My husband's brother gave him a 16gb I-Phone for Christmas (he has money and likes to "demonstrate" this fact, I think, but it certainly was generous; he gave them to the other 2 brothers as well). Believe it or not, we haven't joined the cellphone generation yet, let alone an I-Phone. We had been thinking of getting a cellphone, but were thinking of Verizon service as there's good reception where we are and where we tend to travel,and the cost is reasonable for the smallest plan. In order to use the features of the I-Phone, as I understand it, you have to subscribe through AT&T at about $60 per month(compared to I think about $40 for a comparable Verizon plan). We also have several family members using Verizon, so I think could call them any time without using our minutes.
My really ignorant question is this: Is there any way to activate the I-Phone to use all the features of EXCEPT the phone (camera, music, pictures, wireless internet access)? It would be kind of like using it as the new "I-Touch" gadget.
Posts: 172 | Location: Bangor, Maine | Registered: 02 March 2006
If I were you, I would try to take the phone back to an Apple store and ask them if you can trade it on an iPod Touch, which is exactly what you want -- an iPhone without the phone. It might be possible to use the iPhone as you describe, but it wasn't designed that way, and I think you'd be better off with the other iPod.
The thing to be aware of with Verizon is that you can't use its phones in Europe, or most other countries outside the US. Only AT&T and T-mobile have the types of phones (GSM) that work on European networks. However, if Verizon works best for you at home, you can always get an inexpensive GSM phone for travel, and you can use the iPod Touch for wi-fi Internet access.
One of our members (sundaze) just reported that she couldn't get Internet access with her Touch in Sicily, but in another thread below a poster reports good success in Tuscany.
Originally posted by Roz: One of our members (sundaze) just reported that she couldn't get Internet access with her Touch in Sicily, but in another thread below a poster reports good success in Tuscany. - Roz
iPhone's have a very weak wifi radio (much like my own HTC), and in Italy buildings are generally made with very think stone walls, which WIFI doesn't play well with. That said, it is more likely that she had signal problems in most places. In other words, WIFI is WIFI is WIFI... if it works here, it will work in Italy... or Mt. Everest for that matter, as long as there is a router within range.
The only other problem she may have been experiencing is setting the encryption settings. WEP, WPA, WPA2, etc. etc. etc. But the iPhone supports all the standards.
