iPod touch 2.1 firmware update now available
By Joshua Topolsky 
posted Sep 9th 2008 8:34PM
posted Sep 9th 2008 8:34PM
Update: If you already have firmware 2.0, this upgrade is free.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
update is free if you paid for 2.0 update. download is about 240mb, ui smoothing is definitely noticeable.
And if you didn't pay for the 2.0 update...
>.>
Hmm, posted *half* of my comment...
remaining half was:
dammit, is there a 2 line limit?
fuck it, the link's: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2DeqgFybK0
I've never paid for a firmware update on my PSP. Just saying.
Why low ranking the PSP comment? It's true.
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. : /
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. : /
Sorry for the double reply, my internet is a bit wonky.
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.
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.
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.
Friday can't come soon enough for the iPhone 3G.
Good things come to those who wait.
@ tyler
I hope you don't stick around to see 2012.
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.
But the update, as said above, is free if you paid for the features. Ignore myself.
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!!
Dude, we're talking about the ipod Touch not iphone.
Don't care. Still Apple.
the service has nothing to do with apple.
thats at&t's fault.
All cell phone companies suck. And how does Verizon relate to the iPod Touch?
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.
Its free if you have 2.0 already. I'll wait till jailbroken.
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.
think like any other apple product user, no. hes unemployed
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.
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.
@iErik
No worries, man. I still want an iPod Touch.
@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.
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
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.
$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!
Just found out that it's free if you have 2.0 already. My bad.
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.
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
@iErik: So an Apple update breaking things is somehow Vista's fault? Troll moar plz.
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
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..
yeah i have the push option on mine
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.
....what?
You have to pay for an update?
my thoughts exactly. laughable
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
@iErik,
Some people still had to pay for the 2.0 update. Updates weren't free to everyone. That was the point.
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.
Charging for an update is wow. Just wow.
And to think, the iPhone is on my short list right now.
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.
@ iErik:
Do you realise not everyone has the 2.0 update and therefore some people have to pay?
tard.
@ rattyuk
thanks for explaining that.
@iErik
cry more.
I'm not sure why rattyuk is ranked low for answering the question asked. It's a simple case of not shooting the messenger.
And really, regardless of laws, it's the same as upgrading any software. You always pay for the new version. Most commonly someone will say "Why do I have to pay for the Touch update when it comes free on all the new iPods?" It's the same as... say the OS on a computer. You don't get a free upgrade to the latest version of the OS just because newer computers already come with it.
Why would you low rank the guy who is actually smart enough to describe in laymans terms why Apple charges for an iPod touch to be updated and why the iPhone doesn't incur that charge. As it has been stated, it is required for Apple to charge for updates to the touch because it doesn't have a subscription base like the iPhone. The 2.1 update is free to anybody who purchased the 2.0 update. 2.0 is basically a new os, for only $10, thats not bad, if they charged for the iPhone too, this argument would not even exist.
i bought an itouch yesterday from the vegas apple store, 1.1.4 firmware on it, so i had to pay for the 2.0 update even though i just bought it, seems a bit crap to have to pay for things advertised in the store as part of the itouch experience.
already had to restore the thing once already, hopefully 2.1 is more stable.
Actually Apple is indeed about the only one who charges for firmware upgrades. Every other DAP maker I've seen gives free upgrades. Although I've only seen Apple do this with the Touch. All their other DAPs get free upgrades.
where is the justification that they charge poor itouch users for an update?
one can easily download the firmware - just silly.
Better battery life? Really?
Not trying to be an ass here but if I torented 2.0 then will it know when I go to update to 2.1 and try to make me pay? (I don't really care cause I'm sticking with 2.0.2 until the jailbreak gets released but its nice to know)
Download is SOOOOO SLOOOW!
I'm getting about 125KB
Definitely gonna be here a while.
what about those of us that got the 2.0 the free way? Will Itunes autodetect that it is running 2.0 and offer the update?
only way to tell is try it.
I'm sure the firmware will show up online soon enough for anyone that has any of the upgrade price problems. 2.0 was easily available through the normal channels.
Apple thinking they can get away with charging $10 for an update are fooling themselves.
