Which I pod to purchase for travel podcasts

Not to add to your dilemna, but there is lots more to choose from than just Apple Ipods... think MP3 players. If you can dispense with video, you can get by with as inexpensive a device as a Sansa Clip. We took two (one each), mine was loaded with two books, music and about 16 museum tours, all free. They functioned very well.

There is more about the Sansa Clip under "Ipods and MP3 player tips" on the Graffiti Wall. Also written up there is the Ipod Touch, which will give you internet access. That starts at $300.

I now have an Ipod touch and love it, but if all you want is to take along some museum tours and a couple of audio books then the Sansa Clip will do just fine.

My 2 cents

I use a regular old 2nd generation nano. One advantage of using an actual iPod is that they can be easier to sync with iTunes than other brands sometimes are. I subscribe to the RS podcasts and have also downloaded audio guides of various kinds with no problem.

And I routinely use it for audiobooks that I listen to while at work or exercising. You can either purchase audiobooks through the iTunes store or other sites, or upload them from your own CDs. The prices have really come down since I bought mine, and I think you can find one with twice the capacity of mine (4GB) for about what I paid originally, around $150.

The advantage of the Touch over the Nano is that you have internet access. Of course, the price goes up with it. The video quality of the Touch is better as well, and a big plus (for me) is that they are speakers integrated in the Touch so you can be more than to listen to videos. The speakers also work with music but I found the sound quality isn't as good.

I can't see why someone would consider the Classic (is it still being sold?) over the Nano, aside for the size if watching videos... Because it has the same features.

Nanos are great too. I've had the first and third generations. The first one is still being used by my mother, who is seriously technologically challenged, but manages to make it function (with a few phone calls to me every so often). I still use my second Nano whenever I go to the gym or just want to carry something smaller. And my Touch follows me mostly everywhere. The wifi feature is sometimes a life-saver, and I'm lucky enough to have free access on my school campus. You can also download games from the iTunes store, which is great for passing time on the subway sometimes. There's the calendar feature, which has completely replaced my personal agenda.

In general, for the Touch, it takes a few days (or weeks, depending on the person) to get used to navigating it. I would definitely recommend buying the protective films that stick on the screen, so that it doesn't smudge or gets scratched. My only complaint, and I guess there'll be an update to fix this soon (they might already be one), is that if you put your computer to hibernation without closing iTunes (like I do all the time instead of completely turning my laptop off), when you plug your iPod in to sync and charge, the date and time will change to a random date, which gets really annoying. It's a really stupid bug from them, but it's avoidable for users (you just have to remember to close iTunes every time).

I really hope this helps and please ask more questions if you have.

I took my iPod classic on my last trip, and am investing in a Touch for this summer's trip just for the wi-fi. Plus the Touch has some great apps you can download that'll help you navigate the Underground and Metro.

I put my iPod in a nice chunky rubber case to protect it from getting bashed around too much, but it was never a bother or too big!

Patricia,

Given the uses you specified, the most versatile I-Pod would certainly be the Touch. While other MP3 players will work just fine with music, audiobooks, etc. the "video" function is one of the strongest features of the Touch models (keeping in mind that you're working with a very small display).

The other big advantage of the Touch models vs. other MP3 players is Wi-Fi capability. This also works very well (once you get used to it) and provides an alternative to carrying a Laptop for short E-mail messages and similar "low volume" uses. The keyboard is not the best for typing lengthy or quick messages, but it's reasonably easy to use with a little practice.

The other big advantage of the I-Pod models over other brands is the App's that are available. There are extensive third party App's available via the Apple I-Tunes store to cover a wide variety of needs, including games, travel programs, calculators, etc.

If you plan on loading lots of music & movies, I'd suggest getting a model with the most memory you can afford (32 GB if possible). Movies take up a substantial amount of memory, so it's always nice to have lots to work with.

Good luck!

I'd choose the Nano for traveling just because I'd hate to carry the much bigger Touch around with me. Also, I find the Touch's keyboard doesn't really facilitate great internet browsing. And, if your Touch is broken or stolen on the trip, it's a lot more expensive to replace.

If all you are looking to do is listen to podcasts, I don't think it really matters which you buy. Aside from iPods syncing better, it all comes down to memory and cost. If you want to put lots of podcasts on and have them all on there for the whole trip, just make sure you have decent memory. Podcasts are sometimes an hour length so they take up more space than 3 min songs.

So basically it just comes down to what you want to spend, because they can all play podcasts with equal quality.

I recently returned from a trip to Italy for the holidays and my first RS tour. I took the iPod Touch and loved it. Listened to RS audio on the Venice Canal, The Duomo
in Florence, etc. as well as audiobooks. Having the email capability was GREAT.
Friends and family at home loved being able to know all was well as I traveled.