iPhone vs. iPod touch + phone???

[DMC-12]

OK, I'm in a dilemma. I was ready to buy a 16GB iPod touch for $380 with my employee discount at Target, but now my family is negotiating a plan with AT&T. I can get an iPhone for the usual $399+tax with unlimited data and a 200 text messaging limit. Getting this iPhone plan would cost the same as getting any other AT&T phone free with unlimited text messages. My main concern here is the overall advantage of having a legit iPhone vs. an iPod touch + any other data-free phone. Another phone wouldn't cost me any extra.

I'm going to jailbreak whether I get the iPod touch or the iPhone... so what if I just jailbroke an iPhone separate from AT&T? Is the 16GB touch + phone a better option? I have about 16GB of music and movies in iTunes, but cutting down my storage on the 8GB iPhone wouldn't be that bad, I guess. Would text messaging charges or EDGE problems come up if I just put my unlimited text plan AT&T sim in a jailbroken iPhone?

I can pick any AT&T phone minus data, perhaps a RAZR (for the hackability) or a Samsung SYNC.

I DON'T KNOW!!! Please give me some advice. Thanks.

 

[Warbrain]

It seems as if your family is going to be starting a new contract with at&t, so I would assume that you would end up paying the higher iPhone plan prices than the existing customer ones. If that's the case and you have decent access to a Wi-Fi network, go for the iPod touch. However, if you don't have access to a Wi-Fi network more than once or twice a week, go for the iPhone. There will be plenty of reasons that people will give to get the iPhone no matter what, but it's important to figure out your situation.

 

[Cloudane]

I have an iPod Touch and a phone. For me the deal-breakers were the 8GB capacity (I have 7GB of songs.... sailing far too close to the limit for me) and the lack of MMS or Bluetooth (other than headsets).

However 2 out of 3 could be resolved with a software update.

 

[Warbrain]

I have an iPod Touch and a phone. For me the deal-breakers were the 8GB capacity (I have 7GB of songs.... sailing far too close to the limit for me) and the lack of MMS or Bluetooth (other than headsets).

However 2 out of 3 could be resolved with a software update.

I don't really understand why people complain about not having MMS on the iPhone. You can send an e-mail to the phone number you want to send it to and it'll show up on the other person's phone as a MMS.

 

[DMC-12]

It seems as if your family is going to be starting a new contract with at&t, so I would assume that you would end up paying the higher iPhone plan prices than the existing customer ones. If that's the case and you have decent access to a Wi-Fi network, go for the iPod touch. However, if you don't have access to a Wi-Fi network more than once or twice a week, go for the iPhone. There will be plenty of reasons that people will give to get the iPhone no matter what, but it's important to figure out your situation.

I should have clarified. This is a new plan for my family, but we are joining after my brother already bought a legit iPhone + plan. I know there are a lot of ins and outs, and I've just been reading about iPhone owners being able to drop the data plan with AT&T. But from what the AT&T guy has explained to me, for whatever reason, limiting the text plan on my potential iPhone negates the data overages for my (the 2nd) iPhone (that's what I'm told). My college campus offers a lot of Wi-Fi, but EDGE coverage would be a bonus for the iPhone.

The only reason I'm second guessing the touch is because, in light of this AT&T deal, I'm thinking about the way so many people believe that the phone features + bluetooth in the iPhone make it a better buy.

 

[Cloudane]

Oh, FFS.

I KNEW that was coming.

I DON'T CARE whether you think MMS is important or not. Stop evangelising. I'm giving MY personal reason for not buying the thing. Please don't hijack yet another thread with all the usual pointless "MMS is not important, stop complaining" back and forth nonsense, we're sick of hearing it, kkthx

 

[Warbrain]

Oh, FFS.

I KNEW that was coming.

I DON'T CARE whether you think MMS is important or not. Stop evangelising. I'm giving MY personal reason for not buying the thing. Please don't hijack yet another thread with all the usual pointless "MMS is not important, stop complaining" back and forth nonsense, we're sick of hearing it, kkthx

I was wondering why it was such a problem and asked for a valid reason. It might be important to the OP.

I should have clarified. This is a new plan for my family, but we are joining after my brother already bought a legit iPhone + plan. I know there are a lot of ins and outs, and I've just been reading about iPhone owners being able to drop the data plan with AT&T. But from what the AT&T guy has explained to me, for whatever reason, limiting the text plan on my potential iPhone negates the data overages for my (the 2nd) iPhone (that's what I'm told). My college campus offers a lot of Wi-Fi, but EDGE coverage would be a bonus for the iPhone.

The only reason I'm second guessing the touch is because, in light of this AT&T deal, I'm thinking about the way so many people believe that the phone features + bluetooth in the iPhone make it a better buy.

I just saw the same thing about being able to drop the data plan today, but I'm not sure if there's a time period in which you need to have it in order to do so. As for the at&t side of things, I'm not entirely sure, but I'm quite positive that someone else might be able to help you with that. But if you've got the money for the iPhone and the plan - if you need it for a time or not - go for it.