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Nokia 3650 Symbian Imaging-phone
Ch_Omega writes "Nokia have announced a new cameraphone in the, traditionally low-cost, 3xxx-series. Surprisingly enough, it seems to have the same functionality as the Nokia 7650, as well as tri-band, MMC-expansion slot, and abillity to capture video as well as still images. The new smartphone has been given the name Nokia 3650, which, according to this article indicates that it will be much cheaper than the 7650, while actually being superior feature-wise!"
Not long ago I would have totally agreed with you, but then I got a Canon s110 and I totally changed the way I viewed cameras. Due to the fact that it was so small and that there is zero cost to take pictures, I started taking it everywhere with me. It is as common as keys, wallet, and cellphone. So why not consolidate the cellphone and camera? Actually, I'm seriously interested in buying a product that merges my wallet and my cellphone.
I realize I am bucking the trend here, but what I really want to see is less of this combo crap and more SINGLE FUNCTION devices (and software apps, for that matter) that do one major thing and do it extremely well.
For example:
Internet suites suck. I want a stand alone email program that just does email and does an amazing job of it. I want a stand alone newsreader for usenet. I want a stand alone browser. I want a stand alone IM program (which, incidentally, talks to anyone on any IM network of course).
I want a PDA that does an amazing job at being a PDA. It doesn't need to do MP3s. It doesn't need to take (or show) pictures. It doesn't need to operate as my TV remote or my garage door opener.
I want a printer that just PRINTS. Has anyone noticed the complete LACK of innovation in the printer space? Why haven't color LASER printers at 10+ page per minute speed come to the consumer level ($200 and under). All we get are a variety of inkjet printers with various extra features tacked on (fax, scan, etc). They do a crappy job of scanning and a crappy job of faxing (of course, fax machines are all crap and it is a technology that needs to die, but that is a whole different matter).
I want my scanner to scan. I want my fax to fax (I actually want it to die, but I really shouldn't keep getting distracted by my fax hatred). I want my printer to PRINT.
Is this too much to ask? Combo devices generally do everything poorly. I would rather have devices that do ONE thing and do it GREAT.
-Michael (Aristotle@Threshold RPG)
http://www.threshold-rpg.com
I don't know about you, but I've droped my cell phone into lakes too often to want an expensive one. (it was in my pocket when I fell overboard last time) Sure I recover it, but I haven't had success getting them to work after than.
Combine that with new features coming out all the time, and I'm not sure I want an expensive one. As others have noted, this cheap phone looks better feature wise than a more expensive older model.
Or to put it a different way: why spend money on an expensive phone when I can get a cheap one, and the next model will be better?
And they are pretty nice in real life. One of my friend's dad works at Nokia and now has one of these phones and boy is it nice. The keypad is weird at first, but apparently a represtative sample of text-messagers in the UK said that the keypad was better than the regular style once you get the hang of it. The one strange thing, though, is that there's no cover over the lense (well there is but it's transparant and perminantly there and permenantly open to scratches). At first I was a little paranoid about this but apparently they tested it by literally scrubbing it with sandpaper for half an hour and not a scratch! It's also impervious to keys and change in your pocket - the only way to seriously damage it is to take a scalpal to it! The software on the phone was all development/old versions but it's going to have RealOne and, apparently, real internet browsing (Has God answered the prayer's of millions? Is W@P dead?) and other goodies. The phone has the usual Nokia tactile feel, though perhaps a little more plasticy than previous phones (think transition from Palm III to M100 without the shambolic hardware issues). And generally is pretty sweet. I can't wait to see the polished production version!!!
Nokia makes the best phones on the market. Period. I've owned Siemens, Motorola and four Nokias - I've tried the Sony Ericsson T68i, Ericsson (old ones) and a few others (like Bosch etc) - NONE of them are as good as the Nokia - they simply have the best user interface - menu system - of them all. On advanced phones the menu system is very important - And none beats the nokias.
The only thing that I regret about the new phones, is that they no longer have the "IntelliKey" - that was a good!
Any technology distinguishable from magic, is insufficiently advanced.
in short, the features you want are: ;)
Floats
WaterProof.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
The least they could have done is arranged the circular buttons in clockwise order so that they'd be layed out in a way similar to the old rotary-dial phones.
A ductator across the ocean is building weapons of mass destruction.
Yessss, ve vill rule with an iron quack! They vill tremble before the flapping of our bill! Ve are ... THE DUCTATORS!
Fear the stomping of our jack-booted web feet.
You don't sound like a habitual cellphone user. I am one, and I can tell you that I have developed a scary reliance on a number of features (SMS messaging, the built in alarm clock, caller-ID-associative ringtones, tetris, etc) - all developed after your 10 number speed dial. There is nothing I wish for more than a completely integrated PDA/phone/camera/mp3 player/web browser, etc.
;-). Ericsson's P800 is due out early next year (revised date), with all those features - and MPEG4, Java, everything crammable into a 150mhz ARM processor with 16mb memory.
And guess what - it's coming soon (RSN
Check it out
I know it's what I've dreamed of, and I bet you that many other (geek and non-geek) people have dreamt of it too.
numbers when in someone's pocket or bag. Sometimes this occurs
during incriminating or embarrassing situations, and typically
the number on the other end will be a friend or relative since
they are going to be the last dialed number, or someone on a
speed dial entry.
Now pause for a moment, and imagine the implications of a
video-cellphone accidently dialing your parents at a bad
time...
On a more serious note, I've also read about cell phones being
used intentionally for this sort of spying. Ones that can
auto-answer calls silently are inconspicuously left in a board
room or someone's office, and then later, can be called in order
to eavesdrop.
They typcially dont raise any concerns because, hey "Its just a
cell phone, someone probably forgot it, and will come back to get
it".
Now... adding video to the technique may prove to be interesting
or problematic (depending on which side you are on).
I just got a 3410, and to my grief, I shortly figured the only way to transfer apps to the 3xxx series is through WAP. Unlike the 7xxx series or even the 6xxx series. That is a real drawback for us midlet java programmers :(.