Users who Dugg This
Scott Webb
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Digging slowy, medical problem
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mrsolodoloAug 12, 2010
Ok cool, new ipod touch. But what about everyone who has more than 64gb of media?? New ipod classic? Anyone hear anything about it? Feedback is appreciated.
Closed AccountAug 12, 2010
I was thinking about this a few days ago. Not that long ago, Apple brought out the iPod Video (fifth generation) in 30gb and 80gb flavours, then they brought out the iPod Classic (sixth generation) in 80gb, 120gb and 160gb flavours. It was all about storage capacity. But now, Apple seems to pushing their other iPods as the future of the product - particularly the iPod touch and the iPod nano. It seems it's not all about big music collections any more...
punkcatAug 13, 2010
the market for people who want a huge ipod dried up vs a person who wants additional features.
jwdavAug 13, 2010
If only there was some kind of software available to manage a large media collection.
zb757Aug 14, 2010
@jwdav Amarok
amaoicanAug 13, 2010
I assume they just keep it around because they're so cheap to make now. They've done the R&D, they've built the factories, etc. They only have to deal with the marginal costs. But it could also be somewhat psychological - it would certainly be a buzz kill to kill off the device that brought Apple back to the mainstream.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
arschgaudiAug 13, 2010
Explain again why the touch isn't an iPod? Compared to my iPod 5th Gen it has more storage, a bigger screen and equivalent battery time. It plays music and videos. I can display pictures.
And it lets me play games, surf the web, check email. So maybe its the logical evolution of an iPod.
sinembarg0Aug 13, 2010
It is an iPod, but it's not a very good one in the original sense. It's not a music player first. It's a PDA that can play music.
On an iPod touch, switch tracks or changing the volume while it's in your pocket is a major pain. You can't navigate it quickly without looking at it. And Apple is stupid and made the touches and iPhones incompatible with the FM radio remote. (and no, the iPhone headset is not a good subsitution). My iPods all work great for playing music.
amaoicanAug 13, 2010
"And it lets me play games, surf the web, check email."
Exactly. It's not an iPod - it's a mini computer or a PDA. iPod is just an mp3 player - the iPod Touch is so much more.
sinembarg0Aug 15, 2010
I have a phone that does all that s**t, even when there's no wifi. I like the other iPods I have much more, because they are much better at being music players.
Pretty much it's the whole do one thing and do it well vs. do everything, but do nothing "well". Sure it can play music, but it's not as good as an iPod designed for just music. Sure the iPad can be used as an e-reader, but it's not a Kindle.
skribbleAug 13, 2010
The Cloud...
I find it rare that I need more then say... 30GB of media in any situation between WiFi or My Computer. Pluging in and and syncing to swap in/out media is a pain, but if I could swap in and out media in the background over wifi I'd be fine with significantly less storage then 80+GB. That said this may not be ideal for you for whatever reason, still it's Rare that Apple attempts to satisfy the fringes.
ltetheAug 13, 2010
bingo.
I have a huge music collection, it's accessed via Simplify on my iPhone. You steal my iPhone, you get exactly 0 music files.
In fact, all my media except the apps are streamed via simplify. NOTHING exists on the iPhone itself, which allows me to buy the smallest version that exists every time. There's barely 1.5 gigs on my iPhone.
zb757Aug 14, 2010
If someone steals your iPhone, people copying your music files should be the least of your concerns
elranzerAug 13, 2010
/hugs his 160gb iPod Classic
rayfoundAug 13, 2010
One of the things to consider, is that when the iPod evolved to 30-60 GB capacities, capacity was everything because everyone was rampantly downloading from P2P network, and it was quite easy to download a gig or two of new music while you slept.
Its still possible, but Apple's focus is on mainstream consumers who buy their music from itunes, and generally have much smaller libraries. Sure, some enthusiasts still have massive collections, but for most users, 32GBs is more than enough for their music collection.
Obviously, the growth of mobile video will place higher demands on storage capacity if applied in the traditional sense, however, the future looks like these devices are trending towards becoming mainly streaming platforms.
mweatherAug 13, 2010
"But what about everyone who has more than 64gb of media?"
