After anguishing for years over whether to spring for a portable digital viewer like the Epson P-5000, and likewise anguishing over whether to buy an iPhone, I was helped along towards a decision by the death of my trusty cheap Palm Z-22.
But I like my little folding Samsung phone, and I have a pretty good contract that would only get more expensive with the iPhone. So I bought an iPod Touch -- the phone without the phone. It also lacks the camera and GFS, but not much more.
I've been getting to know my new toy over the last week, and discovering a lot of features that I didn't anticipate -- and I must say that it's the answer to a KAPer's dream. With the new firmware, it offers wi-fi email, web browsing, calendar, alarm clock, address book, maps, stocks, weather, YouTube, as well as 10 hours of feature films, 10,000 iPhoto pictures, or more music than I can listen to in a month, before you add any bells & whistles. Best of all for our purposes, inexpensive applications are now available for viewing Flickr (or other) image sets and even VR panoramas.
I chose the 8GB model -- the smallest. I have loaded it with all the iTunes I own -- about 120 -- plus applications to download, store, and view Flickr sets or VR panoramas; plus Wiki, Google, phone white pages, a photo calculator, a unit converter, and an international factbook. All of that takes less than 7 megabytes of the 8 gigabytes of storage!
The iPod Touch is a tiny bit slimmer than the phone, and has the same bright-enough-for-daylight screen. It's perfect for sticking in your pocket or kite bag to show the passers-by what KAP is all about.
Negatives are few, at least so far: The battery runs down fast unless you turn off Wi-Fi and/or do a hard shutdown -- but still will keep you going for a day. I'm disappointed that so far I have not found a way to get audible alerts for calendar items, one of the things I found indispensible on my Palm. And it appears that you need to use iPhoto or Aperture (Mac) or PShop Album or Elements (PC) to load photos directly, through your desktop computer. So far, using my Flickr files through Fotomatic has been adequate for me. The iPod cannot serve as a photo backup in the same way the Epson does.
Check it out: I found my iPod Touch refurbished at refurbdepot.com for $239.00 -- less than half the cost of the Epson, and about $1,600 less than the 2-year cost of the iPhone.
I sprang for the Iphone about three months ago and have not regretted it. It does all of the things you describe and is also my phone. Plus it costs a lot more as you point out. But, I had a data plan with my old Motorola Razr with T-Mobile. I hated that phone from the first day I got it. But, my contract ran out with TMO so I canceled and went with the Iphone. It is like having a small Mac on my belt.
After holding off for some time, I also took the plunge a few weeks ago, and purchased the 8 GB Touch, and agree with Brooks, darn fine devise. I use it daily, and like it more with each new thing I discover. Great for showing photos, and with calendar and contacts sync, wi-fi ability, and downloadable applications it's a real treat, with the added bonus-- it doesn't ring.
I also got a "refurbished" model, but from Apple.com, which was indistinguishable from new.
In iTunes you can designate any photo containing folder(s) on your hard drive to be uploaded to the Touch, but so far I have not found a method to keep these at full resolution, as is possible with other iPods that can be used in the target disk mode. Hopefully a revision or application will eventually allow this.
Karen, I uploaded some pix today, by creating a couple of small albums in iPhoto (which I don't usually use), leaving the originals untouched on my HD. They look dandy -- I don't know what I'd do to improve them.
You got a great deal from Apple at $200 with free shipping -- I don't know why I didn't look there. Either refurb is a better buy than anything I saw on eBay.
I played with the same idea, but indeed the price (and size) of the Epson ..... Being very pleased with the Nano, so I was already condemned to iTunes, I searched in the iPod Family. I ended at the older 4Gen iPod Video, since this one in combination with the Camera Connector can be used for Photo Backup. I got the 4Gen Video and the Camera Connector for a very good price. But I should have known that if Apple does not include a feature from the 4Gen iPod in the 5Gen iPod (iPhone) there is a problem, or at least a flaw. The Photo backup from a Camera or Card reader does work but…. Only if you have just a few pics to down load. Apple designers completely overlooked the power drain from the iPod + Camera Connector + Host circuit in the Camera or the Card reader. The current that is drawn from the poor LiPo is so high, that during the transfer of > 128M of Pics, it's voltage drops below the Low Voltage Level and interrupts the Photo transfer and switches the iPod off. Due to the weird protocol Apple is using, you can not access the photos That have been transferred already. The only thing you can do is charge the 4Gen iPod (that takes ages) keep your fingers crossed, and try again.
So to me nor the iPhone, nor the iPod are Great Kap Viewers.
I now know that Archos is offering a much better deal than Apple. Like the Archos 604 it DOES support Photo Backup
Prices I've found here for the Archos 604 are about the same as the iPod Touch -- but to that must be added a recording module, and you don't get all the other applications that can be had for the Touch.
Palm T|X here, and I don't think I could live without it. Big screen, can play all formats of movies *with freeware software* and tv shows, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, touchscreen with stylus, and lots of applications. My primary use for it is watching movies and TV shows I'd never get to watch otherwise during down time. I also picked up a wireless fold up keyboard for sending my wife's phone emails. It sounds a lot like the Itouch. The T|X uses 2GB sim cards but can hold, for instance, about 10 episodes of Star-Trek or 2 movies on a single card. Congrats Broox on fun new toy!
Oh not to forget! I also use it to show folks the view from the top of my kite I got when I turned my camera on video mode!
Now if only the wind would blow here in Missouri :( Couldn't get it to slow down to 20 MPH this spring.. now can't get it over 10.
My good old Palm TX is asking for retirement. After a long research and consideration, I decided that an N900 would be the best substitute for it. It is a bit like an iPhone, but with a much higher screen resolution (800 x 400), physical keyboard, 5MP camera with flash plus other goodies. But for me, as a programmer, the icing on the cake is how easy it is to write software for it!
There's only one problem that I see in this device: it's expensive (without a plan, at least)!
Great minds think alike, Jim! I also had the same idea... :o)
Both iPhone and iPod Touch are excellent products, and I got tempted to buy one or the other... but I'm a programmer, and some problems and restrictions with developing software for the iPhone are deal breakers for me.
But I have a feeling that an app like that might soon be available... maybe on another platform... ;)
If you have an Android phone, D-Link Pocket Router and USB Battery Pack, and an Eye-fi card, there is already an app in the Android market that should do the trick. Eye-Fi Droid will send the pics directly to your Android phone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9wU60LCtf4
Obviously, the eye-fi card has some distance limitations, so you'd probably have to use a second Pivacet for the pocket router, which would hang 20-25 feet down from the camera rig. Then you should be able to send it up 300ft or so, maybe farther because of line of sight. I will say that I'm in love with my Verizon Droid phone, and am glad I waited and that I didn't get an iPhone. Not that iPhones aren't great, we just have terrible AT&T service around here, I couldn't wait for the iPhone to be on another network. The Android is open, so that's a big plus for me if I decide to dust off my Java skillz and create an app.
Finally, I haven't given up on my Eye-Fi / MiFi idea. I just haven't had a nice enough day for me to try it. Works like a charm on the ground, so it will be a matter of how high the MifFi card will work, as someone stated that there might be restrictions on that. I thought about that for a sec and though it was probably not true due to all the people in cities in SkyScrapers, and having the MiFi up in the air would give it clear reception to the nearest tower. Since the Android phone has many flickr/smugmug/picassa/etc apps, you could see the pictures within a minute or so. I altered the Windwatcher script to add a longer delay in b/t pics, and would reduce the size of the images for faster uploads, just to see if this would work.
