Christmas gifting Ipod touches

[GoofyTroopOf6]

I already saved $600 this year from reading a post about a card that would pay my co-pay for a prescription for a year.

Off Topic:
can you PLEASE pm me this information? My daughter was in a serious burn accident in May and we've used up all our FSA funds. Any amount will def help out these days.

 

[GoofyTroopOf6]

I guess I just don't get why everyone is maligning me.

Lets see how many ways we can contradict ourself in one post, shall we?

*My kids won't be getting an Ipod touch, it's that simple. I made that choice because it fits my life.
*I turned to this group for honest information. This is a BUDGET board and I was looking for information in great part to help me in BUDGETING and whether or not it was worth it to me to buy something so expensive.

*Yes, I was aware of what they can do, but I wanted to know why parents felt their kids should have one at all or in place of a similar item, what they felt the benefit was.
*I like to be thorough, fully aware and rely on adult feedback to make solid financial choices. I never set forth to be critical of you all and I'm not sure why are so critical of me.

*My choice is mine, yours is yours.
***We should make those choices proud of ourselves and less in judgement of someone who differs from our thinking.

I am done with tis subject. I found what I( wanted to know and I do appreciate all the solid feedback. Despite the "snarkiness" that has formed, I learned what I needed to learn and am grateful.

So, what was it that you found that you already knew at the time you posted this having made up your mind already that you weren't buying one? Just sayin'

The OP was very snarky from the get-go and sounded very judgemental of those who have this particular device.

 

[Suz D]

As long as we're handing out unsolicited parenting advice, mine is to loosen up those reins on your 16 year old. She should be able to navigate the internet by herself by this point. Let her alone and if she has a problem she will come to you. Getting on a site you can't get out of is probably a virus or spyware issue - she should know how to ad a protection program and how to check for viruses, etc. on her own. Go ahead and let her figure this out before she leaves for college in two years and really does have to do it all on her own.

I say that as a mom whose daughter attends a school that requires all high school students to have their own laptop. They are used constantly
throughout the school day and also at home. I can't even imagine how tedious it would be for both of us if she had to ask my permission every single time she got on line.

Thanks for your advice (although you are right, it was unsolicited). I totally respect that everyone has to raise their children in a way that works best for them but I do have to say that I don't agree with your comment about to loosen the reins. I'm don't think that having a child ask before she uses the internet is having her on a tight rein. It's just our way of monitoring internet usage and 99% of the time the answer is "sure go ahead and get online". She mainly checks e-mail and FB daily and that's about it anyway but I think that having her ask each time she wants to use the internet just makes her aware of her usage as well. For clarification, I said it was a friend's daughter who got on a site and couldn't get out of it, not my own daughter.

But, if my daughter is going to stumble onto a site that isn't appropriate I'd like to be there in the room. I don't think that means that she's unable to navigate the internet...heck I'VE stumbled on a site or two accidentally and it made me very uncomfortable.

Thanks for posting your thoughts and sorry to take this thread OT.

 

[TheRatPack]

The biggest misconception... you're rarely paying more for JUST the name. You're usually paying more for the quality attached to it. I will gladly save and pay more for my Apple products because they're a superior experience all-around - better quality, better support, and what I consider to be a better operating system. It's like I'd rather have one Coach bag than a few cheaper ones - or a nice dress for my work wardrobe -

LOL, where there is the problem I guess with my conception of a product. I'm very plain and buy my clothes from Target or Kohls, sometimes Old Navy...etc. My taste change every year or so, which is about how long those pieces of 'cheaper' clothing last...so it's all good. I buy my purses at Marshalls, last seasons patterns or colors and would never ever pay Coach prices because it's just not who I am. There are things that I budget for that I agree the quality is better in my experience....but Apple isn't one of them. My HP products have always stood the test of time and really it's what I'm used to as far as OS...so to each their own.

I tend to disagree with the paying more equals better product too, that might have been the case years ago....but seriously I've seen a HUGE decline in the quality of many lines. Gymboree, Gap, vehicles....and I'm sure I could think of more that have disappointed me.

Again, it's really just a matter of preference. My children know we are budget and that if they want the newest and greatest fad that they'll be footing the bill for some of that, as we just don't see the appeal of many items. Maybe we're old fogies, maybe we're just cheap.....either way, doesn't make our ideas any more right or wrong than the next person.

 

[DawnM]

I do admit we were bitten by the Apple bug a couple of years ago and have made almost a complete switch over to Apple/Mac products and I will never go back.

