replace iPod or move up to smartphone

[Anonymous]

So for some dumb reason, I let my toddler play with my iPod and she dropped it a few too many times, so its toast. All I really want is a small, light gadget to play music when I go for walks, but it seems silly to pay $140 to get a new iPod when these smartphones are barely much more money. Are there monthly fees that I'm not factoring in, or anything else to consider? I have Verizon phone service, so I could swap out my current phone and iPod for one device. And if I should take the plunge, where do I start looking - there are too many choices. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I'm about to replace my itouch. I do have a smartphone, but don't wanna drain my phones battery to use it for music.

[Anonymous]

I know that if you use the web browser & e-mail functions of your smartphone, you'll need a smartphone plan. We have an unlimited data plan, which costs more than twice what our voice-only plan cost. I don't know, though, if it's possible for you to have a smartphone but have all the features except the MP3 player turned off.

I still use my iPod a lot even with an Android smartphone. The phone requires a charge basically every night, and would probably run out of power by day's end if I used it to play music for hours at a time.

[Anonymous]

I like my Blackberry Curve and I LOVE my DHs Droid (the small one). I have an iPod, but hardly ever listen to iTunes, as I prefer Pandora.

Personally, I prefer Verizons network, I would try an iPhone if Verizon offered it, but I definitly would never switch off the Verizon network. I also have it rolled into our FIOS offering and having one bill for phone, TV, internet, and cell saves me about $100/mo. No brainer for us!

[Anonymous]

How about getting an iPod shuffle?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know that if you use the web browser & e-mail functions of your smartphone, you'll need a smartphone plan. We have an unlimited data plan, which costs more than twice what our voice-only plan cost. I don't know, though, if it's possible for you to have a smartphone but have all the features except the MP3 player turned off.

I still use my iPod a lot even with an Android smartphone. The phone requires a charge basically every night, and would probably run out of power by day's end if I used it to play music for hours at a time.

I would assume if the OP was considering a smartphone, she would know an unlimited data package is mandatory...no? Why would someone have a smartphone otherwise?

One thing I like about the droid, is that it can be used as a router, so I can use my laptop anywhere when in a pinch, PERFECT for travel or when "working from home", but not exactly working!

[Anonymous]

I replaced my iPod, then bought an iPhone. I LOVE my phone and use the iPod aspect of it all the time (including while exercising). I never use the iPod anymore. Such a waste!

[Anonymous]

I'm not a fan of the everything-in-one gadget.

I like my phone to be my phone.

I have an ipod touch that I use for internet/video (I am rarely in an area without free wi-fi so I save myself the cost required when you have a smartphone).

I have an ipod nano that I use for music, and a digital camera for taking pictures.

I can definitely see the advantages of an everything-in-one gadget if you're constantly on the move and don't want to carry multiple items.

If you're just looking for another music player, why not pick up one of the other brands, I know several people that are very happy with their Zune players and they cost less than Apple products. Or if your preference is another ipod, you could purchase a used older generation on ebay.

[Anonymous]

There are definitely monthly data costs with the Smartphone. For me it wasn't worth it so I went with the iPod Touch.

[Anonymous]

don't get a smartphone unless you want a smartphone. I like my iPhone but only because it's great to check email and facebook (and maps and metro site, etc.) from anywhere. I rarely listen to music on it, though. You can get a reconditioned iPod pretty cheap on the web if you do a search and stick to sites with good reviews. I got a 16G nano really cheap to supplement my 8G nano. (I like my pop/rock/rap music on one and my classical/jazz/world on another 'cause I like to do random shuffle without too much randomness.)

[Anonymous]

When I upgraded to a smartphone with Verizon, it was an extra $30 on top of my calling plan. I use my phone for music, e-mail, maps, Facebook, calender, etc....basically everything.

[Anonymous]

I think you could get an iPhone without any phone service or data plan -- it would basically just be an iPod Touch. You might be able to set it so that it relies on wifi only for email and other similar web efforts (and maybe even make wifi calls via Skype). Then, if you decide you really like it, you could later dump your other cell phone and activate the phone service on the iPhone.

There may be some reason this plan wouldn't work, but I don't see any major obstacle.

The one big problem I see with this plan is that you'd have to buy an iPhone without getting the benefit of the subsidy that phone companies usually offer when you sign up for a data plan at the same time. I recently read somewhere at AT&T subsidizes about $400 of the cost of an iPhone when it sells to data plan consumers. So an iPhone without data plan might be very expensive. However, if you look on eBay, you might find some good deals as people sell their iPhone3's for iPhone4's, or even iPhone5's when those arrive.

[Anonymous]

This OP didn't know that an unlimited data package was mandatory, or how much they average. I'm kind of a dunce when it comes to electronics, and my current phone isn't anything fancy. I feel intimidated by the smartphones because I wouldn't know what kind to get, and really just want something to play music, but everyone seems to have iPhones and Droids so it feels like I'm missing out on the next generation of technology to just replace an iPod.

But what's a legitimate site for purchasing a reconditioned one? If I could get an inexpensive iPod, it would make more sense than paying $140 for a new one.