You mean pirates?
zb757Aug 14, 2010
And those who use FLAC or had lard physical CD collections ripped at Apple Lossless?
ydobonobodyAug 14, 2010
or video...
7king7kingAug 12, 2010
AT&T sucks..
onlyscAug 12, 2010
yup
chadvaderAug 13, 2010
All wireless carriers suck
staticjolteonAug 13, 2010
I'm on a 3 week holiday in LA from Australia. I figured I'd swap my Telstra SIM for an AT&T one (they can't be ALL bad, right?). Worst experience ever. The prices for mobile phone calls, texts, and data are extortionate compared to even Telstra (who are horribly overpriced in Australia). The coverage is pathetic, and calls drop for no reason (even though my phone is good quality and quad band). And I still can't figure out why the f**k I have to PAY to receive calls and texts, even Telstra aren't that greedy...
lukesimpsonAug 13, 2010
Haha .. yeah i laughed at the paid incoming ca/text when I moved here from Oz. All carriers do it (except for maybe U.S. Cellular).
badqatAug 12, 2010
John Gruber is rarely wrong when it comes to the release of Apple information.
Some of his opinion-based material is crap, but he's usually right on the money at these predictions.
Closed AccountAug 13, 2010
Too bad this prediction relies on people's willingness to only make and receive phone calls while in wifi coverage. Fast forward about 10 years, when there is reliable, widespread national wifi coverage, and he might be right. At this point though, I wouldn't sacrifice a cell network for spotty, often password protected wifi coverage.
trdrstvAug 13, 2010
"I wouldn't sacrifice a cell network for spotty, often password protected wifi coverage."
I would. There are very few places where I can't get wifi and if I NEEDED it everywhere Sprint sells a box for your car that's 3/4G and basically becomes a hot spot for $30 per month.
Add a Skype account with a phone number/ unlimited us calling for $50 per year and you get the best of everything.
Closed AccountAug 13, 2010
It's a case by case basis. There aren't any open wifi networks at my job, so that's a bust. I could get a MyFi from Sprint, but I'm not really willing to carry two things with me at all times just to have a working cell phone.
For most people, this isn't a viable option until national wifi is available. Once it is, I'd expect the cell industry to eventually collapse, and VOIP services to skyrocket in the US, as they would be a far cheaper alternative for portable phone and data service.
trdrstvAug 13, 2010
@migitalwarfare
The spint box has a battery, a car adapter and it has a USB port so you could hook the ipod touch to it.
If your house / work / car and some restaurants have Wifi available then it honestly becomes a serious contender.
It doesn't have to work EVERYWHERE, it just has to work where you want it to. Hell most of us got by with only a house phone 10 years ago. If I'm not home 'leave a message'.
elranzerAug 13, 2010
The MyFi has a 5gb monthly limit. How much bandwidth does video calling use?
Also, FaceTime supposedly only works under WiFi, because 3G isn't fast enough. Even though MyFi will appear to the iPod Touch as WiFi, it's still tethering to 3G cellular speeds. It might not work well with FaceTime.
fangoriousAug 13, 2010
@trdrstv: I work with someone who uses the Spring mifi with a Skype Wifi handset. It's unbelievably horrible. Nobody can understand a word he says (or echos 10 times) because of the horrible lag on that connection. He is inevitably told to just go on mute so he can listen while the rest of us on the call have an actual conversation.
Closed AccountAug 13, 2010
@Elranzer:
Wouldn't it really just depend on what your 3G signal strength is? There are plenty of other smartphones out there that can do video calls OTA. The fact that Apple decided to give their video calling a brand name doesn't make it any different from the rest. It's still VGA video being streamed over a network connection.
I'd be willing to bet that Apple restricted it to WiFi for the sole reason that they wanted it to look good all the time, every time. Considering they are still locked into AT&T for the time being, they knew that AT&T's network is in no way equipped to handle an increase in data usage like that, so they probably just avoided the issue all together.
charlotte_webAug 13, 2010
>> Also, FaceTime supposedly only works
>> under WiFi, because 3G isn't fast enough.
