Tech gifts you'll need to stay in the game
6. iPod touch
If you love the iPhone, but don't want to leave your wireless carrier for AT&T, think about getting an iPod touch.
The new iPod Touches are all equipped with wireless, so anytime you are somewhere that offers free wireless (be it Panera Bread, work, or your friend's house), you can go online. For no additional cost. It can't dial up the Internet anywhere like the iPhone can, and it can't answer your phone calls. However, it holds your music, looks cool and can go online anywhere there is a wireless connection. Let's take a look and see if it's cheaper.
Cost of iPod Touch and regular cell phone: A new 8G iPod Touch will run you $249.99. Assuming that you are on Verizon, like most people we know, we're going to estimate the cost of a monthly cell phone plan at $59.99 for 900 anytime minutes and unlimited night and weekend minutes. You'd need to add a text messaging plan, for $5. If we add in the initial cost of the iPod Touch, and the cost for a year of cell phone use, your monthly cost is $86.
Cost for an iPhone: Assuming that you're new to AT&T, you'll pay $199.99 for an 8G iPhone. The service is $89.99 a month for 900 anytime minutes and unlimited night and weekend minutes, plus $5 for text messaging. That makes your average monthly cost $112.
This means, that if you can live with only having access to the Internet in places where there are wireless networks, keeping your regular cell phone and just getting an iPod touch will save you $26 a month, or $312 a year.
