Six technologies endangered by smartphones

[bjones6416]

Originally Posted by sabredog

A smartphone moment in time today....

Dragged out my Omnia for a bit of reading whilst waiting for the train home.

Fire up Mobipocket and get stuck into a Edgar Rice Burroughs omnibus gained free from Mobileread.

Five minutes of reading....enjoyable....

Minute 6 - SMS
Minute 7 - appointment reminder
Minute 11 - email notification pop-up
Minute 14 - incoming phone call from lady wife...

Now if I had one of my readers, I would STILL enjoying uninterrupted reading and not dismissing distracting pop-ups and pushing the answer call button (well I would have got the phone out for that call!)

This cuts right to the chase! Because, yes, that's exactly why it's hard to have one device for everything. It makes you unable to DO just one thing.

[Ben Thornton]

Such devices could be set to do one thing. I think that this is a feature that will come. I already sometimes use my ipod as an alarm clock, but if I do, I need to remember to turn off notifications and pump up the volume. Otherwise I either get a notification in the middle of the night, which is unwelcome, or it doesn't make much noise and I sleep through.

But the devices are perfectly capable of, say, defining "modes", so you could have alarm clock mode, gaming mode, meeting mode, funeral mode etc. - and reading mode.

[FlorenceArt]

Originally Posted by Ben Thornton

Such devices could be set to do one thing. I think that this is a feature that will come. I already sometimes use my ipod as an alarm clock, but if I do, I need to remember to turn off notifications and pump up the volume. Otherwise I either get a notification in the middle of the night, which is unwelcome, or it doesn't make much noise and I sleep through.

But the devices are perfectly capable of, say, defining "modes", so you could have alarm clock mode, gaming mode, meeting mode, funeral mode etc. - and reading mode.

What I'd like on my new smartphone is an "auto-off" function (I suppose some must have it, but I haven't found it for mine), because I keep forgetting to switch it off at night and it sits there draining the battery all night, sometimes even waking me up in the middle of it to complain that it needs to be recharged Plus all the notifications, but I have the sound set up low so I usually don't hear them.

[bjones6416]

Originally Posted by Ben Thornton

Such devices could be set to do one thing. I think that this is a feature that will come. I already sometimes use my ipod as an alarm clock, but if I do, I need to remember to turn off notifications and pump up the volume. Otherwise I either get a notification in the middle of the night, which is unwelcome, or it doesn't make much noise and I sleep through.

But the devices are perfectly capable of, say, defining "modes", so you could have alarm clock mode, gaming mode, meeting mode, funeral mode etc. - and reading mode.

Good Lord, I hope I never need "funeral mode" so often it has to be a defined mode!

[Ben Thornton]

Originally Posted by bjones6416

Good Lord, I hope I never need "funeral mode" so often it has to be a defined mode!

I just think that there should be a mode that says "on no occasion make any noise, bleep, flash etc." - especially on phones that don't turn fully off easily and don't have a removable battery.

[FlorenceArt]

Don't all phones have a silent mode? Or do you want to stop the vibrations as well?

[bjones6416]

Originally Posted by FlorenceArt

Don't all phones have a silent mode? Or do you want to stop the vibrations as well?

Mine always have. I just press the # key, and it silences it until I press it again. I leave the vibrate on, though -- it reminds me to check for messages when the funeral is over.

[Ben Thornton]

Originally Posted by FlorenceArt

Don't all phones have a silent mode? Or do you want to stop the vibrations as well?

Not all phones do, and it would be good to have features to set a bunch of things at once. In alarm clock mode, you'd want the alarm to sound, but nothing else until then. In funeral mode, you want it to be off, essentially.

Anyway, it seems to me that the fact that phones haven't got this right yet is another reason why people like devices that do one thing well - like a dedicated reader without interruptions, an alarm clock etc.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I don't worry about any of that. I just keep the stupid thing turned off until I actually need it to make a phone call. I realize there are those who may need to be connected 24/7 for business reasons but for daily life, why do people think they need to be connected at all times? I don't want to be interrupted while watching TV, reading, talking to someone (not to mention it is rude), watching a movie, eating, sleeping, etc. I own my electronics, not the other way around.