Nope, it doesn't support 3G because AT&T isn't ready for all of that video streaming over their network.
kook321Aug 13, 2010
I sold my ipod touch this summer to wait and buy the new one. Its worth the wait and obviously, it will not replace the iphone or any cell phones, just yet.
blorcAug 14, 2010
Couldn't someone conceivably label your opinion (about his "opinion-based material") crap as well?
rufiohoAug 12, 2010
Man, that will open the flood gates for iphone sales... the timing may be connected with the legality of jailbreaking?
chadvaderAug 13, 2010
Did you even read the article or the summary?
desmotropicAug 12, 2010
And what the 97.3% of us which aren't surrounded by a bubble of accessible wifi everywhere we go?
rrifeAug 13, 2010
Move into a dumpster outside of Starbucks.
solkreAug 13, 2010
I picked one outside Panera Bread.
Closed AccountAug 13, 2010
That's what the MiFi is for.
oo7evanAug 13, 2010
And where do you get MiFis from, smart guy?
elranzerAug 13, 2010
5gb of monthly bandwidth and 3G speeds... might as well just get a smartphone or the "real" iPhone.
Closed AccountAug 13, 2010
"And where do you get MiFis from, smart guy?"
I think I was being buried because I didn't include the /s.... *sigh*.
However - doesn't Sprint have a device in the works that is designed to be a case for the iPod touch and provides MiFi functionality?
kook321Aug 13, 2010
Tether it with your iphone...oh wait
skribbleAug 13, 2010
Statistically I think you mean "the 28% of us" Most people are in fact surrounded by WiFi.
melikbilgeAug 13, 2010
He said "everywhere we go", not just at your home or work.
d4nie1Aug 13, 2010
Exactly what I was thinking. Sorry but the wifi infrastructure isn't there to allow people to ditch their cell phones in favor of a wifi only iPod Touch. And since when do you need video to make calls anyhow? Didn't the iPod Touch already have a mic and speakers? I fail to see how adding a video camera turns the iPod into a phone when almost no one makes video calls.
miraaAug 13, 2010
If you have coverage via Clear, try an iSpot. Gives unlimited 4G data to your device for $25/mo with not contract. If you need 3G and 4g (with wider coverage), you could get a dual-mode Clear or Sprint device for $55/mo.--no contract if you pay for the device without subsidies.
I just picked up an iSpot and it works very well in Seattle. Hacking the little bugger has enabled usage for my laptop too. Google is your friend.
s0nicfreakAug 13, 2010
I have lived all over the US and the only time I was without Wifi for more than an hour was when I was mountain climbing...
cobaltage71Aug 13, 2010
"As a soon-to-be-father the idea that my family will be just a few taps from seeing my baby live on their iPods this Christmas is just too much fun not to think about."
This sentence explains the rest of the article. Soon-to-be-fathers all go slightly mad. He's also anticipating being virtually incarcerated in his home for the next 18 years. Because he will be.
persiyanAug 14, 2010
Yeah, this article is pretty ignorant. First of all the iPod Touch and AT&T's exclusivity have nothing in common, and neither do they affect each other somehow. Second, like you pointed out the reason we buy cellphones is because they use cell towers to provide a signal pretty much everywhere, I haven't seen wifi towers that do that. Not to mention that iPod Touches with Skype have been around forever and it hans't ended anything yet, I don't think a front facing camera is that big of a deal. So in plain and short, this is not ending anything and it's not starting anything...
