Is the internet on iPod touch useless?

[WillMak]

I've been thinking about getting an ipod touch since it would be nice to have a mobile internet device (don't really need a phone) as well as a music player but is the mobile internet aspect of the ipod touch not realistic? Since it uses WiFi that means I'd have to be around a place that has free wifi in order to use the net right?

[Mac-Addict]

I've been thinking about getting an ipod touch since it would be nice to have a mobile internet device (don't really need a phone) as well as a music player but is the mobile internet aspect of the ipod touch not realistic? Since it uses WiFi that means I'd have to be around a place that has free wifi in order to use the net right?

Depends on where you live.. if you live in some town a million miles away from anything then ofcourse its useless but if you live in the few (and I mean few) citys that offer free WiFi then it could be useful.. I would recommend you walk around where you would take your iPod touch with a laptop and see how many unprotected networks there are.

[WillMak]

Depends on where you live.. if you live in some town a million miles away from anything then ofcourse its useless but if you live in the few (and I mean few) citys that offer free WiFi then it could be useful.. I would recommend you walk around where you would take your iPod touch with a laptop and see how many unprotected networks there are.

There are cities with free wifi!? Is that a europe thing? I'm from the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Area and I don't think we have any cities around here with free wifi.

[CalBoy]

There are cities with free wifi!? Is that a europe thing? I'm from the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Area and I don't think we have any cities around here with free wifi.

There are quite a few cities that are thinking of offering WiFi in the Bay Area. I don't know of any that are doing it right now, but in the near future, we should expect SF to get it at least. Some suburbs were also looking into this. Keep your eyes peeled:)

[Sean Dempsey]

I've been thinking about getting an ipod touch since it would be nice to have a mobile internet device (don't really need a phone) as well as a music player but is the mobile internet aspect of the ipod touch not realistic? Since it uses WiFi that means I'd have to be around a place that has free wifi in order to use the net right?

Yeah, that is the extent of the Touch. If you are by a wifi hotspot, it will probably work.

It works great at my house /shrug, started right away on my linksys router.

[WildCowboy]

There are quite a few cities that are thinking of offering WiFi in the Bay Area. I don't know of any that are doing it right now, but in the near future, we should expect SF to get it at least. Some suburbs were also looking into this. Keep your eyes peeled:)

Mountain View has it, courtesy of Google. Don't expect SF to get it anytime soon...not after the Earthlink/Google debacle.

[WillMak]

There are quite a few cities that are thinking of offering WiFi in the Bay Area. I don't know of any that are doing it right now, but in the near future, we should expect SF to get it at least. Some suburbs were also looking into this. Keep your eyes peeled:)

Is that right? Sweet. I guess I'll wait until they set up public wifi spots until I get a touch then. Hopefully by then apple will have worked out all the screen issues with the iPodT.

[CalBoy]

Mountain View has it, courtesy of Google. Don't expect SF to get it anytime soon...not after the Earthlink/Google debacle.

Oh yes, I forgot about that whole Earthlink thing. I thought that Google would provide it to Mountain View, but honestly, who the heck wants to go to Mountain View?:p JK. I'm sure we'll see more of it soon. Another possibility is to go to a coffee shop (café for those who which to be chic) and use it there. A lot of smaller coffee shops have free WiFi.

[juanster]

most of the core of downtown toronto area has free wifi...

[Stang68]

its perfect for me because my university is 1005 wifi!:D I just dont have my PRE-ordered touch yet:mad:

[BiikeMike]

Is it useless?


Depends on what you are going to use it for. For me, most of my work involves business meetings at Hotels across the country. (I do corporate AV) once I am set up, I have to sit in the meeting to make sure everything runs OK. most hotels have wifi, so I fully plan on using my touch there.

It also works great in my house, and I'm sure I can use it at the office. I just got back from the JCC, and while I lifted, I listened to music, while I did cardio, I watched House M. D., and then when I was done, I connected to the WiFi network in the lobby. Plus every coffee shop around.

So is it useless for me? absolutely not! This is exactly the device i've been waiting for! Is it useless for you? really only you can answer that question.



