iPod touch iPod5 + dumb phone vs. iPhone 5

jlhx said:

Up till a week ago, that's what I had. I had that set up for two years and I just got the iPhone. I don't miss carrying two devices around but it was a lot cheaper.

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You have two options if you want to drop from two device to one single device.

1) Buy an unlock iPhone5 for more than double the cost of a iPT5.

2) Buy a subsidized iP5 for $199 and then pay the ransom money to the carrier later.

Neither option is attractive.

The phone ipod combo is the way I'm headed even though my Samsung Apollo is "technically" a smartphone. I use technically rather loosely since this pile of garbage can't play Angry Birds, the music is super tinny, and the headphone jack take headphones but not headsets.

I'll need to find a slimmer wallet to make up for the extra device in my left pocket.

BigCanoe said:

And carriers here (USA) require a data plan even with unlocked iP5, so your not locked into a contract but your still paying $$$

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Not all do. With a little research you can find a no-contract option that does not require a data plan. I'm currently paying $49/month (including all fees/taxes) for unlimited talk/text/data for StraightTalk with my iPhone4. If I wanted unlimited talk/text only I could get that for about $35/month.

sracer said:

Not all do. With a little research you can find a no-contract option that does not require a data plan. I'm currently paying $49/month (including all fees/taxes) for unlimited talk/text/data for StraightTalk with my iPhone4. If I wanted unlimited talk/text only I could get that for about $35/month.

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The problem with that is those are regional carriers. The only carriers that exist in my area are national ones (Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, US Cellular, T-Mobile). If the OP is in the same situation, then they are kinda stuck. Sure, Virgin Mobile will let you have an iPhone but you have to pay full price for the phone, which can make things difficult. In general, it's cheaper initially to carry two devices and it's cheaper in the long run to carry two devices. If it purely comes down to a money factor, I truly believe the iPod touch/dumbphone combo is a good way to go.

I am doing that with 4th G iPod Touch

I have a great deal on my stupid phone plan. I use my iPod Touch with the phone. Not a problem for me at all. Personal choice, I guess.

Ozonekill said:

I currently rock a dumb phone + ipod touch. If the ipod touch battery dies it's no big deal. The dumb phone battery is awesome, lasts 2 weeks!

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THIIIIISSS. I'm 22 (so not a tween?) and I use this. Your most critical needs (phone and messaging) have thier own (pretty much) month-lasting battery, and for your others you have your ipod touch. Also, the battery without wifi on on the Touch lasts a really long time, at least for me (currently have a 2g, will get 5g soon).

I've been doing this for a few years now with my MP3 players. Such a good idea! I just don't think it'd be worth it for me to get data since I wouldn't use it as much as I'd probably pay for. I'm already used to using the wifi here and there and it's not too big a deal.

Besides, I consider my phone a kind of "dirty" device since it's always on the ear, you let others use it, and you constantly leave it on a table (for me at least). For my ipod I take really good care of it. It's usually in my hands or my pocket and I'm more delicate with it than a phone. And I feel good about not having to pay anything extra after getting the device and I get all the cool apps and features. Plus it looks amazing!

Raidriar said:

Besides, I consider my phone a kind of "dirty" device since it's always on the ear,

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I saw someone trying to take into the Galaxy Tab2, lol, it's like holding a yellow page next your ear.

Project538 said:

The problem with that is those are regional carriers. The only carriers that exist in my area are national ones (Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, US Cellular, T-Mobile). If the OP is in the same situation, then they are kinda stuck.

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That is true, That is why the iPad monthly pre-paid plan is so popular.

However, you can still get a voice plan for dumb phone and just turn on unlimited data for the month you need it, for just $10. If you have an old unlocked GSM phone (3G/3.5G) with the option to tether via BT, then you can tether your iPT5 to it. Just don't do it excessively so you stay under the audit radar.

I have use this setup for years, and even use it as my GPS in most cities (with iPT's WiFi-based service).

CapnJackGig said:

Tracfone costs me about 80 dollars a year. iPod Touch will add another 299 to that. So for two years, 460 is my total. iPhone 5 is 300, Verizon/ATT with a 1 gig data limit plus taxes is just about 100 dollars A MONTH. Over two years, that's 2700 dollars.