Article buried for being illogical and stupid.
lfabAug 12, 2010
While Gruber is probably right, this is not world changing as the article says. I have Skype and a webcam at home on my computer. I still have a cellphone.
gramathyAug 13, 2010
Because sitting at a computer to make calls is inconvenient. Using an ipod as if it were a phone is not.
osteor10Aug 13, 2010
either way you still have to be in a house for wifi. same goddamn thing.
s0nicfreakAug 13, 2010
You certainly do not need to be in a house for wifi.
osteor10Aug 14, 2010
and neither does a laptop. stfu.
dismantlerepairAug 14, 2010
I don't even have to hold a phone to make calls with Skype, let alone worry about calls dropping if I were to hold one.
kook321Aug 13, 2010
This is also contingent that the other person has skype, but this shouldn't be much of a problem in the future since its free to download
lukesimpsonAug 13, 2010
Suprised no one has mentioned the Sprint Peel. It's essentially a case that you put your iPod Touch in and it turns it into a 3G phone (it becomes an iPhone, but on Sprint). Pretty cool:
http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2010/07/sprint-set-to-release-3g-enabling-case-for-ipod-touch.ars
tekdemonAug 14, 2010
You're confusing the Sprint Peel and the other Chinese market Peel 520. The Sprint Peel is only for data, it's basically a Sprint 3G/4G Hotspot made into an iPod Touch case. The Peel 520 is the one that makes it into a full blown phone.
And yes if they managed to combine both these products you'd be able to make an iPod Touch into an iPhone of sorts-problem is that the 520 needs you to jailbreak the phone, so obviously a real telecom isn't gonna suggest that you go ahead and do that. Still, on the Sprint Peel you could probably run skype but you'd need a separate mic to talk.
tommyboy919Aug 12, 2010
Hear that giant sucking sound AT&T? That's your customer base escaping to Verizon. Enjoy.
crimsonblurAug 12, 2010
Not necessarily. Apple needs to make a CDMA iPhone first. Just because the exclusivity deal ends with AT&T doesn't mean they're going to immediately release a CDMA iPhone.
bbtwebAug 13, 2010
Verizon needs to upgrade from CDMA, period.
Closed AccountAug 13, 2010
"Verizon needs to upgrade from CDMA, period."
It is. That's what LTE is.
But there won't be LTE-only handsets for quite some time.
Closed AccountAug 13, 2010
Of course they'll release a CDMA iPhone. You think Apple isn't aware of people's growing hatred for AT&T? You think they aren't aware that a portion of the Android market is only there so they can have a similarly (though often better) featured phone on a different network?
They'd be stupid to not release a CDMA capable iPhone. With no legally enforceable contract to keep the iPhone on AT&T, Apple choosing to limit it to AT&T would only result in missed revenue, and their shareholders wouldn't be happy about that.
oxymoronAug 13, 2010
They already have a CDMA version. It has been reported on for the last 6 months that a CDMA iphone exsists.
generalobviousAug 13, 2010
They need to stop making so many bulls**t standards and just pick ONE thing and use it.
CDMA, GSM, blah blah blah. Just f**king pick one instead of having 9238923 things that don't work together.
Closed AccountAug 13, 2010
"CDMA, GSM, blah blah blah. Just f**king pick one instead of having 9238923 things that don't work together."
That is what LTE does.
GSM-based operators will probably go LTE, Verizon is going LTE, Sprint/Clear is considering it.
Now, it's just frequency bands that are the issue when it comes to moving phones.
dodobutt222Aug 14, 2010
The Verizon iPhone comes out in January...
jaspahAug 13, 2010
I think I'll keep my unlimited data plan from AT&T. I'd put money on Verizon severely capping iPhone data usage if they did eventually receive the device. Their network will end up in the same position AT&T's is in.
elranzerAug 13, 2010
Not really. The number of Android and Blackberry devices have proven that Verizon's CDMA technology can handle the load. GSM, being the older tech, cannot be improved without building more towers, whereas the infrastructure of CDMA can be improved without new towers.
Verizon can handle it. Don't believe AT&T's kool-aid.
Closed AccountAug 13, 2010
Careful what you wish for: could be "Hear that creaking sound Verizon? That's the sound of all those new iPhones taxing your network."
blackhole82Aug 12, 2010
that's all well and good if you are in an area with wifi
schneidz101Aug 13, 2010
forgive my cluelessness but i am kinda' an apple noob.
what does att have to do with the ipod touch (i thought it wasnt a fone) ?
punkcatAug 13, 2010
he is suggesting at&t didn't want apple to do a competing device in their exclusivity deal.