For an estimation of how many places you can use it, you can check out a free wifi finder website such as http://www.wififreespot.com/

[volumecontrol]

its perfect for me because my university is 1005 wifi!:D I just dont have my PRE-ordered touch yet:mad:
Yeah I'm looking forward to getting one because my school has wifi all over campus. Not to mention I have wifi in my home.

[thebusdriver16]

no I'm typing from my iPod touch right now

[squeeks]

cant figure it out

[BiikeMike]

cant figure it out

"+" key next to the address

[tyorke]

my Internet went out so i hopped on my touch and connected to my neighbors unsecured network. :) pretty useful id say

[Evangelion]

it's not useless, far far frm it. many people (like myself) have wifi at home. many people (like myself) live in a place that offers free wifi. and even if you don't, odds are that you will find someone who is sharing their wifi, knowingly or otherwise ;)

[viccles]

Even though I have a laptop, I'm looking forward to being able to surf on it from other parts of the house :D

[JonfromVegas]

The amount of restaurants, malls, shops, etc. that offer free wi-fi is increasing daily. It's probably safe to say that you enter at least one establishment every day that has free wifi... whether you know it or not.

[ps49556n]

As was already said, it depends on what and how it is used for. Personally, I really like being able to use the internet or google maps when I am in a remote place without wifi or computers such as a car. As slow as edge can be at times (for what its worth, edge speeds in NYC have increased drastically recently), I would never want to have the option of only using wifi for internet.

[iheartipodtouch]

another thing that might turn you off is that for some reason, safari on the touch doesnt support flash, just like the iPhone.

it might matter to you, but that all depends on whether or not you want a full internet experience

[webdog6]

Mountain View has it, courtesy of Google. Don't expect SF to get it anytime soon...not after the Earthlink/Google debacle.

Actually, San Francisco now has pretty good Wi-Fi coverage and it's getting better weekly. This is courtesy of Google funding Meraki's Free the Net program.

Here's a link to a node map (http://sf.meraki.com/overview)

[WildCowboy]

Actually, San Francisco now has pretty good Wi-Fi coverage and it's getting better weekly. This is courtesy of Google funding Meraki's Free the Net program.

Here's a link to a node map (http://sf.meraki.com/overview)

Thanks for the link...I was aware of the Meraki project, but hadn't really investigated it. Looks like they have a long ways to go still. There are a few pockets with good coverage, but most of the city is pretty barren except for small spots here and there.

[regis4u]

I'll start by mentioning that I'm not wifi-savvy. So I'm wondering what the signal range would be on the iPod Touch. I live about a block from a coffee shop with wifi, would I get a decent signal or even be able to connect? I don't have my iPod yet, I'm just curious.

[jmack549]

I'll start by mentioning that I'm not wifi-savvy. So I'm wondering what the signal range would be on the iPod Touch. I live about a block from a coffee shop with wifi, would I get a decent signal or even be able to connect? I don't have my iPod yet, I'm just curious.

Highly doubtful. In most cases, it is hard to get signal even house-to-house.

[BiikeMike]

I'll start by mentioning that I'm not wifi-savvy. So I'm wondering what the signal range would be on the iPod Touch. I live about a block from a coffee shop with wifi, would I get a decent signal or even be able to connect? I don't have my iPod yet, I'm just curious.

Probably not. The touch gets slightly less reception than my MBP, and at some coffee shops, its hard to get reception 2 feet beyond the patio on the mac. Its for sure not going to go a block.

[aft]

There are cities with free wifi!? Is that a europe thing? I'm from the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Area and I don't think we have any cities around here with free wifi.

Toledo, OH was talking about free pubic wifi, so if we are getting something like this maybe more cities are planning it. We are usually shockingly behind the times. We just got rid of horse and buggies in the 90s:)

[juanster]

Toledo, OH was talking about free pubic wifi, so if we are getting something like this maybe more cities are planning it. We are usually shockingly behind the times. We just got rid of horse and buggies in the 90s:)

I'm pretty sure toronto's got free public wifi

[matias1021]

another thing that might turn you off is that for some reason, safari on the touch doesnt support flash, just like the iPhone.

it might matter to you, but that all depends on whether or not you want a full internet experience


i have a question about flash..is there a possiblity of that being added with updates or hacks and stuff?

thanks.

[Mystikal]

Are you kididng? All day during work yesterday i was checking baseball scores. I LOVE it.