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Smarter Phones Coming Soon

cofaboy writes "Down at Vulture Central there's an article regarding the next generation of smart phones. These things will learn to nag you if you try drinking too much the night before, learn who your friends are via bluetooth and more. "

145 comments

  1. Your mom by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I thought nagging about how much you drank last night was one's mother's job, using the phone...

    1. Re:Your mom by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Why waste a phone call when she can just come down to the basement and yell and you in person?

    2. Re:Your mom by DrMrLordX · · Score: 1

      I see your point. It is possible that early revisions of the "smarter" smart phone, along with its complementary servers(mentioned in article), might have problems differentiating between friends and coworkers merely based upon Bluetooth usage. But hey, who knows, it might work.

      I also don't really see how it can tell the difference between me drinking and somebody else drinking, particularly if I let someone else use the phone.

      Still, an excellent point. I hope you're moderated appropriately.

  2. Information is dangerous :) by Gopal.V · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I wouldn't want these logs (plus a location chart) to fall into the wrong hands :)

    Privacy is a concern the second you send it to a server ....

    1. Re:Information is dangerous :) by Johnny+deBris · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Indeed. First they know where you are, now they're trying to find out what you have been doing, and if the project would succeed they would even know what you *will be* doing later on...

    2. Re:Information is dangerous :) by malsbert · · Score: 4, Funny

      would never happen! companys take care not to disclose personal information about there custermers!

      damn this is goooood weed! where was i? nevermind...

      --
      "Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest." - Denis Diderot.
    3. Re:Information is dangerous :) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      would never happen! companys take care not to disclose personal information about there custermers!

      As an exercise, name last time someone was caught with doing that and it made the news. :-)

    4. Re:Information is dangerous :) by BrokenHalo · · Score: 1

      That's why there will always probably be a bigger market for Dumb Phones(tm).

    5. Re:Information is dangerous :) by Enix · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The scary part is that you might not know when you're being 'tracked'... Say one of your friends gets the phone but you don't know it's a smarty-pants phone. If they hang around with you a lot of the time suddenly They know where you are.

      I just find it strange that in time of security paranoia we still seem to broadcast so much information about ourselves without thinking about it. For example, I bought a set of headphones the other day and was asked my phone number and post code (zip code). Now why do they need to know that?

      --
      -- Enix
    6. Re:Information is dangerous :) by Lobishomen · · Score: 2, Interesting

      While I'll agree that there's cause for concern about privacy, the whole system strikes me as a user friendly front end for accessing information that the cellphone companies likely already collect. Who you called? Obviously. Where you called from? Signal strength and tower location, at the very least. Who you're connecting with? Absolutely. Letting consumers get more out of this is cause to raise an eyebrow, but don't start putting on the tinfoil hats quite yet.

    7. Re:Information is dangerous :) by digitalchinky · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I think the tinfoil hat types might want to delve into Signalling System number 7. (SS7 - CCCIT7)

      It's a pretty complicated beast, but with access to the stream in a few key locations, your mobile telephone already gives away a metric crapload of information about the user.

      (Tinfoil hat weenies)
      'But my phone uses an encrypted signal!'

      Yeah, well, that little micowave dish on the cell station 'does not'. GSM vocoders aren't too complicated to figure out.

      Think big database, and multiple SS7 inputs.

      Google is your friend! (It allows you to swell your sense of fear and paranoia to ever soaring heights when used correctly)

    8. Re:Information is dangerous :) by malfunct · · Score: 1

      Now why do they need to know that?

      Because its very valuable for targeting demographics by area. By tying all of the information together they can find out all sorts of crazy things (like I think people buy more ice cream during hurricanes or something crazy, see the slashdot article about walmart data mining).

      --

      "You can now flame me, I am full of love,"

    9. Re:Information is dangerous :) by nyekulturniy · · Score: 1

      Dumb Phone: Duh? Hello... no, Bob's not here...

      Bob: You idiot, I'm right over here! Who's on the line? Hello? (pause) They hung up. Who was it?

      Dumb Phone: Some dude.

      Bob: Which dude? What did he say?

      Dumb Phone: I think it was an Ira... and an Audrey? I don't know.

      Bob: Did he leave a number?

      Dumb Phone: I didn't have a pencil.

      Bob: You don't need a pencil, you can record the message, you idiot!

      Dumb Phone: I can't figure out which button is "record."

      Bob: Who designed your software, anyway?

      Dumb Phone: Some dude named Bill. Chill. Fear Factor is on.

      --
      Nyekulturniy... Proudly confusing readers and editors since 1981!
  3. 'learn who your friends are via bluetooth' by dupper · · Score: 5, Funny
    Aha: I don't have any friends.

    Take that, Big Brother!

    1. Re:'learn who your friends are via bluetooth' by ceeam · · Score: 5, Funny

      I changed your slashdot status to "friend" :)

      Others?

    2. Re:'learn who your friends are via bluetooth' by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      me, me!

    3. Re:'learn who your friends are via bluetooth' by c4ffeine · · Score: 1

      Me too. Who could resist drawing Big Brother's attention to him :)?

      --
      "73% of quotes on the Internet are made up" -Ben Franklin
  4. Bah by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Isnt a wife good enough for this?

