Previous rumours regarding a new generation of Nano with inbuilt camera functionality seem to have faded to dust. According to Wired magazine's website, this has paved the way for a fresh bout of rumours, this time regarding the next generation of iPod Touch. Perhaps its a case of Apple finally noticing that they could attract more people to their media player with this simple addition; or simply because it seems to be the next logical step, either way there is now talk of camera functionality on the next generation of the Touch.
These are just rumours however, but it doesn't mean we can't get excited about them. According to Wired's 'very well connected source' Apple are readying a new version of the iPod Touch with a camera and microphone. All you've got to do is add a Skype account to this mix and apparantly you've made your home phone line redundant in seconds. This could easily transform the smart media player into almost-an-iPhone, thanks Wi-Fi hotspots and 3G-to-Wi-Fi hubs. Imagine, the only home telephone you need is infact the iPod Touch. Seems a little too much to achieve in my opinion.
According to a short article by Gizmodo, this is something At&T (The service provider for the iPhone in the US) should be a little nervous about, regarding: "The prospect of Apple eventually gaining carrier independence with a 100% VoIP solution."
According to Wired's well connected source, Apple's factories in China are already getting into the manufacturing process, however Apple PR have declined to pass comment on this rumor. Wired's source expects this new generation of the Touch to go on sale in two or three months time.
Wired also concurs with the opinion given by Gizmodo in light of this rumor:
"They will transform the entertainment-oriented iPod Touch line into a voice communications tool wherever WiFi is available."
"In addition to these voice-over-IP capabilities, which should have telephone providers quaking in their boots, the microphone (and camera) would enable the iPod Touch to understand voice commands, capture video and images, and work with a wider variety of programs in the App Store."
This makes as much sense as saying that Microsoft are inventing OS in 2009 with Windows 7.
This ignorant apple bashing is getting tiring... don't you guys have some finger painting to do?
This ignorant apple bashing is getting tiring... don't you guys have some finger painting to do?
Let the kids have their fun.
This ignorant apple bashing is getting tiring... don't you guys have some finger painting to do?
You don't get it obviously. Simply, Apple get credit for inventing whatever they release - like touchscreen phones, or mp3 players.
Or like their new advert suggests....copy and paste!! lol
Please show me anywhere where apple claims to have invented copy-paste, touch screens.... anything that you people seem to believe they have?? Can't do it can you, because it only exists in your minds.
No... its more like 'Apple: Making VOIP COOL TO USE in 2009'.
I mean, United States are the one who invent the technology (thanks to their army), but "every other country" knows how to actually make it good and useable.
(ok this is partly a joke, I hope you guys understood that, but it is also partly true... sorry
Why shouldnt they do this? I dont think they could charge significantly higher than the current price of the iPod Touch, so this is a welcome addition (hopefully; it IS only a rumour still).
Believe me, I hate Apple fanboy-ism, as much as any fanboy-ism, but this is a GOOD idea.
No, it's more like: "hello i'm an iPod owner, it's 2009 and i don't know what VOIP is, but my iPod looks cool and i look cool when using it."
fixed this for you....
"Hello i'm an iPod owner, it's 2009 and i don't know why other mp3 players make such crappy players, but being "crappy" is a subjective term to use. So i should just stick to looking cool with my trendschmuck toy of an mp3 play"
Are you sure of that?
I remember MS talking about HD gaming like if it was new while launching the 360. PC gamers have been playing HD games for ages.
The iPod Touch is a really nice mp3 player.
Overpriced yes but if someone has the money to spend for it then it's a very good choise.
AT&T already invented it with their TV service. I have it.
Can you even be signed into Skype while playing music?
Can you even be signed into Skype while playing music?
You most certainly can listen to music whilst running Skype. That said, lack of multitasking is going to inhibit the use of an iPod Touch as as portable VOIP phone. That is unless Apple bundle it with a generic SIP app that can run in the back ground.
Except Skype doesn't do push notifications. Oh, and you'd need to wait for it to load to answer a call. 's a bit cumbersome, that.
I'm honestly trying to figure that out - I just don't understand. Maybe I'm missing something important?
(Of course this is all assuming that the cameras in iPod touches are not going to be better than the average mobile phone camera)
So the way I see it is that there is no point in putting a camera in your media player unless you are also going to put a phone inside it as well - that is what we have the iPhone for...