Closed AccountAug 13, 2010
The iPod touch is simply an iPhone without a few features, most notably, a cellular antenna. If the iPod Touch is able to make video calls, and skype calls on wifi, it would then make it no different than an iPhone (except for the limited wifi coverage being your only option for connectivity).
What this article is suggesting, is that with the addition of facetime to the iPod Touch, Apple would be providing an iPhone-like alternative to avoid having to deal with AT&T.
s8m3gAug 13, 2010
Phones... where we're going, we don't need phones.
BTTF anyone?
cjh79Aug 13, 2010
Does the ipod touch have a built-in microphone?
hotrats76Aug 13, 2010
To take photos perhaps? But yeah, a built in mic on the touch would be nice..
Closed AccountAug 13, 2010
Taking photos on a front-facing camera? I seriously doubt Apple would add a camera just to make it easier for you to take portraits of yourself.
punkcatAug 13, 2010
it has a microphone already.
rudegarAug 13, 2010
my 3g ipod touch don't it does however come with a headset with a mic but it's hardly the same
trdrstvAug 13, 2010
No it doesn't.
The iPod touch (2nd and 3rd gen) has support for inline mics, and Bluetooth mics, but not a built in one.
Closed AccountAug 13, 2010
"and Bluetooth mics"
But not Bluetooth headsets, at least, ones that use the hands-free profile.
megorAug 13, 2010
So what this is saying is because the IPhone 4 fails so horribly at being a phone the IPod touch is now at feature parity?
elranzerAug 13, 2010
Both devices can't make phone calls, so yeah I suppose they're now pretty much the same device.
notoriousbobAug 13, 2010
This prediction is heinously dumb. It'll do everything an iphone does cept make f**king phone calls. (outside of a wi-fi connection) Which is like... a big feature of the iphone and cellphones in general.
laughtoAug 13, 2010
That's the idea. A version of the iphone for people who don't want a phone contract from which all profits go to Apple.
trdrstvAug 13, 2010
Skype with an iPod touch works great if you have a fast connection.
lukesimpsonAug 13, 2010
How do you use Skype on an iPod touch? There's no microphone or camera?
trdrstvAug 13, 2010
The iPod touch 2nd and 3rd gen support inline microphones and bluetooth headsets. In fact the headphones that came with my 3rd gen touch had a mic built into them.
Currently there is no built in camera though...
elranzerAug 13, 2010
"It'll do everything an iphone does cept make f**king phone calls."
So you're saying it can do everything the iPhone can do?
surferjoemauiAug 13, 2010
I make phone calls with my iPhone everyday with no trouble . Maybe your not doing it right.
bartledooAug 13, 2010
Yeah, you must be holding it wrong.
cjh79Aug 13, 2010
It will be just like the pre-cell phone days, when you had to be at your house to make a call.
balthisarAug 13, 2010
I moved from a 2G iPod Touch (from a Sony Clié) as a PDA to the iPhone 3GS /specifically/ for the 3G access. I don't care about the telephone; I need the data. Free WIFI isn't ubiquitous in my part of the state.
laughtoAug 13, 2010
If the new ipod touch has dual cameras I'll buy it in a second. If it just has a front-facing + mic I will be radically pissed.
jaspahAug 13, 2010
I don't think it's going to come with all the bells and whistles he suggested. The retina display is 4x larger than the current iPod Touch screen, and that's going to mean Apple is going to have to most likely use their A4 chip to ensure all the apps run smoothly. In addition, those cameras are going to add more money to production costs as well.
I don't know if they'll be able to pull all that off while keeping the iPod Touch pricing where it is now. I guess we'll find out.
compulsive1Aug 13, 2010
How do you call someone who has an iPod Touch? Do they get a phone number from Skype or some other provider?
Also, iPod Touch with wi-fi turned on only lasts a few hours. It's a very bad replacement for a phone.
