Blogging from an iPod, now with a brief review
This is my first and hopefully only post to be written on my new iPod touch. I bought it today as part of my plan to spend money on gadgets of questionable use.
I wouldn’t normally go out and buy a $300 toy without somehow thinking that it would provide me some kind of value. In this case, it wasn’t for playing music on the go as I already have two perfectly fine iPod Shuffles. More than anything, this purchase was inspired by wanting to surf the web from outside the house without having to lug a laptop around. I also had these grand daydreams of getting lost and pulling the device out to look up my location on map. But thats all ridiculous of course, as it would be just as easy to carry around a paper map. And as far as surfing the Internet away from home, do I really need to be on it any more than I already am? The best excuse is thats really wanted an iPhone but couldn’t bear to lock in an expensive two year contract. While the pre-tax basic plan is only twenty dollars more per month than what I pay for a non-iPhone, it’s still money that would be better spent elsewhere. And it adds up: over $600 over two years. Plus, with the Touch, the wonderful browser of the phone is now mine for the browsing, and although it’s not perfect its still pretty cool. Right now I am lying on my bed. I have been typing on the floor, from a chair, on the toilet (also a type of chair).
If I compare the Ipod Touch to the Iphone, it feels like a ripoff. Not only is it missing applets (most notably, Mail and Notes!), but the battery life and screen are worse too. If I compare it to an Ipod, then the storage space is ridiculously limited and the battery life sucks even more. But somehow the thing is still appealing.
The appeal may be nothing more than looking at such a small device display the Internet in a way that was once only possible on a bulky screen. And while typing is by no means easier than on a laptop keyboard, it’s still pretty amazing for not having a physical keyboard at all. Browsing the interface by fingers is so intuitive, I wonder what people have bothered stroking with them until now.
5 Comments
its all about the iphone, the new ipod is a crippled joke
September 18th, 2007 at 10:11 amI have to agree with the part of the Ipod touch being crippled, but I don’t think it’s a joke. The iPhone is a better device, but I wouldn’t get enough use of it to justify the service plan. I’m going to amend my post with a brief review.
September 18th, 2007 at 11:59 ami was lucky to already have att/cingular so it made the decision to get an iphone that much easier. what clinched the deal for me was probably the fact that as best i can tell, it’s not much more expensive. if at all, it’s only by like $7 month i think.
it’s hard to tell because kelli and i share a family plan and she didn’t get an iphone. my plan includes crap loads of sms messages, she has to pay for each one she sends or receives. so given the sms charges and taxes and random fcc approved fees, looking at the bill is a mindfuck of confusion and it’s not easy to tell how much my part used to be vs. how much it is now.
in any event, it’s not THAT much more (definitely not $20) and i have access to the internets and my mail anywhere(!)… albeit insanely slowly. like, seriously, the att edge network is just rediculously slow a lot of the time. but still, slow is better than none at all, and that’s where you’re left with the touch. i would have suggested getting the iphone, and using the software hack to make it work with tmobile… assuming you had tmobile. but, if you don’t, then, yeah. why am i still typing?
September 19th, 2007 at 9:09 amHey Daniel. I do have t-Mobile currently and use the bare bones plan as I don’t talk on the phone very much. With all the taxes and fees, my monthly bill is around $45. The basic plan for iPhone is $60 without taxes and fees, so the difference for me is at least $20. I think people that talk on their phone more will find the plans very reasonable. I even find them reasonable, just not for my needs.
Granted, an iPhone would be sweet.
that is such a good plan.
-jon
September 16th, 2007 at 4:04 pm