‘Apple Peel 520’ turns Apple iPod touch into phone

16 years ago

“Have you ever wished that your iPod touch was an iPhone? Now it can be, thanks to a new device called the ‘Apple Peel 520’ and created by a Chinese company,” Lara Farrar reports for CNN.

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“Invented by a 22-year-old programmer who lives in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, the gadget is comprised of a case that fits around the outside of Apple’s iPod touch,” Farrar reports. “The Apple Peel 520 case contains a battery, dock connector and SIM card that allows voice calls. Users will also have to install special software to enable a text messaging function, and to allow the device to properly work with the iPod touch (users will have to [jailbreak] the iPod in order to download the necessary applications).”

Farrar reports, “Once installed, the Apple Peel gets around five hours of talk time and 120 hours on standby, according to a review posted on Dailytech.com… According to a Chinese review translated into English on M.I.C. Gadget, the Apple Peel does not support 3G, there’s a small lag time when calls are made from the iPod Touch and deleting and forwarding text messages is not available, among other minor complaints. Nevertheless, many say they are impressed with the functionality of the device.”