Am I just assuming too much or does all of this make a camera in the iPod touch useless to most? I'd rather have massive features that are actually useful, to be honest :/
I'm looking forward to seeing what the Zune HD has to offer, as I'm more than likely going to switch to it. This news just reinforces my imminent decision, until I hear of any new features, coming to the iPod touch, which are actually useful.
Camera is useless, as you said. It's just gonna be a "Oh, look at what I can do" feature. And as always, those features are useless.
So the way I see it is that there is no point in putting a camera in your media player unless you are also going to put a phone inside it as well - that is what we have the iPhone for...
Am I just assuming too much or does all of this make a camera in the iPod touch useless to most? I'd rather have massive features that are actually useful, to be honest :/
I'm looking forward to seeing what the Zune HD has to offer, as I'm more than likely going to switch to it. This news just reinforces my imminent decision, until I hear of any new features, coming to the iPod touch, which are actually useful.
I'd suspect video recording more than picture taking is what they're aiming to sell here.
EDIT: What giga said makes more sense then the drivel I went on about
I thought I might be missing some important things, so thank you for explaining
Camera is useless, as you said. It's just gonna be a "Oh, look at what I can do" feature. And as always, those features are useless.
It is not entirely useless, a lot of people will like it and use it. I have a really crappy camera on my mobile. If my ipod had a better one, I would use it. I mean, not for proper photos, where I have a point and shoot.
I guess this is better for the younger generation, who don't already have a camera, and have a cheap mobile.
So the way I see it is that there is no point in putting a camera in your media player unless you are also going to put a phone inside it as well - that is what we have the iPhone for...
Am I just assuming too much or does all of this make a camera in the iPod touch useless to most? I'd rather have massive features that are actually useful, to be honest :/
I'm looking forward to seeing what the Zune HD has to offer, as I'm more than likely going to switch to it. This news just reinforces my imminent decision, until I hear of any new features, coming to the iPod touch, which are actually useful.
lol well i certainly wouldn't complain about another camera i mean if someone has a different phone outside of an ipod that may have a camera it might not have the versatility of apples mobile platform. Not aimed at skype specifically but facebook, myspace etc would be easy and could make use of it too which it can be always handy to have separate devices for separate things like if someone has a business phone which isn't allowed facebook or media/entertainment things on. It's better they level the developers playing field when developing for ipod and iphone cause quite frankly i'm sick of seeing applications on ipod touch that want to find my location when it doesn't have GPS what's the point. Obviously there's nothing that says you can only carry one camera on you i mean looking at it from that prospective chances are there's quite a few people who carry more then one phone on them which both have cameras ? so what each device has its purpose as would ipod touch with a camera you'd at least then be able to use applications on a level playing field with iphone. Also what's wrong with a camera inside a device with no phone ? it has wifi connectivity ? isn't that enough for managing personal images and whatnot on the go or at home...why not go to manufacturers who're making cameras with wireless and flickr support built in go oh why don't you just stick a 3G chip in there too oh why not add a phone to it because a camera isn't a phone just as an ipod isn't a iphone. They serve other purposes and there's nothing wrong with adding incentive features like a camera even if you won't use it others will.
Lets also not forget people who wish to experience apples mobile platform without being locked into a contract or paying an arm and leg for either.
Camera is useless, as you said. It's just gonna be a "Oh, look at what I can do" feature. And as always, those features are useless.
Wrong. People always ask me "man, why didn't you bring your camera with you again!?!?" and the answer is : why would I bring another device with me, especially because it's worth $600 more.
When I'll have an iPod Touch with a camera, be sure I will use it. Every. Single. Day.
I don't know what was on your mind when you said that, but I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one out there who thinks like this.
I was just being plain ignorant not thinking about the other uses a camera would provide, like taking photos and uploading them straight to Facebook or even a webcam for an IM application.
But most cellphones here (if not all) have these little cameras, but I'd say that most of them (70%+) have a camera just to have one. Meaning that the quality just isn't there. I tried the one on my brand new cellphone, and ... whew... I'm never taking pictures with that again. Not only this is a 1.3 Mpixel photo, but I've never seen such a bad quality in my whole life, even with tons of light behind it. The iPhone 3GS (and the iPhone 3G) has a camera because it's a good one, otherwise it wouldn't have it most likely. I will use the camera in my iPod Touch because it will be somewhat good, hoping it'll be the same as the 3GS.
