Device that will incorporate actions of a phone and access internet (skyping)

mairelavin5

I am leaving the country for a year to go to thailand and australia. I need a device that will:
1. allow me to receive and make calls, send and receive texts (to ireland and to other phones while im in thailand and australia),
2. allow me to access the internet (for skype, checking emails and basic searches), this internet needs to be WIFI so when im in a wifi zone im not being charged
3. have two cameras on it, so can see both ways - for skype
4. be usable when i come back to ireland again as my main phone.

I have a basic quadband mobile phone and was going to use that while in thailand for texting and emergency calls, and use internet cafe's for skype, emails and searches. Then when i get to australia, get an iphone, but im worried i wont be able to use the iphone when i come back to ireland.

If youve any alternative suggestions do share.

I heard these boards are great for getting solid advice so please help. Im in a rush to get sorted as am leaving the counrty soon. what do you geniuses think? thanks

TheZohanS

Ima gonna go out on a ledge here; have you considered an iPhone?

mairelavin5

I have, yeah! But I feel like I should hold off till Oz to get it maybe? But then Im kind of afraid of getting one out there in case I cant use it when I come back to Ireland? Do advise me, o wise one!

guil

get an unlocked 1 off apple

dingding

Consider 3 for australia as they have a 3 roam like you are at home. Not sure of this is only for bill pay.

Used this in other countries that they have a 3 network in such as hong kong, italy and UK and it worked very well.

Otherwise an iPad might work either.

whiterebel

TheZohan wrote: »

Ima gonna go out on a ledge here; have you considered an iPhone?

You mad barsteward!!! How did you think of that, you twisted genius?:D

mairelavin5

Haha well if the iphone will do what i need it to do (i.e. texts, calls, internet searches, emails and skype with cameras that will allow me to see both ways, be usable when i come home to ireland) then thats what I need!! do you think this will work?

Can you get unlocked ones from apple out in australia?

Would the ipad with 3G be better than the iphone?

whiterebel

mairelavin5 wrote: »

Haha well if the iphone will do what i need it to do (i.e. texts, calls, internet searches, emails and skype with cameras that will allow me to see both ways, be usable when i come home to ireland) then thats what I need!! do you think this will work?

Can you get unlocked ones from apple out in australia?

Would the ipad with 3G be better than the iphone?

€596 for the Australian unlocked 16GB one. €599 from the Irish store.
Get the Irish one before you go and have it loaded up with contacts, music etc......
Go iPhone, not iPad.

120_Minutes

mairelavin5 wrote: »

Would the ipad with 3G be better than the iphone?

You could make it work, ESP if there will be times when an iPhone screen won't do. For travelling I would suggest jail breaking it and installing

xbmc for media
Apple remote app if you ever meet up with someone with wifi and want to browse their music (across iTunes) and vote for tunes you want to hear (iTunes dj) .. Could be good for house parties
Tunein radio app for radio stations from home and local.
Travel apps and google maps of course.

You only need to jailbreak for xbmc.

If you don't want to carry something as big as an iPad you can also do this on an iPod touch, but wifi only. iPads are sim free so if you get a 3G one just pop in a local sim card ( spend a few quid on a sim cutter, they're cheap and small and could save your ass if you can't get your hands on a microsim) and work away. I'd do some prep work and try and get some info on good networks to use on the other side of the world.

...keeping your quad band phone to use as just a phone (make sure it's sim free)

I'd keep them separate as if you lose one, you can still use the other to keep in contact.

Stuxnet

I love the way you posted this question/thread in the APPLE forum, lol your only gonna get one answer from the fan boyz/girls here, if you wanted unbiased reccomendations, you should of gone else where !!
but maybe you wanted an iphone all along :rolleyes:

CathalDublin

you wont get an iPhone on contract in Australia unless you have sponsorship, they wont give contracts to backpackers
you'd get a better price on a second hand iphone 3gs/4 in Ireland imo