iPad Vs. Ipod Touch

Typing on the touch is tedious at best. I would never blog that way. If blogging isn't critical, I would say the touch is fine as it does essentially the same functions. Many people will want to suggest a $250 netbook but if it's only really useful for travel and your budget is that tight, I would still say stick with the touch and keep things simple. If you were to get a computer for college/general use, you would want a better one than a netbook and you might not want that on a trip with you.

Have you checked Apple's refurb section of their online store. You can get the original iPad for an ok price. I have both, (in fact I am typing this on my iPad), and it is much easier to type on the iPad vs the Touch. Plus the iPad makes a better reader and entertainment system than the touch.

I agree with Randy and Tracy. I have a Touch, an iPad 2 and a netbook. I have traveled with just the Touch, the Touch and netbook, and my up coming trip I will have the Touch and iPad. Typing is difficult for me on the Touch, though not impossible. I would not like to do a blog on it and I'm not sure how to upload pictures onto it. I do take the Touch as a source of music and to take out and about during the day. I have notes on it that I refer to while touring. Taking the netbook was fine, but more limiting than the iPad. It is bulkier and has a bigger/heavier power cord. The iPad is not quite as easy to type on as the netbook (I am using the iPad right now), but you can do more with it. I won't have to take books with me and it has a lot of useful apps. Of course you can have apps on your Touch too. It would be easier to use an iPad, but only you can decide if it is in your budget and if it is worth it.

You might think about a folding bluetooth keyboard for your iPod Touch. Check this one out:
iGo Stowaway Ultra-Slim Bluetooth Keyboard for PDAs and Handhelds. Foldable, full-size QWERTY keyboard wirelessly connects to Bluetooth-enabled smartphones and PDAs Weighs less than 6 ounces; folds to 5.5 x 3.9 x 0.5 inches. Amazon has used ones from $89

Maybe it's the eyes. Haven't been a college student since Nixon was in office but I'd take the an iPad. So much easier to read. You can receive and send emails, blog, watch movies. All without squinting. The iPod Touch is a nice backup and good for listening to music and audio books. Have a wonderful time studying abroad! Chance of a life time!!

Thanks for all the great help guys! I actually just got a great deal from my aunt on a 13" macbook so i will be taking that instead, has a case, external harddrive, etc and I can use it later for college so it justifies a little extra money. Any tips for travelin with a macbook?

If you are traveling all over, I would say you may not want a Macbook, even a 13 inch. It will be heavy, and since you hope to use it for college you will be worried about its safety. Last year as a college student on a month-long study abroad in Europe, I traveled to 6 countries and was glad that I only had an iPod touch and my phone. For a month period, I could handle emailing and Facebooking on the touch. If you plan on blogging, consider buying the keyboard or buying an iPad. There's a greater risk carrying around a Macbook. You won't want to leave it in your hostel, but you won't want to carry it everywhere either. If you are staying in one place for a while, with a secure location to leave the Macbook, that is a different story. This fall I am going back to study abroad again, and I will be bringing my Macbook Pro (15 inch), but I will keep it safely in my apartment, and when I travel to other countries on the weekend I will only take the iPod touch.

I am studying abroad as well and am taking my laptop and my Ipad with me. I am leaving my laptop in my room (I'm staying in a castle with 24 hour security so I'm not worried about things going missing when I'm gone) while I travel and am taking my Ipad and its keyboard case - it makes the Ipad look like a laptop which makes it great for typing - with me instead and you can get an application on the Ipad called pages which is basically Apples version of Microsoft word.

Isaac, A 13" MacBook is a reasonably good (albeit somewhat expensive) solution for a travel computer. While it's a bit heavier than a Netbook, it shouldn't be too hard to pack around. What size Hard Drive is the MacBook equipped with? I wouldn't bother hauling an external HD all over Europe unless there's a specific requirement for it. Leave the external Drive at home, unless you'll need it while attending College. Tips for travelling in Europe..... > Check the "Input Voltage" ratings on the MacBook Charger to ensure it's designed for operation from 100-240 VAC (it should be - all recent MacBook products have appropriate Chargers). > Be sure to pack along Plug Adapters specific for the areas you'll be visiting (I'd suggest taking two of each type). You'll need at least two, one for the U.K. (three large rectangular pins) and one for the continent (two round pins). > Depending on how long you plan on staying in Europe, you may want to verify that the battery life on the MacBook is still reasonably good. Batteries do need replacing every so often, so it would be better to get that done here rather than in Europe. Depending on your situation, you may need to take notes during lectures, and not able to plug the MacBook in to the mains. Therefore, battery life will be important. My MacBook Pro has a user-replaceable battery, but some models have to be replaced at a service shop. Whether the battery is replaceable may depend on what "vintage" the MacBook is? Cheers!

Great tips everyone, the MacBook is about 2 years old and I am getting it for a steal so the small risk of travel damage is not as threatening. Also I'm a pretty big guy and I will be packing fairly light so I don't think the weight will be any problem. I will be bringing combo locks and maybe a bike lock to lock my backpack to my seat to protect my laptop and I will keep it with me at all times. I'll be using it at college in the UK and in Austria so I will be sure to check into battery life and charger adapters, my aunt is giving me some converters she used with it in Europe but I'll still double check. Also, I will probably leave the backup hard drive with my larger checked bag at the school. Thanks!