Dumb Question: Ipod touch replacement "Phone" minus calling

[cognus]

It was difficult to come up with thread title.
Basically, can I use an android "phone" type device, sans carrier. In other words, that's the way many of us have been operating already: I have my nice little Nokia phone, and I have my Ipod Touch for webwork, music, contacts, mail, life. I will not get to one device with current technology so I'm wondering - what is the short-path to an Android "ipod Touch"?
- can my Optimus T be somehow customized to do exactly that kind of function, without paying a carrier for things I'm already paying for, like WIFI access?
- can some other 'phone' do the job well, or is it not possible?
- if not, then I guess I'm describing a mini-tablet??

I have decent tech skills so not afraid to root something and hack it to my liking with help from forums like this one

 

[sitlet]

Just put the phone in airplane mode, and use it however you want. You can turn on bluetooth and wifi, but obviously not the phone or 3g.

 

[cognus]

you mean that will work sans contract? . see! I told ya it was a dumb question!

if so, why isn't this the smarter idea than a limited-function tablet [and all those tablet buyers also have phones... more device iteration]

 

[i VTAK]

I recently upgraded from my Hero to an EVO. The battery on my 6 year old iPod mini is very weak so I replaced it with my off contract Hero and it works perfectly! It gets great battery life too since it is not searching for signal ( I keep it in airplane mode ). After 9 hours of listening to music through headphones at work, it still has 60% battery. I will never look at an iPod again! WIFI works flawlessly in airplane mode too, so you can still get apps from the market.

 

[A.Nonymous]

you mean that will work sans contract? . see! I told ya it was a dumb question!

if so, why isn't this the smarter idea than a limited-function tablet [and all those tablet buyers also have phones... more device iteration]

I've got a tablet and a phone. They serve different functions. Why would I want to watch video on a 3-4 inch screen when I can watch it on a 7 inch screen?

 

[Guamguy]

Yeah. Don't need to buy a dedicated Android "ipod touch". Just buy a new Android phone, and the old one, contract less, or SIM less, can still be used as an internet PDA running on Wifi only. That's what i did to my old phones, including my disconnected Droid Eris.

Not applicable to the US, but in Asia, you can buy prepaid data SIMs that are intended to be use with 3G dongles. Open the cap and put the SIM in, and you have a working 3G dongle for your laptop with a short term data contract.

You can put the same SIM into any Android, enter the carrier's APN number, and wallah, you got a mobile internet PDA or tablet without voice and text. I do that when I travel to Asia. My Android smartphone becomes a MID to serve as a mobile wifi hotspot, email delivery, Facebook and Twitter updates, and as a Google Maps navigator. My other Android phone gets a voice and text prepaid SIM only. Boy those things can really last long on the battery when you don't have data on them.

 

[h4x0rj3ff]

depending on your ipod touch you can duel boot android with ios after you jailbreak but im not sure this is what your looking to do

 

[cognus]

Guamguy was right. I've been hacking and apping a lot since I posted, and the answer is in my hand. Yes there are some things the Touch does very very well ... the audio logic is quite good in mine... much better than in this LG phone, but still, I'm learning that all the basic functionality is avail in this phone, with the proper rom & custom touches.

Right at the moment, i have no contract, no carrier and yet I'm making calls, doing text, listening to all my music, calendaring, etc etc ok. I still have an ACCOUNT at T-mobile, but I have the number forwarded to my Line 2 num.

 

[czechplastik]

As has been said before, you sure can. Stick it in airplane mode, download a decent music equalizer and you're pretty much there.

Android 'touch' devices are coming though...

Samsung Galaxy Player 50 review from TechRadar UK's expert reviews of Portable media players & recorders

They will surely improve in time.

 

[takeshi]

you mean that will work sans contract? . see! I told ya it was a dumb question!

if so, why isn't this the smarter idea than a limited-function tablet [and all those tablet buyers also have phones... more device iteration]

It may not be, depending on your needs/wants. Two people considering these options won't necessarily make the same choice. The devices are apples and oranges IMO. I mean, try pocketing a tablet...