ipod touch - any alternatives?

[Deleted User]

wdw2003 wrote: »

I tried cheaper alternatives to ipods when my kids were about your daughter's age and peer pressure is such that anything other than Apple isn't socially acceptable and probably won't get used. Buy cheap, buy twice etc. The upside is that there should be a new one coming out in a few weeks, which will make her the envy of the friends that already have one.

Even better, it's invaluable for taking on holidays abroad where you can access free wifi rather than hammering your smartphone, so it's actually a very sensible buy.

Like i said, no one has said an alternative product... sure, there's loads of mp3 players, loads of video players - but very very few internet capable, app-running, wifi-enabled, capactive touch screen devices.

I don't think it's peer pressure.. i just don't think there's any alternative products on the market that compare. All the ones I can find (by Archos/Samsung/Creative) run old versions of Android and are under powered with poor resistive screens. They don't compare to the latest Android phones.

wdw2003

Ringo, I was talking about the basic ipod a few years ago, rather than internet ones, but I agree with what you say. I used my kids' touches on holiday and will be getting one for myself soon for wifi abroad.

From an MSE point of view, my daughter used her touch and skype on another holiday and had a non-smart phone bill of £100, whereas her friend didn't use either touch or skype and had a bill of £800.

Bean_Counter

wdw2003 wrote: »

The upside is that there should be a new one coming out in a few weeks, which will make her the envy of the friends that already have one.

Thanks for that - I presume that will be the 5th generation. Since I am planning this as a Christmas present, I think I will wait for that to become available.

Fifer

wdw2003 wrote: »

Even better, it's invaluable for taking on holidays abroad where you can access free wifi rather than hammering your smartphone, so it's actually a very sensible buy.

Are there many smartphones which cannot use free wifi?

Fifer

ringo_24601 wrote: »

Like i said, no one has said an alternative product... sure, there's loads of mp3 players, loads of video players - but very very few internet capable, app-running, wifi-enabled, capactive touch screen devices.

Actually, there are quite a few few internet capable, app-running, wifi-enabled, capactive touch screen devices and some have a major feature which Apple still refuse to include - a memory card slot. The ones I'm thinking of run the current version of Android and have phones built in too, but of course, you don't have to put a SIM card in them.

wdw2003

Fifer wrote: »

Are there many smartphones which cannot use free wifi?

There are so many horror stories about smartphone users who thought they knew what they were doing abroad, only to come home to massive bills, that I'd prefer to stick to something like the touch and minimise risk.

Fifer

wdw2003 wrote: »

There are so many horror stories about smartphone users who thought they knew what they were doing abroad, only to come home to massive bills, that I'd prefer to stick to something like the touch and minimise risk.

I just switch off data roaming before I leave home. Much cheaper than buying another device and given that this is a moneysaving site ...

Incidentally, there should be no horror stories for data charges within Europe as data bills are capped at £50 unless you opt out.

[Deleted User]

Fifer wrote: »

Actually, there are quite a few few internet capable, app-running, wifi-enabled, capactive touch screen devices and some have a major feature which Apple still refuse to include - a memory card slot. The ones I'm thinking of run the current version of Android and have phones built in too, but of course, you don't have to put a SIM card in them.

Excellent, can you post a link to one of them costing under £200? I've struggled to find any. The closest i can find is the Samsung galaxy player 50.. but that's got rather bad reviews.

I do actually understand why there is no SD card reader built in with apple devices. It's all about the architecture of iOS - which houses each app within its own bubble. It's completely different to Android, which operates much more like a PC, with a file structure.

Fifer

ringo_24601 wrote: »

Excellent, can you post a link to one of them costing under £200? I've struggled to find any. The closest i can find is the Samsung galaxy player 50.. but that's got rather bad reviews.

The Orange San Francisco - around £100 PAYG.

ringo_24601 wrote: »

I do actually understand why there is no SD card reader built in with apple devices. It's all about the architecture of iOS - which houses each app within its own bubble. It's completely different to Android, which operates much more like a PC, with a file structure.

So it's an OS failing rather than hardware?

mikey72

We've got an ipod, and an LG android phone.
The ipod always has problems roaming on wifi, the android doesn't.
Android has good apps, sd card, and doesn't break the screen when you drop it.
Doesn't cost if you turn the data roaming off.