[redfishsc]

I'm thinking about getting an iPod Touch 4th G for my wife for Christmas.

The problem is, I do not understand the first thing about the more advanced MP3 players. I have a drag-n-drop cheapo MP3 player that I use on a daily basis.

Does the iPod Touch 4th Gen have a decent camera? Meaning, is it easy enough to whip out the iPod for a quick photo, or is it an aggravating process "click this, click this, then click this... then wait.... then click this".

She would want something that has a decent camera and something that has (or can get) a Calendar app that would synch with a Windows-based calendar (Or Google Calendar).


We are NOT interested in getting a Smart phone (which would otherwise solve the whole problem) because it's not all that smart to get a phone that has an additional $20/month data package that won't hardly ever get used. We are with Verizon and aren't about to switch carriers (everyone else sucks around here regarding coverage).


Looking for suggestions--- from any RELIABLE platform like Android or whatever. The camera, the MP3 player, and calendar app are the crucial things.... if it can't do those, it won't work.

 

[Dave-H]

An iPhone 4g is, by any interpretation of the term, a 'smart phone'. But, I think you can drop the data package if you want (at least you used to be able to).

The camera is really good, and easy to use. Just about any phone these days can be a camera, an mp3 player, and a calendar so there is no reason to pay for the newest Apple product if that's all you need and won't even use the data service.

 

[redfishsc]

An iPhone 4g is, by any interpretation of the term, a 'smart phone'. But, I think you can drop the data package if you want (at least you used to be able to).

Unfortunately Verizon is a bit Nazi on this policy. If you have a smart phone, you must have the data package. In fact I just got off the phone with them (again) to see if they basically had any phones that were as well equipped as a smart phone, without the data requirements. NOPE.

That's why I'm looking at the iPod Touch or similar product instead of the phone. Her current cell phone works just fine as a cell phone, and upgrading to a Smartphone (that has all these bells and whistles) is more costly than buying the iPod Touch because of the required data package.

The camera is really good, and easy to use. Just about any phone these days can be a camera, an mp3 player, and a calendar so there is no reason to pay for the newest Apple product if that's all you need and won't even use the data service.

Yeah but right now the nicest camera I can find on a basic phone is 3.2mp, and my wife will want to take better pics than a 3.2 would do. I have no idea the camera quality of the iPod Touch (assuming it's like 5.0mp like the iPhone is).



Regarding the calendar.... if you are using a Windows home PC but want to be able to synch the iPod calendar with the PC calendar, do you know if that can be done? That's the biggest thing for her. She's been mentioning this for quite a while.

She realllly wants a good camera and calendar compatibility with the PC.


Thank you for your help!!

 

[mistergreen]

here's the specs
http://www.apple.com/ipodtouch/specs.html
the camera is 960x720... It's not a dslr camera but ok.

The new iphone 4s' camera is better... I think it's a 3 megapixel?
If you want a nice camera, perhaps thinking about buying a dslr camera or even a point and shoot.

 

[redfishsc]

here's the specs
http://www.apple.com/ipodtouch/specs.html
the camera is 960x720... It's not a dslr camera but ok.

We have a digital camera for stuff we want higher quality on, but she hates carrying it around because that's all it does.

I'm hoping to find something that sits between "crappy 1.3 mp camera photos" and the kind our camera takes.


Maybe I'm just asking a bit too much lol.

 

[joshh]

I love my ipod 4th gen. You can pretty much use it as a phone if you have wireless around as well. I have gone without a real phone ever since the 4th gen came out. Think about how much money I've saved!

The camera is okay. Not too bad, not too good. You can easily switch it from the front to back camera as well as taking a picture or to start recording. There is also facetime.
There is an app to sync the ipod touch calander to a google calander.

The 4th gen is also amazingly thin. I have a case for it and people still awe at how thin it is. Overall, this little gadget is the best thing I've spent money on. Music is only a fraction of what you can use it for

 

[redfishsc]

Sounds great.

What is Facetime? And what sort of data connection (wi-fi, 3G) do you need for it?

 

[joshh]

Facetime is pretty much a video chat with another person.

The ipod doesn't require any connection to use, but wi-fi does let you use safari(web browser) and other apps that require an internet connection.

 

[redfishsc]

So the Facetime app is totally mobile? I would assume you'd need 3g access for it, at least (assuming no data plan is needed for it too).

 

[dxiong5]

A quick Google search yielded results reporting the back camera on the iPod Touch 4th Gen. being between .7-.92 megapixels (compared to 5 megapixels on the iPhone 4; the new iPhone 4S has an 8 mp camera!). You'll get 960x720 pixel resolution images, and you can shoot in 720p HD.