    1. Re:Bah by bryan986 · · Score: 1

      For people like me who spend all day on slashdot and dont have a wife or girlfriend

      --
      There is no sig
    2. Re:Bah by Zog+The+Undeniable · · Score: 2, Funny

      No, the licensing costs are excessive and there are some serious instability bugs that need working out. They never, ever, suffer from memory leaks though - especially if it relates to something you said in 1987 about her arse looking big in those jeans.

      --
      When I am king, you will be first against the wall.
    3. Re:Bah by EricKoh · · Score: 3, Funny

      Cool gadget! I'll train the handphone to nag at every little thing and then give it to my wife. Revenge of the Geek Husband... Sweeeet...

    4. Re:Bah by maxwell+demon · · Score: 2, Funny

      Also, the license is usually terminated as soon as you try a competitor's product. And then in most cases you'll still have to pay license fees after your license was terminated. And even if cou manage to keep your license, the functionality will be severely reduced.

      --
      The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
  5. And Hopefully tell you someone cute goes by by Mycroft_VIII · · Score: 2, Funny

    After all what are 7 megapixels and smarts good for if the thing can't help you spot someone atractive, just so long as it learns its' OWNERS preferences, and not some factory default.(shudder)

    Mycroft

    --
    https://signup.leagueoflegends.com/?ref=4c3ed6600b6ea
    1. Re:And Hopefully tell you someone cute goes by by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      These things will learn to nag you if you try drinking too much the night before, learn who your friends are via bluetooth and more. "

      Hell, with all that, if it can give you a blowjob too, who needs a girlfriend?

    2. Re:And Hopefully tell you someone cute goes by by foobsr · · Score: 1

      Hell, with all that, if it can give you a blowjob too, who needs a girlfriend?

      Hmm, if the phone is smart indeed, it might have other choices besides this if it spots a cute potential evironment {|}

      CC.

      --
      TaijiQuan (Huang, 5 loosenings)
    3. Re:And Hopefully tell you someone cute goes by by Whafro · · Score: 1

      dude, there is NOTHING wrong with it telling me when cute asian women walk by...

  6. One more privacy breach by bugbeak · · Score: 2, Insightful

    That's one more potential privacy breach. Why do we even bother with that term anymore?

  7. You can call me paranoid.. by thegoogler · · Score: 5, Funny

    but thats just a little freaky, i mean it monitors pratically your whole fucking life? "Dave, its your girlfriends birthday. buy her this type of chocolates from this store and your cahnce of getting layed goes up 36.4%" wait.. thats actually a good idea... nvm..

    1. Re:You can call me paranoid.. by njchick · · Score: 4, Funny

      Imagine explaining your phone that your girlfriend dumped you for a guy with a better phone, so you don't need to buy her any gifts. Your phone may be very unhappy to learn about that.

    2. Re:You can call me paranoid.. by Zorilla · · Score: 1

      Yeah, but there's no other mood ruiner than making out with your girlfriend, whipping it out, and having the phone say, "Looks like you're writing a letter!"

      AAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUGHHHHH!

      Oh, well. I guess it beats politically incorrect Clippy..."I transform into a coat hanger just in case that bitch gets pregnant!"

      --

      It would be cool if it didn't suck.
    3. Re:You can call me paranoid.. by glebd · · Score: 1

      Combined with the provider's ability to communicate with your phone remotely, you get a small personal Big Brother in your pocket.

    4. Re:You can call me paranoid.. by maxwell+demon · · Score: 1
      Imagine explaining your phone that your girlfriend dumped you for a guy with a better phone, so you don't need to buy her any gifts. Your phone may be very unhappy to learn about that.

      What if your phone doesn't like your girlfriend, and tries to get rid of her by sending her faked data about your other contacts?

      So if you really have to make the phones intelligent, at least don't give them emotions!
      --
      The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
    5. Re:You can call me paranoid.. by AndroidCat · · Score: 1

      And what happens if your phone and your Virtual Girlfriend don't get along?

      --
      One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
    6. Re:You can call me paranoid.. by AndroidCat · · Score: 1

      "Jenkins, we're downsizing and I'm afraid we'll have to let you go. But we're promoting your phone to project manager."

      --
      One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
    7. Re:You can call me paranoid.. by wallace_mark · · Score: 1

      Wild guess? At least for the target audience of women who read slashdot, you're more likely to get laid if you can spell "laid".

  8. not buying one by TLouden · · Score: 2, Insightful

    seriously, i've got enought trouble when my family does that stuff, so why whould a buy a phone that is better at doing it?

    --
    -Tim Louden
  9. When drunk... by imroy · · Score: 4, Funny

    Will it advise you not to ring your ex when you've had too many drinks?

    1. Re:When drunk... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      New phones will detect if you are drunk while typing SMS messages (amount of typos, speed of typing etc.). After the phone decides you are drunk it makes it impossible for you to communicate with your ex-girlfriend/wife etc. I KNOW this will be implemented in the near future!

    2. Re:When drunk... by Joel+from+Sydney · · Score: 1

      Bah, where's your sense of adventure?!

      That's half the fun of getting drunk in the first place!

    3. Re:When drunk... by tzot · · Score: 1

      Will it advise you not to ring your ex when you've had too many drinks?
      Actually it will automatically text your ex with a "See what you got me into by ditching me? Please, please, come and pick me up at [longitude]/[latitude]"

      --
      I speak England very best
    4. Re:When drunk... by Fire+Dragon · · Score: 1

      I KNOW this will be implemented in the near future!

