USVI-On-Line

Does anyone have one or know much about them?

My kids are begging for them for Christmas. I have no idea if they are appropriate for children, if the smaller MB ones have enough memory to do anything, if there is a monthly fee...

Any help or feedback would be greatly appreciated!

The iPod touch? I just got one with my Amex points for my kids for Xmas. There is no monthly fee - they are sort of really just like the iPhone, without a phone (an no video or camera - or maybe the new ones do?).

Apple seems to be following the consumer on this and turning into more of a game machine. I took it out of the box, updated the software (which did cost $4.95) and bought a car race game. I think it is cool - and the Wifi is great - Google maps, Gmail, etc. Very handy... I can imagine just bringing this on trips now instead of the computer. I wish I could use it here there with true mobile Internet - you need a Wifi network to get online with it.

so if you have wifi at home there is no charge to use the internet (at home)?

Right - it can get on any Wifi network. There is not monthly or sub fees.

Whats really cool is to use the iTouch (or the iPhone) as a wireless remote control to stream music from your home computer to your home stereo system along with the Airport Express.

If you have inwalls in your home it's really handy

Here is the pay version, free ones exist as well. http://www.alloysoft.com/

DJMOM, you should be aware that the itouch will pretty much give your kids 24/7 access to the net--I believe you can install parental controls though (we haven;t--yet)

I bought one for Rick for his birthday in June and they are inseperable! He's addicted to it! He can download music from iTunes directly into the Touch, which can be a surprise sometimes when the PayPal invoice hits my e-mail. It's real easy to rack up a substantial bill without even thinking about it. Music, podcasts, movies, and GAMES! Rick hasn't touched his Xbox or his PSP since he got his iPod Touch. In fact, the Xbox is now in the charity box (maybe I should send it to the teen center on STT, now that I think about it!)

And, as others have mentioned, it's real easy to get on the web with it, if you're in a WiFi area. Parental controls? Maybe a good idea.

I love my ipod touch---its a great product. As someone else said, it has pretty much everything the iphone has, except the phone. Also love my iphone.

Does the I touch have a microphone, if so you could down load skpe and use it like a phone...no?

PS.. not to hijack but we got his/hers Iphones yesterday... Im addicted and may need deprograming

sailorgirl wrote:Does the I touch have a microphone, if so you could down load skpe and use it like a phone...no?

PS.. not to hijack but we got his/hers Iphones yesterday... Im addicted and may need deprograming

you need to personalize with a skin. that's what we did. Yankees for him, photo from STJ for me

I have been waiting to ask my son before I replied to your question about the itouch. He bought the itouch when it first came out. This summer he sold to his brother when the iphone came out. He thinks both are great but likes the iphone better. He wrote the following:

The most important differences between the iPhone and iPod Touch (aka iTouch) are that the iPhone has phone capabilities (ie Phone and Text Messaging), and that the iPhone can get a network signal (meaning it can get the Internet) almost anywhere, whereas the iTouch has to use a Wi-Fi signal. Another difference is that the iPod Touch doesn't have a camera, although that they'll probably release a new version for christmas that does use a camera.

We don't have a laptop and used the itouch in St. John to keep in touch with emails.

I plan to get an iphone when my contract is up.

I hope this helps.

Gina

sailorgirl wrote:Does the iPod Touch have a microphone, if so you could down load skpe and use it like a phone...no?

Yes, the newer generation iPod Touch has a microphone, so you can use it as a handset for VIOL such as Skype. My husband and I have experimented with me on my iPhone and he on his iPod Touch, both of us logged onto Skype, so essentially talking across the internet.

More often than not, when I'm Skyping, I'm dialing a telephone number using Skype Out. It's much more handy than being connected to my computer with a headset plugged in. And at a couple cents a minute to call Europe, it's an amazing deal.

Lovermont

Lovermont wrote:

sailorgirl wrote:Does the iPod Touch have a microphone, if so you could down load skpe and use it like a phone...no?

Yes, the newer generation iPod Touch has a microphone, so you can use it as a handset for VIOL such as Skype. My husband and I have experimented with me on my iPhone and he on his iPod Touch, both of us logged onto Skype, so essentially talking across the internet.

More often than not, when I'm Skyping, I'm dialing a telephone number using Skype Out. It's much more handy than being connected to my computer with a headset plugged in. And at a couple cents a minute to call Europe, it's an amazing deal.

Lovermont

Cool!

This is very helpful everyone- thanks for your very good point Margo about unlimited internet. That coudl be a big problem, even with filters.

I think they can just wait till they are older.

I thought they could just download games, take photos, listen to music. This is too dangerous for a 12 year old that thinks she knows everything. And a 9 year old!