Smartphone Thoughts - Daily News, Views, Rants and Raves

"Seeing the fancy new phones at last month's 3GSM trade show--one of the biggest mobile phone conferences in the world--was exciting, overwhelming, and exhausting. What's more, the show was held in Barcelona, where I could have spent days admiring Gaudi architecture, feasting on tapas, and sipping Cava. But the trip was all about business, so I quickly went to work checking out the latest wares from HTC, LG, Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, and many other players in the mobile phone industry. ... The HTC S710 (code-named Vox) has a secret: Beneath its simple, candybar-style facade is a handy, slide-out keyboard. For phone calls you hold the phone vertically, with the keyboard tucked in. When you want to use the keyboard, you slide out the bottom half of the phone and hold it horizontally. With the keyboard in use, the 2.4-inch screen automatically shifts to landscape mode."



PC World columnist Grace Aquino has put together an article describing the best and the most promising cell phones that she saw during her trip to the 3GSM conference. Among the models selected by the PC World columnist, I feel that the Moto Rizr Z8 has the most innovative and creative design but it is the HTC S710 (Vox) that has the most practical design. What do you think? I am sure by now, like me, you are sick and tired of praising the form-factor of this smart phone, and just want HTC to end the torture and release this (above) Standard device in the market. :)

"Motorola Inc. will release a new, bicycle-powered cellphone charger aimed at Third World residents who lack regular household power supplies. "For people living in emerging markets, energy is a scarcity," Motorola chief executive Ed Zander said Monday at the Consumer Electronics Show. "In Southeast Asia, rural China and Latin America, we can actually put this in, hook it up and charge this device while we are riding a bike." Zander played up the device, by entering a packed auditorium at the Venetian Hotel on a bright yellow two-wheeler, to the music of Queen's Bicycle Race. He told the crowd the new charging system was aimed at helping to further penetration of the cellular phone in fast-growing overseas markets. He said there are now more than two billion mobile devices in operation around the world."

Alright, this is pretty funny. It's a great idea, but something about it just makes me laugh. There are plenty of people around the world that ride bicycles on a daily basis and this would be a great way to pump a little more juice into your phone during the commute. I just can't stop thinking about the poor guy who has to ride around in circles for an hour to recharge his phone. :lol:

"The FBI appears to have begun using a novel form of electronic surveillance in criminal investigations: remotely activating a mobile phone's microphone and using it to eavesdrop on nearby conversations. The technique is called a "roving bug," and was approved by top U.S. Department of Justice officials for use against members of a New York organized crime family who were wary of conventional surveillance techniques such as tailing a suspect or wiretapping him. Nextel cell phones owned by two alleged mobsters, John Ardito and his attorney Peter Peluso, were used by the FBI to listen in on nearby conversations. The FBI views Ardito as one of the most powerful men in the Genovese family, a major part of the national Mafia. The surveillance technique came to light in an opinion published this week by U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan. He ruled that the "roving bug" was legal because federal wiretapping law is broad enough to permit eavesdropping even of conversations that take place near a suspect's cell phone."



While I am impressed with the use of an ordinary cell phone as a tool for eavesdropping, it is ingenious, but there is a scary side to this. If the FBI or the government can do this, then what is preventing others from doing the same. I am guessing that all that it takes is a custom application written for the handset, knowledge of the victim's cell phone number and OTAP (Over The Air Provisioning) technique. I hope these tools and techniques don't become available on the Internet for sale. :roll:

"Cell phone owners will be allowed to break software locks on their handsets in order to use them with competing carriers under new copyright rules announced Wednesday... All told, Librarian of Congress James H. Billington approved six exemptions, the most his Copyright Office has ever granted. For the first time, the office exempted groups of users. The new rules will take effect Monday and expire in three years. In granting the exemption for cell phone users, the Copyright Office determined that consumers aren't able to enjoy full legal use of their handsets because of software locks that wireless providers have been placing to control access to phones' underlying programs."

I doubt the carriers themselves will change their method of unlocking handsets for users but I am curious as to how long it will take before we start seeing perfectly legal software on store shelves that will let users unlock their devices. :D

"Say hello to YouTube for mobiles. Movidity announced movy.tv, the world's first mobile video sharing site. Streaming of on-demand media will be made available to compatible mobile devices across the globe through the website."



