Many iPod Touch Gen2 users experienced major reductions in battery life after upgrading from 3.x to 4.x of the iPod OS. If changed in your battery life coincided with an upgrade to 4.x check out this thread on the Apple Support Forum. Low battery life on iPod touch after installing iOS 4

I too had this same issue. I found that even with my soldering iron set high(over 700 degree's F) I could not really melt the solder from the factory. At best it became a little pliable. I got one exterior connection free, but like the others mentioned, the middle pad pull completely off even taking a little of the board underneath with it. I tried jumper a small wire from the ribbon cable to the small round pad in front of the damaged area but was not able to make a good connection so it will not charge. I liked the conductive silver paint idea. The local Radio Shack had a Circuit Writer pen. I used it to fill in the damaged area up to the round pad in front of it. Once dry I soldered the the outside pads and then barely heated the center pad to get a little liquid solder touching the silver ink. I have solid connections on all 3 pads now and the unit charges.