If you had asked me 3 years ago if this would happen I would have argued with you.

Dawn

 

[surfgirl]

There are things that I budget for that I agree the quality is better in my experience....but Apple isn't one of them. My HP products have always stood the test of time and really it's what I'm used to as far as OS...so to each their own.

You make some excellent points about actual quality and perceived quality. I buy Apple, however, not because of the quality issue of the hardware, but because of their ease of use and simplicity of the product.

I was an earlier adopter of an MP3 (non-Ipod) player many years ago. I refused to pay for the Ipod price. I hated it and found it a real pain to use. I broke down and bought an Ipod and have been converted ever since. (I own 2 classic Ipods, an Ipod touch, an Ipad, and an Iphone, so I clearly am converted!)

I will say, however, that I hate Itunes and that they have a monopoly. But, as a businessperson, I admire that they've done a heck of a job. I hope it continues without Jobs leading the way.

 

[Suz D]

I will say, however, that I hate Itunes and that they have a monopoly. But, as a businessperson, I admire that they've done a heck of a job. I hope it continues without Jobs leading the way.

This thread has gotten so OT (and probably just as well ) I don't like ITunes either, I think it's not nearly as user friendly as the IPod etc. We buy a lot of stuff through them. But we also use E-music and Walmart. E-music has a very eclectic selection but it's very inexpensive. It's compatible with I-Tunes so it works out okay.

 

[scrapquitler]

I have been reading in this list and hearing from friends how popular the Ipod touches are. My question is, why? I know some kids who are 6 or 8 years old are getting one for Christmas with Itunes cards. What "tunes" are they going to download? I must be living with my head under a rock because I just don't seen the appeal in these machines. What's wrong with a $50 mp3 player? .

Well, in our case, it was a lot easier to buy Ipods for our kids rather than a less expensive mp3 player because all of our CDs are already ripped to iTunes, and in the iTunes format. Getting the music onto a different brand of MP3 player would involve converting the music to a different format or re-ripping them to our computer again. Lots of extra time and effort and space on our hard drive = lots of headaches.

Our kids don't download music with iTunes cards because they don't have the iTunes passwords Because they don't have the passwords and we download the music (and apps and videos) to their iPods, we control what they get to listen to (which means mostly classic rock, 80s and showtunes, not too much current rapcrap).

There are lots of useful apps and fun games, and I don't think that most of the $50 mp3 players offer that (though now with Android, maybe that's changed?).

It doesn't have much to do with them having what everyone else has...it has to do with them having the technology that Mom and Dad are used to and that is easier for Mom and Dad to deal with. And BTW, when they were that young and got their first IPod, it was actually an older one that we were no longer using when we upgraded ours!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Well, in our case, it was a lot easier to buy Ipods for our kids rather than a less expensive mp3 player because all of our CDs are already ripped to iTunes, and in the iTunes format. Getting the music onto a different brand of MP3 player would involve converting the music to a different format or re-ripping them to our computer again. Lots of extra time and effort and space on our hard drive = lots of headaches.

Our kids don't download music with iTunes cards because they don't have the iTunes passwords Because they don't have the passwords and we download the music (and apps and videos) to their iPods, we control what they get to listen to (which means mostly classic rock, 80s and showtunes, not too much current rapcrap).

There are lots of useful apps and fun games, and I don't think that most of the $50 mp3 players offer that (though now with Android, maybe that's changed?).

It doesn't have much to do with them having what everyone else has...it has to do with them having the technology that Mom and Dad are used to and that is easier for Mom and Dad to deal with. And BTW, when they were that young and got their first IPod, it was actually an older one that we were no longer using when we upgraded ours!

This is the SMART way of doing it. (Ironic, isn't it? )

 

[GoofyTroopOf6]

Yet another good reason for iPads as well as iTouch

This one is very touching to me because I have a friend who's son was actually selected to use the iPad for this purpose. You can watch the news segment that aired last night below:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_1...ting-on-the-ipad/?tag=contentMain;cbsCarousel

"(CBS News) For severely autistic people, communication is often impossible, leaving them unable to convey what they want or need. But as Lesley Stahl reports, touch-screen apps designed for tablet computers like the iPad are now giving autistic people new ways to express themselves, some for the first time. Teachers and parents are hailing the technology as a breakthrough, one that can reveal the true depth of knowledge and emotion trapped behind a wall of silence."