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No-contract 32GB 3GS? Hate new iPod touch.

I still think Apple wants to keep a bigger difference between the Touch and the iPhone. Through WiFi calling and WiFi texting apps, the Touch would essentially be an iPhone while in WiFi hotspots if they added a GPS chip and a camera. So people that are on college campuses basically can have an iPhone without contract at all times.

I know I'm alone here in thinking this, but why would you want a camera on your mp3 player anyways? Don't all phones have cameras now? Who doesn't have a cell phone?
 
samcraig said:
Steve Jobs responded to this.

The iPod Touch is being marketed as a gaming machine and they were trying to keep the costs down as much as possible to be competitive hence no camera, etc.

The NANO is not a gaming machine at all - so given Jobs' response, it makes sense to put the camera in the next device in the line
Click to expand...

Did the nano increase in price because it got a camera?
 
ob81 said:
Did the nano increase in price because it got a camera?
Click to expand...

It's a different camera than the 3gs.

Which is why it won't do stills either. it's a very cmos with a thin THIN lens.

So it might not have been as much of a cost increase as putting a 3gs equiv camera on the touch.
 
samcraig said:
It's a different camera than the 3gs.

Which is why it won't do stills either. it's a very cmos with a thin THIN lens.

So it might not have been as much of a cost increase as putting a 3gs equiv camera on the touch.
Click to expand...


I really can't believe they bothered to put a camera in the nano, especially since it can only do video and not stills. For a company like Apple that only puts products/features out once they are perfected(ex. copy & paste), I can't believe they put out this addition to the nano. Isn't the nano mainly used for exercising with anyways?
 
STEVESKI07 said:
I really can't believe they bothered to put a camera in the nano, especially since it can only do video and not stills. For a company like Apple that only puts products/features out once they are perfected(ex. copy & paste), I can't believe they put out this addition to the nano. Isn't the nano mainly used for exercising with anyways?
Click to expand...

They did it do compete with the flip and other portable video devices at a certain price point. It makes somewhat sense based on that logic. Esp since the flip, etc do not ALSO work as an ipod device. So now people can keep to one device instead of carrying multiples.

Do I agree that the touch shouldn't have a camera - no. But now that I've read Jobs' explanation, etc - I understand the reasoning.
 
samcraig said:
It's a different camera than the 3gs.

Which is why it won't do stills either. it's a very cmos with a thin THIN lens.

So it might not have been as much of a cost increase as putting a 3gs equiv camera on the touch.
Click to expand...

I guess I can live with this. Thing is, this camera that can only shoot video is better than no camera at all.
 
Beric said:
I want a 32GB for $400 w/ no contract. Is this possible (or even close)?
Click to expand...

Yes its possible, in a parallel universe

If everyone can get an iphone for that cheap, no one will be signing up for contracts. It doesn't matter how much bigger and better the ipod touch is to the iphone, the one thing it will never do is phone and data on the go! Is this so hard to understand?
 
You will not be able to find an iPhone 3Gs for the price you are looking for.

If you go with the option of buying it from AT&T with service and then canceling, here is the math:

$299 - iPhone 3Gs 32GB with 2-year service contract
$ 36 - activation fee
$ 70 - 1 month of service ($30 for minutes + $40 for mandatory data plan)
$175 - early termination fee (ETF)
-----
$580 plus taxes

If you just want the phone without service, then you will pay $699.

You may want to look in eBay for low-cost possibilities, but I have been monitoring it for the last three months and the lowest price is always around $700. In average, it is always around $800.

The factory unlocked ones go for $900, $1000 or more. Insane!

I think the only opportunity you will have for a decent price is if you know someone who is willing to sell it to you.
 
Beric said:
So I was planning on getting an iPod touch today, and expecting GPS and video. I got neither, and am fed up with the new model. So I was wondering, how cheap can I get a 32GB 3GS with no contract? Is there a cheap place to buy them, or how much would signing up with AT&T and then canceling cost? I use Verizon and will never touch AT&T, so I don't care what AT&T thinks of me. I just don't want to do something illegal.

I want a 32GB for $400 w/ no contract. Is this possible (or even close)?

Thanks for any help!
Click to expand...

Just do this:

Buy the 32GB touch for $299. Then buy this camera for $90, which will take far better photos and video than anything Apple sells. Finally spend the last ten dollars buying a memory card and a map.
 
I too would like to buy an iphone 3GS for the camera and GPS.
Will sell my ipod touch 2G..

Could someone do me a favor, and check how good the GPS is without a cell signal?
Turn your iphone 3GS on to airplane mode to turn off the cell receiver.
Then drive around testing the gps accuracy & let me know how it goes.
Thanks in advance!
 
You could always steal someone's 32GB 3G and just remove the SIM. woot.

kidding of course. Try ebay?
 
Everyone saying the GPS takes forever without service, are you in the basement? I don't even have a SIM in my 3G and I use Navigon on it as a main GPS unit all the time. Longest I have ever had to wait for a lock was about 2 minutes. Generally I get a lock in 30 seconds or less, no SIM. Just cuz it has A-GPS enabled doesn't mean it's main GPS chip won't work (at all or in a decent amount of time) without a SIM or service.
 
mafi0z said:
I too would like to buy an iphone 3GS for the camera and GPS.
Will sell my ipod touch 2G..

Could someone do me a favor, and check how good the GPS is without a cell signal?
Turn your iphone 3GS on to airplane mode to turn off the cell receiver.
Then drive around testing the gps accuracy & let me know how it goes.
Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

GPS doesn't work in airplane mode. You have to just pull the sim card.

As for the OP. Do you currently have a cell with ATT? or even with another carrier and no contract? do the math on the increased price from your current plan to a ATT plan. Maybe the price won't be as bad to swallow then.
 
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