Now we can all watch the blind folded pianist on the go! :lol:

"The married man's girlfriend sent a text message to his cell phone: His wife was getting suspicious. Perhaps they should cool it for a few days. "So," she wrote, "I'll talk to u next week." "You want a break from me? Then fine," he wrote back. Later, the married man bought a new phone. He sold his old one on eBay, at Internet auction, for $290. The guys who bought it now know his secret."

Interesting article about how data can be recovered from phones that have been reset. Curious is the first example they use. I wonder if it is the most commonly found.

"TV Guide Mobile Entertainment, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gemstar-TV Guide International Inc. (NASDAQ: GMST), a leading media, entertainment and technology company, and 4INFO, Inc., the leading mobile search, discovery, and delivery service, announced today that they have partnered to bring TV listings direct to cell phones. Resulting from this partnership and available immediately, cell phone users will now have the ability to quickly search for channel listings, specific television programming listings, and time-based programming from any mobile phone via SMS or WAP. The service is available to all mobile phone users regardless of carrier, and will allow TV fans to easily locate air dates, times, and channels for their favorite programming while out of town, or just on the go."



If you are a TV addict or just need to know when the next episode of Survivor (or whatever is the latest reality show) is on, this might be for you. No software to download. It's all SMS or WAP (remember WAP?) based. Head on over for the details.

"In the latest PC Magazine, Michael Miller writes about the cool new things happening on mobile phones and opines that �consumers should be able to pick applications regardless of phone or carrier.� This is a wonderful idea, but is idealistic to such a degree as to be laughable. This fact doesn�t escape Miller�s attention. He adds: �There are multiple impediments: a bunch of different platforms that developers write for, a bunch of different phone makers, and four big national wireless carriers that want to control the applications on your phone.�

Ed Hansberry over at our sister site has posted an interesting article on the problems associated with our side of the world. Mainly the variations in hardware and screen resolutions are causing major headaches for developers. I can see this having three very different devices of my own. Every application that ran on my old 5600 (WM2003) had to be updated to run on the 2125 and updated again to run on the Q (both WM5).

"Motorola Inc., the No. 2 cellphone maker, on Wednesday posted second-quarter earnings and revenue that beat Wall Street expectations due to strong demand for its phones, including the Razr. The company also forecast higher than expected revenue for the third quarter, sending its shares up 5.5 percent in after-hours trading. Schaumburg, Illinois-based Motorola said net income rose to $1.38 billion, or 55 cents a share, from $933 million, or 37 cents a share, a year ago. Revenue rose 29 percent to $10.88 billion from $8.41 billion."



It looks like Motorola's cell phone division is doing really well with revenue growing by 46% to $7.14 Billion. 8O What's more, the Q seems to have a very strong start with 150,000 units sold in the first 30 days. Simply incredible. Good job Moto. I wonder what we can expect next? I sure hope it's not just new versions of the Q. Let's see some other innovative Smartphone designs! :)

"Camera phones could replace digital cameras as the main gadgets people use to take pictures, a study suggests. It found that 44% of people already use their handset as their main camera. The days of the MP3 player also look to be numbered, as 67% of those questioned said they expected their phone to replace their portable music player. The survey, commissioned by handset maker Nokia, comes as the number of mobile phones in use around the world approaches 2.5 billion."

The survey goes on to say that 89% of Americans prefer to have two separate devices when it comes to cameras and phones. I'm guessing it's only a matter of time before we slip into the "norm". As much as we would like to keep two devices, the majority of users out there don't seem to feel the same way. I wonder what Canon and Nikon have to say about this? Or, for MP3 players; What's Creative's thoughts? We all know Apple is trying to jump this divide, but they haven't had much luck so far. And what's next? We're already seeing TV added to the list. I'm not really sure what the next big thing will be.

"Always entertaining, what-your-cell-phone-says-about-you studies... This one is from Dawn Bratton, a communications consultant for Verizon Wireless who's job is to keep track of wireless trends. Written up in Macon Telegraph, the following excerpts pertain to cell phone model types. There's more on ringtone choices, music playing phone charms, gaming and cameraphones. If you have a flip phone: You like being in control and you are worried about accidentally calling someone. You don't want to make accidental calls. If you have a candy bar style phone: You're the old-fashioned type. Simplicity is your style. You don't need to spend money. If you have a pink RAZR phone: You have a strong sense of style. You're a trendsetter and you don't mind being center of attention. You have flair."