I'm very picky on the quality of pictures, and I know the iPod will still not satisfy me For one, I'm pretty sure I won't have the flash. I've got to admit though that I would never have thought that such a small camera in such a small device could be so good. Right now the $600 camera that I stole to my father 3 years ago just doesn't cut it. It's a Sony and even though I love my PS3 (from sony yeah...), I can't say Sony makes good cameras. They're not good in this domain at all.
So if I can compensate by always having a camera on my iPod, with kinda good quality and all these commodities like you said (uploading right away on Facebook as you said, etc.) I will be happy for a while. Because yes, I often go to a party and right after that I put all these pics on Facebook and it takes quite a while to do it.
PMP sure like ipod classic, ipod touch also has internet capabilities and fits more in line with MID as much as a PMP.
/end rant
And, they can actually send those pictures to friends, wherever they are.
And, they can actually send those pictures to friends, wherever they are.
I know, I hate crossover. I mean my phone tells me the weather, SO NO OTHER DEVICE I OWN IS ALLOWED TO TELL ME THE WEATHER. And my laptop has a camera, SO NO OTHER DEVICE I OWN IS ALLOWED TO HAVE A CAMERA.
You know how much sense this makes? The camera doesn't make it bigger, heavier or anything. If you use the same case, and ignore the icon, you will never even know it is there. Now I know not all convergence is good, but this is a logical step.
And in a year, you know that Microsoft are going to come out with a new version of the zune with a camera in it. Of course, then it will be the greatest thing ever, and people here will be wetting their pants.
/end rant
Um, how do you define "real people"? Every body is a real person and not everybody will find this useful.
And, they can actually send those pictures to friends, wherever they are.
Yeah, well since I have a cell phone, I still carry my iPod Touch with me because it's like 1000 times better, no joke. It's an LG Rumour 1. I would do the same for every other cellphone that isn't called an iPhone, so go wonder
Usual cellphones are just not there yet and they will never be because this is exactly the goal... Blackberries cost too much per month, Nokia smartphones, same, iPhone, same, etc. The price of the devices are really great though.
You can't also forget how well a camera would fit if you take in account it's social networking capabilities and the more than likely ability to upload it on the fly to youtube (as in 3GS with the difference that youll need wi-fi for this).
On the iPhone, I couldn't explain it, maybe the next version will have 2 cameras (otherwise, how do you actually take a picture or record a video while seeing it in the screen?)
Funny how some members don't read the articles...
Last edited by Xsabin on 23 Jul 2009 - 14:46
So yeah, it's default apps do multi-task fine, I use Safari and then can open an app and come back to Safari on the same webpage, and Mail does deliver push notifications using my Exchange but the way it does it is different than the new push notification service, it keeps the Mail app on in the background and keeps it so it is ready for a push event. The iPod app also known as Music/Videos (2 different apps on iPod Touches) stays on to play music and you can double-tap the home button to change to a different song or pause or play, etc.
Point is, you are missing out on the news, because with the Apple Push Notification Service, you get notified instantly, and you can go right to the app by tapping a button on the notification, and you can change the type of notification you get, whether it is a sound, pop-up, etc. It isn't the app listening in, it just is a service.
The way apps on the iPhone/iPod Touch platform are made are different from other phone platforms. Simply the app is just for functionality, but the way it is delivering the information is different. Apps on other phone platforms have the protocol and code and everything else for IM apps for example. Apps on the iPhone/iPod Touch have less because they rely on a server to hold IM history, connection to IM services, your contacts, etc. So when you start an app, usually it off the dot, identifies your device, and delivers that to the server for the app, then it makes a connection and the server delivers your current status, current IMs with IM history, contacts, what networks your on, preferences, etc. Closing an app will keep you on the IM networks. Other phone platforms' IM apps actually connect to the IM networks directly and hold your data on your device. With the speed of the current iPhone, it makes this process faster making push notifications the best thing since sliced bread.
I'm doing the same as you btw, not buying anything until then!
All skype need to do is make Push work, probably wont be able to receive a call without the app being on but could get notification of someone trying to contact you and ring em back
Commenting has either been disabled on this article or you are not logged in. Click here to login or register, its free!
Note: Anonymous commenting is disabled in order to keep the quality of responses to a high standard.