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I agree. 4G LTE data plan is way overpriced. DOJ should investigate if there is any price fixing between the top three carriers.

There's one crucial benefit in carrying both devices. Dumb phone is used mostly for phones calls and SMS, while iPod touch is for games and internet browsing. That way dumb phone can stay really long on a single battery charge. In my case it's 5 days up to a week! Having just an iPhone using it for GSM, internet, games etc drains it's battery like crazy in just a few hours of use. Of course carrying around one device instead of two has it's good points too. Just my 2 cents

Any dumb phone that look good? I used to have a Motorola Droid and I really like the metal outside that give a pretty good quality feel. I am ready to dump my Infuse (and the data plan) for the Itouch+dumb phone combo. I looks at the dumb phone available in Amazon and there doesn't seem to be much choice ...

xofruitcake said:

Any dumb phone that look good? I used to have a Motorola Droid and I really like the metal outside that give a pretty good quality feel. I am ready to dump my Infuse (and the data plan) for the Itouch+dumb phone combo. I looks at the dumb phone available in Amazon and there doesn't seem to be much choice ...

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Well... Instead of dump phone you can get really cheap some basic smartphone. There's a few that actually look quite good. Maybe some basic nokia lumia?

ipod phone

If you're like me and you don't talk on the phone much and you have access to wifi almost everywhere you hang out, then the iPT can be an excellent substitute for the iPhone. In my case, I can configure the Acrobits app or Media5-fone app to utilize my home VOIP service via iPT. When I place a call from the iPT, the person I'm dialing sees my home phone number as the caller. On the flip side, when someone calls my home number, my iPT rings. SMS works the same way.

Screw those exorbitant wireless contract fees! Suckas!

I have a t-mobile prepaid plan. for $30 I get 5GB of 4G data, and beyond that, unlimited 3G. Its on a cheap, but passable, samsung exhibit II 4G phone.

I have the new touch coming, and I will use my android phone to tether the 4G to the iPod whenever I need it.

Almost as good as an iPhone, for waaaay cheaper.

One device is better than 2.

I went two devices to one, which was the best decision ever. Makes life easier.

Of course having just one device is much nicer.

But is it $70 a month nicer? (the price difference in my plan, an an iphone plan)

I don't think so.

Since my tasks are split between two devices, battery life is much less of an issue. I never have to worry about missing a call, or not being able to call because of a dead battery.

And a lot of dumb phones are very thin and small. The iPod Touch is very thin and light too. Fitting both into my jeans pocket is a non issue.

dba415 said:

One device is better than 2.

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Not when one device has an incredibly stupid price associated with it.

You have two options

Separate phone (dumbphone)

iPT5 + Nokia 1280 = $320

Or use Gmate to turn your iPT5 into an iPhone

iPT5(JB) + Gmate = $384

...once my contract is done, I'm going back to a prepaid phone and my iPad...the smart phone screens are painful to use for any length of time to surf the web and it will save $$, I usually carry my iPad anyway so two devices is a non-issue

J&JPolangin said:

...once my contract is done, I'm going back to a prepaid phone and my iPad...the smart phone screens are painful to use for any length of time to surf the web and it will save $$, I usually carry my iPad anyway so two devices is a non-issue

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Thats cool. I've owned every gen iPad, but after enjoying it for a few weeks I stopped using them and sold them. I guess i'm not a tablet guy.

If I am home, I do all my web surfing on my iMac, and gaming on my xbox.
When I am away from home, I use an iPod Touch, since its always in my pocket.

But if the iPad mini does come to be, I will most likely give it a try too.

Speaker volume on iPod 5th gen??

Like others here, I had been using a combo of iPod Touch and cheapie "dumb" phone. But I wanted a decent camera and good volume, so I picked up an iPhone 4 off contract, and have never activated it for cell phone service. It's been great!

I'm now thinking I'd like to jump to the iPod Touch 5th gen, but my one concern is the speaker volume.

How loud is its built-in speaker? Especially compared to an iPhone 4?