"I'm looking for an iPod, not an iPhone."

There are currently 2 categories of iPods that will be usable with iBirdSongs™, the full-sized iPod and the iPod nano. There are advantages and disadvantages with each. These basically boil down to:

• if you want a compact and rugged device, displayed photo detail isn't critical to you, and you don't need to carry a huge music library, then one of the iPod nanos will be best.
• if displayed photo detail is important to you, you want to carry your large music library, and you don't mind a little larger device that you need to be more careful with, then one of the full-sized iPods will be best.

You need to weigh how important the above factors are in meeting your needs and interests. These factors are discussed in a little more detail below.

• Device Size & Weight: The iPod nano is significantly smaller (3.5" x 1.6" x 0.26") than either of the full-sized iPods (4.1" x 2.4" x 0.55" or 0.43"). The iPod nano also weighs significantly less (1.41oz versus 4.8oz or 5.5oz). (The full-sized sizes and weights refer to the 30GB and 80GB iPods respectively.)
• Ruggedness: The iPod nano is more rugged than the full-sized iPods. The nano has no moving parts since the storage is accomplished with a chip rather than a micro disk drive. The nano's smaller size and lighter weight also make it less likely to get damaged if it gets dropped. However, the iPod nano isn't more rugged if you put a lot of uneven force on the player that would cause the player to bend (e.g., sitting on it unevenly).
• Screen Size: The full-sized iPods have a 2.5" diagonal color display with a 320x240 pixel resolution. The iPod nanos have a 1.5" diagonal color display with a 176x132 pixel resolution.
• Storage Capacity: The iPod nano comes in 2GB, 4GB & 8GB capacities. The full-sized iPods come in 30GB & 80GB capacities. The storage needed for iBirdSongs™ is estimated at 1GB for the North American Pro version. 1GB translates to roughly 250 songs or roughly 25 albums.
• Features: The full-sized iPods can play video clips and games. The iPod nano can't.
• Accessories: While there are a lot of accessories for both categories of iPods, there are currently better mobile external speaker options for the iPod nano. iPod nano can more practically be used with a lanyard, side-by-side with your binoculars.
• Cost: iPod nanos range from $149-$249. The full-sized iPods are $249 and $349.

You can find more detailed information about the full-sized iPod and the iPod nano by visiting these links at Apple's web site.

• full-sized iPod
• full-sized iPod Tech Specs
• iPod nano
• iPod nano Tech Specs
• iPod Comparison Chart (scroll page)

"I'm interested in the Apple iPhone."

At 4.5" x 2.4" x 0.46" the iPhone is similar in size to a full-sized iPod (0.4" taller). It has a 3.5 inch, 320x480 pixel, touch sensitive screen. There is no stylus, you use your finger(s) to operate the interface. It comes in 4GB and 8GB flash memory capacities. It operates using GSM (voice), and Wi-Fi, EDGE, and Bluetooth 2.0 (data). It includes a 2.0 megapixel camera and a speaker phone. It is a "smart phone" with full-featured e-mail, web browsing, and a number of widgets (e.g., Google Maps).

The Apple iPhone is intriguing as a mobile device for use with iBirdSongs™ because it eliminates the need to carry both a cell phone and an mp3 player. It also adds mobile Internet access for email and the web. Additionally, the camera should be usable for basic digiscoping (needs to be tested).

In making your decision about the iPhone you need to consider the price of the iPhone and its service plans, as well as the service quality.

Pricing for the iPhone with a 2-year contract is $499 (4GB) and $599 (8GB). (Rumor: Less expensive models of iPhones are likely to follow the initial introduction. This would follow the path of the original iPod, which was considered very expensive at its introduction, but came down in price with subsequent generations over several years.)

AT&T will be the exclusive carrier in the United States. Who is your current mobile carrier? How is AT&T's coverage where you plan to use the phone? The basic monthly service plans vary from $59.99 to $99.99 per month. There is a $36 activation fee and and a $175 early termination fee. Since iBirdSongs will reside on the iPhone you will not need to be connected to the AT&T network to access your bird songs and other features. (Rumor: Some of the iPhone functionality may trickle down to a flash memory, full-screened iPod later this year, or sometime next year.)

You can find more detailed information about the iPhone by visiting these links at Apple's web site.

• iPhone
• iPhone Tech Specs

iFieldGuides Staff Recommendation

We really like the iPod nano for use with iBirdSongs™. It's inobstrusive size and weight make it convenient to carry, and its light weight and flash memory storage mean you don't have to worry as much about the bumps it may take in the field. The 2GB nano is also the least expensive iPod model at $149.

Note: You should keep in mind when making a purchasing decision that this is a rapidly changing technology landscape. Within months of you making a purchase, something "better" will become available. It may be just an incremental improvement of the same features at a better price. But it could also be a totally new device with radically new functionality. You shouldn't let this paralyze you. If you accept that this will always be the case, then it is a matter of deciding that what's available today meets your needs for a few years (while taking into account announcements & credible rumors about upcoming technology changes), and make a purchase of a product that best meets your needs. If you decide to upgrade latter, there is a market for used iPods (see NextWorth as one trade-in option).