Ipods? What to look for/costs - what do they do?

The ones with screens on them (Ipod Nano, Ipod Touch) play videos and movies as well as music. The Shuffle only plays music, and has no screen. The Touch (which looks just like an Iphone) also runs Apps in the exact same way an Iphone does.

Touch starts at 199, Nano at $129, Shuffle is $50. All come with a set of earphones, though I don't really like them. You'll probably want a case for the Touch if you get it to, so that's another 10-20.

No monthly service fee - the Touch gets internet over wi-fi very well, not sure about the Nano, nothing at all on the Shuffle.

The Touch is by far the most sophisticated and fun of the devices - the games you can get on it are super fun and there are MANY useful apps as well. For example, I read all my books on my 3-year old Ipod Touch, I've been very happy with it.

Cheers
Cycloptichorn

Thanks - yeah its the touch that my daughter is interested in. I've just seen such a variety of prices from about $129 to $200 so I wanted to make sure we don't get something that is crap or something that is overpriced.

So no fee - it is via wireless - would you need to be some where that wireless is available? We have wireless at home - just wondering in say you are in a car - would it work?

Now I told you I know little if any.

My daughter has an ipod touch - has tons of features and operates just like the iPhone ( without the phone feature). You'll get lots of free apps with it, and the prices vary depending on the GB size you want - 8 GB should be sufficient.
apps like iMessage gives you free texting abilities (very important with teens nowadays), the photo quality is better than on my small Canon, it has video abilities, iTunes, MP3 music and much much more. The ipod touch is quite complete.
They start at $ 199.00 - Target has them at $ 189.00 (8 GB) - Best Buy too!

If you have wireless at home, that's good.

Depends on what you're using it for outside the network.

For example, you can text and surf the net on a iPod touch (and also make voice calls if you have a newer one), but you need a network for that.

If you have Angry Birds on it though, you can just play Angry Birds wherever -- you just won't be able to upload a new version until you're in a wireless network again.

The newer ones also have cameras and such.

We have an old iPod touch, no camera, it's very useful though. We got it for free with our iMac (special promotion, new iPods had come out), we weren't in the market for it or whatever but really appreciate having it.

It will play the games, music, etc. that are already on the device, but you can't download new content while you're offline.

Network services - texting, facetime (videoconferencing software), etc. require an active Internet connection.

Edit: I'll add that if you have a mobile device that can operate as a wireless hotspot (such as an, ahem, Android phone), then you can continue to use network services.

My boys have them.

The iTouch is amazing. I love it...it is an mp3 player and it has game apps that are incredibly easy to change out and they cost much less than Nintendo games. They also have cameras and video capabilities. They have wifi access so we can watch Netflix on them and youtube videos. They can even text their friends when they have access to wifi.

It also has the wonderful capability of allowing me to control their access to certain vids and you tube accounts. I just type in my pass word under restrictions and let them watch it while they are in the room with me. When they are finished I turn off the access. They can't access it without my code.

It is by far the handiest little machine ever. I have even down loaded books for them.

This shud be interesting.

OK so say I want this app for texting (which I know she wants) - does this app cost money?

TextFree is free.

OK got it - so if you are within a wireless area - you can do all internet type stuff and texting. But if you are not - you can use whatever is already downloaded onto the device, but obviously you cannot text or download new stuff.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/textfree-voice-free-text-calls/id399355755?mt=8

You get a certain number of minutes free, then have to pay over that.

Sozlet's never gone over the limit, but she has a cell phone w/ unlimited data plan and usually uses that for texting.

Bingo!

Cool - so I just get textfree - I assume somewhere in the internet world and down load it. No cost for this to download.

If you get an iPod you'll have to set up an Apple ID account to buy apps through iTunes.

I like it because even though sozlet's the main one to use the iPod, I own the account and she can't buy anything without asking me first.

There are a bazillion free apps, then others tend to be 99 cents or $1.99. Rarely they're more than that.

You don't typically use "texting" on an iPod, you just use Email the way would on any other computer.

The iPod is basically a small hand-held computer. You can do web browsing and Email and any Apps that you can download. I use mine all the time, it's great. Easily the best gadget I ever bought.

that's good so if she wanted something else she could buy it herself. We have a Mac at home so maybe we already have an Apple ID account.

I don't know - I know that many of the kids use this for texting. I know my daughter even uses the computer for texting.

We had taken off texting from our phones since she was only one texting and it would lower our phone bills so she texts from the computer.

I think "texting" and Email in this case are basically the same thing.

The iPod will also do FaceTime which is direct video chat. And since all of this is driven across your WIFI connection, there is no additional cost for any of the flow of data (whether it be Text or Email or Video or Sound).

If you're under 16 or so you use it for texting, a lot.

You can use email, yes, you're right. But the kids like to use it for texting.

We only have one computer at home so I will frequently just use the iPod as a tiny computer if E.G. or sozlet are on the computer and I need to do something (usually email).