[bjones6416]

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

I don't worry about any of that. I just keep the stupid thing turned off until I actually need it to make a phone call. I realize there are those who may need to be connected 24/7 for business reasons but for daily life, why do people think they need to be connected at all times? I don't want to be interrupted while watching TV, reading, talking to someone (not to mention it is rude), watching a movie, eating, sleeping, etc. I own my electronics, not the other way around.

And I get that, I really do.

My circumstance, though, is that I'm responsible for my 89 year old mother, and the only reason that I'm able to leave her alone at all is knowing that she can contact me at any time if she has an emergency. (She keeps her cell phone in her pocket, with my number on speed dial.) If I am unable to be the one on call, we specifically assign someone else in the family to be available, and I set my phone to "funeral."

It has given me SO much more freedom this way. I try not to be annoying to people around me with it -- keep it on vibrate most of the time, and if I need to take a call I slip out of the room. But it's worked for us so far, and the times I've had to call 911 I've been able to get there before the EMT's do. It gives her a feeling of security, too, and allows her to keep a little independence.

[Ben Thornton]

Originally Posted by Lady Fitzgerald

I don't worry about any of that. I just keep the stupid thing turned off until I actually need it to make a phone call. I realize there are those who may need to be connected 24/7 for business reasons but for daily life, why do people think they need to be connected at all times? I don't want to be interrupted while watching TV, reading, talking to someone (not to mention it is rude), watching a movie, eating, sleeping, etc. I own my electronics, not the other way around.

I just googled how to turn my ipod Touch off - I never have - so I know how to now. But these devices aren't designed for that, and you lose the "instant on" when you do want to use it. More convenient to let it know what behaviour you want. The problem is that manufacturers don't have this sorted yet - but I expect it will improve over time.

[Freeshadow]

I don't buy it either.
in addition to the mentioned size and battlife issue
especially in the camera-casethere is one point to add: there still are places where you are NOT allowed to bring a camera in.

say: the fact that nearly every gadget incorporates a clock feat, wristwatches are about to be heavily diminished - i'll buy that

[Crowl]

Originally Posted by kjk

Convergent devices don't necessarily kill of dedicated devices...but they definitely impact the market from a manufacturer's standpoint.

Indeed, that is definitely the correct way to describe the situation, it is only the need of any kind of media to have a bigger headline that sales being impacted morphs into device x killed off.

[Crowl]

Originally Posted by EricDP

I just bought an alarm clock because I can't glance over and see the time on my BlackBerry in the middle of the night without touching it, and then it blinds me. A nice soft red LED clock for $10 that does two things very well: show me the time and alert me when a pre-specified time has arrived. It does nothing else. And that's what I wanted.

The blackberry has a bedside mode, it dims the display and keeps the screen enabled, obviously not ideal when running on batteries but unless you are only away one day then most people will tend to charge their phone overnight anyway.

[Crowl]

Originally Posted by gollu

As a portable game console-- I'd tip all the non-believers to check the numbers of games sold for iOS and Android - they speak for themselves.
The big advantage of all-in-one device is charging only one battery and carrying less bulk. I am ready to compromise quality for those life-saving features.

I think the main thing demonstrated by the amount games sold on phones is that lower prices lead to sales, people are a lot more willing to pay for that 59p game on their phone whereas £20+ for a game on a proper console is a more considered purchase for most people.

The big disadvantage of the all-in-one device is that single battery runs out a lot faster, less of an issue if you have one with removable batteries, but still not ideal.

One point that shouldn't be overlooked is the boost that the all-in-one devices can produce for some dedicated devices such as cameras or ereaders, somebody gets into the feature a lot more due to using it on their phone and ends up buying the dedicated device that is better for that purpose.