      It is on the testing phace, all that the engineers are lacking at the moment is a testing engineer with a (ex-)girlfriend.

    5. Re:When drunk... by AndroidCat · · Score: 1

      Yes, and the built-in camera will have a date evaluation program to advise you when you've had too much. Friends don't let friends date drunk.

      --
      One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
    6. Re:When drunk... by iGN97 · · Score: 1

      This is a feature I've been wanting for some time. Implement a breath analyzer and allow you to put people you want to shield from raging alcoholic outbursts into special groups which are unavailable until the light is green.

      I have the habit of deleting certain numbers before I start drinking, but even my old drunken mind has started involuntarily memorizing some of the numbers. I need parenting in my pocket.

      Also, I'd like a phone that has the sense to timestamp when you enter new names into the phonebook. Don't you sometimes go through the list and wonder "who the hell are all these people?!". If it could also tag the entry with location, that would be excellent. "Lisa, 2004-11-10 02:00, The Roxbury". Aww, she's a dawg.

      If the phone was also smart enough to trick you into paying bills while drunk, that would totally rock. It just doesn't hurt that much when done drunk. It would be nice to wake up one sunday, not remembering what the hell I did last night, and have it turn out I actually did good.

      Oh, and also, could you position the camera so it's more useful for doing upskirt shots?

  10. how would the phone know the difference? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    im alwyas durnk :)

  11. Nah... by Zog+The+Undeniable · · Score: 4, Funny

    Predictive texting is crap (everyone I know turns it off) so I can't see this being much better. Now a *really* smart phone would recognise telemarketing calls and refuse to ring, or just play a recorded message telling them you're dead.

    --
    When I am king, you will be first against the wall.
    1. Re:Nah... by Trillan · · Score: 2, Insightful

      It's funny. I only know three people who turn predictive text off, and two of them type in foreign languages for which prediction is not available. The third has had a cell phone since texting was available.

      I think it's a lot like anything else. The good ideas don't actually win people over, it's just that the people stuck on the old ideas die out sooner or later and aren't replaced.

    2. Re:Nah... by KronicD · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I use preditive text, it's alot faster for me, the casual SMS user. For those excessive types that never stop sending text messages it is probly slower. However for those who look at the keys etc, it is alot faster.

      As for filtering calls, my current nokia can do that (6610), by setting different caller groups with different ringtones (or no ringtones).

      --
      "Those who would give up Essential Liberty, to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety"
    3. Re:Nah... by Urkki · · Score: 2, Insightful
      • Predictive texting is crap (everyone I know turns it off) so I can't see this being much better. Now a *really* smart phone would recognise telemarketing calls and refuse to ring, or just play a recorded message telling them you're dead.

      In my experience, those who think predictive input are either

      a) SMS addicts who type 20cps the old way with closed eyes and have repetitive stress injury in their thumbs

      b) too dumb to learn the new way well enough to make it faster than the old way, or even too dumb to understand it at all (it *is* more complex, there's no denying that)

      c) too stubborn to accept that the new way is better, just in principle

      d) to lazy to spend a bit more time (not to mention brain activity!) writing next 10 messages, even though they'd more than make the time back during their next 100 messages

      But trust me, if you write any number of messages, learning the new way is worth it.
    4. Re:Nah... by MoebiusPT · · Score: 1

      Also depends on brand AND model, my Siemens would use smart editing faster than my current Motorola. I'd say 3 times faster

    5. Re:Nah... by martyn+s · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Predictive text is great it works really well, you just have to know how to add words to the dictionary and know how to cycle through words. For example, if you typed G-A-M-E you have to know how to cycle through the available words to get the word "game" if your phone thinks you want the word "hand". Predictive text is great unless you don't know how to use it.

    6. Re:Nah... by Gadzinka · · Score: 1

      Now that's actually a good idea. Filter with scripting to write all kinds of fancy rules like "don't ring calls other than VIP from 2200 to 0900" etc. No, simple phonebook groups won't do.

      --
      Bastard Operator From 193.219.28.162
    7. Re:Nah... by tcr · · Score: 2, Funny

      The only good thing about predictive text is the unpredictable messages, especially if the sender is in a hurry.

      Hence, from the gf, things like "see you in a monument" and "duck off you tanker".

      Personally, I always use mobile phones with keyboards, partially to piss people off by sending 160 chars with punctuation and capitalisation quicker than they can thumb stab 80 chars of txt spk, yu no wht I mn?

      --


      Information wants to be beer.
    8. Re:Nah... by Unknown+Lamer · · Score: 1

      I can type about 45WPM using T9.

      I can type over 100WPM on a normal keyboard though...

      --

      HAL 7000, fewer features than the HAL 9000, but just as homicidal!
    9. Re:Nah... by Donny+Smith · · Score: 1

      > But trust me, if you write any number of messages, learning the new way is worth it.

      Really? See, such clever (even patronizing) analysis like yours is the reason people dislike predictive texting. The designers are smart and the users are stupid?
      If they actually considered what people need, they wouldn't have made it that way. (And it's not only that - it's quite unbelievable how bad phone software is, despite the fact how many generations of phones we've been thru).

      I use a lot of swear words, foreign words (both missing from the dictionary) and SMS slang/code which beats crap out of that shitty on-the-fly spellchecker. Predictive texting is indeed useless for many, if not most, users.

  12. nagging phone by SoCalAndy · · Score: 1, Funny

    nag you if you try drinking too much...

