Rumor redux: iPod Touch with camera, mic coming
The new iPod Touch could have very similar features to the iPhone 3G S.
(Credit: Apple)Apple is getting ready to launch a new iPod Touch with a built-in camera and microphone, according to former CNET editor and MP3 Insider Eliot Van Buskirk, who now writes a Wired blog.
This rumor has been circulating for a while, but Van Buskirk writes: "A well-connected source tells us those rumors are on the money, and that Apple's factories in China are already manufacturing iPod Touch models with integrated cameras and microphones."
The short piece talks up the fact that with inclusion of a microphone and a quick download of Skype for iPhone, the iPod Touch would become a nifty VoIP phone wherever you can get a Wi-Fi connection. The new iPod would most likely be enhanced with voice commands just as the iPhone is.
There's nothing in the post about the possibility of a 64GB iPod Touch, but we're still counting on Apple to produce one when the line is upgraded--most likely this fall. (Last year's new Touch roll out was September 10.) A lot of folks are hoping Apple will introduce a jumbo iPod Touch/Netbook in September as well.
Comments?
Additional reading: Is iPod Touch getting a camera?
Hunkered down in New York City, Executive Editor David Carnoy covers the gamut of gadgets and writes his Fully Equipped column, which carries the tag line "The electronics you lust for." He's also the author of "Knife Music," a novel. E-mail David. Follow David on Twitter. 
cvaldez1831, in all fairness and polite corrected, please google your facts for accuracy before you make them public. There is talk of an app store for the Zune HD. Checkl out:
http://www.electronista.com/articles/09/07/16/microsoft.oneapp.trademark/
Sorry folks, I'm a Zune fan and have been since I got my white first gen 30GB model. Wife, sister-in-law, and dad all have Zune minis. Brother, mother and I all have 80gb models. And just to make it a bit less "short gene-pool tech", I have 8 buddies that have them as well. Yeah, the community is not as deep as the iPod (and I give props to Apple for a good product), but the loyal Zunesters are out there and getting stronger... lol.
Peace and Love
Last I heard from Microsoft, the Zune HD would be integrated with the xbox live marketplace only through VIDEO... Not applications or games. Not that it's impossible, just that Microsoft said that it would be through video.
:-)
Basically all smartphones in the U.S. have a healthy subsidy that allows the hardware to be sold very inexpensively ($99, $199) but forces a two-year service contract with the carrier for them to recoup that subsidy (about $400 for the iPhone). The iPod touch is a great device for people who do not wish to lock themselves into a long-term contract with the iPhone's carrier (AT&T in this country) yet still would like to enjoy most of the apps and functionality.
I spend about $3/month on my T-Mobile dumbphone with their Pay-As-You-Go service. I could buy the new iPod touch each year and still come out ahead compared with iPhone users, although I do give up the luxury of having always-on Internet access. That's a conscious choice I made.
Note that while there might be 30 million iPhones out there, there are also about 20 million iPod touches, so clearly there is a market for this device. While it is typically forgotten by the tech press, the iPod touch is a very powerful ally to the iPhone.
As ckh1272 mentions, nothing else has the seamless user experience. There is really nothing that competes with the iPod touch right now. Even the upcoming Zune HD won't have an app store according to Microsoft. It'll be more like the pre-App Store iPod touch, mostly a music/video player with a web browser.
But yeah, once my contract is up, this would work for me completely.
My only issue with WIFI + VOIP is the battery issue. I hear the battery gets consumed a lot if you are idle on wifi waiting for a call and when you are on a call it drains the battery real fast. I was talking for 20 min on skype using my 2G Touch and my battery went from 89% to 20%. Not good! Anyone else experience this?
Let's face it: VoIP isn't a big deal (neither is the forward-facing video camera for video conferencing). If there was such a pent-up interest in VoIP, we would already heard about it (the iPhone supports VoIP via a number of applications as does the iPod touch with the right external accessory microphone).
It would be nice to see the magnetometer make it to the upcoming iPod touch. The utility of assisted GPS would be limited since the iPod touch doesn't have an always-on Internet connection. At least in decently populated areas, WiFi triangulation works well enough.
I don't see a big benefit to having HD on these handheld devices, particularly right now. In the year and a half that I've own my iPod touch, I think I've output to a TV once or twice and Apple accessory video output cables aren't exactly flying off the shelves indicating that others aren't particular interested either.
HD video takes up too much storage space for the limited capacity of these handheld devices and the transfer times over USB 2.0 are rather pokey. Maybe in a couple of years, with 128GB or 256GB devices and USB 3.0 interface for data transfer (802.11n WiFi downloads).
Apple will recycle it for you. If you purchase a new iPod, they'll generally give you 10% off if you turn in an old one.
The full-blown Flash player that support video is too resource-intensive. Even on desktop/notebook computers, Flash tends to peg CPUs. That's okay for systems on AC power (the fan will kick in too), but it's unacceptable to Apple for their mobile devices.
There is currently no middle tier Flash player that is optimized for mobile devices and won't suck up CPU/battery life.
I think a camera and mic upgrade, as well as whatever other internal niceties they come up with (more memory, faster chip, better battery, etc.) will pretty much keep this product in a class of its own. No one else has a device that you can just buy (with no monthly fees) that can do so much for the price. One minor item on my wishlist.... I really hope with the addition of the camera, Apple has opted for that strong thermoplastic back that the Iphone 3G/S already uses. I've seen my friend's Touches and if you just look at that metal wrong it gets scratched ;).
- by andrewnegri July 21, 2009 12:21 PM PDT
- I currently have a 2nd generation ipod touch. it's worked pretty well so far. i think ill upgrade when they get to the 4th generation touch instead of upgrading immediately.
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- by carlitos92 July 21, 2009 7:28 PM PDT
- Er... That alleged $700 also adds up to being able to browse almost anytime, anywhere - and not having to carry around two devices and their chargers/headsets/etc. It's not for everybody, but clearly there is a market.
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Showing 1 of 2 pages (77 Comments)As far as itouch vs. iphone, the ipod touch wins as far as price goes. just have a cheap contract with a decent phone and then have the ipod also. it's quite a bit cheaper. in fact, the required data plan for the iphone adds up to over $700 of wasted money.