An iPod touch ships without OS X -- hints at disabled Bluetooth

You can argue that the iPod touch is an iPhone without the phone. So what's an iPod touch without OS X? You're looking at it. That's Dave's swanky new iPod touch, fresh off the boat and out of the box with nothing more than a diagnostic utility. Ha, Cheerios icon for the cereal serial number -- clever Apple. Not quite as clever as shipping a working product though. Now besides a temperature sensor, what's interesting here is that Bluetooth icon showing a disabled radio. Does that mean the hardware is there like we heard but disabled in firmware? Not sure. Still, we'll chalk this little snafu up to first production run jitters unless you tell us differently, dear readers.

Update: Video now embedded after the break. Seems David's not the only person experiencing this problem judging by the comments. See reader Chris' hapless touch after the break as well with a new twist to the Bluetooth mystery.

Another from Dave. Note that clicking on the Bluetooth icon brings up an empty screen which reads "nothing to see here."

Chris' iPod touch -- now the 2nd we've seen -- only without an "X" through the Bluetooth icon and nearly fully charged battery. This has led some of our readers to speculate that his Bluetooth is possibly enabled since his battery (unlike Dave's) is charged to a sufficient level. Remember, it is common for devices to shut Bluetooth off automatically when the battery becomes depleted. If true (where's the check mark?), the FCC will not be happy.

[Simon @ Sep 14th 2007 3:56AM]

Wow, it can sense temperature, too?

[Paul @ Sep 14th 2007 4:08AM]

I'm guessing that's internal temperature.

[Paul @ Sep 14th 2007 4:11AM]

Btw, I'm guessing that someone will pay a pretty penny to get their hands on that touch.

[LordFarkward @ Sep 14th 2007 4:58AM]

go away gerald, that's what e-bay's for.

shoo

[Gerald Tan @ Sep 14th 2007 5:32AM]

my bad, sorry.
I am sure this guy can get a tonne of money if he did put it up on eBay.
Sorry again.

[spam_from_engadget @ Sep 14th 2007 5:54AM]

Needed for battery charging, to detect end-of-charge.

[Atanas Boev @ Sep 14th 2007 8:27AM]

Apple Newton had a temperature sensor, to control the screen contrast, as it depended heavily on the temperature. I would expect the touch screen is somehow temperature dependant and needs correction.

[marc @ Sep 14th 2007 2:26PM]

A good temperature reading is needed for EEPROM/Flash writes.

[marc @ Sep 14th 2007 2:28PM]

... and besides, an LM75A temp. sensor costs like $0.50.

[Joe @ Sep 14th 2007 8:03PM]

Even Apple's BIOS is sort of pretty.

[Dias @ Sep 14th 2007 3:58AM]

Bluetooth is useless anyway without microphone.

[jonathan @ Sep 14th 2007 4:03AM]

bluetooth could enable voip, wireless syncing of small amounts of data, control of other objects (remote feature), communication with other devices within the same area....bluetooth is very very very far from useless on a device that is (potentially) as versatile as the Touch.

[Paul @ Sep 14th 2007 4:07AM]

I FREAKIN KNEW IT!!!

Oh and yeah, in an mp3 player, bluetooth is entirely pointless, which is why no companies are creating bluetooth headphones.

[Dias @ Sep 14th 2007 4:08AM]

What do you do with VoIP if you don't have mic?

[xtom @ Sep 14th 2007 4:17AM]

If you have a 3G mobile phone you can connect the Touch using bluetooth and surfing the Web with Safari, everywere.

[Will @ Sep 14th 2007 4:32AM]

Bluetooth useless with out a mic?! If the software was available then Bluetooth is potentially very usefull?

Bluetooth headset?
Bluetooth GPS (like Tom Tom's) linked to google maps or other internal app?
Link to your mobile phone?
Bluetooth sync to PC?
Bluetooth Headphones?
Bluetooth Remotes?

