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Kevin Rose talks about iPod phone

Published on 5th December 2006 by Brett Thomas

Could Jobs be hiding an iPhone? Kevin Rose of Digg seems to think so.

It seems that everyone nowadays has a bet on the iPhone, which is supposedly Apple's next big move. Rumours, reports, and artist renditions of the phantasmal device have been everywhere since Apple's last big conference. Well, never fear - Digg's Kevin Rose has 'confirmed' the new phone.

Kevin does have a little bit of a track record for spectacular divination. In 2005, he hit the iPod nano right on the head, even down to its sizes. Therefore, we're not about to say he's completely off base with the following data on the iPhone:

It will be released in January across both GSM and CDMA networks
"extremely" small form factor
Two L-Ion batteries - one for phone time, one for music.
4GB or 8GB of flash memory
possible slide-out keyboard
possible touch-screen interface

So there you have it, right from Kevin's own ~~tarot cards~~ video podcast - A really small phone, with possibly an interface of some sort. It will play music with one battery so that you don't kill your phone's charge (a rather neat little addition). He even goes as far as to name a price - $249 for the 4GB version, and $449 for the 8GB version.

Of course, if you have any other questions, you can call Miss Cleo's psychic hotline at...oh, nevermind, just check out the Engadget article. Either that, or wait until January.

Got a thought on either the iPhone or Kevin's talents at scrying? Let us know in our forums.

15 Comments

Discuss in the forums Reply

riggs 5th December 2006, 18:29

I'm guessing it'll be iPod first, phone second?

tbh, if they want this to succeed they need to strike a deal with a major phone manufacturer rather than doing it alone. I dread to think what the phone functionality would be like.

As far as I know, the Motorola/iTunes phones didn't do too well. imo, the only company that have got it right so far are Sony/Ericsson...

M4RTIN 5th December 2006, 18:34

the rokr is a rubbsih phone, no real upgrade over the e398 and a limit of 50 songs crippled it.

phones arent like mp3 players tho so i dont know how well an apple branded phone would sell as they would need to change to new models every few months and make a full lineup.

rupbert 5th December 2006, 18:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by riggs
I'm guessing it'll be iPod first, phone second?

tbh, if they want this to succeed they need to strike a deal with a major phone manufacturer rather than doing it alone. I dread to think what the phone functionality would be like.

As far as I know, the Motorola/iTunes phones didn't do too well. imo, the only company that have got it right so far are Sony/Ericsson...

Certainly in the US the iPhone will apparently not be sold with any of the network providers, I don't know why you question the fuctionality though, name me an Apple device that's difficult to use?

mclean007 5th December 2006, 19:01

Two batteries is pretty dumb IMHO. By the time you factor in the extra circuitry and physical packaging of the batteries, it will make for a larger, heavier, more complex phone than one with a single battery with a capacity equal to the total of the two.

Further, what if you don't want to use the iPod features one day but want to talk a lot. Then you're stuck running out of 'phone battery' juice while the 'music battery' is unused. Surely it makes much more sense to have a single battery feeding all functions - that way it can be used to its full capacity regardless of how an individual uses the device, a bit like how the shared 2MB cache of a Core2Duo chip is a better solution than 2x1MB caches.

mclean007 5th December 2006, 19:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by rupbert
Certainly in the US the iPhone will apparently not be sold with any of the network providers, I don't know why you question the fuctionality though, name me an Apple device that's difficult to use?

Perhaps not difficult to use, but light on features? That said, I couldn't care less if my phone didn't have a camera / video camera. I'd far rather have a slimmer, lighter phone with better battery life and awesome MP3 features. Fortunately I have a Sony Ericsson W810i, which rocks ass in every respect.

lord nicon21 5th December 2006, 19:39

man that a lot of money and i got a sony w800 with 2Gb card got the phone free on contract. batt life sucks a bit when playing music any 8h or so (how many people do it for 8h)

Firehed 5th December 2006, 19:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by mclean007
Two batteries is pretty dumb IMHO. By the time you factor in the extra circuitry and physical packaging of the batteries, it will make for a larger, heavier, more complex phone than one with a single battery with a capacity equal to the total of the two.

Further, what if you don't want to use the iPod features one day but want to talk a lot. Then you're stuck running out of 'phone battery' juice while the 'music battery' is unused. Surely it makes much more sense to have a single battery feeding all functions - that way it can be used to its full capacity regardless of how an individual uses the device, a bit like how the shared 2MB cache of a Core2Duo chip is a better solution than 2x1MB caches.

I think it's one of the best ideas I've ever heard of to go along with a media-type phone. The last thing I want is my phone going dead because I forgot to pause something. To each his own I guess, but I'd keep two separate devices in my pocket for that reason alone.

LoneArchon 5th December 2006, 22:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by rupbert
Certainly in the US the iPhone will apparently not be sold with any of the network providers, I don't know why you question the fuctionality though, name me an Apple device that's difficult to use?

That does not seem right as some of the large phone providers will not activate a phone on there network if it is not branded that company. Functionality could go ether way but with apple in charge it should be very user friendly.

flabber 6th December 2006, 08:07

I hope that IF they release one, they'll release it in Holland as well.
Giv phone! :D

Mother-Goose 6th December 2006, 17:04

If their phones are as reliable as their players they can go and suck my...oh never mind ;)

Mother-Goose 6th December 2006, 17:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by lord nicon21
man that a lot of money and i got a sony w800 with 2Gb card got the phone free on contract. batt life sucks a bit when playing music any 8h or so (how many people do it for 8h)

That has got to be some of the worst English I have seen on these forums, and that includes Computerking :(

rupbert 6th December 2006, 17:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mother-Gooser
That has got to be some of the worst English I have seen on these forums, and that includes Computerking :(

I agree, but in amongst the awful grammar is a good point.

Are people who already have a mobile phone they like (which is quite a few) really going to pay £150+ for a replacement? Especially if they already own an iPod as well (which again is quite a few).

lord nicon21 6th December 2006, 19:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mother-Gooser
That has got to be some of the worst English I have seen on these forums, and that includes Computerking :(

i try my best to be the worst

DXR_13KE 6th December 2006, 20:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by mclean007
Two batteries is pretty dumb IMHO. By the time you factor in the extra circuitry and physical packaging of the batteries, it will make for a larger, heavier, more complex phone than one with a single battery with a capacity equal to the total of the two.

Further, what if you don't want to use the iPod features one day but want to talk a lot. Then you're stuck running out of 'phone battery' juice while the 'music battery' is unused. Surely it makes much more sense to have a single battery feeding all functions - that way it can be used to its full capacity regardless of how an individual uses the device, a bit like how the shared 2MB cache of a Core2Duo chip is a better solution than 2x1MB caches.

if it was 2 similar batteries then you could swap the dead one for the live one. :D

jjsyht 7th December 2006, 16:31

2 batteries; you dont know how many times i had to shut my phone off so i can make emercency calls after listinening to 2gb of music. though i have a D830 (maybe 30mins of batterylife; for those who dont know the phone). I wont even mind if they put the other entertainement feature of the phone on the second battery.

according to rumous, its gonna have video - for more than just camera and 3g.

i got a contract last week, if i didn't have the chance of upgrading in 6months, i would have got the iPhone immediately.

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