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ifjake

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 19, 2004
563
2
So the iPhone is nice, we all get it. But for someone who can't afford the hike in fees on his monthly cell phone bill (and, as an aside, doesn't want to switch to AT&T), but would still like a nice planner and note taker and music player, would a cheapie cell phone plus an iPod touch serve as a workable alternative? Anybody have experience with this? Anyone do it this way? How's that working out for you?
 
I've done it for some time with my old iPod Touch 8GB and a separate cell phone.

On the plus side: If you're going out to clubs etc, you can just take your small cell phone with you and leave the big iPod at home.

On the down side: You have to devices to carry around usually. That's why I bought a used iPhone 2G off eBay and sold my Touch and my cell phone.

Maybe saving up for a used iPhone off eBay is an alternative for you. Worked fine for me. I have an iPhone and could keep my old service provider.
 
i used to hate carrying an ipod classic and a cell phone (blackberry curve). it would be ok if you're female and carries a purse wherever you go. but for a guy, it's too many gadgets in the pockets. so i switched to the iphone 3G and loved it ever since. but yeah, i would concur with advice of getting an unlocked iphone on ebay.
 
My iPod Touch is probably one of the most-used things I've ever owned, but the fact that I have to carry around two devices (one of them, the phone, being crappy in comparison) has made me break down and decide to just get an iPhone. It's just too much for my pockets, and the Touch made me hate using my phone because of it's horrible design and user-interface. But if you can find a simple, reliable phone (good luck), using it with the Touch is probably the best low-cost alternative to an iPhone. The Touch is VERY capable, but its biggest flaw- lack of a phone- has become an issue for me.
 
I have done it for the past year, touch and a Sony Ericsson W910i. They work well together, but the second my contract on the W910i runs out (July :() i am getting an iPhone
 
Thanks all for the feedback.

Is it possible to make it so that the iPhone only uses cellular airwaves for calls and texts, and any web surfing/internet data access has to go through wifi only? Basically, I'd love to have my iCal in my pocket on my phone where I can add and remove and edit events. The music player aspect is also nice, but I'm primarily interested in the daily planner aspect of the iPhone, and not so much interested in the web browsing and other data things that I'd have to pay extra for. I pay for the internet once already for where I live, I don't want to pay again for my phone.
 
i used to hate carrying an ipod classic and a cell phone (blackberry curve). it would be ok if you're female and carries a purse wherever you go. but for a guy, it's too many gadgets in the pockets. so i switched to the iphone 3G and loved it ever since. but yeah, i would concur with advice of getting an unlocked iphone on ebay.

I agree.

I used to have a Touch and BB Pearl, and I was this happy: :)
Now I have a 3G iPhone, no Touch, and a Pearl collecting dust, and I'm this happy: :D
 
I did the same thing as you for a while, but I then realized I wanted to use the Touch a lot of places where there wasn't WiFi. Thus I got an iPhone.
 
I have done it for the past year, touch and a Sony Ericsson W910i. They work well together, but the second my contract on the W910i runs out (July :() i am getting an iPhone

same here! Wanted the touch the day it came out, which was long before the iphone came out in the uk. have been using a sony eric k850i which is nice for the better camera but in reality its crap...slow software and irritable keypad, the only benefit is your able to text while driving as you have real keys but thats dangerous anyway!! will definately be getting an iphone after my contract ends in april and they havereleased the 4G :D

lordjonny
 
i just got the new touch and am using a cheapo phone on verizon. i got the touch because a) my old iPod's HDD died, b) iPhone isn't 32GB yet, c) my contract isn't up until november, d) although i take good care of my current phone, fact is, it gets dropped. it gets dirty. it has to go places i wouldn't want an iPhone going (hiking, biking, canoeing, bars, etc).
so for those reasons i went with the touch. it has only been a few days, but i haven't minded carrying both devices so far.
 
having an iphone to consolidate gadgets is nice. to this day, i leave the house thinking i forgot something because i only have my wallet and iphone before i leave :)

i tried surfing the web with a blackberry. it's decent but its just not an iphone.
 
Personally I love the iPhone 3G but can't stand AT&T. So I plan to stick with Sprint. And no I never have problems with them (seriously never). I have a Palm 755p and was planning on getting an iPod touch but I can't see myself going back to a dinky cell phone...
 
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