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iPod touch iPod Touch + plain cell phone INSTEAD of iPhone?

J

junobear

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 4, 2008
8
0
Is this crazy?

I want the Touch; I like the iPhone. The contract w/ AT&T is too high for my fam's needs. With taxes, it'd be $200 for our family plan. (I'm also happy with TMobile. And, I like having a phone that's just a phone) If we got an iTouch (two, actually) plus kept the simple phones we already have----would that suffice?

I know it's wifi and not 3G network. And no bluetooth. I know I won't get as much 'reception'. Still, I think the iPod Touch would be a really good thing that covers the apps etc. that it would be fun to be working/playing with.

Are you happy with your Touch? Or do you wish it were an iPhone?
 
There's nothing wrong with getting an iPod touch and a cheaper phone/plan.

It sounds like it works for your needs. Go for it.
 
Well i'm thinking about doing the same thing although i want to think about it a little bit more and do some searching about iPhone's negatives because i think right now it has lots of them!
 
Yeah, i actually have a Windows Based cell phone. that i love to death. does everything the iPhone should, but they dont make 32GB micro sd cards yet. so i went and got the new ipod touch and quite happy i didnt change my phone in and "consolidate" if you will.
 
This question was already asked, here:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/590282/

If you think the Touch will suffice, then definitely get it, you'll be glad you didn't waste the money on AT&T. It sounds like 3G isn't living up to a lot of people's expectations. I have been pleasantly surprised at all of the places I get free WiFi.
 
I don't understand, are you afraid people will beat you up and laugh at you for having a media player and a mobile phone instead of an iPhone?

Good Lord, what next, people asking how to wipe their own asses?
 
I think there is a real market for an iPhone that does not require a data plan.

I know alot of people who would get one, but who aren't willing to pay $30/mo for the plan.

I know some of you will say, what's the point of having an iPhone w/o 3G or Edge data, but I think Apple would sell a ton more of these if you didn't need the plan.

It's all about the convergence of the phone and the iPod for alot of people. Like the OP said - he has a iPod touch WiFi enabled access and the applications...and he has a phone. Why not get both in one device?

Seems like this would be a hit with the teenagers too, who all have iPods AND Phones, but don't have data plans.

I would probably buy one for each of my kids at Christmas time, but not if I am going to add $30/mo to the already high cell plan.

A No Data plan option would be good for us, good for Apple, but probably only so-so for AT&T...
 
aross99 said:
probably only so-so for AT&T...
Click to expand...
I believe that the data plan is where AT&T makes up most of the cost of the phone they are subsidizing. AT&T just had to write Apple a $900 million check for iPhones and the revenue needs to come from somewhere.

I have the touch and a "basic" cell phone that I use for text messaging and voice only. After having converged devices for the last 5 years with Windows and Blackberry devices having them separate is a very welcome treat for me. And before anyone says it is not the same as BB and WM - the main thing I used the devices for was email and calendar which the Touch does perfectly while the phone provides me text and voice.
 
Just Do It

Last year I was looking at the iPhone but before I could pull the trigger my iPod classic died and I was on the road so I just bought a Touch and found that I don't mind having 2 tools.

Yes, I look at my touch as not just a iPod replcement but I get email on it and can sync it with my calendar and contacts from my desktop as well as create notes and email them to myself.
 
Thanks

I think doubt can creep in when one buys into the inescapable marketing and other hype that the iPhone does everything one could ever hope for. ('It doubles on sax...picks up the kids from school...' TW)

I appreciate everyone's take on it. Yeah, the Touch does make the most sense. That's what we'll do.
 
Your other option is to buy an iPhone on EBay for around $600 (16GB 3G), you can use those with an existing AT&T plan and not pay/use data.

OTOH a regular cell phone + 16GB (or even 32GB) iPhone is cheaper.

I bought an iPhone on EBay and used it for a short while, but sold that to go back to 2 devices. Don't get me wrong, I really liked the phone. But I went back to my cheap cell phone and a 16GB 1G iPod Touch which only cost $200, for now I'll take the money.
 