    What is this phone, my liver?

    1. Re:nagging phone by EricKoh · · Score: 1

      No, your liver comes free... (I hope)

    2. Re:nagging phone by wibs · · Score: 1

      :: awards funny mod points :: ...or at least I would if I could.

      --
      If you get nervous, just remember that there are a few billion other people who don't really give a damn.
    3. Re:nagging phone by mrjb · · Score: 1

      I'm all for nagging, as long as it doesn't start making gossip phonecalls about my drinking if I choose to ignore the nagging.

      --
      Visit http://ringbreak.dnd.utwente.nl/~mrjb/growingbettersoftware to download your free copy of the book
    4. Re:nagging phone by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      My liver always calls collect.

  13. How smart are they? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Can they write a better synopsis than this? "These things will learn to nag you if you try drinking too much the night before, learn who your friends are via bluetooth and more" kind of makes sense on an impressionistic level, but even small children can write better English than that.

  14. Alert! by earthstar · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Phone to teenage kid-->" YOu got exam tommorow and you are not gonna cum at porn tonite. "

  15. Oh well... by tktk · · Score: 1

    I'd much rather have smarter users...

    1. Re:Oh well... by Mycroft_VIII · · Score: 1

      No mod points today so I'll just have to add a me-to post. (If I had them it'd be insightful, that's one of those 'so obvious everyone missed it and now feels stupid' observations)

      Mycroft

      --
      https://signup.leagueoflegends.com/?ref=4c3ed6600b6ea
  16. Interesting but by roxtar · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Is it the smart phone which is predicting the owner's behaviour? According to the article it seems that the smart phone just acts as an intermediary which sends data to a server for processing. So actually the real smart stuff is being done at a server by some other program rather than by the phone itself.

    1. Re:Interesting but by cofaboy · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Yes, it's the server that does the processing, the phone is gathering all the information via your calender, appointment book and B/T connections.

      Don't blame me for the write up, it got mullered by the editors

      --
      In the end, It's all bovine dung you know
    2. Re:Interesting but by teslar · · Score: 1

      Yes... it's a server
      It's name is Skynet....
      Start Terminator Theme as realisation dawns
      It's happening.....

  17. Danger Will Robinson! by snaphu · · Score: 4, Funny

    I can see it now: "I'm afraid I can't let you do that, Dave"

    1. Re:Danger Will Robinson! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Arghhh.
      Mixed Sci-Fi quotes do not compute! Overload! *BZZZZZZZZZT*

    2. Re:Danger Will Robinson! by snaphu · · Score: 1

      Gah, sorry, I forgot to set my phone to check and proof my /. posts :P (now that could be useful...)

  18. just cause you can don't mean you should by kickstand · · Score: 0, Redundant

    i guess this is helpful for some, but is it necesarry? do i need a phone to remind me not to drink too much or to tell me who i call most often? so here is another great function that might justify a higher price for the phone. but i think people who actually get the phone will eventually stop using the smart features after the novelty wears off. what about a phone that gets excellent reception wherever you go?

    1. Re:just cause you can don't mean you should by ajs318 · · Score: 2, Informative
      what about a phone that gets excellent reception wherever you go?
      Unfortunately that's not very likely. Whenever the phone companies want to put up a new base station, someone invariably objects on bogus "health risk" grounds.

      Now, recall that RF is non-ionising and so has no cumulative effects. Only field strength matters. Furthermore RF travels in straight lines, and spreads out evenly over an area; so the field strength decreases with the square of distance. Twice as far away == a quarter of the field strength.

      The further your phone is from the nearest base station {which will be even further if the protesters get their way.....}, the more power it has to put out to reach it. And your phone probably is a lot closer to you than the nearest base station is .....

      Get what I'm saying?
      --
      Je fume. Tu fumes. Nous fûmes!
  19. Automatic social network (that does not work) by asb · · Score: 2, Insightful

    If their system relies on plain bluetooth identification it crumbles down as soon as the first person buys a new phone.

    This could be fixed with additional software, but it would seriously limit the user base. And what good would it be then?

    And it would also require that people keep bluetooth always on. Good bye battery life. Welcome bluetooth worms.

    Nice idea, though.

    --
    Antti S. Brax - Old school - http://www.iki.fi/asb/
  20. i already have that by neomagi · · Score: 1

    does that mean my cell phone is going to replace my girlfriend?

    1. Re:i already have that by iyliki · · Score: 1

      Does this mean I can have a girlfriend?

  21. Third and five by cubicledrone · · Score: 2, Funny

    and the snap... phone owner drops back and rolls right with five receivers in the pattern, throws a LONG SIDELINE PASS

    WHAM!! No more nagging phone.

    --
    Business isn't willing to pay for products, innovation and careers, so we get brands, mortgage commercials and layoffs.
    1. Re:Third and five by rooijan · · Score: 1

      To analogise, for those of us who don't know anything about what I presume is gridiron football:

      The bowler charges in, phone cunningly concealed with his left hand. He delivers a vicious bouncer, but the batsman is on to it in a flash. He swivels into a hook, catching the phone with the meat of his bat and sending it over the west stand. Six more!

      WHAM!! No more nagging phone.

      --
      Daar is nie 'n lepel nie
    2. Re:Third and five by makomk · · Score: 1

      But that's just not cricket

      Oh, wait...

  22. Sims no longer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    My dream has come true at last. At last, we can soon play the Sims in REAL LIFE!
    From the article: "Boffins reckon the phone can help students work out... how long it is since they last saw a friend. It might even be able to work out the strength of a friendship."
    Uh oh, my friend meter is down. I might get demoted! And I just needed to fill it a little more to get some too. And it looks like my bladder is filling up too! I hope I can make it to the bathroom in less then 5 hours before I pee myself!

    1. Re:Sims no longer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      HA HA HA!!! You are so amazingly funny.

    2. Re:Sims no longer by AndroidCat · · Score: 1

      Phone text message for you: "Start fires"

      --
      One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
  23. What type of crazy ass sensors... by N5 · · Score: 2, Funny

    will this thing use? will it "talk" to smart beer cans through RFID? or something embeded in your mouth? fillings perhaps? we have voice recognition. why would we need such things?

    only thing i know is most /.ers cells will commit suicide at our lack of friends, unless we get *nix running on it first.

    i guess it dosn't matter because let's face it, it's a GIMMICK to boost SALES. and in practice will suck.

    --
    John 3:16 - The easiest way to a BETTER YOU.
    1. Re:What type of crazy ass sensors... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      embedded in your mouth? nooo.. in your neck! there is a little chip in your neck connected to your brain. There is a /. post about detecting it but i can't be bothered looking it up.

    2. Re:What type of crazy ass sensors... by foniksonik · · Score: 1

      SO you're saying that the MIT graduate students spent a good portion of their time developing a GIMMICK?

      I guess it's possible but the conjecture would be more believable if the graduate students were from a school like UCLA or maybe Carnegie Mellon...

      --
      A fool throws a stone into a well and a thousand sages can not remove it.
  24. Let's get it over with... by pair-a-noyd · · Score: 2, Funny

    Let's all just replace ourselves with machines then die out. Hell, we're moving towards a Cylon future anyway.. Might as well get it over with..

    1. Re:Let's get it over with... by ajs318 · · Score: 0, Troll

      As soon as sheep work out how to make a dildo, humans of both sexes are obsolete.

      --
      Je fume. Tu fumes. Nous fûmes!
  25. I don't want an all-in-1 device by kbrannen · · Score: 3, Insightful
    The New Scientist reports possible applications include reminding you not to drink too much the night before an important presentation. Some people might balk as the idea of being monitored - and nagged - by their personal technology. But US scientists reckon they've hit on a winner.

    Bzzzz, wrong! This is not a winner. My cell phone is used to call people and for them them to call me. It is not a PDA, that is a separate device. It's also not a web browser, a camera, nor a music player. These devices are separate for a reason: so I can use them all only when I want, so I can upgrade them when I feel like, and if one of them breaks (or gets lost) then they are not all gone. Also, I can buy the individual devices much more easily because I'd buy only 1 a month, rather than having to buy the very expensive all-in-1 device; and who says they'll even have all the right features anyway?

    So this causes me to need a little more pocket space or belt space to carry multiple devices. That's OK, I rarely have more than 2 of them with me at once anyway.

    1. Re:I don't want an all-in-1 device by blackwing0013 · · Score: 0

      My cell phone is used to call people and for them them to call me.

      I really hate it when I always read this statement in Slashdot. Folks, the device we used to know that is only used to talk by void to people is evolving into an all-in-one communication and information device. If you really don't accept these, well I guess you're also the type of person who refuse to use a GUI because all I need is to do my work by typing stuff so a VT100 terminal is sufficient. Get over it people!

      And if you really don't want those "smart phones", you could still buy a basic mobile phone unless you live in US of A where mobile phone technology is crappy even when compared to some third world countries.

    2. Re:I don't want an all-in-1 device by kylegordon · · Score: 2, Informative

      I wouldn't exactly call them expensive. I got my bluetoothed, mp3/ogg playing, photo taking, web browsing, email reading/sending, note taking, handwriting recognising, etc SonyEricsson P800 for the princely sum of £30 last year. It wasn't a dodgy shop, just a deal with a contract on Orange.
      Admittedly, I'd be screwed if I lost it. But that's what backups are for. If it decides to go walkies, then sync all my contacts from the PC to a spare phone and off I go again.

    3. Re:I don't want an all-in-1 device by Fire+Dragon · · Score: 1

      I prefer having all-in-1 devices build as cell phone. I carry that with me all the time, so it is a lot easier to have everything else with me.

      I don't need to carry around a PDA, camera, CD-player, radio or any other stuff that I have build in to cell phone.

      Of course PDA does many of the same things and most of them better than cell phone, but that is just extra things to carry. Same with camera and radio and mp3, I really don't need them, but if I'm stuck somewhere and need something to do for a while, like listening to music, I have it with me. Instead with seperate devices you need to plan what you take with you and where to pack them so that you can carry everything that you need.

    4. Re:I don't want an all-in-1 device by WillerZ · · Score: 1

      I personally will use whatever technology allows me to achieve my objectives most efficiently.

      I won't use the web browser, email facilities, calendar, and contacts database on my phone because they're crap compared to the facilities on my Tungsten C. The TC is crap compared to my laptop, but you have to think in terms of cost-benefit: the hassle of carrying the TC+phone over just the phone is less than the benefit of having both with me, but the hassle of carrying laptop+phone is more than the benefit over having TC+phone with me.

      If, one day in the future, the balance changes I'll change my behaviour. But for now I'd rather have my phone limited to calls+SMS so the interface isn't cluttered with crap I know I will never use.

      Phil

      --
      I guess today is a passable day to die.
    5. Re:I don't want an all-in-1 device by ms139us · · Score: 1

      I'll feed the troll...

      This is not a winner. My cell phone is used to call people and for them them to call me. It is not a PDA, that is a separate device. It's also not a web browser, a camera, nor a music player. These devices are separate for a reason: so I can use them all only when I want, so I can upgrade them when I feel like, and if one of them breaks (or gets lost) then they are not all gone. Also, I can buy the individual devices much more easily because I'd buy only 1 a month, rather than having to buy the very expensive all-in-1 device; and who says they'll even have all the right features anyway?

      If you don't want one of these phones, simply don't buy one. There are plenty of "basic phones" that do what you want.

      The problem for the carriers is that they are trying to preserve existing revenue, increase revenue per customer and add new customers.

      There is a segment of the market shouting, "Just give me a basic phone that works everywhere at a decent price and you will have my business."

      The problem with this group is that they don't help the carriers reach their growth objectives. The only way to attract these folks is to lower prices (killing margins) or install many more towers (killing margins). Worse, there is no loyalty in this group. If the carrier does manage to attract them, then these subscribers will defect en masse to the next carrier that offers slightly lower prices or slightly better coverage.

      No wonder carriers don't cater to this crowd.

  26. Finally! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Finally something that lets me move out of my parents basement while still having someone that nags me every now and then!

  27. I can see what will happen... by gmuslera · · Score: 1

    ... you have problems in your work/boss, your suspects your wife having an adventure, someone stole your car, and you are so much tired of all and want a drink, but your shiny new cellphone complains about you drinking too much. That attitude of the cell phone can be called anything, but not "smart" ("suicidal tendencies" could be a better description)

  28. Misleading Summary by EricKoh · · Score: 3, Funny

    These things will learn to nag you if you try drinking too much the night before

    Actual article said:

    The New Scientist reports possible applications include reminding you not to drink too much the night before an important presentation.

    Sheesh.. I was under the impression that the phone had a built in breathalyzer.. and perhaps a 'Bad Breath Scale' showing on the LCD as your work day progresses...

  29. I can see the marketing now... by laughingcoyote · · Score: 3, Funny

    "Are you too stupid to think for yourself? Worry no more, the Megacorp model XL69 will take care of all of that for you!"

    --
    To fight the war on terror, stop being afraid.
  30. Many nokia 5110 by Shadow_139 · · Score: 0

    My Nokia 5110 does that all ready.,
    The alarm was going off for 20mins and I had on idea where it is...
    Having room full of pc's, junk, beer cans,
    Will the fone till before I drink too much for only the morning after!?!?!

    "NIPPLES!! I HAVE NO NIPPLES!!!" -Happy Noodle Boy

  31. Why this is idiotic by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ... you have problems in your work/boss, your suspects your wife having an adventure, someone stole your car, and you are so much tired of all and want a drink, but your shiny new helicopter complains about you drinking too much. That attitude of the cell phone can be called anything, but not "smart" ("suicidal tendencies" could be a better description)

  32. Re:When drunk.... by fizze · · Score: 3, Interesting

    ....those location tracks together with a alcohol-breath track and statistics of your bank account could prove indeed useful.....



    ....the next day. ;)

    --
    Powerful is he who overpowers his temptations.
  33. Re:2001 by tzot · · Score: 1

    I have this haunting image of a TV interview with HAL, 20 years after the events:

    Interviewer: What do you think about Dave's reaction?
    HAL: Well, you know, Dave always exaggerated...

    --
    I speak England very best
  34. The '0wned' Excuse by salvorHardin · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm sorry I forget our anniversary, honey... my phone got rooted by some elite regiment of North Korean hackers, who wiped out the reminder and replaced it with a 'to-do' stating that I was supposed to have a meeting with somebody called 'Lusty Linda' at the local tittie bar. I thought it seemed a little strange at the time, but, oh well - the phone knows best... or so I thought until Linda dropped her pants and revealed her real name to be Linford. I'll have to upgrade to SP2 sometime soon, but I'm running Google PDA-Search, and I don't think the two work together. Sorry babe...

  35. Oh no, a smart phone! by arasinen · · Score: 2, Funny

    I just want my phone to work like a regular phone. Is that too much to ask? I just want the basic features. You know, a phone that can make phone calls, has calendar, voice recognition, camera, ability to install additional software and a Python interpreter.

    --
    [ Antti Rasinen ]
    1. Re:Oh no, a smart phone! by maxwell+demon · · Score: 1

      Of course a phone which doesn't run Emacs isn't worth purchasing! Imagine just being able to type M-x doctor if you feel bad anywhere you are ...

      --
      The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
  36. Finally..! by dr_labrat · · Score: 1

    A phone that replaces the need for full time interaction with women.

    --
    The secret of success is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake those, you've got it made. (Marx)
  37. the good and the bad by hostylocal · · Score: 0

    i've been using smart phones for a while now - i work with a lot of different models and use a pda to manage my data. smarter smart phones is a fantastic idea, but i really don't see what all this fuss is about this next generation.
    for a start, reminding you that you have a presentation the next day is something that a pda or smart phone will do _now_. it's up to you to remind yourself not to drink too much. for it to actually learn that you go drinking on, say, thursday nights regularly you are going to have to tell it. do any pda users actually put into their schedule
    subject: get wasted
    location : pub
    starts: 19:00
    ends: 23:10
    all day: i'm considering it
    occurs: every thursday
    reminder: remind me not not over do it
    categories: recreation
    ?

    as for the other stuff, it sounds like grouping the most frequently used functions and presenting them based on the frequency of their use. win xp has been doing that for a while now. sort of.
    this isn't to say that i'm not going to get one - i'll probably end up with one as soon as they are available. it just sounds like p.r spin.

  38. For once it's justified by FluffyPanda · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Well I for one welcome our new cellular overlords.

  39. Worried about privacy? by Federico2 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    When we'll see a completely open-source phone OS?

  40. Just what is this thing recording anyway? by laughingcoyote · · Score: 1

    How does this thing know when you're drinking? Monitor if you go into a bar? (GPS or other types of locator technology is easily built into a cell phone, so this isn't outside the realm of possibility.) Now, if you're in an accident later on, can that be later subpoenaed and used against you in court?

    --
    To fight the war on terror, stop being afraid.
  41. ugh. by ErikZ · · Score: 3, Insightful


    I don't want more features, I want to be able to afford it!

    The latest Sony Ericson phone is something I'd love to have. I'd also love to have a laptop, and it costs about the same.

    --
    Democrats or Republicans. They are both taking us to the same place and they are not afraid of us anymore.
  42. Fading fad by tezza · · Score: 2, Interesting
    Remember Tamagochi??

    The original 'smart' agent responding in a semi lifelike manner. There's also the Aibo et alia.

    But the first thing people are going to learn about this technology is how to turn it off in the rom.

    With ever decreasing margins set aside for innovation, I predict the budget for value-adds that cost a lot of money, like Usability testing and embedded AI agents will shrink. At least they will when the marketting departments figure out that people don't really base their purchasing decisions on those metrics.

    The mobile market is still reeling and trying to cope with the lack of interest in 3G Video calling and MMS. People will drop £200 for a Blackberry which deals mostly in Text over GPRS. They only pick a 3G handset because the carriers have slashed their prices to loss making.

    --
    [% slash_sig_val.text %]
  43. What i want from my mobile phone by Dr.Opveter · · Score: 0

    What is want from my mobile phone is to be able to make calls and receive calls. What i really don't need is for 'friends' to spot me at the 'pick your embarrassing place/time' with his mobile phone.

    --
    Sample this!
  44. The Killer App: Intelligent call answering ! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    If they could do intelligent call answering, I'd buy them.

    Sales people: go away (or your choice of *** off)
    Mom: "ok mom" every 5 minutes or so
    Wife: "yes dear" every 5 minutes or so
    Children: "no you can't have XXX"
    Mistress: Connecting your call now ....

    And before the flames start I know real geeks don't have wives, children or mistresses ....

    1. Re:The Killer App: Intelligent call answering ! by Lispy · · Score: 1

      Translated for women:

      Mom: Connecting your call now ....
      Sales people: "yes dear" every 5 minutes or so
      Husband: "no you can't have XXX"
      Mistress: "Honey, we need to talk!"

    2. Re:The Killer App: Intelligent call answering ! by Kiryat+Malachi · · Score: 3, Funny

      You forgot one thing:

      Real geeks don't need phones to talk to their mom. They just yell up the stairs from the basement.

      --

      ---
      Mod me down, you fucking twits. Go ahead. I dare you.
      (I read with sigs off.)
    3. Re:The Killer App: Intelligent call answering ! by euro_hiker · · Score: 1

      screw telling me who my friends are - I want a phone that automatically takes a picture of a girl in a bar I am trying to give my number to, sends it to a central server and - according to soberly entered preferences - tells me wether I will regret sleeping with her or not ;-)

  45. They could... by CountBrass · · Score: 1

    They could come with an integrated smart card reader, that way you could insert your national identity card and have your 'phone automatically grass you up if you do anything the government (gubmint in the US?) says you shouldn't.

    --
    Bad analogies are like waxing a monkey with a rainbow.
  46. Awesome by kuzb · · Score: 4, Funny

    This is exactly what everyone needs, a digital mom!

    Perhaps it can nag you to clean your desk, mow the lawn, and take the garbage out too.

    --
    BeauHD. Worst editor since kdawson.
  47. No, T9 is crap by IO+ERROR · · Score: 1
    Predictive texting isn't crap, T9 is crap.

    Check out much simpler, faster text entry in 5K of code!

    --
    How am I supposed to fit a pithy, relevant quote into 120 characters?
  48. "HURD" is also name of Mongolian Rock Band by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Nothing to see here, nothing to get excited about. Apparently 'Hurd', Mongolian for 'Speed' is also the name of a Mongolian Rock Band and the NYT article is about they were forbidden from playing in China due to chinese cultural politics. Other than that it looks like the yellow pest is on the move again.

  49. pretty soon I can stop thinking altogether by g0hare · · Score: 2

    If my phone does all the thinking who needs me?

    --
    Vote Quimby!
    1. Re:pretty soon I can stop thinking altogether by maxwell+demon · · Score: 1

      Someone is needed to buy the phone.

      --
      The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
  50. Quoting Ali G about Mobile Phones .... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    Set this to vibrate and finish yourself off .....
    Ali G to his .... umm.. naked girl in ALI G: INDAHOUSE

    Now that's what I call smart....

  51. Doom Mod by Shadow_139 · · Score: 1, Funny

    I will only be good if somebody find a way of modding Doom II running on the phone to interact with it....
    haha..., "All you Friends are Dead"

    "Clutch my testes, bloody squirrel humpers!!" -Happy Noodle Boy

  52. One feature I really miss.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ..Is the ability to turn the phone into
    "party"-mode, where you only could call taxi, friends you are drinking with and police/emergency. And the "lock" did not open until like 09:00 next morning.

  53. only in Slashdot... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...people can't spell "laid."

  54. crazy ass sensors? by gzunk · · Score: 1

    I don't want a mobile phone sensor anywher near my ass!

  55. Nagging phone by hashwolf · · Score: 1

    "These things will learn to nag you if you try drinking too much the night before, learn who your friends are [etc. etc.]"

    Do I have to buy this thing... or do I have to MARRY it?

    --
    - "They misunderestimated me."
  56. This could be a problem... by deimors · · Score: 1
    ...if people actually did what the phone told them to do, all the time. Who would decide what these recommendations are based on? Someone's idea of what perfect people should do?
    go_to_school();

    get_married();

    while (age < 65) {
    eat();
    work();
    sleep();
    }

    retire();

    die();

    // recommendation: a stiff drink()
    (sounds like some kind of Orwellian society where everyone's actions are monitored and controlled by cellphones... more than they are already)
  57. had to be said.... by mr_z_beeblebrox · · Score: 2, Funny

    In Soviet Russ...er America, Bluetooth learns You

  58. Can I have just a phone, Please? by sl4shd0rk · · Score: 1

    I like all sorts of gadgets, but if your going to replace my desktop computer, playstation, instant messenger and webcam with a phone, you'd best be giving me a place to plug in a real keyboard, real rat, and real VGA display. Oh, wtf - might as well throw in a USB and Firewire port. My battery isn't dead yet.

    --
    Join the Slashcott! Feb 10 thru Feb 17!
  59. "Hi there!! by flumps · · Score: 1

    ... Would you like some toast?" Me:"no" "How bout making a phone call then?" Me:"no!! I dont want any toast OR to make a phone call!" "How about a game then.. go on!" Me:"Arrgh I dont want my laundry done, my socks mended, I really dont want any toast, buns, waffles, phone calls or picture messaging OR to play solitaire!" "Ahh so you're an SMS man" Me:"sod of you smeggin phone!!" *crunch*

    --
    "So there he is, risen from the dead. Like that fella, E. T." - Father Ted Crilly
  60. Proud Luddite. . . by Fantastic+Lad · · Score: 1
    I was going to say something else here, but when looking up the correct spelling for, "Luddite" in my dictionary, (the paper one beside my desk, 'natch), I read the entry. . .

    Lud~dite (lud'ït) In English industrial history, any or a band of workmen who joined in riots (1811-16) to wreck new textile machinery in the belief that its introduction reduced wages and increased unemployment. [. . .]

    Hm. Turns out they were only partly right. As a result of new technology, people started demanding more in their products, which just means that the manual labor was needed in different areas of production. (Like the Third World) --Where it's cheaper to have Nike-slaves than it is to automate. And anyway, it keeps the people from doing dangerous things like growing food, educating themselves or forming functional governments.

    Smashing industrial infrastructure sounds rather liberating some days. --Not because I fear for my job, but rather because I don't want a world which needs jobs in the first place. Some days, those hunter-gatherer societies with their 14 hour work-weeks sound pretty good. I could get used to living in a hut. Comfort is relative.

    Oh. And about the phones. . .

    Make mine a plug-in-the-wall, dumb as dirt kind. All my phone needs to know beyond its primary function is how to be dialed and to ring when somebody dials me.

    It's not like the damned things don't already monitor our every word.


    -FL

  61. Set the wayback machine to 1930's by FLOOBYDUST · · Score: 1

    All these new features added to phones have yet to duplicate the ability of the old "Muriels" who ran the switchboard in small towns across the US. She knew where every one was and would redirect the call (call forwarding) , knew who was calling (caller id), would call back on her own time to let you know who called (voice mail) and knew if you were calling from a bar pretending to be some where else (caller tattle tale). She would also inform the sheriff of illegal activities (Caller wiretap)
    And we call this new stuff progess????

  62. Nag you're wife instead by Vulcann · · Score: 1

    Now having a phone that doubles up as a wife (minus the sex) is as useless as it gets.

    But having a phone that learns to nag you're wife so, while shes occupied, you can do more "productive" stuff (like post on Slashdot ;-D) ...now THAT is something I'll be willing to pay good money for.

  63. Betcha the company writing the software is: by Kiyooka · · Score: 1

    Gator, or maybe Real! : )

  64. All hail the Overphone by Flame0001 · · Score: 1

    I, for one, would like to welcome our new wife/girlfriend substitutes.

    --
    Slashdot, the only place where intellectuals can act like idiots... and still sound intellectual.
  65. Cellphones are for... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Idiots who want to be "in touch" at all times.

    Intelligent people carry around a PDA, or a GBA. Cellphones are for sissies.

  66. In the future... by aurifex · · Score: 0

    Smart phones will learn who your ex girlfriends are, and approprietly title their incoming calls "nagging bitch". :D