Turn your iPod touch into a phone

Described by Apple itself as the ‘funnest’ iPod ever, the iPod touch may now be the ‘useful-est’ too thanks to the release of Truphone for the iPod touch, which effectively turns one into a mobile phone.

The application is free to both download and use, just in time to save precious cash when making those Christmas calls to friends and family.

Once installed, and with the addition of microphone adaptor (which you can get from the Apple Store, or from us very shortly), an iPod touch owner can make free calls - no matter where they are in the world - to other iPod touch owners, to customers of Truphone’s Internet telephony service, and to users of the Google Talk™ instant messaging service.

Truphone for the iPod touch will become a one-stop-shop social hub with the following features coming soon:

·        Making and receiving calls to and from landlines (PSTN) at low cost (simply set yourself up with a Truphone account)

·        Instant messaging to Skype and MSN (free)

·        Calling to Skype users (free)

·        Calling to MSN users (free)

·        Check and set facilities for Twitter (free)

·        Check and set facilities for Facebook (free)

Truphone for iPod touch is easily downloaded from Apple’s App Store in exactly the same way as any other iPod touch application.

The application uses the iPod touch's Wi-Fi connection to carry calls over the Internet to its destination. There is no monthly line rental, no subscription or other hidden charges.

So, what type of calls can you make?

·        iPod touch to iPod touch

·        iPod touch to Truphone (some Nokia handsets)

·        Truphone (some Nokia handsets plus iPhone) to iPod touch

·        iPod touch to Google Talk PC user

And what do you need, to make these calls?

·        A second generation iPod touch (i.e. current model)

·        A headset and microphone like those for the iPhone.  These may be bought at high street electronics retailers or from an Apple Store

·        Friends also using Truphone!

So, if you want to start impressing people by calling them without using a 'real phone', why not download Truphone for the iPod touch now. We look forward to hearing what you think of it.

Comments

[fresh mobile]

Wow! It's amazing news!
I have iPod touch and use Google Talk to calling...
and now i want to use truphone...

Thanks a lot!

[Tru]

Glad you are excited about the news. We certainly are!

Please let us know what you think, when you have tried it out.

Regards,
Truphone

[Thomas]

Will the iPhone version be updated shortly to add things like the Google Talk functionality?

[Tru]

Thomas - at the moment Truphone's iPhone keypad is only numerical, so users can only call 'numbers' and not 'names', making it impossible to call Google Talk users.

We are looking to add new features to the Truphone for the iPhone app in the future though, so will definitely give this one some thought.

Thanks for the question.

[Dave]

Awesome! Except for me it won't install on my ipod touch, same as another cmmenter in the itunes store.

[Lakeuk]

Great application from the touch, was easy to setup but I am experiencing problem:-

Very regularly when a call to googletalk is connected (more so when gtalk users contact my truphone) all I hear is my own voice as if I'm on helium, the caller hears me ok but I can't hear them - which makes the application unusable at the moment.

Also if you use the keypad when on a call the caller at their end hear a shockingly loud electric style sound.

testing has been to google talk accounts only

[Sasha]

The application does not install from app store - it just announces that this application is for iPhone. Via iTunes it also does not accept syncing it with my iPod Touch. My gadget is quite new, bought it new last summer so I don't get it what's the problem.

[Tru]

Dave - do you have a 2nd gen iPod touch?

Lakeuk - what version of GTalk are you using? Please note that Truphone works ONLY with GTalk version 1.0.0.104.

Sasha - can you please confirm that you tried to download Truphone for the iPod touch, and not Truphone for the iPhone. Probably sounds like a silly question, but it needs to be ruled out as the reason you are having problems.

The best idea is to email support@truphone.com, so that any downloading and use issues can be investigated and resolved properly.

[Sasha]

OK I read your site more carefully and it says Truphone just works with the 2nd generation iPod which was launched AFTER I bought my iPod last summer...

