# ipod touch in the classroom
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-touch-in-the-classroom/558759
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [October 29, 2010, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-touch-in-the-classroom/558759 "2010-10-29T13:36:45Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@blood63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blood63)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2010, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-touch-in-the-classroom/558759/1 "2010-10-29T13:36:45Z")
My school is interested in purchasing a class set of ipod touches.
Our concern is that students will be able to download material while they are using it.
Question - Is there an app that locks the device so that is cannot download without a password?
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### Author:  [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2010, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-touch-in-the-classroom/558759/2 "2010-10-29T13:41:25Z")
There are menus in the iPod itself for adjusting various operational parameters, including setting a number of user restrictions. I don’t have my iPod Touch in front of me, but I would assume the ability to block out iTunes purchases (or even internet access altogether) is one of the options.
I’d recommend you inquire at the nearest Apple store, where a sales person can give you the straightest dope.
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### Author:  [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2010, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-touch-in-the-classroom/558759/3 "2010-10-29T15:12:27Z")
Yes, you can restrict pretty much every application you want, including internet access. The downside is that it requires just a 4-digit password. I’d think kids are extremely willing to go through all 10,000 numbers to unlock one.
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### Author:  [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2010, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-touch-in-the-classroom/558759/4 "2010-10-29T15:25:09Z")
Doesn’t your school block any/all sites that are a violation of your internet access and privileges? Also, only a system administrator should be able to download and/or install software to your system.
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### Author:  [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2010, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-touch-in-the-classroom/558759/5 "2010-10-29T15:28:41Z")
> [@blood63](#):
>
> My school is interested …
>
> Our concern is that students …
>
> … Is there an app that locks the device …
Your school’s administration appears to fail the basic test that kids will take up the challenge and explore every avenue to get around whatever restrictions you adults think you can employ against them. It’s not rocket science. It’s the historical struggle between the generations.
Without more background, it appears the school administration is putting the cart before the horse. Was there any discussion of getting information to the kids, or was it all about the delivery mechanism? In other words, why does the school want to spend money on a disposable item in the first place? Are there better alternatives? And what information needs to be distributed to every kid one by one that a different delivery tool might be a better method?
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### Author:  [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2010, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-touch-in-the-classroom/558759/6 "2010-10-29T15:33:56Z")
Can’t the school just restrict access to its Wi-Fi?
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### Author:  [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2010, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-touch-in-the-classroom/558759/7 "2010-10-29T15:43:10Z")
The big thing that we don’t yet know is what the school plans on using the iPods _for_.
I’m having a hard time imagining a Touch being a positive thing for a school.
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### Author:  [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2010, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-touch-in-the-classroom/558759/8 "2010-10-29T16:21:23Z")
I don’t know about iPod touches, but I know with an iPhone, any app purchase requires you to put in the iTunes password. Even free updates require a password.
If that’s also the case with the Touch, then you don’t have to worry as long as the password is a good one, and is changed often.
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### Author:  [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2010, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-touch-in-the-classroom/558759/9 "2010-10-29T16:24:23Z")
> [@Munch](#):
>
> The downside is that it requires just a 4-digit password. I’d think kids are extremely willing to go through all 10,000 numbers to unlock one.
Digits only?
If true, that was really dumb of someone.
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### Author:  [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2010, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-touch-in-the-classroom/558759/10 "2010-10-29T16:57:22Z")
> [@Squink](#):
>
> Digits only?
> If true, that was really dumb of someone.
Eh. Few people use the password on their iPhone that I’ve seen. They do for a while, and realize that inputting even 4 digits every time they turn it on is pretty annoying.
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### Author:  [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2010, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-touch-in-the-classroom/558759/11 "2010-10-29T17:14:58Z")
Talk about timely! I just turned off the password on my iphone two minutes ago as it was a pain.
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### Author:  [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2010, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-touch-in-the-classroom/558759/12 "2010-10-29T17:58:13Z")
> [@Munch](#):
>
> Eh. Few people use the password on their iPhone that I’ve seen. They do for a while, and realize that inputting even 4 digits every time they turn it on is pretty annoying.
