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November 30, 2008
What 4G Means
Throughout this blog, I've discussed "technological improvements" without going into much detail about what this broad category actually entails. These improvements enable today's phones to reach their breathtaking capabilities. Wireless companies are investing largely in research and development for a new feature: the 4G (fourth-generation) network.
What exactly will this 4G network bring? The answer is more features at faster speeds and more efficient power usage. Experts say that Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), a technology driving the 4G network, will enable data transmission speeds up to one gigabyte per second. Wi-Fi and WiMAX will become standard features. Experts predict that these newest mobile devices will offer high-quality video conferencing, improved battery life, and even traffic reports.
Although sure to be impressive, the 4G network is still a work in progress and many experts agree that it will take several years until phones come equipped with this revolutionary technology. Sprint Nextel invested $3 billion in research and development for the breakthrough network and Verizon Wireless is working on their own 4G network.
Meanwhile, a foreign telecommunications service provider, Mena Telecom, seems to have capitalized on the 4G network and is already offering the related WiMAX 802.16e technology. This company is based in Bahrain and will certainly draw attention and profit on their unique services until the competition catches up and the 4G network goes global.
Experts believe that the 4G network will result in an upheaval of the industry with a complete replacement of 3G networks and devices. This means that the current phones we use now will be thrown out and replaced by something far more impressive. Our current technology will soon be outdated in a market where product longevity is impossible. And the phones that we will have in the next decade will be astounding as standards will rise considerably.
Posted by iaijazud at 04:33 PM | Comments (0)
November 27, 2008
Those Annoying Little Problems
I own an outdated Palm Treo 700p, released over two and a half years ago in May 2006. I purchased mine on eBay this March and consider it one of the better my better phones. The Treo is large, powerful, and very user-friendly. The Palm OS, Intel XScale, rivals the Windows Mobile OS featured on the otherwise identical 700w model. While it is the most advanced phone I have ever had, it also can give me headaches. After speaking with friends who have the same or similar models, I found out they shared these problems.
My carrier, Verizon Wireless promises no "dead zones" indicating that service is available basically everywhere. However, I do not have enough reception to make or take calls inside most buildings, a problem that my previous Verizon phones did not have. Worse, there are several instances in which my phone will not enough have enough signal strength to send or receive text messages. As I have already said, a phone's primary purpose is to communicate with others in the form of calls and text messages. If a phone is unable to do these elementary functions, then it will lose significant value, even if it is as loaded as the iPhone.
I understand that no electronic device is without faults and still enjoy the company of my Treo. However, the nuisances presented by this phone are excessive and I rarely had them with older models. Perhaps Palm sacrificed its routine functions to satisfy technological concerns. The former is probably as costly whereas the latter attracts far more consumers. Perhaps I became a victim of this scheme, letting the technology entice me enough to forget about the basic necessities. If this is true, then smart phone manufacturers including Palm are simply trying to minimize costs. The trouble is that they shouldn't minimize quality in the process.
Posted by iaijazud at 06:59 PM | Comments (0)
November 20, 2008
The iPhone - The Best of the Best
With so many new features available, cell phone manufacturers always compete with one another for supremacy. While many new devices have impressed users, Apple's iPhone set the bar. While many new models are labeled as the "iPhone killer," most consumers seem to agree that the iPhone still tops the competition.
Meanwhile, LG, BlackBerry, Samsung, and HTC are constantly improving. In fact, their latest phones are amazing, especially the Samsung Omnia. However, they lack at least one iPhone feature that endeavors to consumers. The newest BlackBerry (Storm 9530) does not have Wi-Fi. The newest Samsung and HTC models lack multiple languages. The iPhone 3G has 8 gigabytes of memory, more than the Storm, Samsung Omnia, and HTC Touch Diamond combined. Above all, the iPhone boasts a sleek and slim design, a feature that made the Motorola RAZR series so popular a few years ago.
As the mobile phone industry expands due to technological advances, a rival will eventually top the iPhone and its successor, the iPhone 3G. However, Apple will likely come out with another powerhouse, perhaps maintaining control over the market. There are already talks of a 4G network in the future and Apple will certainly capitalize on that market. Sprint PCS has already began a project to establish this network, which will enable even faster and more user-friendly web browsing, amongst many other advantages.
The iPhone's superiority is apparent now, but will not last forever. Technological advances will even the playing field, as they have in the past. Eventually, the true "iPhone killer" will arise and seize the market. Will Apple be ready?
Posted by iaijazud at 11:08 AM | Comments (0)
November 11, 2008
Welcome!
Over the past few years, the mobile phone industry has expanded significantly, as once-fashionable flip phones with 1.3 megapixel cameras are now obsolete. Instead, the Technology Age brought us powerful phones, equipped with high speed wireless Internet, advanced GPS technology, unprecedented MP3 features, touchscreen and Bluetooth capabilities, and easy-to-use email. Today's smartphones are constantly evolving and are one of the hottest items on most holiday wish-lists.
The latest mobile phones, including the Apple iPhone 3G, RIM BlackBerry Storm, HTC Touch Diamond, and Google's G1 are examples of this breakthrough technology. These powerhouses appeal to a wide array of consumers. Businesspeople can easily communicate with co-workers and clients thanks to efficient email features and access to wireless service providers. Teenagers can text message one another with less hassle thanks to the surging popularity of QWERTY keypads. A driver on his way to work can calculate the quickest commute thanks to GPS technology.
As the Technology Age progresses, phones will become more user-friendly and powerful. However, this raises many new questions. Although the new features are impressive, many phones (including mine) still experience problems with common tasks such as maintaining battery life and producing solid call quality. Freezing screens are still an issue. These problems irritate users who rely so heavily on their pocket PCs. Do manufacturers such as Samsung and BlackBerry attract more consumers due to their renowned features, while neglecting routine functions and paying no penalty? Why can't more manufacturers produce decent, functional phones? Is there really a tradeoff between technology and dependability?
Posted by iaijazud at 06:59 PM | Comments (0)