Turning an iPod Touch Into an iPhone

David Burnett recommends an eWeek article on the leading contenders to make an iPhone out of an iPod Touch. Of course your newly phone-capable iTouch needs no activation and no binding carrier contract, just Wi-Fi. One of the companies working in this space, JaJah, is bundling the software with back-end services such as billing, so that carriers — or anyone really — can offer free-calling iTouch phones.

Comments

"Just needs wifi"

[nurb432]

Ya thats nice, but haven't you noticed that open/free wifi is starting to become more and more scarce? If you cant just whip it out at anytime and make a call, its rather limited in its usefulness.

It would be worse then it was when having a cell phone back in the old days when coverage was spotty at best and you were paying for that privilege.

Re:"Just needs wifi"

[Anonymous Coward]

Oh I can just whip it out anywhere I feel like it.

I'll whip it good.

*ahem* Now its time to read TFA, to find out what the hell you're talking about.

Re:"Just needs wifi"

[the_humeister]

They should do this with the Zune, because not only can you whip it out, you can squirt other people too!

Re:"Just needs wifi"

[vitaflo]

Really depends on what your definition of "limited". Of course you're not going to be able to use it everywhere, but if you want that, that's what cell phones are for.

Not everyone wants (or needs) to be available to take a call all the time. The main times I want to be around a phone is at work (where there's wifi) and at home (where they're also wifi). Anywhere else that happens to have free wifi (like my local coffee shop) is a bonus. For me this would allow me to use the phone 90% of the time where I am normally. That would be enough for me and I wouldn't find it limiting at all.

Re:an iphone that's missing 3g and edge

[MobileTatsu-NJG]

in other words, a defective phone, only useful in areas where you trust the wifi connection.

Yeah, like the cordless phone you have sitting on the charger at home. Only it doesn't cost anything per month and doesn't necessarily need to be restricted to just working at home.

It sucks that it wouldn't help you much if you travel through time and space, but it's not exactly a lump of nothing, either.

Something is missing...

[mouse_8b]

I looked all over my iPod Touch and didn't see a speaker or microphone. No bluetooth either (well, sort of). So you can make a call, but you can't talk to anyone? Am I missing something?

Re:Something is missing...

[jollespm]

I think you have that backwards. The 2nd gen Touch has a speaker, but no mic. You can buy the "Apple In-Ear Headphones with Remote and Mic" and you then have a mic.

Open high speed wireless networks

[nine-times]

This is why I really hope we get some actually *open* wireless Internet built as a result of the analog TV spectrum being reallocated. I was very disappointed that the government didn't adopt the openness rules recommended by Google in the auction.

Imagine how great it would be to not be beholden to cell carriers, but to be able to buy any kind of Internet device you want, and use it as a phone if you want. It would open up competition between hardware manufacturers and service providers. Competition is good.

Re:an iphone that's missing 3g and edge

[nine-times]

What's going to get shut down by Apple? VoIP on the iPhone and iPod touch? Didn't Apple already announce that they were going to allow VoIP apps in the iTMS so long as they only used VoIP on WiFi connections (not on the cell phone data network)?

Watch Apple crush this

[Goodgerster]

"What? It competes with our own services!? Delete it from the Store! Then bring me the developers' ashes on a plate with a glass of red wine..."

As a 2gen itouch owner...

[TinBromide]

I love the itouch for being all the good parts of the iphone minus the badparts (the crappy phone quality coupled with a crappy network and contract, [never met any serious phone users who praise the iphone's phone quality, uptime, and availability]). Why turn a really cool internet appliance into a kludge-phone?

I love my ipod touch for cooking, I bring up the browser, look at a recipe, and its right there next to the stove. I love my ipod touch for games when i'm bored on the go. I love my ipod touch for movies on the go. I love my ipod touch for being 99.95% as useful as an iphone near a free wifi hotspot.

I also love that it can do all of the above without drawing one nano-watt from my real phone's battery.

PS. the ipod touch does not have a built in microphone or ear speaker, why kludge a microphone attachment onto a beautiful internet appliance/ebook reader/gaming device/portable movie device?

Re:an iphone that's missing 3g and edge

[Thelasko]

Shut down by Apple lawsuit in 3...2...1...

Lawsuit? There wont be any lawsuit... at least Apple wont be the one filing it. Apple has complete control of the iPod Touch through "The App Store". They simply wont allow these applications to be sold or downloaded.

What's that? Your going to find a way to put it on there without Apple's permission? A simple firmware upgrade will take care of that.

Re:interesting concept but

[nuttycom]

There's one application where VOIP is significantly preferable to the standard cellular network: international calling. I can use a VOIP app to talk to my cousins in Australia for free; being able to walk around my house or sit at the local coffeeshop while doing so would be nice.

This isn't about style; it's about adding functionality to a nice little piece of hardware. My cell phone's practically an antique at this point, but I have no need to upgrade it because I don't talk on the phone much. My iPod is a great PDA; adding VOIP capability would just be icing on the cake.