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I hardly ever talk on the phone, so I don't need a phone and I definitely cannot afford any sort of monthly plan.

But I am a bit of an internet junkie, and sometimes email as well.  I also enjoy an occasional video game.

I am considering an I-Pod touch as my Father's Day request.  Probably the 8G since I have hardly any music, and zero movies, to download.

What I want:
I want to able to access wifi internet from most locations, particularly a flea market, if I'm considering something to resell on E-Bay and would like to look it up.

I want to have a portable electronic bible program.  I've seen some of church using these and it is so convenient and portable.  I'd like to download a good bible concordance as well. (Hopefully these are not expensive).

I want to be able to take short movies or photos on demand, when I have the desire to.

I want to be able to access my email and my documents from most locations.

I want my son to be able to play games occasionally, like when we're riding on a long car trip. (if these games are not expensive).

So based on what I just mentioned, would an I-POD touch do what I want without some sort of monthly plan?  Or is there something else I should consider?

Thanks for your help.

I don't have an iPod touch, but I've heard from most people that they are basically iPhones without the phone part of it (I think there is even a free texting/skype app, so it can be a phone in some instances), so it seems like it would suit all of your needs perfectly. And I know for a fact that no monthly plan is required to get internet access on wifi networks.

Having the Bible on my phone is nice, but it does also increase temptation to do other things during sermons, so make sure you are prepared to face those temptations. The thing with most free Bible apps for my phone that I've seen is that you need an internet connection to access them, so if your church doesn't have wifi, then you might have to pay more for an app that you can download to your device and access offline. The Bible apps that I've seen can get a bit pricey as far as apps go (I guess the most widely read book in the world excites demand) sometimes between $10-15. But that's what I've seen for my Android phone, I'm not as well acquainted with iStuff (but I assume it's similar).

There are plenty of games of all price ranges from free to $8-10 that I've seen for Android, so again, I assume it's the same for the iPod, so I'd feel good about that.

I have no idea how the iPod does with documents, though I assume it can view and download at least .pdfs and .txt documents. I know that the iPad does, as my coworker often brought his to meetings to show these types of documents to our advisor. I assume that iPod has similar functionality.

I know Soundman2 has had an iPod touch for quite some time, so hopefully he (or someone with more on-hand experience) sees this and can confirm that. Another option is to go to your nearest Apple store, find a friendly Apple employee, ask them all your questions, try out the iPod, then later on find a used one for half price on Amazon or Ebay and send the link to your wife/kids.

Thanks for these fantastic responses.

IF, and it's a big if, I wanted internet access wherever I go, does anyone know the cheapest monthly rate for something like that?

Thanks for these fantastic responses.

IF, and it's a big if, I wanted internet access wherever I go, does anyone know the cheapest monthly rate for something like that?

Most phone data plans (access to 3G and 4G Networks) are ~$30, but I suppose that also depends on the provider (I have Verizon, others might be cheaper, but I've been happy with the range of service I get from Verizon. I even get internet access from a US cell tower, meaning no extra charges, several miles into Canada, as I learned last weekend).

As Alex said though, you need to make sure the model you get is 3G enabled to get access to the networks, so that's something you would have to look into. Also, more and more restaurants and coffee shops are offering free public wifi, but you will likely not have a lot of access outdoors/at flea markets without getting 3G.

It depends a lot on how much you use the web, but I definitely find the $30 a month well worth it to be able to check my email on the go, or look up something important on the web while I am on the go. I have often been able to look up an address of someplace I need to get to via my phone in case I forgot, then use my GPS to find out how to get there. So definitely consult with your family and ask others you know who have mobile internet devices, as it is another monthly bill, but from my perspective it is worth it and you'll use it a lot more than you think (which, I guess, may be a bad thing, but that's up to you to determine).

Having the Bible on my phone is nice, but it does also increase temptation to do other things during sermons, so make sure you are prepared to face those temptations. The thing with most free Bible apps for my phone that I've seen is that you need an internet connection to access them, so if your church doesn't have wifi, then you might have to pay more for an app that you can download to your device and access offline. The Bible apps that I've seen can get a bit pricey as far as apps go (I guess the most widely read book in the world excites demand) sometimes between $10-15. But that's what I've seen for my Android phone, I'm not as well acquainted with iStuff (but I assume it's similar).

I have a Bible on my iPod that works without internet connection and is free. I don't have the name of it right now but it is something like: Holy Bible ... John Avery.

And yeah free games are EVERYWHERE and usually high quality. There are even some apps that let you get apps that normally cost money for free!

I think the iPod touch fits your needs very well. I went a similar route for many years for the same reason, and was happy, although the base model is a bit limiting if you plan on having several movies (usually about 1-1.5 gigs apiece).

The iPod touch isn't 3G enabled (WiFi only), so a separate device is needed to access the web on the go. Verizon's MiFi, a small device that creates a protected WiFi hotspot anywhere (or similar device) could be free with a 2 yr data plan ($20+/mo). Also gives the advantage of upgrading to a 4G or better device down the road without replacing the iPod.

In general, without a monthly plan, accessing the internet will be your biggest obstacle.

The Ipod CAN pick up internet signals. However, you can only USE unsecured signals when you don't have an internet plan.  In my experience (small town America), unsecured signals are becoming more rare.

You can get secured signals if you have the password.

Aren't those from a hundred years ago already?

Get an iphone with a data plan, but get a smaller amount of minutes.

Why would you want to carry two phone-sized items? Also, you've got GPS and google with you wherever you are, which makes everything easier.

Wait for the Iphone 5 this fall. 'Nuff said.

I haven't heard anything pro or con about the Galaxy Player 5, but I am a fan of the Android OS, and prefer it to iStuff, but those reasons are mostly aesthetic, as I don't have enough experience personally with iStuff to be able to compare performance issues. I do have two Android devices (a tablet and a smart phone) and I have been very happy with both.