[Norman @ Sep 14th 2007 8:25AM]

Useless? Here's several things you have the potential to do if the device had bluetooth.

1. You could use bluetooh to print to bluetooth printers. (email, web, etc)

2. You could transmit to a bluetooth speaker system. The Blackberry curve already has this ability.

3. You could connect a bluetooth keyboard and mouse.

4. external bluetooth gps

5. people already mentioned it you add a bluetooth headset with a microphone you could do voip (the device does not need a microphone if it's in the headset)

6. bluetooth watch to control the iPod while working out.

7. how about ipod/nike with bluetooth

8. other bluetooth devices would be surely be invented by creative companies seeking to make money off the Touch. (ie. bluetooth xm receiver, bluetooth radio receiver, bluetooth car kits, digital camera photo download, bluetooth remote control, bluetooth chat between devices, etc., )

[Mixxmann @ Sep 14th 2007 7:49AM]

Uh....blutooth is not useless. It depends on how it is implemented on the device. Remember this device has wifi. So if it's hacked and a voip app is put on that supports blutooth headsets than...COOL. IPOD SKYPE BIATCHES. Oh and yes there are companies making blutooth stereo headphones so this little baby could be stashed away in your pocket or bag while you rock out, that is when it is implemented to do so.
Mixxmann

[email @ Sep 14th 2007 4:14PM]

You might think that bluetooth would be useful to do all those things, but what you are forgetting is that you also need software support for all those things. Lets compare to the iPhone, which DOES have bluetooth, and yet still CAN'T do any of those things, the bluetooth on the iPhone is crippled so you can use it for a headset and nothing else.

I was pissed when I found out that not only did the iPhone not include a GPS for use with Google maps, but I couldn't even use the bluetooth GPS I already had with it.

[Chekote @ Sep 14th 2007 8:51AM]

Bluetooth is the avenue to implement a mic! *rolls eyes*

[speedyrev @ Sep 14th 2007 9:38AM]

In addition to everything else above, what about a bluetooth enabled car stereo. Could Steve's talks with VW mean no wires in the car?

[Chris @ Sep 14th 2007 12:15PM]

Bluetooth-enabled car stereos exist. Pioneer's top-end decks have support BT-audio for a few years.

[sean @ Sep 14th 2007 1:09PM]

If you have a 3G mobile phone you don't need the addition of the touch to get online or use voip. Or use the POS Safari. It's all already in your 3G phone.

[Alan @ Sep 14th 2007 3:59AM]

I am willing to bet that the bluetooth is in there, but as what happened with the iMacs and Macbook Pros With the 802.11n in it but not disabled users will have to pay some fee to get bluetooth unlocked.

[Alex @ Sep 14th 2007 5:19AM]

No, you won't have to pay extra if Bluetooth is enabled later.

Apple is accounting for Apple TV, iPhone and the iPod Touch using subscription accounting, recognizing revenue over two years. So, if you bought an iPhone today, Apple wouldn't report a $399 sale, they'd report $399/24. This way they get around having to charge people the way they did for the iMac 802.11n update.

For you this means that over the next couple of years, you'll get new features as they come out, e.g. ringtones, iTunes WiFi Store as well as the usual bug fixes.

[dj-kenpo @ Sep 14th 2007 2:05PM]

no.

I bet the software is in there, the hardware is not. they are probably planning to put it in into a later gen, or they have a few prototypes floating around the office with bluetooth

[David @ Sep 14th 2007 3:59AM]

cheerios, haha.

[3rdsun @ Sep 14th 2007 5:50AM]

yeah that cheerios icon cracked me up. buttons should be disabled as well

[ShadowVlican @ Sep 14th 2007 11:07PM]

gotta love the creative people working for apple

[Rawtoonz @ Sep 14th 2007 4:06AM]

BLUETOOTH HACK please! nothing like some high quality mp3s in wireless headsets.

[JP @ Sep 14th 2007 5:05AM]

Yup if this thing turns out to get A2DP support I'll buy the sweet device tomorrow.

