<p>mmom, my understanding is that the external speakers are just for game-playing; they are on the tinny side, so not suitable for music. And yeah, 1st gen would suit me just fine!!</p>
<p>Amazon has an “apply for our Visa card, get a $50 credit on the Visa account” deal which, if I’m reading it correctly, means I’d be paying just (heh. “just”) $150 for the iPod Touch…</p>
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<p>Yeah, they are. I got my 16 gig first gen itouch last Christmas, and I loooovvve it. D bought the newest gen 32 gig as a self-reward with her first “grown-up” paycheck. She loooovvves her’s, too;)</p>
<p>Question: do you have to pay for a data package to get the Itouch to browse the internet? If so, how much is it per month?</p>
<p>You don’t need a data plan for the Ipod Touch, it connects to the internet with Wifi. If you have a wireless connection at your house you can easily connect and you can use it wherever there is a hotspot. The data plan is for the Iphone</p>
<p>Don’t have a wireless connection in the house, but if we have the computer on one side of the house, we can pick up our neighbor’s signal!</p>
<p>Make that $170 should I get the Amazon card. </p>
<p>Just thought of another justification for it – driving! I don’t always have my laptop with me when I drive long distances, and being able to pull out the Touch at a hotspot to get a map/directions would be very useful!</p>
<p>(Anyone buy that line of reasoning?)</p>
<p>Yes, being able to get directions when lost is a great feature! I’m very excited. When researching, I found an apple discussion that mentioned an apple upgrade for the 1st generation that you could purchase for $10. Not sure about that.</p>
<p>I bought myself an iTouch in August when I bought my laptop (Buy a Mac, get free iPod deal.) I sprung extra and got a 32 gig model and upgraded the software to second gen.</p>
<p>Yes, I am a gadget geek. </p>
<p>I love it! (And my kids are jealous! They each have a 5th gen classic and younger d also has a shuffle which she wears when she runs/bikes. Hard drives do not like to be shaken and bounced around.) I use mine for maps/directions, to check weather, to read and respond to email, read the newspaper, do wikipedia searches, store music (car has an iPod jack), carry photos & movies (I rip my own DVDs to iPod compatible versions. The iTouch screen is actually big enough to see the movie.) I’ve installed three different book readers (much lighter and easier to carry than a Kindle. Readers each have tons of customization options.) and have a whole library of free or low cost classic literature uploaded. (All of Jane Austen for $.99—yes 99 cents. I can’t buy even one paper version for that price.) I will be joining either Fictionwise or eReader to buy current titles quite soon. The local public library offers ebooks for loan, but it’s not clear if these are compatible with the iTouch since they use a Windows based reader software. Library IT page says no, but reader software maker says yes. I’ll be checking that out in more detail over the holiday break. </p>
<p>There are hundred of apps available. I have Google Earth and a grocery shopping/coupon list reminder as well as way too many games. Funny thing is I’m not and never have been a computer gamer, but there’s something about having a game on a small interactive handheld…Now games suck up entirely too much of my free time.</p>
<p>The down side is that I occasionally have trouble getting the iTouch to play nice with new/unfamilar wireless networks. (It works fine on the home wireless net, but can be finicky with new nets.) And while I will do web-browsing on the iTouch I don’t trust its security to do anything that requires the transmission of secure information. </p>
<p>All in all, the iTouch is realyl fun pocket browser. I didn’t want a iPhone. Still don’t.</p>
<p>mmom-- the apps all require the 2nd gen upgraded software. It’s worth the $10.</p>
<p>It is easy to understand Ipod envy. Each time they redo these things they seem so cool. I held off buying it until the black friday sale ($21 off)</p>
<p>:: lusts, lusts ::</p>
<p>Just a thought. When we bought our iMac in February the Apple store was so busy and hopping! My H and I said, “Recession? What recession?” </p>
<p>We were just there in November and said the same thing. I’m glad to see that some industries are doing well. : )</p>
<p>^Yes ! I was just thinking about the same thing. If enough of us buy Ipods, at least one American company will be doing well. (I hope Ipods are made in USA and not Taiwan or China) Disclosure : I am a 0.00000000000000000000000001% owner of Apple. :o</p>
<p>ETA: D just said there is a way to skype on Ipod Touch. Has anyone here done it ? Can we do without a cell phone with an Ipod Touch ? Maybe that should be a good enough reason for Owlice to buy one. :)</p>
<p>Munchkin, the one we ordered from apple on the internet was shipped from China. The new Mac was from the USA. It took less than 24 hours for the ipod to go from Anchorage Alaska (sent from china) to get to the east coast. Amazing. I may never travel so far myself.</p>
<p>DS is getting one for Xmas - and that’s about all he’s getting, lol. Got it at the Black Friday Apple Online Store sale, 16G for $278. Had it engraved with his name and cell-phone number. Maybe that’s dorky, but how else would he prove it was his if it mysteriously disappeared?</p>
<p>DS originally wanted an iPhone, until I told him about the $30/month fee that would come on top of our existing AT&T mobile plan. That was the end of that.</p>
<p>Munchkin, </p>
<p>Great idea to Skype on an i pod touch. I’d love to know if anyone here has done that! I don’t know enough about the “touch” to know if it would work.</p>
<p>In February H came home from a celebratory closing dinner for one of his investments with a “goodie bag”, including an iPod Touch – only he really didn’t know what it was. He thought it was “just an iPod” and gave it to me since I’m into music more. Then he started hearing from other people involved in the deal (who also received the Touches) about how great it was and all it could do. Oops – too late; it’s mine!!! Love it!</p>