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Samsung Launches 3D Movement Recognition Phone
Shuttertalk reports that Samsung have launched the world's first phone equipped with a continuous 3D movement sensor. Movement sensors in mobile phones to date have been limited to slope calculations and applied to some games and bio-related features. The potential is there to do away with the need for complex keypads on mobile phones, MP3 players, digital cameras and other handheld products. Many functions will be controlled by movement instead of buttons.
Let's see ... I can program my phone to only need two keystrokes to get to functions I use the most often, there are nine available but I only have three programmed because that's all I use. All of my most often called numbers are voice enabled, and I don't have to open the phone to take calls on my blue-tooth handset. This new phone lets me can draw numbers in space, althought I cannot imagine that is easier or faster than using the keys. And I can draw 'Y' or 'N' instead of pressing soft keys.
... nothing to see here....unless you are a gadget freak and want to buy something that will no longer be offered in 6 months due to a lack of interest.
From what I can tell, the only purpose of this is for games. And we all know how successful they have been combining phones with game systems.
Move on
I rarely read replies, it's my opinion and if you thought about your opinion a little more, I'm OK with that.
The article says that the "new technology" uses an accelerometer, yet states: "This technology will do away with the need for complex keypads on mobile phones".
Clearly, they are jumping the gun. What about people on bumpy trains, busses, etc? Granted, it might be an easier means of input for people walking or standing, but for people in cars, trains, etc, etc, It won't work, and clearly won't "do away with" a standard "complex" input keypad.
Though, it is kind of cool to see components like accelerometers finding their way into everything. With modern mobile phones, maybe they'll be programmable for use as a bluetooth wireless "air mouse"? One would only hope the spec would be at least open to mainstream programmers.
Wouldn't this kind of thing be extemely hard to use?
Imagine having to write an SMS by hand in the air, there would be a much greater strain on your muscles, it can't be done in a small space, and it is SLOW.
I mean does anyone here like the idea of going back to writing communications by hand? Or for that matter, shaking the input device to do something that can be done by moving your thumb 3cm?
...or would shaking the phone about to control games make it a tad difficult to follow what's happening on the screen?
Two words: handicapped people. Some people can't type on those classic keypads. Now they can make simple hand gestures to call somebody. For the rest of us, it's just another phone with totally useless features.
i like the idea of a pen phone where you dial a number by writing it down though - good for SMS messages, too...
I can use my stylus on my graphics tablet without touching it (and in fact have to), and it comes quite naturally because I'm used to hovering a pen above a page. This is simply a case of what you're used to, you're not used to hovering a big heavy optical mouse over the desk, and you're not used to waving your hands arround to make phone calls.
May be you need to hold a button before you wave? Just like talking on walki-talki?
Samsung is ahead of their competitors in many areas. Although this may not be a huge selling point at the moment, in the future it might. Their edge will be that they will have experince of producing phones with this tech when their competitor won't.
One application I immediatly think of is navigation of maps. Just move the screen over your virtual map instead of slowly scrolling around with softbuttons, or whatever conventional method there might be on your current phone.
So now all those somatic components I memorised in spells will have a use.
Not a sentence!
In the US? How about a link? I've never seen it, but would probably trade my current phone for one with REAL WORKING voice recognition...