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Turn an iPod touch into an iPhone with its own packaging

Here's a nice bit of ingenuity. Lifehacker reader Kevin explains how he used a VoIP app (Viber and Line 2 are two nice options) with his iPod's packaging and earbud speakers to create a DIY handset.

After smoothing the edges of the plastic backing and wearing a groove to hold the earbud wire, Kevin used a Dremel to place a hole in the back of the plastic, sealing it with a rubber washer to prevent the hole from slicing the wire. Next, he threaded it through and pulled the wire tight to hold it in place. The result is a functional and decidedly geeky iPod touch phone.

Well done, Kevin! You'll find additional photos here.

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Here's a nice bit of ingenuity. Lifehacker reader Kevin explains how he used a VoIP app (Viber and Line 2 are two nice options) with his...
 

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ittai


Hi everyone,
We would like to deliver a message from our company to all our users:

Recently there have been some complaints about Viber calls that don't get through, or over-consumption of battery. We have realized that many users choose to completely shut Viber off when they don't call (relying on Push Notifications for receiving calls).

But this solution actually causes the reverse effect - it disrupts incoming calls, and it wastes battery life, trying to activate the Push Notification mechanism each time a call is received.

For those of you with iPhone 3Gs and up (with "Multitasking") - we advise all our users to keep their Viber running in the background, thus saving battery life and hopefully fixing the "Missed Call" bug.

Thanks, and as usual if you have more questions please let me know,
Viber.

February 16 2011 at 8:47 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
MrMos3s

Hah! Did this same thing about a year and a half ago.

February 07 2011 at 4:05 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ittai

Hello,
This is a member of the Viber Development Team!
Thank you for your review of Viber. we are very happy that so many people worldwide are interested in our application.

I would just like to add that Viber will soon allow to send Text Messages very soon (February).

If you have any question about Viber - please feel free to ask.

Thanks!
the Viber Team.

February 06 2011 at 6:16 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Scott

Talkatone with GV Connect works great too!

February 04 2011 at 12:36 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Eddy120876

I like that nifty idea but is true what Grant says if you don't have a mifi is just a home Voip phone or wherever theres free wifi. Also whistle is a hell of a voip app, I have it for my ipad and mac(same number) and the calls are crystal clear

February 04 2011 at 12:25 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
vincentreusch

I have an ipod touch 4th gen. With Textfree with voice, you just hold the ipod upside down and backward. The speaker is by your ear, the microphone by your mouth. Textfree gives you a phone number. Call phones, phones call you. Works great. Wifi only, of course, but free.

February 04 2011 at 11:48 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to vincentreusch's comment
Dave

I do this too but with Skype. Works well for me.

February 04 2011 at 3:47 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
danielhertlein

I did this a few days ago after thinking about something similar for a while and it looks a lot sharper and more minimal in person than in photos. And it works just as well as a case with built-in headphone management it does as a VOIP headset, so hack away. You just have to unwrap the cord and pull the earbuds out.

February 04 2011 at 11:16 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jason

Does the iPod Touch have the necessary proximity sensor, or will your cheek accidentally hang up your call?

February 04 2011 at 10:45 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Jason's comment
Grant Buell

I don't think it has a proximity sensor, but hitting the sleep button before talking could solve that problem. The real problem, of course, is that this is a wi-fi only phone, so it'd be hard to use it as your only phone, unless you have a Mifi or something.

February 04 2011 at 10:56 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
David Frantz

OK a little to, huh I'm not sure what the word is for it, geekish maybe!

In any event with the advent of Facetime and the multitude of VoIP apps I do wish that Apple would just add a mic to the Touch. A better speaker too.

Actually I'm dissatisfied with the speakers on all iOS devices right now. Some of us just need a louder, fuller range sound to be able to use the device well.

February 04 2011 at 10:38 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
mark

Yeah! I'm all over this.

February 04 2011 at 10:21 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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