charge money. If they didn't WANT to charge money, they'd adapt the accounting like for the iPhone.. or iTunes and quicktime that they never charge for because those are under "marketing" to future customers or some such nonsense.

[MICHAELSD @ Sep 9th 2008 8:37PM]

Friday can't come soon enough for the iPhone 3G.

[tyler @ Sep 9th 2008 8:40PM]

Good things come to those who wait.

[waiownsyou @ Sep 9th 2008 9:07PM]

@ tyler

I hope you don't stick around to see 2012.

[Ethan @ Sep 9th 2008 8:38PM]

Okay, I was almost on board (standing on the railings, if you will) with the feature updates, but paying to fix stuff? That's not really on.

[Ethan @ Sep 9th 2008 8:41PM]

But the update, as said above, is free if you paid for the features. Ignore myself.

[Eric B. @ Sep 9th 2008 8:38PM]

LG Dare Beat's the iPhone's service out of the ocean. IPhone SUCKS! Verizon rocks. Final word. I don't care if I get low ranked. Verizon has the best service of all the companies and Apple is just some money hauging, hardware stealing devil company!!

[Heshmati4 @ Sep 9th 2008 8:53PM]

Dude, we're talking about the ipod Touch not iphone.

[Eric B. @ Sep 9th 2008 8:54PM]

Don't care. Still Apple.

[nicksa7x @ Sep 9th 2008 9:55PM]

the service has nothing to do with apple.
thats at&t's fault.

[Jugomugo @ Sep 9th 2008 9:07PM]

All cell phone companies suck. And how does Verizon relate to the iPod Touch?

[Squid7085 @ Sep 9th 2008 11:18PM]

So you are comparing the iPhone (Apple) to Service (Verizon)? I can see how that is a fair comparison. I think what you mean is the device is only as good as the service. With that I agree, I would kill to have the iPhone on Verizon, but unfortunately, Verizon turned Apple down the first time around, now they are just kicking themselves in the foot.

[Syliss @ Sep 9th 2008 8:40PM]

Its free if you have 2.0 already. I'll wait till jailbroken.

[Paul Chapel @ Sep 9th 2008 8:40PM]

Man, I want an iPod Touch so bad, I can literally taste the chrome. Too bad I can't afford one. Asked my dad if I could have his and he laughed at me.

[L.M.L.Y.P @ Sep 9th 2008 9:06PM]

think like any other apple product user, no. hes unemployed

[Paul Chapel @ Sep 9th 2008 9:09PM]

Dude, I just bought a Playstation 3, had my Camaro's engine rebuilt and the rent is due. Yes, I work. I'm working for the Man.

[Zeus.:God @ Sep 9th 2008 9:44PM]

LOL!

Your Camaro? LOL!

You have a job? LOL!

If you can't afford an iPod Touch you have neither a job or a Camaro.

[Paul Chapel @ Sep 9th 2008 9:45PM]

@iErik

No worries, man. I still want an iPod Touch.

[brux2dc @ Sep 9th 2008 9:52PM]

@iErik

If you are going to boot camp, I'm afraid that your monthly pay (before taxes even) is literally the price of that fancy Macbook Pro! Actually the monthly pay is less than the macbook pro.

FYI I don't hate macs, just a reality check for iErik!!! Don't be that guy who gets into massive debt at the beginning of your mil career. It isn't worth it for a computer.

Might want to check how much you will really be getting per month.

[theFuzzyWarble @ Sep 10th 2008 8:31AM]

It's comments like this that make me hate all of you and myself for coming back each day heheh

Sept 16th. Never forget! 3.0

[pcionwk @ Sep 16th 2008 1:52PM]

If you're interested in a free iPhone, go to freebielookout.com. I got my iPod touch 16Gig for free this way and $480 cash. Check it out.

[SimonRichards @ Sep 9th 2008 8:41PM]

$9.95?! For fixing your own problems and putting in a feature I and many other people will never use?! Give 'em an inch, they take a mile!

[SimonRichards @ Sep 9th 2008 8:43PM]

Just found out that it's free if you have 2.0 already. My bad.

[Speedbump781 @ Sep 9th 2008 8:46PM]

Since I have installed this software I am getting blue screened when I plug in my iPod touch on Vista x64. It states usbaapl64.sys causing error and reboots computer. Nice update.

[JonB @ Sep 9th 2008 8:49PM]

Mine blue screened too... not x64 though..

Mine said something about can't stack API,, I didn't catch all of it, I was too busy spraying my computer screen with Pepsi in fear of the Blue screen of death

[iofthestorm @ Sep 9th 2008 9:24PM]

@iErik: So an Apple update breaking things is somehow Vista's fault? Troll moar plz.

[Andrew @ Sep 9th 2008 11:22PM]

usbaapl64.sys - Apple Mobile Device USB Driver

Looks more like a case of Apple still being terrible at developing for Windows. They really need to beef up their Windows development team if they are going to release products for Windows. They are notoriously slow and buggy. Hell, how long have we had to deal with iTunes coming up black in Windows.

There's a large discussion already over on Apple's forums: http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=8049633

[Bruce Poon @ Sep 9th 2008 8:44PM]

Can someone please find out whether the new Touch firmware 2.1 has Push API? That should give us some indication on what to expect this Friday..

[brewbass @ Sep 9th 2008 8:52PM]

yeah i have the push option on mine

[Bruce Poon @ Sep 9th 2008 9:30PM]

Dudes.. get with the program, man. When I said Push API, I was referring to the background notification API that Apple was going to release with iPhone firmware 2.1. It's supposed to allow, for instance, you to receive an instant messenger message without having the IM running; just like mail notification without the mail program running. They pulled it from their beta a couple weeks ago. So, it may not get released with 2.1 after all. I was really REALLY looking forward to it.

[Einhanderkiller @ Sep 9th 2008 8:44PM]

....what?
You have to pay for an update?

[brandoshido @ Sep 9th 2008 8:48PM]

my thoughts exactly. laughable

[mackid105 @ Sep 9th 2008 8:53PM]

if you didnt by firmware 2.0 yet you need to pay for that update really. try reading the posts before you it was mentioned at least twice

[James @ Sep 9th 2008 8:57PM]

@iErik,

Some people still had to pay for the 2.0 update. Updates weren't free to everyone. That was the point.

[Paul Chapel @ Sep 9th 2008 8:44PM]

Dude, don't you know that showing satisfaction and excitement for Apple products is not allowed on Engadget? Be careful or you're going to attract the three stooges: Saad, Nohone and Fred. Don't say I didn't warn you.

[slowburn @ Sep 9th 2008 8:45PM]

Charging for an update is wow. Just wow.

And to think, the iPhone is on my short list right now.

[rattyuk @ Sep 9th 2008 8:52PM]

Free to iPhone uses as that is handled by subscription accounting. iPod charging for updates is due to the wonderful sarbanes oxley rules about having to deliver a product as stated and NOT change it without charging.

[Andrew @ Sep 9th 2008 9:04PM]

@ iErik:

Do you realise not everyone has the 2.0 update and therefore some people have to pay?

tard.

[slowburn @ Sep 9th 2008 9:10PM]

@ rattyuk

thanks for explaining that.

@iErik

cry more.