Alright, iErik, I know you copied and pasted that from another comment, but since I consider that more pathetic than the original (at least credit the guy!), I'd like YOU to quote the section of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act that mandates Apple make users pay for updates. I'd also like you to explain how pretty much no other company is made to follow that law (Patches for videogames, other software, even Zune- which should technically be under the same categories as Apple would be defined as...). Don't take this as an attack. If you do succeed in doing this then by all means, the person you copied your post from was correct.
I'm with you DeoWulf!! I'd like to know why when every other firmware gets updated on an existing device, there's no charge! Even OS firmware!
LMFAO! "It's so revolutionary"
Can it do what I'm doing right now on my iPhone or on an iPod Touch though? I'll take Internet over FM radio any day!
Anyone know if push is activated for apps now?
You forgot these lies... uh... lines:
"Dude, the Zune is SO MUCH BETTER. OMG!!! It has a radio! A radio! Just like my dad's twenty year old Walkman. Yay!"
"Zune > iPod Classic. The iPod Touch does not exist."
"Wi-Fi squirting for Win!"
Little known factoid- The best audio quality that is possible to transmit over FM is worse than a song that is ripped from a CD or downloaded. FM is like the tape player or record player, but for some reason we keep it around...
Thats just stupid. And to iErik How many other MP3 Player makers charge for an update, You don't see microsoft charging for updates or samsung a couple of months ago. Something i like to call exploiting the chickens (No sexual reference intended. Where mactard=iErik=Customer Buys a Product But your shares are falling along with the value of your company, So you introduce new products as cheap as possible but charge stupid prices and make people ,not willing to upgrade hardware, pay for an update. Kind of reminds me of OSX service packs. You'll low rank me ( because I dont follow apple like so many iSheep on here and I have an opinion) but you know I'm right.
( Disclaimer: Never owned an ipod, a samsung MP3 player or a zune( But do intend to buy a Zen X-FI sometime this weeks( After El Jobso dissapointed me)))
Please just ignore Erik. He's clearly an anti-Apple troll.
to get Genius you have to turn it on in iTunes at least that's what I had to do.
Odd...it says I downloaded it already! It won't even let me "re-download". Wtf is going on?
i updated and suddenly it couldnt sync because i need to update itunes. i love how apple traps people. what if i dont WANT itunes 8?
Look, the update uses features that are coded into iTunes 8. You already have iTunes installed, why don't you want to upgrade to 8? Your version of iTunes isn't coded to take advantage of the features found in the new 2.1 firmware. It's not a trap, it's a necessity of the way they've coded the iPod update. Could they have made it an iTunes 7 point update too? Possibly, but they had a reason not to.
You sure showed us!
Congratulations. You have just won the award for most Apple-defending (and complaining), offensive, and poorly written posts ever on a single story by a single person.
Your prize:
An all-expenses-paid trip to the Ban List!!
That's right, Erik! You will be spending the next 6 months of your life Engadget-post free! You will discover all kinds of activities that beat the hell out of clicking refresh on a web page every 10 seconds!
Enjoy.
/wish
So much content for users..... so little content for Zune users. iTunes.... #1!!! The "me too" product are gaining zero ground.... laughable.
Everybody he's back, the retard is back, You 8 Year olds are such little bastards. 99% of the time have no idea what they are talking about
If you mean Engadget content, that was expected. As far as actual updates, I think they're pretty even, if not in Zune's favor. Zune gets wireless marketplace access, Buy from FM, Mixview, Channels (tailored music playlists), official games release, marketplace recommendations, and a clock (finally -.-). So far I haven't been paying too much attention to iPod updates, but I see.... bug fixes. Is that what you call content? Other than that, iTunes has marketplace recommendations, HDTV, Genius playlists, and Grid View.
So...
Channels = Genius Playlists
Marketplace recommendations = Marketplace recommendations
XXXX = HDTV
What Zune already has = Grid View
Buy from FM = XXXX
Wireless Marketplace Access = Wireless iTunes Access.
Games = What iPod already has.
Clock = What iPod already has.
Mixview = XXXX
Artist info and picture visualizer = new visualizers
So yeah, looks like +1 for Zune, but that's not too much. Unless you haven't payed for the 2.0 update, in which case...
$10 extra = XXXX
:D
@DeoWulf
#1..... killer games.... HDTV, useful features that people actually want and use. Accelerometer exploitation, OSX with Open Gl/ES and killer cpu. Zune - copycat and features that no really cares about. FM Radio..... ahahahaha.
