Knowing The Differences: IPods, IPads, And IPhones

There is a new minority in society today, and it's getting smaller all the time.

Which minority are we talking about? The minority of people who haven’t come across some iteration of Apple technology that begins with a lower-case “i.”

You’ve probably at least heard of these technologies: iPods, iPads, and iPhones. They’re everywhere. If you haven’t heard of them, it probably means you haven’t watched TV or used the Internet for a good five years.

Even if you have heard of them, you may not know what they do exactly. And you may not know what makes each species of Apple’s gadget genus different and distinct from the other two. At the very least, you probably do know that a lot of people consider these gadgets to be rather valuable.

You may even be considering buying one of your own.

If that’s the case, it’s time to learn the differences between each of these gadgets so that you know which one is best for you. Here is a quick guide to understanding the differences between iPods, iPads, and iPhones.

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First Things First: The iPhone

A great place to start is the iPhone, Apple’s all-in-one machine. What are its features? As you might guess from the name, the iPhone’s main difference from the other gadgets is that it functions as a handheld phone that can fit in your pocket. 

It comes with all of the other frills associated with modern technology such as applications (known as “Apps”) and tools with a range of different features from looking up restaurants to texting your friends.

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Understanding the iPad

The iPhone came out before the iPad, and, considering the fact that the iPhone essentially “does it all,” it can be confusing for a technological newbie: why would someone buy what is essentially a version of the iPhone without the same pocket-fitting mobility and phone call function?

(Note: you can turn your iPad into a phone with the right knowledge, but don’t worry about that for now.) The iPad’s main advantage is its size; it’s much more like a traditional computer screen, allowing you the freedom to handle a number of tasks at once. Lest we forget, there is also an iPad Mini, shown next to a full sized iPad.

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Last But Not Least: The iPod

The iPod Touch is the “highest-capability” version of the iPod, so we’ll focus on that particular gadget for our purposes here. Essentially, the iPod Touch is similar to an iPhone without the phone functionality. It fits in your pocket, allows you to complete a range of functions, and can connect to wireless Internet and allow you to check your email.

You can do a lot with the iPod Touch, even if there are a number of limitations in comparison to the iPhone and the iPad. A great way to start learning how to use Apple products is to purchase an iPod Touch and begin exploring the various Apps you can use.

Once you get used to the idea of an iPod Touch, you may be hooked and want something bigger. At the very least, you’ll finally understand the differences between these Apple gadgets.

Carrie Thompson

About the Guest Author:

Carrie Thompson is very 'i' oriented, though it's not all about her ego. She enjoys writing about the various tech that we seem to be surrounded by these days.