Can the iPhone work without any SIM card?

[mshan]

Probably really only need a jail-broken iPod Touch, but form factor of iPhone seems better and screen is supposed to be a lot better.

Will a stock (and jail-broken) iPhone work without any SIM or cell phone service (just want it as an iPod with Wi-Fi)?

 

[tefleming]

I had an iPod touch previously and have a phone now.

The screen is the same.

If it's jailbroken, i'd suspect yes, it will work.

 

[Kmax82]

To my knowledge, you don't have to activate the phone. Just use it like you would without AT&T's service. You should be fine, although, I would just buy the Touch, personally.

 

[mshan]

Haven't done much research, but I thought the Touch had a poorer screen and didn't feel as hefty / solid in the hand?

 

[Noema]

A Jailbroken/unlocked iPhone will work without ever needing to be activated, and will also work fine without a SIM (or with any GSM SIM for that matter)

Otherwise, you can't even access its features without activating it first. After it has been activated, I assume it can be used without the SIM card, but I've never used a non-Jailbroken phone since I don't live in a supported country

As for the screen of the Touch being inferior...I really can't notice the difference. Apparently some of the first batches had some problems with blacks and contrast, but in all the models I've used, the screen looks and feels exactly the same as the iPhone's. Plus, the Touch is slimmer and lighter.

I'd just get a Touch. You get more storage for the same price (32GB for $500). The reason the iPhone is pricier is because of all the phone features. I don't see the point of paying extra for features you are not planning to use.

 

[mshan]

I haven't been to an Apple Store to compare them directly, but how does the iPhone feel compared to the iPod Touch?

Does it feel ergonomically correct and solid in the hand?

And anyone know if the iPod Touch is going to be updated next week?

 

[randomlinh]

Originally posted by: mshan
I haven't been to an Apple Store to compare them directly, but how does the iPhone feel compared to the iPod Touch?

Does it feel ergonomically correct and solid in the hand?

And anyone know if the iPod Touch is going to be updated next week?

the touch is unlikely to be updated given the back to school promo going on. Likely it's being cleared out so they can introduce a new one in the fall/winter.

I think the touch feels better than the iphone. I think the iphone is relatively bulky. but what it does have is a damn speaker... which I don't know why apple didn't put one in the touch too. Your best bet is to take a look in the store, it's subjective.

 

[mshan]

Someone told me that an unactivated iPhone can be successfully jail-broken with XLiberty?

Is this true, and what's the possibility of irreversibly bricking the phone?

EDIT: I think it is actually called iLibertyX.

 

[Noema]

I find ZiPhone to be the easiest way to unlock an iPhone. It's an all-in-one package that jailbreaks, unblocks and sets up an installer which downloads 3rd party Apps directly to the iPhone.

 

[mshan]

Will that unlock and jailbreak and iPhone that has no SIM card in it?

(and what's the likelihood that I could permanently brick the phone?)

 

[Noema]

Originally posted by: mshan
Will that unlock and jailbreak and iPhone that has no SIM card in it?

(and what's the likelihood that I could permanently brick the phone?)

Yes, that will unlock the iPhone, even if it doesn't have a SIM card.

I also think it's quite unlikely that it will brick the iPhone. I've unlocked at least 10 iPhones for friends without hassle; at any rate, even if the iPhone acts up after jailbreaking / unlocking it, you can always restore it to default.

Finally...I see you are still intent in using the iPhone as an iPod without the phone. They already made such a device, and it's cheaper, GB per GB, than the iPhone.

 

[bastula]

i'd get an iphone personally...it doesnt have the side rocker keys and the two speakers at the bottom. plus you can actually use the phone overseas or use a prepaid card and voila! phone + ipod = awesomeness.

but if you need storage, get the touch.

 

[tefleming]

The iPhone is certainly thicker. If you think the iPod Touch is too thin (which, at times, it is, imo) then you may prefer the added heft of the phone.

One things I've found that helps (used it on both) for helping it feel firm in hand is a skin (bestskinsever or invisibleshield.)

 

[mshan]

I would prefer to be able to surf the web and listen to internet radio, etc. would headphones, so I think the iPhone might be a better, albeit more expensive, option for me.

It has stereo speakers and the volume rocker, right?

 

[Kmax82]

No stereo, just a mono speaker, I believe (maybe that's just the Bluetooth out though?).. but there is the volume rocker. I would personally wait until next week, or the end of the month.. and try and find a cheap 1st gen iPhone.. or grab one of the newer ones.