Quick question...or

[Oldfloss]

.. Are you there yatesco ... Our gadget guru...

Seriously, please may I have advice, suggestions and recommendations for something..not a phone, that will play my music, running podcasts, running apps, etc etc.. i would like to use it, purely when running.

Thanks x

[Irishprincess Graduate]

I use an iPod floss. Have done for three years and it's never let me down.

[pollyp1 Graduate in reply to Irishprincess]

me too... although I've only used it for podcasts for 6 weeks!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Irishprincess]

Thanks IP... I had an old iPod, which i used when i did C25K, but it is too old to play anything else now!

[nhs2015 Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

There is your excuse for a new one flossie, I have an iPod classic very slimline and light. I have been looking at changing to a phone but I usually get my husband's cast off and only use the basic functions. I think if you can get a small slimline phone, you can use it for photos as well as in case of emergency. I think I would take this into account. Mfamilias mentioned once about her new headphones which I think would cut off the music if a call come through or something like that. It would be handy.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to nhs2015]

Thank you for the advice... lots of sensible thoughts there..slim and light will be the way to go for me.. cumbersome, I am a tad fed up with at the moment..

[yatesco Graduate]

Howdy Ma'm, how can I help ye today?

I had exactly the same question because I didn't want to run with my bulky iPhone 5.

The answer (as ever with this sort of thing) is it depends :-). When I was looking I had the following criteria:

- had to be smaller than a phone

- had to allow me to save streaming music (e.g. Spotify, Google Music or Apple Music) offline

- apps would be nice

[Any phone I could find]

None were small enough.

[Old (smaller iPod)]

Couldn't run apps and Apple Music wouldn't download offline music to it. Great for my own music and podcasts though.

[Newer iPod]

Same size as the iPhone, plays my own music but wouldn't play streamed music offline. Plays apps. But, too big.

[Android wear (e.g. another watch)]

DOES allow Google Music to be played offline. Does run some running apps on the watch without needing the phone. But you do need an Android phone at some point to configure it all (e.g. at home).

I didn't consider these until we bought one for my eldest and I was very very impressed with it. We bought him the Motorola 3G 2015 for less than £100 from Amazon.

[Apple Watch]

Typical Apple - really expensive but beautifully made. I think some of the running apps do allow offline running (i.e. on the watch but no need for the phone).

Ultimately, it depends on why you don't want it to be a phone? If it is because of expense then I would buy the cheapest Android phone, it doesn't need a contract or a sim as it will work over wifi and you can do everything you want with it. If the running app does need to be online then there are some very cheap SIM deals around for pay-as-you-go.

If it is because of size then other than Android Wear I don't think there is another solution which runs apps.

I ended up just lugging my phone around. I tried bluetooth headphones to get rid of the cord but they didn't work well. I tried one of those funky armband things you can put your iPhone into and that didn't work. So yes, I carry my phone around. It really isn't a big deal anymore for me.

Hope this helps - without more specifics I can't go anywhere else so by all means ask other questions - happy to help :-).

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to yatesco]

Thanks for the information.

I have a phone..it is big, cumbersome is the word, but great as a phone, a Lumia 640XL... very limiting, as you can imagine, on which apps it will play etc etc. I wear a belt,which carries my running things, which is brilliant. I have an armband, but it slips off my arm.. I have thinnish arms!

Husband suggested an android phone.. expense ain't an issue, I am fortunate! Also, he did say he would treat me.

I am going to look up all these things, i have my Garmin Forerunner 10, which gives me all I need to know re my runs..so.. I shall spend time exploring some of these options.

Thank you for all the time spent, putting this down for me.. I could well be back!

[yatesco Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

The Lumia is a Windows phone so yeah, you are limited in which apps you can play.

If expense isn't an option then the relatively new iPhone SE (apple.com/uk/iphone-se/) is very powerful, has all the apps you will ever want and is relatively small.

The android eco-system is also great :-).

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to yatesco]

I know.... !!!!!

My husband is a home based new programme test/assessor for Windows so I was 'persuaded'..

It is so frustratingly limited!!! I am going to take a good look at stuff this afternoon! Thanksx

[yatesco Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Oooh, that sounds like an excellent job :-).

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to yatesco]

He loves it...and he gets things a lot earlier than everyone else, obviously,.. so, by the time things reach my comp', he has already identified glitches, changes and potential issues, etc.. very useful.. but is absolutely no help at all when it comes to my running questions.

He is very good at, " oh , just get out there, it is only raining a little" !!!! But... when it comes to what I need to aid me.. well!

[Madge50 Graduate]

Hi floss, I use an iPod too, and a garmin forerunner 10 (basic) watch to track my 'runs' aka wobbles......

Mx

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Madge50]

Thanks Madge.. I love my little Garmin, too!

[davelinks Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Sue is buying an fr10 I recommended it to her, as a lot on here have one & reckon it, she checked it out and has enough for her to track data..

[AncientMum Graduate]

I have an iPod too, it's an ancient iPod nano that I use to listen to podcasts, music and audiobooks. You could go even smaller (and much cheaper) with an iPod shuffle, they're tiny. Do you have a Garmin, Floss? I love my Fr10 - basic as anything but does the job and opens a whole new level of communication on Connect.

The world is your lobster when it comes to tech, you pays your money and you takes your choice. Happy choosing

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to AncientMum]

I do have a Garmin FR10 too, just plenty for me.. Husband spotted the iPod shuffle. I want something neat and not heavy...hmmm.. thanks for the reply

[Gnet Graduate]

T saw am advert yesterday for a new headset from Sony that does everything, expensive but worth keeping an eye on in case it comes down in price or someone might buy it as a pressie..

sony.co.uk/electronics/smar...

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Hmm.. well...... I am due an anniversary gift in the Summer...

Thanks for that info!

[davelinks Graduate]

Hi Floss, have just seen this post. Wifey and I used an iPod classic on c25k and found excellent, I have the one with 160GB hard drive as I love my music and download loads off iTunes. It docks with my Panasonic blueray player/home cinema system so it plays through the big speakers & also charges on there as well. Maybe you can get hubs to treat you to one of those as well?😁

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to davelinks]

Thanks youx

[Millsie-J Graduate]

Hi Oldfloss , I use my iPhone 6, it is slim and light, takes apps, podcasts, your own music etc, and is a phone in an emergency lol.

I carry it in a slim belt bag. Calls over-ride the apps/ podcasts which continue to run in the background. Apps and podcasts run alongside each other so I can listen to Laura, or Spotify, but get distance updates etc from MapmyRun at same time.

Hope you got sorted soon.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Millsie-J]

Thanks.. I did get sorted...

[Millsie-J Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Sorry i didnt realise until i had sent ghst it was an old post 😩

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Millsie-J]

No worries, thank you for replying

I got a small android in the end, it is brilliant for all the podcasts... I already had the belt; I have three I am ashamed to say, for different running.. I am very wicked spending so much on this running! :)!

Thanks again