(Razor512)

The iPod Touch can be more than the oft-ignored stepbrother of the iPhone - with the right hacking touch, it can be a replacement for its much loved sibling.

CNN spotlights a man who uses a Touch as his phone, thus skirting costly voice charges from phone providers. He places calls with a Skype app, using a headset to make up for the device's lack of a microphone and carries a credit card-sized MiFi gadget that hooks him up to cellular networks.

He tells CNN:

"My iPod Touch gets notifications, so I see the incoming messages immediately. It's pretty easy to stay in touch."

The man says his monthly bills for the setup run $40 - a trifle compared to what most iPhone owners pay to AT&T or will begin paying to Verizon next month.

What unconventional maneuvers do you use to cut down on cell phone bills?

To reduce wireless bills, some try an 'iPod phone' [CNN]