You do need a network (wi-fi, 3G) connection for Facetime.

 

[joshh]

So the Facetime app is totally mobile? I would assume you'd need 3g access for it, at least (assuming no data plan is needed for it too).

Currently there is no 3g capability with the ipods, so no data plan. You can choose between a 8,32 and 64gb memory when buying it. You do need wi-fi for facetime. You will also need to install itunes to your pc to synch music,photos,apps,etc.

Here's what I have on my 8gb ipod to give you an idea on memory size.
198 songs, 21 videos, 324 photos and 36 apps. There is 1.1gb left...I do have to say i have 1-2 rpg games which takes up a lot of space

 

[Noahma]

I'm thinking about getting an iPod Touch 4th G for my wife for Christmas.

The problem is, I do not understand the first thing about the more advanced MP3 players. I have a drag-n-drop cheapo MP3 player that I use on a daily basis.

Does the iPod Touch 4th Gen have a decent camera? Meaning, is it easy enough to whip out the iPod for a quick photo, or is it an aggravating process "click this, click this, then click this... then wait.... then click this".

She would want something that has a decent camera and something that has (or can get) a Calendar app that would synch with a Windows-based calendar (Or Google Calendar).


We are NOT interested in getting a Smart phone (which would otherwise solve the whole problem) because it's not all that smart to get a phone that has an additional $20/month data package that won't hardly ever get used. We are with Verizon and aren't about to switch carriers (everyone else sucks around here regarding coverage).


Looking for suggestions--- from any RELIABLE platform like Android or whatever. The camera, the MP3 player, and calendar app are the crucial things.... if it can't do those, it won't work.

It has a decent camera, interior and darker photos are not that great (no built in flash) Facetime you would need to be connected via WIFI, and be talking to someone with either a mac, or iphone/ipod touch.

For apps, I use Calengoo for syncing to my google calender, it is a pretty darn good app.

I have almost every google app out there for my phone lol, some of which allows you to keep your contacts ect. on googles servers, and syncs between the phone / ipod and google.

 

[redfishsc]

Thanks guys, that's a lot of help!

I wish they had a slightly better camera on them but this is very helpful.

 

[karatekid14]

Are we talking about the iPod or iPhone? I just used my iPod touch 4th gen to type that. I think it is very good and the camera works well outside, but inside it gets grainy. I think the only drawback is you have to have wifi to go on the Internet, but that makes sense.

 

[redfishsc]

iPod.

The iPhone would work if I got a used one (ie, affordable) but we are not needing anything with phone capabilities. We'd just use it as an iPod. My wife already has a good cell phone, and Verizon (in our area at least) requires you to pay for the data package if you have a smart phone, and we do NOT need the data package nor the added montly cost.

 

[Dave-H]

I guess an iPod touch will do the trick, although really you are swimming against the current by fighting the idea of a smartphone - the whole industry is focused on convergence of all devices into one (including phone). So, trying to keep them separate will become increasingly hard. But the touch works pretty well.

Really, you'd be fine with a separate camera and mp3 player probably. It's the calendar sync that will get tricky. The beauty of the Android OS is that is syncs my calendar automatically, over the air, and in near real-time. For me, that's worth the extra fee.

If I had to actually connect the phone to my computer to sync the calendar it wouldn't be nearly as useful.

 

[redfishsc]

It's the calendar sync that will get tricky.

Yep, you nailed it! So far that's the trickiest part.

 

[A Hill]

Yep, you nailed it! So far that's the trickiest part.

Get a cannon P&S + iPod nano or something then? Just use Google Calendar and a real day planner or something. Or you could do an iPod touch with Cannon P&S...

With that said it'll probably be pretty easy to get a used iPhone 4 for around $300 or so of decent quality, since I know many people are talking about upgrading. Apple will give $200 for a device for trade in and asia will give much more but You can probably get one for the $300ish range if you really try.

I won't lie, I love my smartphone. Yet hate it because I'm on a leash.

-Andrew

 

[redfishsc]

Get a cannon P&S + iPod nano or something then? Just use Google Calendar and a real day planner or something. Or you could do an iPod touch with Cannon P&S...

Yeah that's exactly what she's doing now. I'm trying to get it so that she isn't carrying around a body bag worth of items.

A friend of mine has a used smart phone (an LG I think) that I may be getting, so as long as it will work without the phone service agreement, she can use all the other functions and not have to carry around anything other than her actual basic phone and this smartphone as a PDA.