iPod Touch: backup

[ArGiEs]

Hello! New to this forum & iPhone things in general. As I have already posted in the intro thread, I am looking to move to a different platform, and the iPod Touch & iPhone OS seem to be looking like the most logical choice for me. No, not interested in an iPhone; that's another topic for later. Currently I am running my business, as I have for the past eight years, on a Palm PDA (remember those?), a Tungsten T3 specifically. I'm sure most of you know well that that old Palm OS & associated hardware are a dead end. The iPod Touch looks like a very good replacement; I don't have one as of yet (probably in the next few months), and I have some critical questions before I make the "big jump."

First question, very important: backup. I am a very firm believer in solid, reliable and redundant backup of my info. If I understand correctly, the iPhone backs up to Apple's "cloud," the "Mobile Me;" I would assume that the iPod Touch does that also, given an adequate wifi connection. Also, I understand that there is a desktop backup as well (through iTunes, correct?). Now:

1)Is everything backed up, including third party apps and their data?

2)Can individual parts/segments/files be restored, or is it an all-or-nothing restoration?

3)Are there 3rd party backup/restore solutions available?

TIA. Since this is only my 2nd post, at this point TiPB will not email me alerts to posted replies - I'll have to keep checking on answers.

More questions later. Thanks again!

Regards,
ArGiEs (Bob)

 

[flyingember]

The iPhone backs up to your desktop

contacts and calendars sync to mobile me. It's not a backup, delete on the phone/iPod and the data is deleted everywhere

1. Yes, to the desktop via iTunes.

2. Generally it's all or nothing. But if you delete an app from the desktop you can't restore it later

3 only on an app by app basis

 

[Jessi#IM]

Thanks for the detailed reply. Helpful.