my phone wishlist

[zed888]

hi, just wanted to see what the general opinion of the technical specs phones currently on the market is like...

i currently own a SE w800, but was looking to update it for something better, but have not really found anything i feel that has a noticeably better technical spec than this phone combined with a nice form factor.

even some of the latest phones out seem to have quite similar technology to what was released over a year ago, eg: i think a 2MP camera is pretty standard on phones now, as is a basic music player. the phone markets seems to have gone into a technology plateau. Each time a new phone is released that is touting something new, i almost feel like yawning.

I just wish somebody would make something different - with style AND substance.

my wish list for a phone:

1) better quality camera with 4MP/ 5MP, autofocus, flash/ light (light could also be used when camera not in use), with optical zoom?

2)higher memory capacity internally and externally.

3) GPS navigation

4) enhanced music player, eg: allowing you to arrange music files as you want, musical graphics, music player skins - like windows media player?

5)what about being able to use the phone as a mass storage device - to store documents - could then be linked to computers and used as an external hard drive?

6) more intuitive UI with useful shortcuts - like that expected from the apple iphone.

7) multi band radio (FM, SW,MW, LW, Digital) for people who travel a lot. why has no phone comapny ever made a device that has this feature?

8) remote control in the headphones allowing you to control phone functions?

9) a nice form factor - very important. apple iphone, LG chocolate, motoming, nokia 8800 are nice looking phones

[difenbaker]

hi, just wanted to see what the general opinion of the technical specs phones currently on the market is like...

imho, I think we've reached that point in cellphone evolution... wherein there's nothing new being introduced anymore. That all the manufacturers are doin is just improving or refining the technologies that are already present in phones.

first major innovation was the colored screen - now it's become the standard. Next was the memory card (siemens introduced this), again it's now very common. Then came FM radios, speakerphones, mp3 players, touchscreens, gprs, edge, the camera, bluetooth, wifi, 3G, etc.... Out of all that, some are still being refined (perfected, if you will) in new and newer phones. The camera, for instance, is getting to be more sophisticated and more capable. Bluetooth too is getting upgraded to other versions. Wifi and 3G - are increasingly becoming common in most phones. In Japan - they're now even testing 4G technologies.

even some of the latest phones out seem to have quite similar technology to what was released over a year ago, eg: i think a 2MP camera is pretty standard on phones now, as is a basic music player. the phone markets seems to have gone into a technology plateau. Each time a new phone is released that is touting something new, i almost feel like yawning.

yup, that's true.... like what's happening to the iPhone now. After that initial "shock and awe" that Steve Jobs gave everyone, most are now realizing that the iPhone isn't the "5 years in advance smartphone" that mr jobs said it is.

I just wish somebody would make something different - with style AND substance.

my wish list for a phone:

1) better quality camera with 4MP/ 5MP, autofocus, flash/ light (light could also be used when camera not in use), with optical zoom?

5mp cameras will be mainstream this year I think. Starting with the N95, there are persistent rumors that the other brands will make their own 5mp phone this year too. Optical zoom? The N-series had that last year. (and I think Sharp had that years before). Flashlight? The 3200 had that 3 years ago... not that it sold well though, most didn't really use it, coz it drains the batts.

2)higher memory capacity internally and externally.

I'd expect external memory to grow higher - maybe to around 10 to 20GB in the next few years. But as for internal memory, Im not that optimistic, I'm a little concerned it might get "too high". It's like a big room - you can store lots of things inside, but the bigger the room the longer it takes to find or get what you need inside.

Unless of course, they'd put a desktop processor in a phone, but that presents a whole new set of problems.

3) GPS navigation

Yup, N95 has that built-in too.

4) enhanced music player, eg: allowing you to arrange music files as you want, musical graphics, music player skins - like windows media player? I think the newer phones (2005 up) can do this already - make their own playlists, arrange songs. Maybe not all have skins or can have musical graphics - but there are a number of 3rd party apps out there that can do that too.

5)what about being able to use the phone as a mass storage device - to store documents - could then be linked to computers and used as an external hard drive?

This came out last year as well. Like in the N73, for example, when you plug it in - it gives you 4 choices. Media Player, PC Suite, Mass Storage, Pictbridge. I think almost all 3rd edition Symbian are like this now. So using the phone's memory card to store all kinds of files isn't a problem no more.

6) more intuitive UI with useful shortcuts - like that expected from the apple iphone.

yup, that multi-touch screen is really somethin, aint it? Fat chance we'll see the same thing on other phones though - coz Apple patented the technology. But still - it's not really as revolutionary as it seems. It wont work with gloves, for example, so operating the iPhone in winter might get a little tricky. Also, one handed texting would be very hard to do, since there's no tactile response of any keys. Another thing is - it'll be hard to protect that screen. Coming from a p900 and p910, I tell you, scratches on a touchscreen is not something you like.

7) multi band radio (FM, SW,MW, LW, Digital) for people who travel a lot. why has no phone comapny ever made a device that has this feature?

I think radio isn't that much used - most people dont really have their wired headsets with them all the time. (and most FM Radios require that headset to run). I think the 3200 (again) was the one of the few phones which can play radio on external speakers. (without the headset)

8) remote control in the headphones allowing you to control phone functions?

But if the phone is with you already, in your person, why would you need a remote headset for? Why not just take out the thing from your pocket or bag?

Unless you're talking of the music or radio functions only... if that's the case, there are bluetooth headsets now that can do that.

9) a nice form factor - very important. apple iphone, LG chocolate, motoming, nokia 8800 are nice looking phones

I think that that's possible. Even if Apple patented the screen - other phone makers can still make a phone that's similar in form factor and function. I fact LG has one right now.

cheers!