Apple Iphone, Ipod Touch Or?

[twix38]

I am after general info regarding the facilities, benefits and drawbacks between an Apple Iphone and Apple Ipod Touch and any other suitable alternatives?

What do the above Apple products offer?

Are they the best or is there better?

I want to have the internet, shares, Podcasts and Music as standard with Video and phone as optional

Any tips/recommendations/best place to buy (I am in Pattaya and visit BKK)

As you can tell I am detail light and want to get some good information on the range of facilities they each offer and any tips/info at all?

Many thanks

[kilt]

For starters....

The iPod Touch is an iPod with internet capabilities. It is NOT a phone.

The iPhone is all of the above plus telephone

I am after general info regarding the facilities, benefits and drawbacks between an Apple Iphone and Apple Ipod Touch and any other suitable alternatives?

What do the above Apple products offer?

Are they the best or is there better?

I want to have the internet, shares, Podcasts and Music as standard with Video and phone as optional

Any tips/recommendations/best place to buy (I am in Pattaya and visit BKK)

As you can tell I am detail light and want to get some good information on the range of facilities they each offer and any tips/info at all?

Many thanks

[mezzoninny]

The iPhone also has a camera. When Apple delivers major software updates, they also tend to give it to iPhone owners for free, and charge the iPod touch owners.

Based on the features you mentioned, I think the iPhone will be a pretty good choice. Music and video playback are the iPhone's strongest assets. The music experience can be very different from one phone to another, and IMO it's hard to know what to expect. The iPhone eliminates that uncertainty, and you're guaranteed a decent level of sound quality and usability (even if not the best).

Because of iPod's popularity, I think there are more options for hassle-free video conversion, and even though it requires converting, I think your odds of getting video to play on an iPhone is better.

iPhone/iPod touch also have a decent selection of apps you can install. You might want to check out the iTunes app store, see if they've got your needs covered. Sometimes the need for very specific apps (eg. your brokerage firm only offers a Windows Mobile app) might push you away from the iPhone.

[twix38]

Thanks very much.

Would anyone happen to know (as I found that Apple do not support in Thailand) whether it's cheaper to buy back in my home country (UK) and also if/how I could use it here in Thailand?

Any related issues to above would be welcome too, such as advice on where (country - UK or Thailand - & even shop - in Pattaya, BKK or UK) to buy it?

Also, is it right that I need to download itunes on my computer to do music, video, films, Podcasts and photos. The itunes download is required to do all these things?

If I get a BBC podcast (which is free), do I need to go via BBC to load it on to my computer and then use itunes to load it from my computer to my Iphone or Ipod Touch? Also I assume it still ends up free, as I know iTunes charge for some of their own stuff? or is there a simpler/better way for any of this?

Sorry for dumb questions, but I started out knowing nothing yesterday, so I am making slow progress.

I am thinking of ipod Touch rather than an iphone right now, but not completely decided. Has to do with price and my minimum requirements.

Many thanks

Edited October 27, 2008 by twix38

[anotheruser]

Buy the iPhone in Bkk unlocked. The phones in the UK are sold locked and require a contract. As far as I know iPlayer will not work at all outside of the UK. While inside the UK you must be on a wifi connection and access it through the BBC website, no conversions neededAs far as podcasts go you can get them directly from iTunes free. Then just sync them to your phone from there. The iPhone is very easy touse and as you seem sort of new to this kind of tech I highly recommend it over anything else.

As soon as you get the phone and put iTunes on your computer it will all make sense. If not there are a ton of forums out there to find any info you might need. If I need tech help this isn't necessarily the first place I try. Though people here are nice enough and I pop in to add my two cents from time to time.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/

[twix38]

Thanks

anotheruser, or anyone in the know,

I was going for the ipod touch, as mentioned and as it has my main requirements and cheaper. Any reason why you pushed for the iphone instead, as missing a phone and video doesn't bother me. I assume the ipod touch should also be unlocked or is that only relevant to the phone element? As you say I am new to this ;-)

I looked at the BBC iplayer link you gave (thanks), but having advised me to go for an iphone, unlocked in BKK, and using it in Thailand, I note the BBC iplayer website cannot be used outside the UK, so I can't watch or download anything from the BBC from Thailand except the radio. It looked great at first, but if this is right then not so good and very dissapointing. I assume I can download podcasts even though I cannot get programmes?

One of my issues is deciding what I want it for (internet, podcasts, music - mainly, I think, but films would be great and I don't know the full set of options) and then to ensure what I want to specifically do is not going to dissapoint or prove impossible for some reason (as in dissapointment that I now assume I cannot get lots of good BBC stuff, from abroad) I hope to find out limitations before I buy and for that I need a better/more detailed understanding than I have - clearly ;-)

Edited October 27, 2008 by twix38

[anotheruser]

Unlocking only pertains to phones. With the iPod touch you will still have video capabilities. If you have a UK based credit card you will get all functions of the UK iTunes store including TV programs. Only the BBC iPlayer is limited for licensing reasons or whatever. The main difference between the iPod touch and the phone is if you want data on the go via edge. With the Touch you are limited to wifi only. If you want internet all the time where ever you go then the phone wins. Either way the iPod features in both are the best on the market and the best internet browsing there is available. There is nothing even in the same league right now so enjoy your new toy.

[kilt]

All of the above give great, accurate advice.

The iPhone will have to be unlocked to be able to use in Thailand. As mentioned, you can buy an unlocked iPhone in Bangkok (and in most of the world, including the UK I'm sure). It is also super easy to do yourself with software available on the internet - I've unlocked mine and many others.

HOWEVER, it does sound like you are extremely new to this! If you were to buy an "unlocked" iPhone, and then were to upgrade the firmware on the phone (iTunes informs you when new firmware is available and asks if you want to install it) you would end up with a newly LOCKED iPhone that you would have to unlock again, somehow.

That's when it is great to be able to do it yourself.

You won't have this problem with the iPod Touch.

It sounds like rocket science but it's really all fairly simple and straight forward. Millions of iPhone users are out there!

[anotheruser]

If you get the old model unlocked if you ever need firmware upgrade or anything done let the people at MBK handle it for you. If it is a new 3G unlocked it is factory unlocked and doesn't matter.