DeoWulf,
I really don't see the ipod touch as a Zune competitor in anyway.
Zune 120 > Ipod Classic 120gb
ipod Nano = Zune 8 & 16 (The new nano has a bigger screen than the Zune, accelerometer, etc. while the Zune has built in Wi-Fi and a music store to access, so it's a draw)
ipod Touch = ?????
Heshmati- I was just comparing the updates in general, not product-to-product. Just so happens iTouch and Phone got all the updates this time around.
Jubei- I mentioned games in my assessment, as well as HDTV. As for features people will use, I think that's up to the individual user to decide. FM Radio sound quality may be poor, but it's still a good way to discover new music (local college stations for me), and downloading songs from FM will still be the same quality as other Marketplace downloads. Sounds like a useful feature to me.
Deo, don't bother responding to Jubei, it doesn't work. I do it for kicks- if you want to, go ahead, just don't take anything he says seriously, otherwise you might get a bit annoyed. All he does is regurgitate the same old shit and doesn't take anyone's arguments into account.
To him, Apple IS God.
@who?
How the hell is that a little known factoid. That's just the most fucking obvious shit ever.
I'm rofling too, look at all you retards having a little apple lover party here.
so current iPod Touch users...are we just fricked about the nike plus thing? or can we still use the plug in adaptor. because if we can't, then we're all about to see the iPhone Nike. and then the iPhone Nike 3G.
I cant wait to pay to get what i should have gotten in the first place! This is sweeeeeet
OK,,, so am I the only one who's impressed with this genius playlist?
Now I won't have to go through that painstaking task of selecting my own music! (a hint of sarcast maybe,, but I'm being serious)
You know, reading these discussions day in and day out, and looking at the products from both Microsoft and Apple, I can't help but think, What are these Microsoft lovers smoking and how can I get some of it?
And this is coming from a serious PC lover. I cut my teeth on Windows 98 in middle school and almost overdosed on XP and Half-Life, Counter-Strike, Medal of Honor and all the Grand Theft Autos, but when I saw the iPhone almost a two years ago, I knew Microsoft was finished. When people dismiss it and say how much the Zune is better, it's almost like watching an old timer rant against automobiles in favor of a horse and buggy.
After installing the 2.1 update, the multiple calendar feature isn't there, and neither is genius for the ipod touch. everything is exactly the same, and in itunes 8 after it backs up my ipod i do not see my applications under the library like it did in 7.7.1 - anyone else experiencing this nonsense?
So far, I'm really happy with the iTunes upgrade - around 60K tracks and seeing much faster scrolling & UI and loving the Genius so far.
I have an iPhone and a Zune and I feel bad for iPod Touch users. You guys are being F'd over again by Apple.
So Sarbanes Oxley is the culprit behind why Apple has to charge for Touch updates? Why is it then that Microsoft can give their updates away for FREE? I don't get it. I think Apple is being greedy here.
deowulf - what's mixview?
I just saw Need For Speed Undercover... Wow!!!!
I can't wait to play that on my Zune... ooops it can't.
You have to pay for an update? That sucks. And I found some free ipod touch games from this website, share it here
http://www.mac-dvd.com/free-iphone-ipod-games.html
So if you were unlucky enough to buy the product when it first came out (1.0), then you would be charged to have bugs fixed in that product? WOW
To the fool that said apple charges for the update because of a "law" that is probably the stupidest thing I have heard this year.
Apple sure knows how to Milk Teenagers and Yupee's o_O
No, it's true! I'm sure it's just that the law doesn't apply to Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo.
Actually, it's the other way around. If the Touch parallels the iPhone at all, the 1.0 sw was way better than the 2.0. So you had to pay $10 or whatever to get WORSE performance.
Hopefully this new SW fixes it for the Touch and iPhone. Looking forward to not having to pay, since I have the phone.
seriously erik, get a life and stop posting a thousand idiotic comments trying to prove to us that you are smart or something.
Got the firmware but will wait for it to be Pwned....
Is there a way to permanently ignore a user?
Is accelerometer a hardware feature or software ? I think it hardware. In other words does this update (iPod Touch 2.1) enable accelerometer feature?
Thanks
The accelerometer is hardware, and the touch has always had it. That's why you can, and always have been able to tilt your Touch and get coverflow.