A freeware application for the ipod touch can turn the music player into a virtual mobile phone. ‘Truphone’ uses wireless internet technology in the ipod touch to enable the user to physically call other ipod touch owners and Google Talk’s messaging service users. The software development is fundamentally a spin off from technology Truphone developed for smartphones and iphones and the developers of the radical new technology plan to have the ability to call landline phones in place as soon as possible. Is this the end of the overly expensive iphone? This could be the answer for a cheap iphone, buy the ipod touch and hook up this new software. You don’t even need to integrate any third party electrical components other than a simple mic.

Ipod touch users who are keen to use the software will have to hook up a microphone to the device in order to make and receive calls to the handheld music players. The idea is very much the same as the internet revelation known as Skype. By using Skype you can make landline and mobile phone calls from your home computer for next to nothing. If one user is ‘online’ at the same time as you on Skype then the phone call is totally free of charge and it is understood that Truphone will produce a similar set up. Indeed, Winchester Electronics have been producing similar devices since Skype first launched.

The CEO of Truphone, Geraldine Wilson has said that the firm aims for global recognition. There is a massive gap in the market to be filled here and Truphone are not necessarily doing anything illegal, so why not? The only catch for this all to work is that you need to be in range of a wireless internet network. It will also need to have the newer mil-spec cables for microphone pick-up. The Truphone technology will be available for the Google 'Android' phone early next year. The company prefer to target phones with an application feature on the phone as this is the easiest and most reliable way to download more information.

The founder of the technology, James Tagg, said that this technology will work on other phones but in a slightly different way than modern phones such as the iphone, google phone and blackberry.