iPod Touch as 3G Phone,

I found this post on slickdeals and I know it works. I have used skype on wifi to make calls from my ipod, so having the 3g from the peel will work. If you want a fake iphone conversion this is what you can do:

Virgin Mobile introduced the ZTE PEEL 3200 [virginmobileusa.com], a casing for iPod Touch 2nd and 3rd generation models (1st and 4th models are out of luck for now). The case costs $100 and has a no contract 500MB plan (Appx. 25hrs of 3G access) for $20/Month on the Virgin Mobile network.

In order to turn your iPod Touch into an actual phone, download the Talkatone [apple.com] Application from the Appstore and set up a free Google Voice [google.com] Account from your computer. You will be able to make free phone calls to the US and Canada via your iPod Touch where ever you have WiFi or 3G access.

This a good way to cheat paying $40+ a month for contracted phones and eliminates the need to bring both your iPod and phone with you wherever you go. All and all, it's like having an iPhone on a $20/Month plan.

Edit: Sprint [sprint.com] also has the PEEL on 1GB/Month no contract. Sprint is selling the PEEL for $80 and costs $30 per month. - Thanks tparks
Virigin Mobile is a part of the Sprint network so service should be about the same.

Edit 2: Made a comparison chart for Sprint and Virgin Mobile plans, see attached image.

Edit 3: Forgot that the 2nd and 3rd gen iPods didn't have a mic built in. You can use any set of earphones with a built-in mic [amazon.com] OR a plug-in microphone [amazon.com] (Between $2-15) as a Microphone and use the iPod's Speakers to make calls. The Virgin Mobile PEEL comes with a "Headset Adapter" if you already have a headset.

NBA JAM by EA SPORTS iPhone & iPod Touch video

This looks like a fun game. It is amazing at what they can program for these small devices nowadays.

Converting your Apple Ipod Touch to an Iphone

Technology is simply amazing. Things continue to get better for the Apple Ipod Touch. I use mine everyday while it is connected to my wifi network. Now there are 2 new devices that will allow you to connect your Ipod to a 3g network.




According to Apple Blog:

Sprint plans to launch the ZTE Peel case for the iPod touch this Sunday, according to a leaked document (via BGR). The Peel will provide 3G access to the Wi-Fi only device, cost $79.99, and act as a mobile hotspot, too, sharing a Wi-Fi connection with up to two devices. For 1GB of data, Peel users will pay $29.99 per month. It’s great news for current touch users, but it’s also a device Apple should render redundant.

THE IPOD TOUCH: NOW JUST A SMALLER IPAD

The ZTE Peel will give the iPod touch what iPad Wi-Fi + 3G owners got at launch: access to the web anywhere you have access to a cellular network. It’ll make the touch a lot more useful, even though it doesn’t allow users to make and receive calls and text messages, as did the similar Apple Peel 520. No doubt Apple would’ve blocked any attempt to sell such a device. In fact, I’m fairly surprised they’re allowing the ZTE Peel.

Since the case is only compatible with second- and third-generation iPod touches, not the current model, it won’t encourage people to rush out and buy new iPod hardware. But the Peel will encourage more iTunes and App Store sales, since touch owners will suddenly be able to use apps that pull data from web or download songs whenever the mood strikes them.

IPOD + PEEL = MANIFEST DESTINY FOR THE TOUCH

The ZTE Peel will also show Apple what effect a 3G-enabled iPod touch would have on its product ecosystem. I’ve long suspected that the iPod touch was created as a gateway drug for the company’s iPhone and iPad line. Touch users get a taste of the pocket computing power behind iOS, but run into many “If only…” moments when they try to access online content away from home.

A 3G-enabled touch removes many of those “If only…” moments, but I suspect that many users will still make the jump to an iPhone or iPad. Even with VoIP and messaging apps, the iPod touch can’t match the calling features of an actual phone. The iPad is something else entirely, a product that seems to have awakened a new thirst and satisfies it in a different way than any other Apple products.

Instead, Sprint’s experiment could show Apple the way to the iPod touch of the future. Amid the continued growth of smart and feature phones, where few people need both a media player and cell phone in their pockets, the iPod touch has lost a bit of its relevancy. A connected pocket computer with unfettered App Store access, however, might mean the iPod touch won’t get left behind.

It’ll also help widen the reach of iOS. Many people would like to try both Android and Apple’s mobile OS, but are limited to just one because of the confining nature of cell service contracts and unsubsidized device prices. Users who pick Android for their handset could also grab a touch to take advantage of what iOS has to offer.

After FaceTime and HD video, a cellular antenna is the last frontier for the iPod touch. I’d love to see Wi-Fi sharing come to the touch and other iOS devices, too, though I’m not holding my breath for that one. But 3G-capability is a no-brainer. Hopefully, Apple recognizes the benefits that Sprint’s Peel launch will make apparent, instead of just letting others profit from its inaction.