I finally treated myself to a new gadget. It was a toss up between getting an EeePC or the iPod Touch. Although I think the EeePC is a pretty cool device and affordably priced, I decided to go for the iPod Touch. I've been looking for something that added mobility to my online life, but I wasn't up to paying at&t $80 a month for the iPhone. Granted the iPod Touch is limited to only available wifi hotspots so I am constantly looking for places I can get access. In the area I work there are a bunch of access points that show up on the grid but have not been of much use. The Roadrunner Speed Zone shows the entire section between Walmart, Sam's and Starbucks but those turn out to be not accessible by the iPod Touch. The Speed Zone tech support told me that the access points are located on Ala Moana Hotel and are pointed down to that area on Keeaumoku so it's probably due to the signal strength and/or the receiver capability of the iPod Touch. I also tried the McDonald's wifi hotspot, which is nicely touted on their website but found it a pay-only service. I can tell the Keeaumoku McD store doesn't get many users. The store manager there couldn't find any information on it and thought it was a free service. The only place that I've found to work, so far is the Apple Store at Ala Moana shopping center. No problem getting connected there but a bit out of the way for me to be hanging out during the day. So what mobility benefit am I getting out of this iPod Touch, you might ask. Well definitely I am reacquainting myself with the podcasting world. I am enjoying stuff like Buzz Out Loud, This Week in Tech, the Transmission and cool music podcasts like KEXP's Music That Matters. I've been enjoying it so much that a cop called to me while I was walking and told me to pay attention to the cars. I think he was over reacting but what the heck, it must have been a good song.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
iPod Touch
I finally treated myself to a new gadget. It was a toss up between getting an EeePC or the iPod Touch. Although I think the EeePC is a pretty cool device and affordably priced, I decided to go for the iPod Touch. I've been looking for something that added mobility to my online life, but I wasn't up to paying at&t $80 a month for the iPhone. Granted the iPod Touch is limited to only available wifi hotspots so I am constantly looking for places I can get access. In the area I work there are a bunch of access points that show up on the grid but have not been of much use. The Roadrunner Speed Zone shows the entire section between Walmart, Sam's and Starbucks but those turn out to be not accessible by the iPod Touch. The Speed Zone tech support told me that the access points are located on Ala Moana Hotel and are pointed down to that area on Keeaumoku so it's probably due to the signal strength and/or the receiver capability of the iPod Touch. I also tried the McDonald's wifi hotspot, which is nicely touted on their website but found it a pay-only service. I can tell the Keeaumoku McD store doesn't get many users. The store manager there couldn't find any information on it and thought it was a free service. The only place that I've found to work, so far is the Apple Store at Ala Moana shopping center. No problem getting connected there but a bit out of the way for me to be hanging out during the day. So what mobility benefit am I getting out of this iPod Touch, you might ask. Well definitely I am reacquainting myself with the podcasting world. I am enjoying stuff like Buzz Out Loud, This Week in Tech, the Transmission and cool music podcasts like KEXP's Music That Matters. I've been enjoying it so much that a cop called to me while I was walking and told me to pay attention to the cars. I think he was over reacting but what the heck, it must have been a good song.
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3 comments:
Good report on the iPod Touch and especially the wifi hotspots in the Keeaumoku area... which does not seem so promising, other than the Apple Store. I live in the area and even the Apple Store is out of my way in so far as free wifi goes. Of course I get free wifi in my home since I have a wireless router. But that signal does not go out very far.
I am not an Oceanic internet cable user which means those annoying Peter Kay radio ads touting "free wifi speed zones" are totally meaningless for me.
I am still looking for an affordable portable wifi device. The iPod Touch seems to be a good choice, but is somewhat pricey and for me can't work with my present Mac tower that is stuck with OSX 10.3.9. I guess I have to get an external DVD drive or a new Mac so that I can go to OS X 10.4 or 10.5 which the iPod Touch requires.
Otherwise I am looking at other options such as the Nokia 810, Nokia 800 wifi tablets, Sony PSP, Palm TX or Nintendo DS.
Hey Burt! I bought my wife an iPod Touch. Don't you think the page load speed on the iTouch is a tad slow?
You can get access to the RoadRunner Speedzone at the Starbucks on Ward Ave. I use that all the time.
Other free wifi places include: Glazers Coffee (with purchase) and Coffee Bean (1 hour w/ purchase). Starbucks soon to have 2 hours free w/ purchase on a registered Starbucks card.
Aloha!
Truman
Hi
We love iPods/iPhone
thank you.
[Cheap iPod Touch | Cheap iPod Classic | Cheap iPod Nano | Cheap iPod Shuffle]
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