New gadget transforms your iPod into an iPhone

If you already have an iPod and fancy an iPhone too then a simple gadget created by a 22 year old Chinese programmer will do the trick.

All you have to do to turn iPod to iPhone is get yourself the Apple Peel 520 case and fit it on over the outside of your iPod Touch.

The case comes with a dock connector, a built in 800mAh battery and a SIM card slot allowing you to make calls and once you install some software you will be able to send text messages too.

The software which just runs in the background is able to bypass Apple’s security on the iPod Touch.

Dailytech reviewed the Apple Peel transformer case and reported you get about 5 hours of talk time and 120 hours of standby.

You might well be thinking, why not just buy an iPhone. Good question, but the Apple Peel 520 only costs around $57 and comes with a one year warranty so works out a lot cheaper than an iPhone.

The Chinese company producing the Apple Peel 520 case and who can also supply the software is Yosion Technology based in Shenzhen.

You will only be able to fit the case onto an iPod touch that has been Jailbroken and of course you run the risk of invalidating your warranty by doing so, but still, there are more than a few people out there who would be willing to take the risk.

Apparently the creator, a guy who goes by the online screen name of Maxpy because he wants to keep his true identity a secret, told CNN in an interview by instant messaging, that he invented the gadget because he loves the iPhone but it’s too expensive in China.

He also told CNN he had plans to mass manufacture the gadget but those plans were on hold at the moment until potential property right violations have been cleared. He also wants to contact Apple to see if he can come to an agreement with them.

Of course there are some minor problems to be sorted too. According to reviews the Apple Peel doesn’t support 3G, you can’t cancel incoming calls or delete and forward text messages and caller display is missing. On the whole though, the reviewers have been pretty impressed by the new gadget.