I bought a 32g Touch the day they came out last year and love it to death. I still decided to buy the iPhone when they came out and switched from Verizon to ATT. I don't regret it a bit but if you want to have just a Touch then by all means do it. It is a great iPod and now with apps it totally rocks. I still use my Touch all the time and leave the iPhone on the charger. I only really use the iPhone stuff when I'm out and about and not near a wi-fi signal.
 
junobear said:
Is this crazy?

I want the Touch; I like the iPhone. The contract w/ AT&T is too high for my fam's needs. With taxes, it'd be $200 for our family plan. (I'm also happy with TMobile. And, I like having a phone that's just a phone) If we got an iTouch (two, actually) plus kept the simple phones we already have----would that suffice?

I know it's wifi and not 3G network. And no bluetooth. I know I won't get as much 'reception'. Still, I think the iPod Touch would be a really good thing that covers the apps etc. that it would be fun to be working/playing with.

Are you happy with your Touch? Or do you wish it were an iPhone?
Click to expand...


I am in the same situations as yourself. I have thought seriously about the Iphone vs the Ipod Touch too! I really do not want to switch to AT&T. My son switched for the Iphone and loves the phone but hates the dropped calls and the less bars in more places. I am wondering if the data would be something I would use. I don't have that benefit or expense now. Although, if I had it I might use it. The only place I frequent with Wi Fi is my home. Work does not have it for personal devices only company supplied devices of which I do not rate one. I have used palm device to include the TREO 650 without data back when it 1st came out. I do like email access, calander, to do list, and other apps. I use medical references a lot at work and the Iphone only has Epocrates free basic. I'm hoping that other apps will arrive like they did for the palm platform. BUT, my debate with myself is the IPOD vs the phone. Can you get the phone and not get data? Just thinking of alternatives...:D

May be a basic phone and the Ipod touch s the choice, or may be this coming year Steve Jobs will add:

1. More storage capacity 32 GB or higher
2. Voice activated calling (that works with bluetooth
3. More network availability (more reliable and multiple networks)
4. Care less about the camera (but some people really want a better one)


SO I am going to wait and see what happens
 
aross99 said:
I think there is a real market for an iPhone that does not require a data plan.

I know alot of people who would get one, but who aren't willing to pay $30/mo for the plan.

I know some of you will say, what's the point of having an iPhone w/o 3G or Edge data, but I think Apple would sell a ton more of these if you didn't need the plan.
Click to expand...

This is absolutely true. If this option were available, even at a higher buy in price, I would have strongly considered switching from Verizon. I won't spend $720 in data for a terrible network that the phone doesn't even work well on. Phone+wifi would be completely sufficient for me.

Touch + a good cell on a good network still beats the iphone, and will until Apple/AT&T fix quite a few things.
 
junobear said:
Is this crazy?

I want the Touch; I like the iPhone. The contract w/ AT&T is too high for my fam's needs. With taxes, it'd be $200 for our family plan. (I'm also happy with TMobile. And, I like having a phone that's just a phone) If we got an iTouch (two, actually) plus kept the simple phones we already have----would that suffice?

I know it's wifi and not 3G network. And no bluetooth. I know I won't get as much 'reception'. Still, I think the iPod Touch would be a really good thing that covers the apps etc. that it would be fun to be working/playing with.

Are you happy with your Touch? Or do you wish it were an iPhone?
Click to expand...

You wouldn't be alone, that's for sure. I'd say most of us are in that same boat - we don't want to pay the extra to ATT.

A lot uf us actually have data plans with other carriers, and then share the internet connection over wifi to the touch. You can't do it with all phones, but its something to consider next time you upgrade your tmobile phone.
 
I bought the 32gb 2G ipod touch and a krzr k1m w/ verizon couldn't be happier. There are times when it would be nice to be able to use internet enabled apps while i'm away from wifi and to have a "nicer" camera with me, but those instances are few and far between.

The biggest advantages that the ipod touch have over the iphone are:
1. thickness - the ipod touch is THIN which is really nice when you're carrying it around in your pocket. oftentimes i don't even notice it's there.
2. no monthly service charge. even if you're just taking into account the data portion, that's $20/month (if you have a 1G iphone) or $30/month (if you have a 2G iphone). That can add up pretty quickly if you aren't really utilizing the data plan (ie, using it a lot where you don't have wifi)
3. 32GB - it's only a matter of time before the iphone goes to 32GB (or more), but for now, if you'd like a more room, the ipod touch is the choice. i have about 10gb of space left on mine so if I only have 16GB to play with, i'd have to be picking and choosing what I keep on my ipod. I use the space mainly for music and movies and will probably use it more for picture going forward. I don't have my whole music collection on it, but I like being able to include all the songs that I might want to listen to at any given time.

sometimes i wish my phone + ipod touch would be one device, but att doesn't have good coverage in my area and that's a deal breaker for me (aside from the 3 points mentioned above).
 
Nothing wrong with it. That's what I'm planning on doing, in fact. I badly wanted an iPhone, but upon realizing how expensive it would be for a monthly plan (I'm a broke college student), I decided to just grab an iPod Touch and upgrade to a more capable phone when my Verizon contract is up next August. While it would be nice to have an all in one thing, I'm OK with carrying two neat little devices around.
 
I currently carry both.... I pay $30 for my share of a Sprint family plan, and then my calender, apps, extensive address book, and wifi email/web on my ipod Touch.

I'm still under contract with sprint and don't want to pay $100/month for iphone.

Plan prices need to come way down to be competitive.... like everything else, I think they eventually will(or another carrier will get rights to it, also)
 
turtlebud said:
I bought the 32gb 2G ipod touch and a krzr k1m w/ verizon couldn't be happier. There are times when it would be nice to be able to use internet enabled apps while i'm away from wifi and to have a "nicer" camera with me, but those instances are few and far between.

The biggest advantages that the ipod touch have over the iphone are:
1. thickness - the ipod touch is THIN which is really nice when you're carrying it around in your pocket. oftentimes i don't even notice it's there.
2. no monthly service charge. even if you're just taking into account the data portion, that's $20/month (if you have a 1G iphone) or $30/month (if you have a 2G iphone). That can add up pretty quickly if you aren't really utilizing the data plan (ie, using it a lot where you don't have wifi)
3. 32GB - it's only a matter of time before the iphone goes to 32GB (or more), but for now, if you'd like a more room, the ipod touch is the choice. i have about 10gb of space left on mine so if I only have 16GB to play with, i'd have to be picking and choosing what I keep on my ipod. I use the space mainly for music and movies and will probably use it more for picture going forward. I don't have my whole music collection on it, but I like being able to include all the songs that I might want to listen to at any given time.

sometimes i wish my phone + ipod touch would be one device, but att doesn't have good coverage in my area and that's a deal breaker for me (aside from the 3 points mentioned above).
Click to expand...


AT&T does not have good coverage in my area either that is my biggest drawback to investing in an Iphone. Then there is the monthly fee. But currently my family plan with Alltel in Virginia with my wife, daughter and myself with only unlimited texting for my daughter 1400 shared minutes it is costing me around $150-$160, and thats without data and other options. So I really don't know what is better. My son has Iphone and experiences a number of dropped calls. He doesn't travel. So I am not sure how the service is outside of our area.
 
My combination is iPod touch and a T-Mobile phone.
I have absolutely no regrets not getting an iPhone. The only time it is cumbersome is when I'm outside my office and I have to carry both on me. But since I hardly get any phone calls (maybe 2-3 a month) it makes no sense to get the iPhone.
And I use my iPod touch as a PDA as well as for entertainment. For me this is the perfect combination.
 
I have a few friends that did this...mostly because they didn't want to break contracts but it works for them. I for one couldn't carry around two "phones".
 
That's what I do, I carry a very slim Samsung from T-mobile and my 2nd gen iPod Touch. Works out great for me, I'm never going back to AT&T, too many customer service nightmares in the past (another topic entirely though). I really would miss the slim profile if I had an iPhone though, it's easy to forget it's there until I need it.
 
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