Just get a cheap phone that makes actual calls and use your iPod Touch for everything else.
rudegarAug 13, 2010
the way skype works is when you're connected people can call you by your skype name
and you can call them by their skype name
this of cause only works calling skype users
if you want to call normal phone numbers you pay skype for it called skype out
if you want a normal phone number you pay a monthly feed to skype this is called sype in
the way that works is the same for all devices which have skype clients from phones to desktops
jaspahAug 13, 2010
Not to mention, if they don't build a microphone into the iPod Touch, you'll still be carrying around some dorky headset or iPhone earbuds every time you DO happen to want to call someone.
eldridgeaAug 13, 2010
If you don't want to devices you should check out Sprint's MiFi iPod case.
http://www.ipodnn.com/articles/10/07/29/zte.peel.to.give.ipod.its.own.3g.data/
dougm68Aug 13, 2010
WOOOHOOOOOO!!!!!!
C'mon Verizon!
jjustin01Aug 13, 2010
You're willing to pay Verizon a monthly fee for using your iPod Touch?
digjamAug 13, 2010
just another blogspam.. no real explanation of how the exclusivity ends..
91z4meAug 16, 2010
Contract term expires=exclusivity ends. Pretty simple.
dougm68Aug 13, 2010
Smart phones are for pussys. I still use a beeper. suck it.
graemeeAug 13, 2010
Grow one first
melikbilgeAug 13, 2010
Oh s**t
mikedaulAug 13, 2010
I'm constantly frustrated by journalists who go so excited by "new" apple tech that has already been available for a long time.
The Nokia n800 came out in 2007. It has a camera that can rotate to front-facing mode and can make calls over skype.
The Nokia n900 came out in late 2009. It has front and rear cameras. It has skype fully integrated into the OS.
So why is the prospect of an ipod touch device having a front-facing camera and making voip calls so revolutionary? Just because apple says it is?
rudegarAug 13, 2010
but it's not powered by the soul of a foxconn worker like iphone4 is! :P
pcoteAug 13, 2010
Yes, it's partly because it's Apple. Apple's brand has a strong reputation along consumers so it's easier for them to introduce products that will wield strong adoption rates. What I am a bit sorry about, is that Apple is having trouble keeping their reputation since they have gone financially bigger. One problem they have, is that even though they get bigger on a financial point of view, their number or employees doesn't really change. They want to keep it small but I don't know if it will hold on in the long term...Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
elranzerAug 13, 2010
Not to mention that video calls have been available in Europe, on Nokia phones, for a long time now.
surferjoemauiAug 13, 2010
Oh and you use this service all the time? What phone do you use?
blorcAug 14, 2010
Because virtually nobody uses those features on those phones. Apple will make it ubiquitous. That's why it's a big deal. It doesn't matter who did it first. It matters who does it best and drives mass adoption.
According to your statement, Windows 3.0 shouldn't have been such a big deal because Apple already had a GUI mouse-based operating system.
mikedaulAug 14, 2010
Actually, Windows 3.0 wasn't such a big deal. Back then Apple had a much higher market-percentage than they do now. Windows 3.1 was a much bigger deal (networking, multimedia, internet explorer, etc). And after that, Windows 95 was a huge deal. Apple's Market share dropped significantly from about '95-'99 (Windows 95 wasn't the only reason, but it certainly contributed; and of course the iMac coming out in 98/99 really helped turn them around).
But I'm not sure how that in any way relates to the point I was trying to make. The ipod touch 4 (or whatever it will be called) simply won't be the first personal media player device to include a front-facing camera and the ability to make voip calls. Yet, the very idea that it will do so makes this journalist write:
"And with an app like Skype which uses the long-awaited multitasking functionality on iPhone to make and receive voice calls – it’s also a fully functional phone. Apple could even build Internet-based voice call functionality directly into iOS for this very purpose. Goodbye house phones."
