iphone or ipod with wireless & basic mobile

katejo

Hi

I have not yet had an iphone. I currently have a Nokia phone. It has internet but is pretty useless because the screen is too small. My contract ends next May. I also have an old ipod nano which still works well but I could upgrade. I am considering the following options:

1. A new Ipod with wireless for occasional internet access and a basic mobile pay as you go phone
2. An iphone (perhaps contract) which will serve as a phone and ipod

Not sure which would be better. I don't need a camera as I still prefer to use my compact which works well. I am a bit concerned about using an Iphone to listen to music as I walk along because of the problems with phone snatching. I would want to be able to switch roaming off completely if i went abroad.

Because of my previous wrong choice of phone, I would welcome any advice.

Niv

I think that you need to decide what you will use the phone / phone ipod combo for.

If you think you will only want internet access on rare occasions and at wireless locations (unless this iPod you speak of does 3g) and you have no need at all for a camera and do not feel that there is any convienance in having all three of these devices in one gadget then your basic phone + iPod would seem sensible as it would be teh cheapest way to get what you need.

However, since i got a smartphone I have found that I have used it a lot online, I find it very helpful when out and about for a variety of functions iwill name a few to give an idea:

taking pic's of items I am doing price comparisions on

Taking pics of gift ideas for family/friedns

finding my way when I got a little lost

listening to the radio

General camera use when I would not normally carry a camera

catching up on news via bbc news app

Reading

To be honest the list goes on. I previously had a nokia N95 and while technically it could do most of the above it was not really practical like it is with smartphones.

By comparison I would now find it quite frustrating using a non smart phone.

Niv

jenniewb

I have an ipod touch, its the 4th generation model and does not have 3G. It does have wifi though.

Free wifi isn't so easy, the stuff that is free (and bare in mind I am in London) is either veeery very slow or extremely hard to find. -unless I am at a friends home and they let me use their wifi signal, and does seem to gobble up the battery power at a very fast speed.

There was supposed to be free wifi on the tube....sadly not unless you have a mobile phone because to sign up, you need to give your mobile number and details before they apparently send you over the signal. Means I can't use it any how. If you are sure you want to just use the free wifi, make sure you are not dependant on it.

I have no idea if using 3G or even 4G would eat the battery of anything else just as fast but I think it comes down to what you want to do and how often you want to do it.

jamesmorgan

If you have an ipod and separate cheap mobile, the best way to access the internet on the ipod when out and about is to tether it to the mobile (make sure you have a contract with plenty of internet usage). Giffgaff are probably the cheapest PAYG (for £10/month you can get 1GB internet). Although note that not all their deals support tethering - however, in general most suppliers seem to be moving down the route to support tethering as standard.

One of the advantages in going down the 2 device approach is that when one of the devices stops working (which, with modern technology won't be too long) it is cheaper to buy a replacement. The most significant disadvantage is simply having to carry 2 devices around. The 2 device approach will almost certainly be a lot cheaper.

Ultrasonic

katejo wrote: »

2. An iphone (perhaps contract) which will serve as a phone and ipod

There are of course phones made by many other manufacturers that will serve both purposes, cheaper, and arguably better...

mickaveli2001

Neither... both are over-priced fashion accessories. You'd be better (and cheaper) getting a Sony mobile with a large 32GB card. I had the HTC with beats audio, and it was a decent mobile for music I must say.

As an iphone user myself - You are not missing much, trust me!!!

katejo

Thanks for all the comments. On saying Iphone I also meant smartphones in general as i have never had either.

The info about wireless access is useful as I had wondered whether this was the case. I had only seen one in use in my house where I have wireless and then it did work well. Then this week a friend tried to use it on Kindle in a cafe and it caused problems.

I am not sure about using a Smartphone for music simply because I am concerned about it being snatched. I currently listen to my Ipod in the tube every day.

Im_just_careful

You haven't made the case for a contract smartphone very well.

You could well be happy with an iPod touch and converting your current phone to PAYG (get the SIM made PAYG at the end of the contract or port the number to an operator who uses that network, for example Giffgaff if the phone is o2).

Niv

katejo wrote: »

Thanks for all the comments. On saying Iphone I also meant smartphones in general as i have never had either.

The info about wireless access is useful as I had wondered whether this was the case. I had only seen one in use in my house where I have wireless and then it did work well. Then this week a friend tried to use it on Kindle in a cafe and it caused problems.

I am not sure about using a Smartphone for music simply because I am concerned about it being snatched. I currently listen to my Ipod in the tube every day.

How do you think it will get snached? If you put it in your pocket (zipped or buttoned maybe - I dont know what coat you wear :-)) with only the headphones visable, how can it get snatched? Or do you walk around waving your music device around your head so all can see it? Sorry - I just think you are being a little paranoid about getting your phone snatched while listening to music, do you also not intend using your mobile phone in public as someone could snatch it while you are texting/talking on the phone?

jamesmorgan

Niv wrote: »

Sorry - I just think you are being a little paranoid about getting your phone snatched while listening to music, do you also not intend using your mobile phone in public as someone could snatch it while you are texting/talking on the phone?

I don't think the OP is being paranoid about mobile phone crime. It is estimated that approximately 30% of all street crime involves the theft of mobile phones - approx 100,000 phones each year. Most of this theft is opportunistic - they aren't looking for a specific high value phone, but will simply mug anyone who has or appears to have a phone. As increasing numbers of people seem happy carrying around £500+ of electronic equipment in public, it isn't very surprising that crime levels have grown.

Niv

jamesmorgan wrote: »

I don't think the OP is being paranoid about mobile phone crime. It is estimated that approximately 30% of all street crime involves the theft of mobile phones - approx 100,000 phones each year. Most of this theft is opportunistic - they aren't looking for a specific high value phone, but will simply mug anyone who has or appears to have a phone. As increasing numbers of people seem happy carrying around £500+ of electronic equipment in public, it isn't very surprising that crime levels have grown.

Fair enough, now look at the context the OP mentions this. Specifically concerned about it being snatched through using it to listen to music (outlined more than once by OP), no apparent concern about using a mobile phone as a mobile phone in public i.e making/taking a call. This is far more likely to lead to phone crime as it can much easier be snatched from a hand compared to being in a zipped pocket (as I suggested - if you read).

So rather than have a go at me try reading the posts in context. I do not dispute that phones get snatched. However stats of course can be used to tell you anything you wish to highlight. For example '30% of all street crime involves the theft of a mobile phone' well yes as handbags get snatched (maybe for the money not necessarily other contents) and often contain mobile phones, coats also can contain phones in the pockets. So it is kind of a non-fact that 30% of street crime involve a phone being taken as it gets used (as with your use of it) to imply that it is phones that are specifically targeted. It would be much more useful to know what percentage of street crime involves specifically the snatching of a phone. By the application of common sense it is also possible the 30% of street crime involves the theft of a person’s house keys (due to the fact they are in the aforementioned snatched handbags and coats).