
Apple Preparing iPod Touch With Camera, Microphone - Flemlord
http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2009/07/apple-preparing-ipod-touch-with-camera-microphone-source/
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ryanwaggoner
_Rumors have swirled about Apple readying a new version of the iPod Touch with
a camera and microphone, which, combined with a Skype account, would pretty
much obviate the need for a home phone line once and for all._

1\. Pretty sure that need was obviated years ago, when cell phone coverage
became ubiquitous.

2\. I really doubt this will make much of a dent in the home phone market, as
VOIP handsets have been available for years.

3\. I agree that the iPhone network plans are overpriced, but I really don't
want the hassle of carrying two devices, hunting for open wifi, plus the cost
of buying them both, a skype number, etc.

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robg
We gave up cell phones and this is exactly the solution we opted for. We got a
Touch ($250) and a Skype number/subscription ($60) and saved over $1000 from
our cell contract. Two drawbacks:

1) Skype doesn't push calls through the other iPod apps so you have to have
Skype loaded and the device unlocked to receive a call. In reality, you just
make outbound calls.

2) If you have a need for a non-stop wireless signal (and we don't - not now),
this won't work but....The Verizon Mifi ($60/month plus $100 upfront) gives
you your own personal wireless connection through their 3G network. The bonus
is you can connect up to five wireless devices at a time. The only real
downside is a maximum of 5 Gb/month in bandwidth. True, that's an extra device
to carry/charge, but the flexibility seems worth it to me if we ever to need
constant connectivity.

Basically, we get almost all of the iPhone's functionality for a lot less.
Next _year_ our total cost will be $60 (for the Skype services). I think this
option can work for anyone who spends most of their time within range of a
wireless network. In case our old car ever breaks down, we do have an
emergency paygo cell. If we find we'll be out and about more often, we'll get
the Verizon Mifi.

What's interesting is Verizon actually pushed us down this path. We weren't
getting decent coverage in our home (and no provider would in our town), so
they offered us their Network Extender which routes cell calls through
VoIP...for another $200. You read that right. They unload capacity from their
towers and through the internet and still manage to charge $200.

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zimbabwe
This is my dream handheld app. I'm finally moving to the city, so wi-fi will
be constantly available, and I can't afford the iPhone's network plan.

The perverse Apple fan in me, of course, doesn't even care about this upcoming
technology as much as he cares about how awesome the keynote announcement will
be.

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ryanwaggoner
Not sure what city you're moving to, but I live in San Francisco and I've been
very disappointed in how often I can't find an open hotspot. Perhaps it's just
me?

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robg
I was just out there visiting and I was surprised by the same. Berkeley was
less of an issue. It does seem like there are a lot of closed wireless
networks in San Fran that you can buy a subscription to. That might be another
option if you don't need so much connectivity to require the Verizon Mifi.

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jsz0
There's probably some potential for Apple to grab a decent chunk of the low-
end/mid-range camera market. Convergence is a bigger selling point than pure
quality these days for portable electronics. In the future when the iPhone is
$50 with contract on any carrier the Touch will have to become a more unique
device to justify its existence. If Apple were to make it larger (about the
size of a paper back) and give it a legitimate camera it would be a very
interesting device.

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ryanwaggoner
Meh. If I'm going to carry a Touch for its amazing new camera capabilities
(plus my iPhone), why bother with the iPod + Apps features? Why not just get a
camera? And if it's for the convergence, why not just get an iPhone?

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pilif
_combined with a Skype account, would pretty much obviate the need for a home
phone line once and for all._

as the iPhone OS still does not support background applications, this is
barely true - unless you want to keep skype running all the time which would
render you unable to do unimportant stuff as, say, change the track you are
listening on.

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aditya
Couldn't the Skype app send you a background notification that the phone was
ringing?

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demallien
Push notifications aren't perfectly real-time, you can often have a delay of
up to a few minutes, which is too long for a connect signal.

However, as it's pretty much free to call on Skype, a notification that
someone has _tried_ to call you, and do you want to call them back, would be
completely feasible with the current technology. I can only imagine that Skype
are gearing up to do exactly this in their iPhone app...

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tyohn
If Apple would put a webcam on the iTouch then they'd have the device I'm
looking for...a video phone (using Skype)