I didn't know that my cell phone reflects my personality. :o So what does it mean to have a Smartphone?

"There was a time when children could convince their parents they needed a cell phone because wherever they were, they would always be just a phone call away. It's hard for a teenager to use that excuse now. Today's cell phones are as much portable entertainment devices as they are phones. So many models boast MP3 players, games, cameras, and even video, some experts say we soon will spend as much as 80% of the time using our phones for entertainment. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. It makes some sense to combine applications, especially popular items like MP3 players, with cell phones. One thing's for sure, though. Whether we want it or not, we're going to get it anyway."

Louis Frenzel over at the electronic design has posted an article on how the cell phone is becoming the entertainment device. It all started with flash based MP3 players being integrated into the cell phones, now we have cell phones with removable flash media and some have micro hard drives. Carriers are providing music and video downloads; they are charging a premium price compared to sites like iTunes. The thing that got my attention in this article was the statement by the author - "It makes some sense to combine applications, especially popular items like MP3 players, with cell phones. One thing's for sure, though. Whether we want it or not, we're going to get it anyway." Overall it is a good weekend article. It not only talks about the current cell phone based entertainment technologies and options, but also explains the emerging technologies like MediaFLO and DVB-H. While you are on the electronic design Web site, check out this article also - "Next-Generation Cell Phones."

"The cell phone has become an integral and, for some, essential communications tool that has helped owners gain help in emergencies. Fully 74% of the Americans who own mobile phones say they have used their hand-held device in an emergency and gained valuable help. Another striking impact of mobile technology is that Americans are using their cell phones to shift they way they spend their time. Some 41% of cell phone owners say they fill in free time when they are traveling or waiting for someone by making phone calls. And 44% say they wait to make most of their cell calls for the hours when they do not count against their "anytime" minutes in their basic calling plan."

Here are some of the highlights of this report:
� Only 8% of cell phone owners who have email access use their cell phones for email and 24% would like to have or use this feature
� 14% of owners who have Internet access use the feature to surf the Internet
� 41% fill in free time while traveling or waiting for someone by making phone calls
� 44% wait for the night and weekend hours to make the phone calls ;-)
� 28% admitted that the cell phone is a distraction while driving
� 86% was irritated at least occasionally by loud and annoying cell users in public places, 8% admitted of being guilty of being the culprit
� 36% have been shocked by their monthly bills from time to time :)
The complete report can be viewed over here">http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Cell_phone_study.pdf]here. [PDF]

"Art lovers, history buffs and science devotees, take note: To get the most out of your next museum visit, make sure you have your cell phone with you. Not to gab on, of course, but to listen to audio tours that weave music, narration and recordings from historical archives designed to bring more context to the exhibitions. For many visitors, it comes as a welcome alternative to the decades-old system of museums renting out expensive handheld devices. Museums across the country, once averse to noisy cell phones, are suddenly encouraging their use. In the past year, about a dozen art institutions � including museums in Los Angeles, Berkeley, Calif., Tacoma, Wash., Minneapolis and Greenwich, Conn. � have begun offering cell phone tours, mostly for free. Dozens more are in the process of implementing the service."


Image courtesy of Museum411.

In today's world where cell phones are getting banned or shunned in most places, the museums are welcoming them. Now this is a pretty innovative use for the cell phones. But I think the even better option would be to have a mobile friendly Web site, so that the visitors can point their smart phone browsers to that Web site and have all the information, including the audio-video presentation links, at their fingertips. ;-)

"Only mobile gamers will have the ability to be a virtual Ethan Hunt when mobile game giant Gameloft unleashes "Mission: Impossible 3" across 150 carriers in May, coinciding with the worldwide rollout of the Tom Cruise thriller. ..."As handsets become more sophisticated, the gaming capabilities will continue to exceed most people's expectations," Guillemot said. "There's all this talk about the next generation of consoles, but the next generation in gaming is in the mobile platform." Gameloft has a multiyear license for "M:I-3," which means future iterations are likely. The first game will employ 2-D graphics and follow the film's basic plot line."