But it does not change the fact that when I tried to install it from the app store (yes, the correct version) it announced that it is for iPhone only. So instead of a faulty product there was just a faulty error message I guess.

Any plans making Truphone available for the older iPod Touch model?

[philippe750017]

hello,
do you plan to support the ipod touch 1G using the touchmods microphones ?
these mics are the only way for 1G users to use a program like yours
and most ipod touch users at present are 1G not 2G !
rgds
ph.

[Lakeuk]

Confirming I have version 1.0.0.104 of GTalk installed

[Ste]

Could you answer Sasha's question - "Any plans making Truphone available for the older iPod Touch model?".

Surely there is no technical barrier to it working on the 1st Gen Touch.

[Truphone]

Sasha, Ph and Ste - we would love to bring it out on the 1st Gen too, however the 1st Gen iPod touch does not support microphones. It is not a case of us not wanting to make it available, that's for sure!

Lakeuk - not sure the answer to your issue I'm afraid. It would be best to send a request to support@truphone.com so that they can look into it properly and help you out as best we can.

[Sasha]

As Ph mentioned there exists a microphone for the older model which will be connected to the dock (or whatever you call it) on the bottom of the iPod. Just so far the mics are not yet mass produced but these guys in France (Touchmods) make them by order. So if it is not a case of not wanting it why not give it a try? ;-)

[vwtick]

support was added for dock based mics in firmware 2.2 for the 1st gen touch
http://www.macitynet.it/english/aA35368/no_modding_needed_for_voip_and_recording_with_1st_gen_ipod_touch.shtml
the problem now is getting the apps to install

[Sasha]

vwtick, I did not know that, but that sounds like great news! So practically there is no problem, or the problem should be very easily solvable. Can you hear me, Truphone folks?

[Tru]

vwtick - thanks for sending through the link - I will forward to the production team and let them discuss it.

[Sean]

Why not make calls to landlines an option. Let people pay the small fee to make calls to landlines through their Ipod touch. There is a keypad built into the app all I need to be able to do is buy the credit. I mean I can make calls through Fring (using a skype account) to landlines on my Ipod touch why not truphone?

[Poru]

hi guys
I just got the 2nd Gen Touch and downloaded the app... seems to work OK but I hadn't read the FAQ so didn't realize I can't call landlines... Hope that is coming soon. But I can call the touch from my skype out account (to the +883 iNum) and I guess others can as well.

You mention above calling skype directly but I can't see any other info on that. Please elaborate if you can.

But all in all pretty cool, and I just need to convert others to truphone ;)

[Tru]

Sean - see the new post - you can now use your iPod touch to make calls to landlines - enjoy!

[YT]

I tried truphone on my touch 2nd gen to call a gtalk contact. The call never gets through. My fren says nothing pops up on his google talk client.

[Sean]

Yes! I did see the new post, and I am very much enjoying. 6 cents per minutes in North America is pretty good but I was hoping for a bit better. I saw the $14 for 1000 minutes thing (or something like that that boiled down to 1.4 cents per minute) sounded great but to have to use it in one month! I mean that is getting close to cell phone rates and landline rates. I don't think people are going to use this in replacement for either so who is going to spend $14 a month more than the home phone and/or cellphone to SAVE money. I guess just to use it for long distance maybe. Still seems a bit odd. I mean the quality is the best compared to other cheap VOIP but it is not home phone or even cellphone quality for that matter. Still I am very happy with the app, and I will use it at 6 cents a minute with pleasure.

[Tru]

YT - if you are having issues with making gtalk calls, please contact support@truphone.com, and our support team will do their best to help you out.

[Aadil]

I don't get it. Will it work if I used the Apple In-Ear Headphone with Remote and Mic?? http://store.apple.com/sg/product/MA850?mco=MTIxODk <---- this link has information on it. Please tell me if I can use it with that.

[Tru]

Aadil - yes, you will be able to use your Apple In-Ear Headphone to make Truphone calls using your iPod touch. Just plug them in, and you are ready to start calling. Please let me know if you need any more assistance.