[bradwjensen @ Sep 14th 2007 4:09AM]

I wonder if they have the rights to use the Cheerios box in their sold products.. lol

[bboy @ Sep 14th 2007 1:23PM]

Should've used Apple Jacks

[SCC @ Sep 17th 2007 6:03PM]

That (Apple Jacks) would be for the headphones icon.

[silentio @ Sep 14th 2007 4:11AM]

He shouldn't take it back to the shop. I'm sure someone will pay more than what it's worth on eBay. It's kinda like being in the BIOS of the iPhone isn't it? Surely some iPhone hacker will find it interesting.

[KratosAurion @ Sep 14th 2007 4:11AM]

wait.. if earlier inside ipod touch apple people said that the programs run off of the "same damned binaries" as the applications on the iPhone.. then how can the touch NOT be running OSX?

I think clever apple is still hiding things from us.

[stoo @ Sep 14th 2007 4:28AM]

Think of this as a PC with no OS - The BIOS screen appears, runs through all the self-tests, but stops when there's no OS to boot..

[snife @ Sep 14th 2007 4:26AM]

I agree bluetooth is pointless on this device, even the iPhone doesn't support AD2P so there is no value in a bluetooth headset for such a device if it cant really be used to listen to music properly.

[Santz24 @ Sep 14th 2007 4:36AM]

Speaker? i thought the touch didn't have a speaker?

[Nomi @ Sep 14th 2007 4:50AM]

Looks like the volume level...theres also one for checking if headphones are plugged in.

[Justin Nolan @ Sep 14th 2007 4:39AM]

You guys make me sad :( Bluetooth would add immense value.


Bluetooth headset + VOIP software = iPhone - Contract
Bluetooth GPS + basic tracking or mapping software = awesome

Or perhaps, when paired with your Bluetooth phone, your music would pause when you get a call, and the caller info would pop up on the screen.

You need to stop thinking of it as just an MP3 player. This thing has the potential to be a full fledged PDA.

[Beavis @ Sep 14th 2007 4:40AM]

heh heh heh - the accelerometer icon looks like a boner.

[computer.dude.28 @ Sep 14th 2007 5:38PM]

lmFao you're right dude

[edwincruzzz @ Sep 14th 2007 4:44AM]

What's up with that Speaker Icon? Having a small internal speaker would be nice. As far as I was informed though The Touch was lacking one, another disabled feature perhaps?

[geoff @ Sep 14th 2007 7:53AM]

From pg. 61 of the manual:

Sound Effects
iPod touch can play sound effects when you:
have an appointment
lock or unlock iPod touch
type on the keyboard
Turn sound effects on or off
Choose General > Sound Effects and select whether you want sound effects to play over the internal speaker, through the headphones or both.

[jeremy s @ Sep 14th 2007 4:45AM]

Think about the popularity of the IPod line, if the bluetooth chip was enabled for the entirery through t firmware update then there would be a long list of accesoriesy for it the would work with that, probably mostly along the line of Bluetooth speakers. maybe they could get simple remotes to work, btw anyone wanting to get rid of a touch?

[Andrew @ Sep 15th 2007 3:57PM]

I am wanting to get rid of the ipod touch. all of them. off the face of the earth. im tired or reading apple apple apple apple other brand apple apple apple apple apple apple other brand ripping on apple, apple apple apple every single time i log on engadget.

[gsnixon @ Sep 14th 2007 4:56AM]

Writing this from my new iPod touch... It does have an internal speaker, but as far as I can tell it is only used to make a "click", e.g., when keys are pressed. Time will tell if it can be used for anything else. Sure would be nice for watching videos with friends, etc.

[Sebastian @ Sep 14th 2007 4:56AM]

Hmm is it just me or has this ipod a disabled battery (as there is a disabled or non existing bluetooth) ?

:)

[wmc @ Sep 14th 2007 5:01AM]

wait... doesn't the ipod touch display photos... cough photoshop cough