Anyone who owns an iPod Touch (hereafter referred to as an "iTouch") will know exactly what I mean. And it's simple: The moment you leave your premises, most of the functions you bought it for, are pointless.
Yes, I can play games, yes, I can listen to music and yes, I can watch movies. That's swell, but I can't surf the net, check my facebook or do everything else I use this handy machine for. Ten minutes of being off a WiFi hot spot, and you're instant thought is: "Man, I wish I had an iPhone, I could so be on Chatters right now" or something to that effect.
I have apps for train and bus timetables, and these are the kind of things you want accurately on the spot, and I'd much rather carry this machine than timetables and whatnot. Not to mention checking my bank balance on the go or even potentially using MSN (I saw an app for that in there, but I didn't purchase it).
After some study on the subject, it was clear that I wasn't the only person to discover this problem, and others have already started trying to find a solution. My first idea was simple: "I wonder if there's a way to connect a USB 3G Modem into it", the answer unfortunately, is no. But that's not to say you can't still use one.
After some searching, I discovered the Cradlepoint PHS300 Battery Mobile Broadband Router.
You get your little USB Modem, plug it into that, and away you go, you have a personal WiFi network that you carry around (probably in your backpack or knapsack). I'm not sure if it's any good for me (I assume it'd take a prepaid USB 3G Modem from an Australian ISP, but I don't know for sure). Of course, the down part is the expense of router, the modem and to maintain the internet connection. We have Prepaid Internet with USB Modems in Australia, so that should take care of it for most Aussies on the go. The only hard part would be paying for the equipment, I doubt I'd use a lot of internet space on my iTouch, so I have no issues with getting the minimalist connection (few hundred MB).
Anyway, I figured I'd share that for anyone who had some cash to burn.
Dec 22 2009, 10:53 pm
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Theironx
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The store where I bought my iTouch from recommended this. I plan on getting it in a couple of days. Looks pretty neat too. :)
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I saw that as well, but I doubt it'd be any good for an Australian like myself. I doubt Verizon does much business here. ;)
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I didn't know Australia was in the US! ;)
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Tiberath wrote:
I didn't know Australia was in the US! ;) Oops! My mistake. | |
Well there is a site for Australia. Don't completely know if they cover it though.
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Still wouldn't support them. Support local businesses etc etc.
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Tiberath wrote:
Still wouldn't support them. Support local businesses etc etc. Ah, okay. | |
I have a solution!
Buy an iPhone with unlimited data, turn it into a router (there's a [jailbroken] app for that!) and then use your new iPhone to get internet on your iTouch! | |
Flame Sage wrote:
I have a solution! Well, the point is to get wifi on an iTouch without buying an iPhone. :P | |
Flame Sage wrote:
I have a solution! What an absolutely absurd amount of money and time wasted. <.< Also, once again, Australian, I doubt there's such thing as "unlimited data" with the iPhone. | |
And the fatal flaw with an iPhone is wondering if you'll be able to pay the next bill or have to run yourself into debt and bad credit history.
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Tiberath wrote:
Still wouldn't support them. Support local businesses etc etc. I don't bother with local businesses unless they can compete with retailer prices. I don't really care if a business stays afloat or not, I care about getting the best deal for my dollars. If you can't compete with big brother, your in the wrong business. | |
Radical Designs wrote:
I don't bother with local businesses unless they can compete with retailer prices. I don't really care if a business stays afloat or not, I care about getting the best deal for my dollars. If you can't compete with big brother, your in the wrong business. I was referring to major Australian companies verses major american companies attempting to do business here. | |
I don't think this is a flaw with the iTouch.
They have an iPhone with that. It's all just marketing - of course they won't provide you the best functionality of an iPhone on an iTouch for free! That's just silly! And speaking of iPhone, I'll probably be ditching mine for an Android platform after my contract is up. While the iPhone is awesome, Android devices are equally awesome AND they don't have load times on everything (6 seconds to load SMS on an iPhone? Please.) | |
My brother doesn't seem to have any issues with his iPhone regarding how long it takes to load an SMS. He certainly hasn't had anything negative to say about it, in any case.
Also, the price difference between the iTouch and iPhone is ridiculous (at least in my state/country) given the only real differences are a microphone and a camera. And whatever little doodads are necessary to make it function as a phone. Still, if I can at some point invest in the items suggested in my blog post, I'm going to. Not simply because of the iTouch, but also for my Laptop, and any doodads my friends might have on them (such as laptops, they all own one) when we may require a router, and not necessarily have ready access to a power socket. (For instance: We go out for lunch at one particular pub a lot, and internet access there would be very useful during some conversations.) | |
Also, I just noticed something with my own iTouch. There's a trick out there that allows you to hide unwanted apps by pushing them to the "hidden 10th page" on the iPhone.
I tried it on my iTouch, and it did work. However, I didn't need an app for every page (I just moved them all to the last page), there's 11 pages, so the hidden page is the 12th page and a simple sync didn't restore the hidden apps back to the start. I can still access them via Search, but they're essentially out of my view until I shut it down and restart it (apparently, I haven't verified that's the case, nor do I care to, 'cause I don't want to go through the process of hiding them again). So hurray, I can hide pointless default apps on my iTouch without jailbreaking it. I'm now content. | |
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/04/23/ apples_ipod_touch_sales_double_nearly_on_par_with_iphone.htm l
doesn't sound like its a fatal flaw. it has it's own niche. also, apple has (or had as of two summers ago) great deals for college students (probably only in america because we're awesome). if you buy a macbook (regular or pro) you get an Ipod touch and a printer. | |
Polatrite wrote:
And speaking of iPhone, I'll probably be ditching mine for an Android platform after my contract is up. While the iPhone is awesome, Android devices are equally awesome AND they don't have load times on everything (6 seconds to load SMS on an iPhone? Please.) Are you on an iPhone 2G or something? They only have, like, a -10 Mhz processor, so if you were to get a new device, you wouldn't have that issue. Personally, I would prefer an Android platform if it weren't for the fact that the iPhone is so sleek and has a massive library of jailbroken and normal apps. | |