Need advice on Ipod Purchase

[AylmerQc]

I'm looking at taking advantage of the Itunes U to listen to some lectures and such. What's the best Ipod for this? An Ipod touch?

[AdminMan]

In my opinion, the Nano is the best iPod for listening to podcasts. I tried a Touch, but it is too bulky and (strange as it may sound) harder to operate by touch because you have to look at the screen to see the controls. I can operate my nano when driving without looking at it because of the click-wheel.

If you want WiFi browsing and plan to watch videos or vodcasts, then the Touch is probably a better choice.

[Dan Millar]

I like the nano for it's hands-free operation, video camera and FM tuner. I like the Touch/Phone for their big screens and ability to communicate while you are out and about. The Nano/Shuffle/Classic would have to be pre-loaded with content before you left your "base", whereas the Touch can be updated anytime you're near an open wifi, and will update also your "base" with newly-downloaded material when you return. With the small difference in price, and the pretty large difference in feature sets, this decision is getting harder and harder to make. Good luck, hope I didn't just muddy the water for you....

Happy Mac'ing

Dan

(sent from my iPod Touch!)

[David]

I can operate my nano when driving without looking at it because of the click-wheel.

I replied earlier.  Either it didn't go through or was deleted.  Either way, I must insist:  Please don't do that!  I value the life of my granddaughter in the other car more than I do yours.  Any distraction is a distraction, and too many people die unnecessarily because they "know what the are doing".

David.

[AdminMan]

I can operate my nano when driving without looking at it because of the click-wheel.

I replied earlier.  Either it didn't go through or was deleted.  Either way, I must insist:  Please don't do that!  I value the life of my granddaughter in the other car more than I do yours.  Any distraction is a distraction, and too many people die unnecessarily because they "know what the are doing".

David.

By this logic, I should not be using the radio installed in my car either. My point was, with the Nano, I know where to press to skip to the next or previous track/podcast without having to look at it -  I can keep my eyes on the road.

[David]

By this logic, I should not be using the radio installed in my car either. My point was, with the Nano, I know where to press to skip to the next or previous track/podcast without having to look at it -  I can keep my eyes on the road.

It is not my intent to start a flame, so I'll drop this, and you may have the last word, with all due respect.  However, do note that every person killed on the roads knew what they were doing.  I'll just give one true tale of my own, then I'm done.  However, when overhearing a defendant talking to his lawyer one time and berating a judge, I did tell him that, as an example, if he hurt my children he'd far rather deal with that judge than have to deal with me.

Driving a couple of winters ago, along a flat stretch of a major highway, we hit a huge snowstorm with lots of fluffy, but easily passable snow, soon deepening.  My son asked me to adjust the radio.  As I did, the right wheel of the car went ever so slightly over the lip formed by the pavement and the gravel.  I did as was needed, having driven for decades in hilly snow country, and carefully and just as gently steered back to the pavement.  Not good enough this time.  The car kept on turning on the now slippery road until I wound up in the center ditch facing the other way.  Luckily, several cars close together and behind me were not near me at the time.

I repeat: ANY distraction is a distraction, sir.  You can count on it.  And only one second is one second too late.  A nano takes more than one second to operate as needed, I'm sure.

David.

[AylmerQc]

Strange the Touch doesn't a camera or FM. You would think the more expensive model woul have all the features of the least expensive.....

[Dan Millar]

It is known that the transceivers already in the Touch and iPhones have FM capabilities, and Apple is rumoured to be working on a firmware/software update that will enable at least the receivers - see this recent 9to5Mac article for more info - they also explain why there may have been some delay in delivering these features...

http://9to5mac.com/iPhone-fm-app

There also appears to be space created within the latest Touch to accomodate a camera, so my question is why the Touch didn't get  a camera in the latest rev - unless it would have driven the price point past the new Zune - something Apple inexplicably cares about it would seem.

Happy Mac'ing

ps: glad to get this thread back on track!

[AylmerQc]

OK,just to recap: the Nano would not be suitable (as opposed to a Touch) for lectures from ITunes U I want to download, because it doesn't have a big screen or it's capacity..?

[Dan Millar]

A Nano is all you need to listen to and collect iTunes U podcasts. It will also allow you to listen to music or FM radio, and take movies/pictures. For an extra $50 (8Gb Nano - $169, 8Gb Touch - $219), the Touch has no camera or radio , but, a bigger screen, email client, safari browser, and apps galore - two of which I think you would find most useful in your scholarly pursuits - an eReader and a dictionary. You can also get radio apps - CBC have just released their new radio browser, which is better than the iTunes radio implementation. And rumour has it that the built-in radio in the Touch will be enabled soon, so ....

Tough call, I would go with the Touch - you probably already have a digital camera and an FM radio anyway - right?

Happy Mac'ing!

Dan