Should I get an iPod Touch? ScummVM? DOSBox?

[audiodane]

my coworker has an iPod Touch 3rd Gen 32GB that he no longer needs... Asking $150 but I'm finding $130 on eBay is a common price point. If I decide to dive in I'll offer $100.

I don't know much about Apple's i-Devices. I don't want an iPhone because I don't want the associated (high) monthly fees. my current cell costs me about $10 per month total. (a prepaid phone)

I've been thinking about and had a previous thread on the Nintendo 3DS, but after hearing about its dreadfully short battery life, I'm reluctant to go there at this time.

so, anybody got and words of wisdom?

I've seen on YouTube folks running a Nintendo GameBoyAdvance emulator. I've also seen someone running something called "iDOS" though I'm thinking that's something wholly different than DOSBox. And my buddy's is a 3rd Gen not a 4th Gen.

I'm so confused. Typically that means I won't buy it. But I'm itching for a gadget that I can use for reminders, contact lists, games, dietary tracking, and all-around general purpose thingy. But I would like to put the SCI games on there if possible.

thanks,
..dane

[Collector]

I'd get an Android pad instead. Far less limited (Flash and DOSBox, etc. w/o jailbreaking it).

[DeadPoolX]

I think it comes down to what you consider most important: cost, portability, software, 3rd party support, etc.

Consumer Reports is a good place to check for in-depth reviews on electronics. I'd recommend checking them out (and other sources, too) before deciding.

[Rath Darkblade]

I already have an iPod (still a first gen, if you believe it), and I would not recommend any iProduct. They're all far too limited in what they do, and if you need parts/service, they cost (comparatively) a truckload of money.

I'll give you an example. I need a new pair of headphones for my iPod, but no matter where I look, they cost at least $40. FORTY DOLLARS? For a pair of tiny earphones to stick in your ear? Forget it! I can buy earmuff-style earphones for $40. Why should I pay that much for a pair of earbud-type earphones, just because they have the apple logo? I'm insulted.

[DeadPoolX]

Try looking for an adapter. I've seen some before that let you use non-Apple specific headphones or earbuds.

[Tawmis]

I'll give you an example. I need a new pair of headphones for my iPod, but no matter where I look, they cost at least $40. FORTY DOLLARS? For a pair of tiny earphones to stick in your ear? Forget it! I can buy earmuff-style earphones for $40. Why should I pay that much for a pair of earbud-type earphones, just because they have the apple logo? I'm insulted.

???? The iPod, iPad, iPhone, iShuffle, all use GENERIC head phones ports. If you're looking at the 40 dollar headphones, then you're looking at the "Noise Canceling" headphones, that have that extra rubber thing to basically drown out any outside noise. My wife has a pair. But for the longest time, I had generic headphones for my iPod.

So there's no need to spend 40 if you don't want to, you can spend 5 bucks and get a generic pair, with no need for any kind of adapter or anything...

[Collector]

Of course an iPod is a completely different beast than an iPad. An iPod is basically just a glorified player/viewer. An iPad has more in common with a laptop than an iPod and can do a whole lot more.

That said, I would still go with an Android pad over an iPad. Jobs has made an idiotic decision to confine the iPad/iPhone to a "walled garden" in a vain attempt to add security. If his reasoning was valid Linux would be the most vulnerable platform out there. Besides, anyone doing banking transactions online from a wireless device, regardless of platform, deserves whatever happens.

This means that all apps need to be approved by Apple before they can be installed. Many apps have been rejected for other reasons than security, such as a Playboy calendar. I suspect that part of it is so Apple can take a cut of all app sales. Flash has been banned. No flash games, no flash movie sites, forget any sites that rely on Flash for anything critical, such as navigation. This is why "jailbreaking" has become a cottage industry, to hack around Apples' artificial limitations. It is also proof that of the flawed reasoning of the walled garden approach. The iOS has already been hacked.

Then there are the physical limitations of the iPad. No multitasking. This will probably be fixed at some point, if it has not been already, but most would consider that a very big flaw. I guess that the iPhone does have multitasking, but is crudely implemented in comparison to Android's approach.

All of this and the fact that Apple insanely initially limited the iPhone to just ATT are the reasons that Android phone sales have exceeded that of the iPhone, in spite of the early lead that the iPhone had. I suspect that once that Android pads become widely available that the same thing will happen to the pad market, as well.

[audiodane]

well I bought my buddy's 32gb 3rd gen ipod for $120 with charger and earbuds. About the going price on ebay for same. I'm going to play with it, I figure i can sell it for close to the same price if I choose to not keep it. While I want game-play-ability, the small screen will probably hinder that. However we're also about to join the YMCA so it will be a nice music player, and I can take it on trips to watch movies on a nice small screen though I might need to bring a magnifying glass.

All-in-all, I'll play with it over the coming weeks and make a choice whether or not to keep it.

..dane