My point was that for whatever reason, the programmers chose to filter out non-numeric characters in the password string.
They could have applied a less stringent filter, and gotten 40[sup]4[/sup] or better possible combinations instead of a wimpy teenager-crackable 10[sup]4[/sup] combinations.
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### Author:  [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2010, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-touch-in-the-classroom/558759/13 "2010-10-29T18:14:27Z")
Downloads from the iTunes Store requires the iTunes username and password (not just a 4-digit PIN), so that’s as secure as anything could be. That will prevent them from downloading most of the music, movies, apps, etc.
However, they could still preview content in the iTunes Store, and they can still browse the web. They could use that web-browing capability to remotely connect to a computer they have at home, and then do virtually anything, with the iPod Touch acting as nothing but a client to connect to the home computer.
An iPod Touch connects to the Internet via a wireless gateway, so the school could try to control the web access through the gateway. The catch is that half the kids will have cell phones that can also create a wireless gateway, and if they figure out the 4-digit PIN, they can connect to the web again through their phones.
I’m also curious as to what the school is doing with these things, but it doesn’t sound like a good solution unless the school is willing to accept that the kids will be able to do what they want with the devices. They’re not designed for that kind of use.
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### Author:  [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2010, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-touch-in-the-classroom/558759/14 "2010-10-29T18:44:44Z")
> [@Squink](#):
>
> My point was that for whatever reason, the programmers chose to filter out non-numeric characters in the password string.
> They could have applied a less stringent filter, and gotten 40[sup]4[/sup] or better possible combinations instead of a wimpy teenager-crackable 10[sup]4[/sup] combinations.
I understood what your point was. But the reason there’s a password at all isn’t to make your phone forever inaccessible to invaders - it’s to make it inconveniently accessible for when you leave it on the table when you go to the bathroom so your friends don’t fuck with it.
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### Author:  [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2010, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-touch-in-the-classroom/558759/15 "2010-10-29T18:55:41Z")
Yeah, I use the four-numeral lock. It’s enough to make it difficult to use on those rare occasions in which it is not within half a foot of my person.
If it used a full alphnumeric set, it would have to use one of those tiny keyboards instead of a nice big numberpad, and I probably would not use it.
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### Author:  [@Cowboy8467](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cowboy8467)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2010, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-touch-in-the-classroom/558759/16 "2010-10-29T18:59:47Z")
With the most recent software update (4.0), you can make it longer than a 4 numeric code if you so desire.
Go to settings—\>general—\>passcode lock----\>simple passcode.
From there you can toggle it on or off.
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### Author:  [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2010, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-touch-in-the-classroom/558759/17 "2010-10-29T19:20:26Z")
Yes, on the Touch you do need a username and password to download apps from iTunes just like on the iPhone.
But, if a kid has their own username and password for the iTunes store, they should be able to log in and get whatever items they desire (charged to their own iTunes account if it’s a pay app. Many many many apps and other items are free).
I would also suggest limiting access via the school’s WiFi but as **dracoi** points out, you can use your cell phone for WiFi too.
And, if the kid take the iPod out of the building, or if there is free WiFi within range of the building, then you’re out of luck on that.
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### Author:  [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2010, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-touch-in-the-classroom/558759/18 "2010-10-29T20:20:11Z")
I was just looking at my Touch, and this might work.
Set the password to turn off the simple passwords, and then install a strong password.
Turn off the Auto-lock, so that the students don’t need to know the password.
Then under “Restrictions” you can at least limit what can be downloaded. It looks like you can turn off the ability to install apps, and you can turn off the ability to use iTunes.
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### Author:  [@Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fake_Tales_of_San_Francisco)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2010, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-touch-in-the-classroom/558759/19 "2010-10-29T22:39:53Z")
Of course, passwords are quite easily avoidable by simply doing a system restore on the ipod.
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### Author:  [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2010, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipod-touch-in-the-classroom/558759/20 "2010-10-29T22:46:30Z")
And the teacher won’t notice if a student brings in a computer, takes it out, and plugs in the Ipod to perform a system restore?
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