Yet Nokia has already done this very thing on the n900. At my house we've been using a voip service as our main line for 5 years. It' established tech and works great. I just think it's irresponsible for a tech journalist to make claims based purely on hype, especially when the future tech he's so excited about already exists and is in wide use.
fluidambientAug 13, 2010
WiFi+VoIP is still not a replacement for cell phone service. Maybe it can be in the future if the government ever decides to roll out free city wide WiFi. My feeling is free internet won't be coming within this century.
Besides that ability is already on the iPhone, do you see people making all their Skype calls on iPhones? I don't. This article miscalculates the importance of video conferencing. It's a large gimmick most people prefer voice to visual conferencing.
trdrstvAug 13, 2010
"WiFi+VoIP is still not a replacement for cell phone service."
Maybe not, but think of it as an improved home phone. It'll work in your house and outside of your house too. Sure it won't work everywhere, but neither does my cell phone.
srodolffAug 13, 2010
What the heck does an iPod Touch have to do with AT&T?
ryebryeAug 13, 2010
This guy is getting so worked up over the idea of skype on an iPod I can almost hear him climaxing halfway through and then going to wash his hands off.
benmiller313Aug 13, 2010
Did that guy just suggest that skype on an ipod can and will replace not only cell phones, but landlines!?!?!? I hope you never have to call someone without Skype, and i hope you never leave a Wifi hotspot.
s0nicfreakAug 13, 2010
Skype can be used to call people without Skype. $3 a month gets you unlimited calling both in and out. So if you're already paying for internet access, that can mean HUGE savings.
nogeroAug 13, 2010
Ridiculous fiction. Buried.
corinthosAug 13, 2010
I can't wait until it happens just to see what att says about their userbase dropping after being smug and acting like it wouldn't affect anything.
Closed AccountAug 13, 2010
The only thing great feature about AT&T is rollover minutes.
s0nicfreakAug 13, 2010
Now when unlimited minute plans have become cheap
makhankoAug 13, 2010
Nokia had "internet tablet" with Skype built in years ago. It quietly died. There are several wi-fi Skype phones around that nobody really uses. WiFi coverage sucks. AT&T and others have nothing to worry about.
jeezoflipAug 13, 2010
This is an article about nothing. Also, the iPod touch will not replace a phone just cause it will pick up a couple of cameras and video calling (if any of that is even true). You still need wifi to use it, and there is not wifi everywhere.
stolemybikeAug 13, 2010
I think there is some truth to this, although I wouldn't say it has much of anything to do with the fact that the next models will have a camera.
Clear's iSpot is an example of how this can be accomplished. For 25 dollars a month, you get unlimited data coverage for your iPod. Now, you have to be in a 4G area, so if you aren't you're looking at spending a lot more for 3G/4G combination plans, but with that caveat out of the way, you now have constant connectivity for your iPod. With multitasking available, you can download a softphone app and have Google Voice forward your calls, and you will have the call pushed.
Now, the downsides of course... VOIP isn't always super reliable. (more like, the internet connection itself isn't). You have to use your ipod headphones or some s**tty plug-in mic to make calls.
But then again, you're paying 25 dollars a month for unlimited data, talk, and text. Those savings add up to hundreds and hundreds of dollars in just months. Worth it? Possibly.
yage2006Aug 13, 2010
Seems like every week someone is predicting the end to AT&T's exclusivity with the Iphone.
swatkins44Aug 14, 2010
Technically it already has ended. Skype already works as described
thedaniloAug 13, 2010
Mainly because, unlike the n800 and n900, people actually buy and use the iPod touch in the tens of millions.
alienmushroomAug 14, 2010
Now all it needs is an app that decrypts WPA passwords.
satirenineAug 14, 2010
MacGruber!
bobbisterAug 14, 2010
Good news for the US, but the arrival of "The Future"? Japan and South Korea already have video chat on cellphones... in fact, they've had them for years!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bt0iD3_WI_Q
I'm not from the US, but can I ask (and I'm asking out of curiosity--I'm not asking in a snide way): how many of you guys in the US are aware that your cellphone companies are selling you pared-down versions of cellphones?
groberts1980Aug 17, 2010
"Goodbye house phones" <---- ???
I haven't had a house phone since 1998.