I’m looking to purchase either an iPod Touch or Netbook. They both are about the same cost – $400 for each. They are very different devices but based on my experience, what I do with them will be based on what I get and not get something based on what I want to do. I was looking at the newest netbook from Toshiba which boasts 9 hr battery life and bluetooth support.
I commute 2 hours a day on trains and today use my Blackberry for email (work and Gmail), browsing the web typically on phone friendly sites, viewing Facebook, etc. I will still have my Blackberry which would allow me to tether it to a netbook and surf over the air if I wanted, but that is less convenient then having an iPod Touch around. But with an iPod touch, I wouldn’t be able to use the web while on my commute.
On my Blackberry I can, and have, downloaded videos for various reasons, some of which are ham radio videos. The screen is smaller then it would be on an iPod Touch and of course smaller then if viewed on the netbook. I have also downloaded audio to my Blackberry and listened to Gordon West audio CDs while studying for those exams, music, etc. I even own an older iPod but I rarely use that and don’t carry it with me.
If I look at immediate known needs, with an iPod Touch I could watch more videos (free or paid downloads) in a handy package. I would investigate what apps (I’d likely pay for) that I’d download for ham radio such as an app for learning morse code, entertainment while on the train, etc. If I look at a netbook, I have software I can load on it now to deal with most anything I wanted including having my logging program, some morse code learning programs, a larger screen, iTunes to play audio/video, GPS, etc albeit it with a much heavier weight to carry during the commute.
Decisions, decisions, decisions.
73,
K2DSL
I know I’m late in posting this, but you might be interested. A couple of years ago I bought an iPod Touch thinking that it would replace my old iPod 20 GB which had been a wonderful unit (still is). Like you, I figured I would use it to watch movies on plane rides or at airports or surf the internet when possible. Apps were fairly new back then and I didn’t mess with them all that much. Fact is, I barely used it. Just wasn’t a big enough screen to be usable for me and I quickly lost interest. It actually sat on my dresser unused for a long time. Recently I gave it to my daughter and purchased an iPhone for myself. I will say that I have forced myself into using it more to surf the web and I do take advantage of several apps. The screen size is still a problem even though you can easily enlarge webpages. I find myself scrolling all over the place. Typing on one is atrocious, I think, even after the firmware upgrade to allow the texting to be landscape entry instead of portrait only (which created a smaller keypad).
If I had to decide, I’d go with the Netbook.
73, Ed N4EMG