Any Tom Cruise or M:I fans here? Does you really care that this game is hitting cell phones first? Personally, I don't think that consoles compete with cell phones when it comes to gaming. On my cell phone, I want a light weight game that I can pick up and play at any time. For my console, I much prefer to sit down for an extended period of time and play. Maybe it's just me.

"Movie theater owners faced with falling attendance are considering asking federal authorities for permission to jam cell phone reception in an attempt to stop annoying conversations during films, the head of the industry's trade group said on Tuesday. Industry leaders at the ShoWest conference for theater owners want to find ways to win back crowds. "I don't know what's going on with consumers that they have to talk on phones in the middle of theaters," John Fithian, president of the National Association of Theater Owners, told the ShoWest conference in Las Vegas. Theaters are trying a number of ways to silence cell phones, from sweeps by ushers to funny fake movie trailers urging viewers to shut off phones."

Ok, if this isn't the craziest thing I've read in a while, then I don't know what is. Do theater owners really think that the falling attendance is due to cell phone use? That's just silly. I mean, it can't have anything to do with the horrible selection of movies they have listed or the drastically overpriced popcorn and soda. :roll: Besides all that, some of us need to stay connected - even in a theater. That doesn't mean I'm going to sit there and talk on the phone, but in my line of work, I need to be reachable at various times. If I can't do that in the local theater, I'll have to find another place to kill sometime between client visits.

"Last week, we compiled a list of the top cell phones, as chosen by CNET readers. But we realize that for every one of your likes, your dislikes run just as deep. Each of these handsets received a user rating of less than 6.0 from more than 175 readers, so the feelings among you weren't isolated. The worst of the bunch was the beleaguered Siemens CF62T. Almost 200 of you ranked it as mediocre, so if you're in the market for a basic T-Mobile phone, try the Nokia 6010 instead."

Well here we go. We want to hear about your least favorite phone, whether Smartphone or not, that you have actually owned. The list in the article included the V600. I did own one. I would say that phone fell into second place on my list. The MPx220 wins my first place trophy for the worst phone I have ever owned. Not because so much was wrong with it (and there was lots wrong), but because it should have been a great phone. So much potential totally wasted. Anyway let's here your stories.

"On October 1, God is in His heaven, the stock market stands at 10,140, most of the planes are on time, and Clayton Riddell, an artist from Maine, is almost bouncing up Boylston Street in Boston. ... That changes in a hurry. The cause of the devastation is a phenomenon that will come to be known as The Pulse, and the delivery method is a cell phone. Everyone's cell phone. Clay and the few desperate survivors who join him suddenly find themselves in the pitch-black night of civilization's darkest age, surrounded by chaos, carnage, and a human horde that has been reduced to its basest nature...and then begins to evolve. ... There are one hundred and ninety-three million cell phones in the United States alone. Who doesn't have one? Stephen King's utterly gripping, gory, and fascinating novel doesn't just ask the question "Can you hear me now?" It answers it with a vengeance."



Stephen King's latest novel, Cell, may make you rethink about answering your cell phone. During my recent visit to the book store, I spotted this book; I am not a Stephen King fan and have not read any of his books, but the title definitely grabbed my attention. Is anyone over here a Stephen King fan? And how did you find this book? I didn't pick up the book and Robin Cook is my favourite science fiction author. ;-) [Affiliate]

"Is it real? Samsung announced it has developed a prototype of a fuel cell that can be used in PDAs and portable multimedia players. This fuel cell technology works by converting methanol fuel into hydrogen which is combined with oxygen in a seemingly magic process that [insert miracle here] results in energy and heat, with water as a byproduct."



I've been hearing about these things for some time now. They seem to have a long way to go before they ever become practical. The recharging process appears to make the whole thing more trouble than its worth. Filling up something with more gas seems more primitive than just plugging it in for a few hours or carrying an extra battery. Ever fill a butane lighter? :lol:

"The USA based mobile operator, Cingular Wireless has managed to get a patent on the concept of using emoticon on mobile phones. While the aim of the patent is to enable the displaying of MSN style graphics on handsets, they also managed to patent the delivery of text based emoticon - so presumably sending :) via an SMS - if selected via a dedicated or softkey, would be a breach of the patent in future."

What the? Oh man, someone has to take the patent office aside and give them a good talking to. :twak: