Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Nokia Smart Phone Recognizes Handwriting

Posted by timothy on from the needs-to-recognize-snacks dept.

San writes "Nokia on Tuesday announced it plans to start selling a new smart phone capable of handwriting recognition. The 7710 model features a touch screen, pen input, a digital camera, an Internet browser, a radio, video playback and streaming and recording capabilities, the company said."

10 of 105 comments (clear)

  1. In usual Nokia style by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful


    it looks terrible, if i wanted something clunky like that i would buy a RIM
    SonyEriccson are still the leaders in design its just a shame Nokia couldnt take a few pointers from them and make something nice and functional like the p910i from SE (has handwriting recog already)

  2. Ugh ... No Wi-Fi? by Average_Joe_Sixpack · · Score: 3, Insightful

    No Wi-Fi mentioned in the specs. Is there any technical reason Wi Fi can't be integrated into a cell? Is it a conflict of frequencies?

    1. Re:Ugh ... No Wi-Fi? by buro9 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      conflict of interests... cellphones are subsidised by the phone companies, wi-fi would allow us to email rather than SMS and VOIP rather than phone.

      why would a company subsidise a cell that would cut into their profits?

  3. doomed strategy by carnivore302 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I think it will become clear that the approach of "put everything in a phone" will be doomed.

    Yes, I'm guilty of buying a too expensive phone that has everything but the kitchen sink. What do I do with the phone? Well... just calling people.

    I've only once used the camera. I've once downloaded a java game (and played it). I've looked at the calender functions but never seem to use them. Yes, I do in fact enjoy a nice ringtone, but hate the whole WAP thing.

    Other people I speak have the same experience - we only use the phone-functionality. Everything else is a waste of money. One thing is for sure, I'll never buy an expensive phone with bells and whistles again.

    I appreciate the fact that companies like Nokia, Ericson, Motorola and Siemens are looking for ways to get more marketshare. But really... aside from better looks and lighter weight the customer doesn't seem to benefit and will eventually realise that.

    --
    Please login to access my lawn
    1. Re:doomed strategy by gmuslera · · Score: 4, Insightful
      In the other hand, if you already carry/need a "plain" cell phone, a pda, a digital camera and a mp3 player and even a gps, if you can have all that functionalities in a single device (assumming that do fairly well all of those things and are well integrated) will be better.

      Of course, if you just need a portable device to just talk, then all the extras are not needed and you can choose to buy cheaper/simple phones, but that depend on each people. For me maybe is no use the camera, or ringtones, but be able to access google and other sites, launch a ssh terminal, locate myself in a map to find where i must go and be able to take notes while talking or after are between the things i felt in some moment or another that really needed.

    2. Re:doomed strategy by MarkKnopfler · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I really do not agree with that. A smart phone IS a very useful tool if you you actually NEED it. One has to exactly know why one is purchasing the phone. If you do not and you still are purchasing a smart phone you are not a very smart person. This is how I use my phone. FYI I use a gaming console + smartphone combo

      -- I have a few mp3s on it which I can hear when I commuting to work
      -- I sync my calendar/todo with my phone so I exactly know whether I can turn up late for work or not and am in sync with the whole day when I start for work
      -- I play games on it (including FPS)
      -- I use my XHTML browser/GPRS to check my webmail and also catch up on the cricket scores when I am on the move

      As far as I go. my smart phone serves as my mp3 player, my PDA, a web browser and a game deck. It actually benefits me and I think smart phones are good things.

    3. Re:doomed strategy by ph1ll · · Score: 3, Insightful
      Each to their own. I have the Sony Ericsson P900 and I spend most of my time:
      • Reading books I downloaded from Gutenberg. This helps pass the time on my daily one-hour commute.
      • As a Palm replacement. My excellent Palm died 5 months ago.
      • Occasional web surfing. I used it only Sunday night to decide the winner of a bet I had in a pub. (I lost).
      • Practising my French. I have about 20 mins of French audio on it that I listen to while reading the transcript (amazing how good for the soul that one hour commute is...)
      In short, if you don't like any of these and similar activities, don't buy a smartphone. If you have a few hundred dollars to spare, I can recommend it.
      --
      --- "We've always been at war with Eastasia."
    4. Re:doomed strategy by Tim+C · · Score: 3, Insightful

      aside from better looks and lighter weight the customer doesn't seem to benefit and will eventually realise that.

      No; the ones that these phones aren't targetted at will realise that they're not the intended market and will stop buying them. The people who actually want/need the additional features will continue to buy the phones and be happy with them.

      Seriously, and not to flame you, but I'm always amazed by the number of highly-moderated posts here everytime smart phones are mentioned, decrying them and yearning for a "normal" phone that just does one thing and one thing well. And yet the phones clearly still sell, as they're still being made and new models are still being designed and produced...

      It all reminds me of the reaction to the iPod, and the iPod mini, and more recently the photo iPod. Despite all the expectations here, the neither the iPod nor the mini iPod flopped; quite the contrary in fact.

      I think a lot of posters here need to stop before ripping in to a given piece of tech, and think about the market it's actually targetted at. If you are part of that market, and still think it's not a goer, then fine, rip away. If not, then perhaps it would be best to wait and see how the target market reacts before making such self-assured predictions of failure...

      --
      It's official. Most of you are morons.
  4. Re:a phone that recognizes handwriting... by BadDoggie · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Why would you want to write messages when you can simply speak them?

    SMS messages. Handwriting is faster than input using the often poorly-implemented T9 method. And don't rant about SMS -- it's cheaper than a call, doesn't have to be received immediately, will go out even with the spottiest link, can be stored, and it allows communication when you can't hear or use a telephone (hospital, lecture, concert).

    Text entry is also necessary for storing numbers and personal information in the phone.

    woof.

  5. Re:Uhm, hi. by dnaumov · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Then for the love of god buy a phone that is just a phone and shut up:

    Nokia 3100: http://www.nokia.com/nokia/0,,32954,00.html
    Nokia 3510i: http://www.nokia.com/nokia/0,,2187,00.html
    Nokia 1100: http://www.nokia.com/nokia/0,,42112,00.html

    I'll take my digital camera, music player and web browser containing phone, thank you.