iPod Touch With VOIP: Happening Now

We've got the iPhone 3GS.  Maybe we'll get the iPod Touch V for VOIP.  It's a matter of when and under what wireless connection. Maybe i'll be with a LTE network.  Perhaps it'll be white spaces or under President Obama's vision of an utopian wireless society.  

Fact.  We know that a version of the iPhone 3GS without the phone and GPS is coming to the iPod Touch.  Without knowing what's it going to be called, we'll call it the iTS (iPod Touch S).  It's been speculated and it only makes sense that with all the features that are being talked about for the iPhone 3GS, Apple will include many of the features and updates in the next Touch update.

This means camera.  But it's the evolution of the Touch that is the headliner.  It no secret that I'm no fan of the wireless providers. Nor you I suppose and I know Apple, Google, and perhaps even Microsoft are all plotting their destruction one days in their own ways.  But suppose the telecoms go away, what will replace them?

It's difficult to say that they'll go away.  In all likelihood, they won't.  The likely possibility is that over time, we mobile warriors rely less upon them for our services.  It may be on the form of municipals blanketed with Wi-Fi access.  Could be that WiMax ISP suddenly taking off all over the country.

However that plays out, the iTS will be in a prime position (and other devices like it - Nokia's N800 series) to supplement traditional smartphones and other telephony devices.  For communication, VOIP will be choice among users.  Services like Fring, Google Voice, and Skype will be the backbone of voice communication.  

Perhaps then Apple will introduce some form of video conferencing.  And I'll admit that I was fooled by all the mocked frontal camera as was everyone else.  

We're not going to see an iPod Touch V this fall's iPod upgrade and we probably won't see it for a few more years.  But I can tell you the possibilities exist for mobile devices to be freed of mandated voice plans from ATT or Verizon because the technologies already exist for that to happen.  

Take for example.  I've signed up for a Skype service that allows me to dial out to traditional telephone numbers or my Skype contacts (including unlimited international calls).  Folks can also call me up as well on my Google Voice number if they wish and I can stay in touch via SMS.  Completely bypassing my G1 or any other cell phones.

My only weak link here is wireless connection.  But over at Onxo, I noted Toyota's solar-powered flowers that offer Wi-Fi and charging stations.  It is a campaign for the Prius but who knows if this will accidently set off a wave of mobile access points dotted through out shopping or business districts to drive traffic.