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New Nokia Phones - with Java
scrm writes: "Nokia just released a slew of new phones at CEBIT. Among them are two phones - a full-color phone and a cheap n' cheerful model - both of whose software can be upgraded with Java applications." And Haggis writes "Nokia are to use the Opera browser in the latest incarnation of their everything-plus-the-kitchen-sink mobile phone, the 9210i. Oh, and it will run Java applets too."
Like ease of use, or form follows function? Looks like a nice phone, but that keypad layout blows. I can't imagine dialing that thing without having to look at the phone while you dial. Annoying.
"If you're thinking what I'm thinking, you're right." -
What we have here is a case of feature creep. I want a wireless phone to be little more than that -- wireless, and a phone. If it has a place to plug in to pass data, that is a useful bonus, likewise a place to plug in to pass analog audio (i.e. a headset). Anything more than that is garbage cluttering up the functionality of a device that one needs to be able to operate while driving, and therefore without looking at the display.... in which case, who cares if the display is in colour or not?
I am disturbed by the recent trends to add menus to everything. There are cases (mobile phones, car radios, and, yes, digital cameras) where the functionality needs to be at your fingertips without fumbling through five layers of menus. I'm getting tired of it. I have to go through a menu to get to my $quot;speed" dial on my existing phone, and I assure you, it takes the "speed" out of it. Why do I want to put more crap into my phone?!?
www.wavefront-av.com
Why? Well, most phones I've ever tried have been poor. Poor build quality, particularly in regard to securing the battery connection. Average to poor interfaces (how long before someone finally adds 'Reply and erase' to their SMS options?). Poor damage resistance. Ill-thought out, unprotected keypads that are pressed by anything leaning against them whilst in your pocket, the synchronisation software that comes with them tends to be poor...
OK, so the 'lock keypad' function is used to get round one of those moans. But that's extra hassle - one more step for me to take to compensate for their poor designs.
I'm on my fourth, and best, mobile at the moment. It's one step back (possibly even two steps now) from Nokia's latest stuff - the 8850. Solves my annoyance with the keypad, but still the screen is too easily scratched, still the SMS side of things remains ill-thought out, and the PC Suite for it is hopelessly out of date and utterly useless.
Whilst Java phones sound nice (I'm a primarily Java-based developer by trade), I'd sacrifice the entire lot for an industrial design that works as a basic phone without falling apart.
Cheers,
Ian
Not only are these phones going to probably have the wait you mention, they are probably not going to hit US shores for a long long time (if ever).
IMHO, Samsung and Sanyo actually release phones that are cool without too much hype. Nokia has become a "designer brand" that people in the US pay for just to have, even if the technology is outdated by the time they get to the US.
> But with no support for multimedia now (sound)
> don't expect these games to be anything amazing.
They're not tooooooo bad. There are a few to try at midlet.org
This is one of those examples of why its great to have a cell phone in the US. Since every carrier uses a different signal setup, Nokia, and every other phone maker can't just make one phone and sell it everywhere. Since they have to enter into agreements with the wireless carriers (!) and make phones especially for a particular carrier we'll get these phones years after the rest of the world. Oh, and it will be more expensive to boot! So take a long look, and start waiting.
These kind of features are the reason I don't own a cell phone, and make my friends turn them off around me.
Great. I can't wait to get killed because some moron is blowing down the highway and can't be bothered to look up because he's on a hot streak after getting a double-railing. "(Sarcasm) Where can I sign up?"
Really. I would like to take my E-mail with me. Good idea. Sell me that. Make it small so people can't read it while driving.
It bothers the heck out of me when I see someone having a long, loud, boring conversation in the open air about his personal business all around me. Slowing down the grocery line, yammering about god knows what, making it impossible to reach for their wallet or purse, screeching away at the top of their lungs and ignoring everyone around them. Nowadays, even friends have no sense of priority. I take the time to visit a friend, then some jacksmack calls and hijacks their time for a half-hour while I stare at the ceiling. Why? Because in this society the cell phone is more importanst than any person sitting in front of you. Cell phones are the death of gentility and manners. Every personal cell phone call is more important than anything else. Period.
I carry a pager. I don't have to answer. I still get to friends and parties. They can even let me know if it is an emergency.
I drive professionally for about half of my day. I would say that a good 95% of the people that don't let me in traffic while my on-ramp is quickly ending on me are on phones. They can't be bothered to watch for other drivers... 'they' have a conversation to attend to, which is obviously much more important than that tractor-trailer next to you.
I actually saw a woman a month ago doing seventy on a city interstate bridge ramp dictating legal documents over a cell phone while changing lanes. For the first time ever... I actually wanted to see her vault off of the ramp and disappear into the river before she caused negligent homicide.
I like Darwin just fine. But I didn't choose to yack at someone in the middle of traffic. I expect to not die for these kinds of selfish mistakes.
New York has it right. Knowing New Yorkers and the way they are to their fellow man, you had to pass a law or risk EVERYONE getting killed on the highway.