Ok so this is only somewhat design related. I’m searching for a new phone and service. To me the perfect phone would be one that:
Is a clamshell thus reducing overall size and not requiring “keylock”
Rotating camera and or screen so you can take pics of others or the other way around of you and a friend
NO antenna nub that sticks out. I was told that antennas weren’t even necessary for digital but only for analog (not sure if that’s true or not). I think if you really need better reception you should be able to pull it out or flip up. The current ones with the nub just increase the phones size and my guess is give people (uniformed people) some false sense of superior reception.
Side volume adjustment. My current one doesn’t have this so I have to pull the phone away and adjust it while someones talking so I miss what they’re saying! Definately retahhhded.
MOST IMPORTANT = INFO TRANSFER. I hate that I can’t download or transfer a chip with my numbers in case I loose my phone or want to get it replaced. And it’s great that phones can take pics now, so why not give them a USB connection to transfer files to consolidate having USB stick too.
I no the phone companies would hate this though because they wouldn’t be able to charge you extra for transfering pics or other files.
OK so all that and NOT in some large PDA type device. Is there such a product? If so I want to hear about it. And what would you want in your dream phone?
that 900i phone has all you mentioned except for the volume control.
my japanese girlfriend brought back a docomo mobile phone and got a service plan for it here in california.
i’m waiting for the next generation phones that have built in motion video digital cameras (at least 2MPix) with zoom control…w’ont be long now…[/url]
my comment MORE design-related: i dont like cell phones.
conversations should be private. nothing more rude than loud person in public.
additional distraction for drivers. most are lousy already.
design is evolution of old ATT stuff. a box is a box is a box. talking listening activating do not require a box like whats out there. ear bud. vocal pickup. hands free. thats what it should be imo.
cell phones are suffering from Feature-itis. like swiss army knife. need a camera? then build it into some glasses. need game device? make input unit to interface with earbud and VR lensed glasses. need music? … right now its just stick more electronics into a box. make it pretty. do amazing things like have it clamshell or rotate open or pivot&swivel. amazing.
personally i think design is failing. its herd mentality and marketing/sales driving decisions from what i see. sometimes you see design concept that breaks the paradigm. but no one is making that thing. suspect the idea is polarizing. betting you take that into research and 30% love it, but 70% want what they already have. so we get what we have. until someone tries something different and…surprise…it sells and gains acceptance.
Well it depends oon who you are designing cell phones for - assuming america:
-the american consumer is behind the trends - candy bar shape phones are becoming less popular but still more popular than other countries - so consider designing both. clam shells are more popular now because people like protecting the face of the phone and also like the coolness for flipping open a phone for a call or a text.
-text is becoming more popular so design the keys so people can text easier (the idiots at motorola and nokia seem to not get this)
-bigger screens if possible, they are still too small
-the sounds of the ringers are still annoying - more clarity is needed.
You’re not getting comments because you’re asking for a phone that doesn’t exist yet in the US market. (Closest I can think of is the Motorola MPx if you don’t mind using the Smartphone UI.)
Info transfer is possible with most phones, but you either need to take it to the store, or buy the kit for home. Most people don’t realize that phone stores will transfer your old data to your new phone, you just need to ask. SyncML or Outlook-Exchange Sync will be appearing on a lot of new phones, so syncing your phonebook and calendar will be seamless. Look for a bluetooth phone if you want PC sync without the wires or hassle.
You’ll have to wait for the next crop of phones for the secondary color viewfinder for self-portraits. I wouldn’t let this be a deciding factor since cameraphones aren’t camera replacements (yet.)
The MPx is too PDA; too bulky. The store/kit data transfer you mentioned has two major drawbacks: cost and availability. They charge you for this service and it’s usually only available if your new phone is the same model! (thus basically useless for upgrading to a new phone or different brand). I guess I’ll have to wait for SyncML or Outlook-Exchange Sync you mentioned.
Actually the closest thing I’ve found to my wishlist is the Samsung SGH-Z105 (only available in Europe though). Just needs bluetooth or a usb connection.
Still, can anyone tell me why they keep designing these things with the annoying antenna nub sticking out? Seriously, automobiles now are designed with the antennas in the rear window why can’t they design a more subtle antenna, argh.
