There's no denying that Apple let the entire world (yes, even the native Easter Islanders) down by not shoving a camera of some sort into
its iPod touch, but if a delicate teardown completed by the screwdriver-wielding fiends over at
iFixit is any indication, a seasoned modder could certainly add one. A 6- x 6- x 3-millimeter space was spotted between a
Broadcom chip and the wireless antenna, which is reportedly not enough room for an iPhone-esque sensor, but just enough space for the video camera module found in the
5G iPod nano. In potentially more interesting news, the aforesaid Broadcom
BCM4329 chip actually supports
802.11n. For the nerds in attendance, you'll recognize that even the iPhone 3GS can't handle those high-speed airwaves. Furthermore, the chip supports FM transmission, so at least theoretically, the device
could stream tunes to your old school stereo through an open FM station. Eager for more? Tap that read link, buster.
posted September 11th 2009 5:49PM
Oh Screw Apple, its not even just this one little issue its their business Platform as a Whole. They just like to piss off their Loyal consumers and make it as difficult for them to Enjoy their products on purpose sometimes I think.
I'm throwing away all my apple products and selling my Macbook pro, its just not worth it anymore.
No you're not, shut up.
Oh yeah, Watch me.
Goodbye Apple, I've taken my absolute Last Bite.
Good bye to you too, and please take your random capitalization with you!
GLadly! And I will Never Stop, its so Much Better than YOU will Ever Be! ; D
its just an iphone with no camera, hence the "omg camera slot"
idiots
Dude...DUDE Apple are artists. They would never save money by using the same machines and parts they use to make Iphones to make Ipod touch...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIkJuF1UXJI
kudos for the easter island reference
Anyone know if the 3GS chip has FM radio support? I could care less about wireless N.
Nope, it does not. It has always been the case that the touch has a slight edge on the H/W specs over the iphone.
Heh. The guys over at Apple are laughing their asses off right now. You see, they intentionally placed that little spot because they KNEW Engadget was going to rip the thing open like they do every device, and then marvel at the "camera slot" ;)
Then again, with little electronic "guts" background myself, I could be completely off ;)
Engadget didn't rip open the iPod Touch. This is a blog. They post links to other sites for your convenience.
Ack - My apologies. I fail at noticing the blaring obvious fact that it was "ifixit" that tore it down :)
I'll contribute more noteworthy next time :)
I don't get how they would have problems with putting a camera in it.
How is the iPhone and Touch THAT different?
They decided they needed a gimmick for next year since they had nothing else planned next year.
I do not know why people think Apple is still run like a group of artists who soul purpose is to make the perfect product. All they care about now is market share.
@ryan
It's as if they were a corporation, and trying to think of ways to ensure they have a new product each year and keeping people interested instead of going two years or more between new products and losing it.
It was never run like a "group of artists" and it's always been aware of the need to have decent marketshare. But more than that, they're concerned with keeping people's attention and maintaining large profit margins, which generally makes investors far happier than a huge share of the market with terrible margins.
I know that. I am just trying not to get the Apple fanboys down my throat. They like to think Apple is different than Microsoft. (even though Apple is structured pretty much the same)
The iPod touch is a gaming machine. You can't have cameras on gaming machines.
^ Nintendo DSi's front-face camera for games.
Stop believing every lie Apple tells you, noob.
"The holy vacuum" it shall henceforth be called.
Maybe Apple will be kind enough to let us pay $10 for an update to access the 802.11n in the future...
No, it'll be $2.
Apple is not the only company that installs hardware and then doesn't use half of it, take motherboards for instance, they often have multifunction chips of which parts are not used, like COM ports in many monitoring chips, or take sound codecs, many have the ability to use stereo microphones and use the phase differences to cancel echo and directional attenuation and do that kind of stuff, nobody uses it, it's there in the hardware though, sad really.
And it's been going on for ages, and half the time it's not enabled because they don't feel like bothering with patents and such, or with regional stipulations or with extra tax on devices that can do X or Y, or the cost of a pin header, it's so freaking annoying.
I never cared for a camera. I always wanted some kind of GPS or mapping software that would work without Wifi. It would be nice if there was a program that would safe a map of your city that would give you directions.
All I want is Google maps that doesn't have to access the internet to download the directions and map.
Why isn't everyone bitching about the lack of camera in the Zune?
Because there wasn't a zune nano released at the same time that did have a camera.
The Zune HD doesn't have a phone counterpart with a camera... likely when the pink comes out Microsoft will be smarter than apple and put cameras in both of them.
I know that the camera wouldn't produce great pictures but I still want it. I use my 2G iPod Touch mostly as a productivity device. It would be great if I could take pictures of things I wanted to remember and drop them into Evernote. There are lots of reasons a camera makes sense beyond traditional photography. I'd also really like to have a built-in microphone - again for use with Evernote and/or Jott. Plus, having all the necessary hardware for making Skype calls onboard would be pretty nice.
I want just want to FM radio, how the hell Im suppose to feel when I see those new Nano saving 15 minutes of live radio, and my Ipod Touch can't do it.
