The ever-expanding smartphone screen: how supersized became everyday

[twowheels]

Originally Posted by forsooth

When at work do not have phone attached to belt.
Safe location is shirt pocket.
4 1/2 inch best size for pocket.
Keep phone clean, dry in zip plastic bag.

My work shirts don't have pockets! I wear tshirts. Casual office environment is great!

I also don't understand the comment above about 4.5" phones fitting in jean pockets. I can put my iPhone 4S in my pocket, but then I can't sit down. Belt is the only place that makes sense to me.

[ucfgrad93]

Originally Posted by twowheels

I can put my iPhone 4S in my pocket, but then I can't sit down.

What kind of pants are you wearing? My iPhone 4S with an Apple bumper fits fine in my pockets and doesn't impede me sitting down. I think the problem is with your pants rather than the size of your phone.

[wizwor]

Originally Posted by SeaKing

"The ever-expanding smartphone screen: how supersized became everyday"

By Jon Fingas posted Mar 1st, 2013 at 2:00 PM, Engadget

"We almost need a reminder that much of the smartphone's development before 2007 reflected a drive to shrink the phone, not make it bigger."

Hyper-analysis is always fun. Can't we just say that the age of the mobile telephone is nearing an end? This era started with bag phones -- which were awesome because they were portable. Bag phones were followed by smaller, less expensive bag-less phones. Then came battery phones. These devices were all clearly mobile phones.

Phones did not morph to smart phones then tablets. The phone function was added to personal, portable computers. We know this because 1) they work like computers not phones and 2) we use them like computers not phones.

My kid has an S3. It doesn't have a key pad. It has a desktop -- lots of them. 7x24, it wakes him, keeps an eye on his email, texts, calculates, browses the internet, and occasionally announces a phone caller. He swipes and taps and even talks to the thing.

It don't care what we call these handheld devices -- so long as we do not call them phablets.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by ucfgrad93

What kind of pants are you wearing? My iPhone 4S with an Apple bumper fits fine in my pockets and doesn't impede me sitting down. I think the problem is with your pants rather than the size of your phone.

My old Dell Streak has a 5 inch screen and the outer dimensions are as big as the Galaxy Note 1, when I put it in the front pocket of my jeans I have no problem sitting down. But it is very close to the maximum size you can handle, unless you are wearing cargo pants. Of course, I have seen young women wearing ultra short hot pants who couldn't fit anything over 2.5" in those pockets....

[Ken Maltby]

Hmm... So most of you pay a monthly fee to have a mobile phone service but use the
"phone" as a PDA?

I occasionally leave my man cave and carry my Mio P550 to do most of the things you
guys talked about, plus it provides me with GPS data in case I get lost. Even us modern
day hermits have broadband, but we don't really need a mobile phone.

Luck;
Ken

P.S.; As current Hermit fashion includes a number of large pockets, I also carry my
5" jetBook Lite e-reader, for those long waits at the VA.

[frahse]

Originally Posted by twowheels

My work shirts don't have pockets! I wear tshirts. Casual office environment is great!

I also don't understand the comment above about 4.5" phones fitting in jean pockets. I can put my iPhone 4S in my pocket, but then I can't sit down. Belt is the only place that makes sense to me.

I think he means front pants pockets and shirt pockets and probably not tight pants either.

But yes, some people wear tight pants and put their phone in the rear pocket when standing, unless you are French and have no rear pockets, and when they sit, they keep the phone in their hand or on the table.

Girls in particular do this.

[danskmacabre]

I have a Galaxy S2 (4.3 Inch screen), which is about the same size as a Galaxy S3. I rarely make phonecalls with it.
I do lots of texting.
Browse with it.
It's an alarm, Calendar, handles email. I read some PDFs using it, although PDF reading is a bit of a trial with a small screen, but doable.
I use it as an MP3 player a LOT and even watch movies on it sometimes.
I even have a few games on it which I play sometimes.

So whilst it's a mobile phone, it's so much more then a phone and I don't really use it as a phone much.

When my contract expires I will be getting a galaxy note (5.5 inch), which is even bigger than the S2. At that point I will probably hardly ever be using my 9.7 inch tablet.
Most likely I'll be using the 9.7inch tablet for using at home and reading large PDFs.

A year ago I swore I would never use a Galaxy note as It was REALLY big to me, but I have changed my tune now, these smart phones are SO useful to have and even the larger galaxy note is small enough to fit in my pockets.

[wizwor]

Regarding the pocketability of a device, I consider the Fire a pocketable device as I can stuff it into the back pocket of my Levis, the front pocket of my Dockers, and the front pocket of a jacket or sweatshirt. No problem sliding it into the inside pocket of a jacket.

The S3 is smaller and fits better under all circumstances.

I would not sit with a phone in my pants pocket, but it's nice to have a place to put the device when you belly up to a concession stand or urinal.

[holymadness]

Originally Posted by frahse

But yes, some people wear tight pants and put their phone in the rear pocket when standing, unless you are French and have no rear pockets, and when they sit, they keep the phone in their hand or on the table.

LOL what? Were you raised on just-so stories?

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

Hmm... So most of you pay a monthly fee to have a mobile phone service but use the
"phone" as a PDA?

I occasionally leave my man cave and carry my Mio P550 to do most of the things you
guys talked about, plus it provides me with GPS data in case I get lost. Even us modern
day hermits have broadband, but we don't really need a mobile phone.

Luck;
Ken

P.S.; As current Hermit fashion includes a number of large pockets, I also carry my
5" jetBook Lite e-reader, for those long waits at the VA.

Actually, over here it came out cheaper to buy the phone on contract. The payments for unlimited data are very reasonable and the discount on the phone is quite good. The data rates for pay-as-you-go, on the other hand, are extremely high. And the phones are unlocked from day 1. Much easier for work, too. Since I don't have to watch the meter when checking e-mail, I can even use Skype for phone calls.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

Hmm... So most of you pay a monthly fee to have a mobile phone service but use the
"phone" as a PDA?

I occasionally leave my man cave and carry my Mio P550 to do most of the things you
guys talked about, plus it provides me with GPS data in case I get lost. Even us modern
day hermits have broadband, but we don't really need a mobile phone.

Luck;
Ken

P.S.; As current Hermit fashion includes a number of large pockets, I also carry my
5" jetBook Lite e-reader, for those long waits at the VA.

I do have a smartphone these days. But I don't have a 3G subscription for my phone. Wifi works perfectly as well. It's a Lumia, with a 3.5" screen (I believe). I'm not sure I'd want something larger than that for a device that I use to make phone calls... (I prefer my Sonim to actually make calls, in fact).

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

Hmm... So most of you pay a monthly fee to have a mobile phone service but use the
"phone" as a PDA?

Yes, because what I'm really paying for is the internet connection.

[wizwor]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Yes, because what I'm really paying for is the internet connection.

Because it's really a portable computer not a phone.

[forsooth]

Sometimes use solar chargers away from vehicle.
Also power grid may not be safe. Solar always safe.

Have 1 great solar lamp can charge phone.

Want larger phone battery.

[Ninjalawyer]

I pulled my usage stats for the month from the phone for February, and apparently I used 7 minutes of talk time but downloaded 6GB of data. So apparently I'm also in the boat of people that use it as a computer rather than a phone.

I liked the 4" screen, but I'm slowly becoming more interested in something a little bigger. I'm thinking something in the form factor of the Galaxy SIII for my next phone; a less cramped screen but still on the outside edge of pocketable.

Originally Posted by HarryT

Yes, because what I'm really paying for is the internet connection.

Pretty much this. I would seriously consider dropping voice if I could keep unlimited data.