iphone use with no service

Hi,
Does anyone have an answer for this. I could not find a clear answer on the web.

I would like to buy an iphone but not activate it for phone service or data plan. I just don't need anotrher cell phone. I have a PAYG and I use that maybe 3 times a month.

What's attracting me to the iphone is that its a slim device with wifi, GPS, BT, and camera all built in. I basically want to use this as a PDA and for geocaching.

But, I am reading you have to activate with att (whether its contract or not) to get the hardware to work. Is that true?

Thanks

[johnhu_2005]

Mmm,
You sound like you need an iPod Touch. But the problem with iPhone/iPod Touch is that the "GPS" relies on triangulating Wi-Fi signals. If you go geocaching, there is absolutely no way you can get multiple Wi-Fi signals in the woods/mountains.

Also, having geocached once, I know you need to run programs like ArcGIS or some other mapping program in coordination with a GPS. Those programs only run on the Windows Mobile Platform.

The iPhone/iPod Touch is mainly used for multimedia (Pictures, videos, and games)... Your best bet is an Axim x51(v), a HP PDA, or another iPaq.

thanks for the info about the GPS. I did not realize you needed a data connection for the gps to work. that kind of stinks.

I have an Ipaq 210 and Axim X5 that I already use for geocaching with beeline GPS software and a GPS receiver.

There is a geocaching app from geocaching.com that works with the iphone for geocaching. I was hoping to basically turn the iphone into an itouch because I wanted the builtin in camera and GPS.

Oh well, I guess I can't have everything.