Pissed.
lmao Its not that serious, DH EnuZ WTF
I wish people would see why a camera is valuable, and its not to take stellar pictures to put on Flickr. Its to be able to use all of the apps the Iphone can. I know I for one would love some augmented reality action on an Ipod touch, and actually just wanted the camera for evernote. Through in the GPS, and then you have an Iphone without the service. What's so crazy about that? I would much rather have a cheap phone as a phone (like my Nokia 6300) and carry around my Ipod Touch, versus have a super nice phone all the time, and it get wrecked at the beach or at a club.
Just accept that it would have been super cool, and if they can justify it being a "mini computer" or "gaming device," I think they can also justify it being able to use all of the programs people write for the Iphone.
the apple itouch not having a camera is the same argument of the blackberry storm not having wifi people want it and others say you can live without it but who gives a flying fuck about that.
it could have it but it dosen't because apple does not care what you want they care about what they can make and you would still buy!
right now the spot light is on the new nano with a camera any other itoy music player wont have one untill the nanos heat dies down just to rattle the masses cages again and you will buy!
802.11n and FM transmission will be made available with the iPhone OS 4.0 upgrade next year... much like how Bluetooth was made available for iPod Touch 2G with iPhone OS 3.0.
Agree. N speeds would be great for me (phase out all G in my house) and if could be enabled in a future firmware release, I'm embarassed to say I would pay for that. 'Course this iPod only cost me $60.00 after my amazon points certificates :)
My son paid the $10 for the last firmware update for the Touch 2G and he's a happy camper tethering to his friends' cell phones and using wireless BT headphones.
The strategy is near-criminal on Apple's part -- I think it should be free firmware upgrades after we paid a premium for the device, but if I think there's enough value in it (for me) I'll fork over a little more.
Sigh.
.... so, i would rather see the N enabled that all this talk about cameras. You know, my phone has a camera.... why would I need one on my Touch?
And really, all this talk about cameras, its a bit jarring. The photo qualities are becoming saturated with so so image quality. I'm not saying everyone should have a dslr, but if you want photos for memories, shouldn't you just use a regular camera? What, apple wants to dominate that area too?
And the poster who says that people think apple is a bunch of artists trying to make the best product is right on. Apple is just another company, the *shock* that wants to make the most money for its shareholders. Hence all their products say, DESIGNED in CA, but really made outside of this country.
Please, enough of the missing camera. We'll see it in the 4th gen Touch and the N enabled with software 4.0, which coincidently, all old Touch users will have to pay $10, and then 2 weeks later, feel screwed when the software drops to $5.
On that note, I'm excited to get my first Touch 2nd gen in a few days. I look forward missing a 3mp camera and wifi sans N-.
:/
WWDC 2010 keynote: $10 firmware 4.0 update for 3rd gen iPod Touch users to enable 802.11n.
September 2010 event: 4.1 firmware update for $5 only.
Mark my words. :P
why would I want a camera? Hmm. that sudoku game that can scan in a sudoku puzzle from the newspaper. Thats a game right, apple likes games. Assassin's creed where you can put your own photo on wanted posters using the camera. Thats a game.
There are tons of reasons you'd want a camera and I wish people would shut up about 'your phone already has one'. Yes, but my phone doesn't run app store apps, so I want a camera on that
froghunter summed it up well. Having hardware parity with the iphone (apart from the cellular part) is good for consumers, who can buy those cool apps they see in adverts and recommended from friends, without worrying whether they have the right hardware. Its good for developers who can develop for nearly twice the addressable market. Its good for apple who get increased revenue from the app store.
if u put a camera apple will add it up 100 more dollarz
and then n slot is like another 50 buckz
so i dont wanna pas like 350 for an 8 gb ipod
if i were u id go to sony cuz u get 100 free download songs and it can do the same thing ipod touch can except appz
but look
everyone has a cellphone
everyone has a camera in their cellphone everyone has a camera
everyonr has a webcam! how many more camera do u need?
and the n just makes it faster they nvidia shold make super tiny nano chips for video that could use 1080p playback
Still considering switching to Zune HD. I want a built-in mic, not a mic attached to crapshit quality earbuds.
Why do I want a mic? I want Shazam. Freaking hate it when I hear a song, love it, and can't find what it was.
Camera, I could care less. 802.11n capability? Interesting, but I don't need it yet. FM radio? I'd like it.
i find it just weak not to add these features from the start.
don't give a shit anyway....just order my Zune HD....sorry but I still think concepts like TV-out/HD, HD radio are the future....
I love the 'everyone has a camera on their phone, so why need it on an ipod?' comments.
Everyone has an mp3 player on their phone these days, so why need music on an ipod, they could just make it play games.
Just because a phone does it, doesn't mean you should leave it off an ipod touch.
I have a 2ng get ipod touch 16gb and have been running on 2.4ghz 'N' only wifi on my airport extreme and connecting perfectly for months now... even emailed engadget but hey...