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GodPhone
The ultimate mobile phone, designed for functionality and purpose. | |
I'm sick and tired of these fancy smartphones that are coming out
that
offer so many really awesome features, yet lack some of the most
basic features and capabilities that are fucking *standard* on most
phones. Take, for instance, the iPhone. Up until last month, the
damn
things couldn't
even send or receive MMS! Or record video! WTF!?
Let's
also consider the amazing HTC Dream (G1). In many respects, an
iPhone killer. Even supports SD cards up to 16 GB. Yet it lacks even a
standard headset jack, and the Android Apps it's so renowned for
can't
be run off the SD card. You get only 74 MB of memory that can be
used for apps, and even that memory is shared by your browser
cache
and cookies.
This kind of stuff is just plain bullshit. Why isn't there a phone that
can
do it all? It's very possible, so here's what I'm proposing:
A smartphone with the wonderful open-source Android OS, a
standard
2.5 mm jack, a 3.5 mm jack for stereo headsets, a mini USB port, and
a
micro USB port. The phone would support up to a 32 GB SD card,
and
have an option to synchronize the SD memory with the onboard
memory to avoid usage limitations. This phone would be larger than
usual to accommodate the extra hardware. I'm thinking a 4-inch
capacitive touchscreen display that slides up to reveal a physical
QWERTY keypad. Other features (and these are all already available
on
current Android devices) would include ambient light sensors in the
speaker, up to 11 homescreens to flick through, onscreen folders to
sort your apps, 5 mp camera w/ video record, support for Bluetooth
3.0, WiFi, FM radio, infrared synching, and a full suite of Microsoft
Office programs. Native apps would include standard calculator,
calendar, 10 alarms with adjustable snooze and auto-power
(currently
only standard on certain Blackberry devices), notepad, voicenotes,
camera, video record, email support for POP3, imap, and enterprise
servers, full-feature web browsing capability and support for over-
the-
air updates to whatever the latest version of Java happens to be. And
let's not forget Video Out!
The whole thing would be powered by 2 lithium-ion batteries, which
is
preferable to a single high-voltage battery because of availability.
This
would be a very expensive device. This would be worth every penny.
IRDA => TV remote
http://www.remotece...ard/rc-pda/list.cgi
Discussion of hacks using PDAs for TV remote control [pocmloc, Oct 16 2009]
The SDXC format
http://www.sdcard.o...evelopers/tech/sdxc
Because 32Gb can apparently appear a bit paltry [kaz, Oct 16 2009]
Nokia n900 (mentioned by mitxela). Does it have MMS or not?
http://europe.nokia...s#communications-em
//Only devices that offer compatible multimedia message or e-mail features can receive and display multimedia messages. Content appearance may vary. Some images and ring tones can not be forwarded// [21 Quest, Oct 16 2009]
[link]
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What to you mean? I explained the size, the power source, and
the features, all (except the SD card sync) of which are currently
available on various mobile phones. Short of a technical diagram,
it's explained quite clearly. So how is it a WIBNI? |
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What would the all encompassing It say when you
phoned? |
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It's not quite a real WIBNI, where a fanciful day-dream is passed off as an idea. |
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I do have a very similar device, though - except it runs MS Windows and it doesn't have the 3.5mm jack, IR (which is redundant anyway), nor micro SD (it has full SD). |
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The reason IR exists alongside Bluetooth and USB is that there
are many existing computers and mobile phones which support
IR but not the latest versions of Bluetooth or USB. It's not
redundant, it's just not that widely used. The purpose of the
GodPhone, however, is to provide (nearly) universal compatibility
and utility. |
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IR was never really used to do the same function as
remotes, was it? I was thinking of a laptop program to
sample for the phone ring and turn off/down my
strereo via IR. |
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I had an inkling that they are slightly different
frequencies but it would all depend on hardware. |
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All the devices I have had IR functionality have also been equipped Bluetooth. Even so, I don't need IR on my device - I can use a dongle if I need to. |
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An argument for keeping IR on a device, coupled with the title "*God*phone" is where you do start to stray into WIBNI territory. |
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As far as I know [wjt], although I never really searched, the IR ports on mobile devices have not been hacked to be used as a TV remote. Ironically, that would be a great reason for having IR. |
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The ONLY features I have ever desired a mobile phone manufacturer to come out with are these:
1) Cheaper calls (I don't care how it is actually done, but I can think of a number of ways)
2) Call record button to MP3 format (for evidence, err, training purposes)
3) Answering machine / voice mail built into the phone (not network-based)
4) Stored SIM facility in which you can clone whole SIMs to (fast) memory and then keep the real (very slow) SIMs somewhere safe at home (with a web link, this would allow the physical SIM to be dispensed with entirely if desired, and replaced by a downloaded SIM image from the network) |
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So far as I know, none of these highly desirable features have ever been released by a handset manufacturer. Instead they have focused on doing a poor job of things for which I already have very good dedicated hardware (photography, video, web-browsing, address books, portable music, etc.). |
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[vince]: 1) It is unfair to use accuse the manufacturers- you really should direct your anger at the networks. On saying that, current business models for mobile is to bundle up a shiny new device with a 18 month (approx) call contract. That way, the high cost of the actual device is subsidised by relatively cheap call cost. Now, 'SIM only' deals exist in the UK - some currently advertise £15 month for a bundle of something like a couple of 100 minutes and many texts for 'free'. |
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3) I always wondered about that one. Probably evolved from the fact that earlier phones wouldn't have the memory for answer phone capability. However, there is also the point that your phone would have to be connected to the network to get the message; you still need the network option when your phone is off/disconnected. |
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4) Cloning SIMs to memory negates the purpose of having a SIM. It is meant to be unique for security purposes. I know that they can be cloned - I'm just saying that the networks probably wouldn't allow it. |
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And lastly, consumers are moving towards having the 3 desirable items in their pocket: keys, wallet, phone. The phone makers and the networks would prefer you to have just one device. *Their device*. Hence more features -it's an escalating ARMs race. |
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The Irda ports physically (IR-frequency and transmit-frequency -wise) are all capable of functioning as remotes for household devices. sometimes the driver will not permit this, but there exist a few software solutions for the device where the driver fits. |
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I would call this a WIBNI too, although it is both a detailed idea, and doable (and i really would like such a phone); I cannot really explain why it feels to be a WIBNI. Perhaps there should be a new mfd category covering 'Two cups of coffee' because this is what this most strongly resembles. |
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Consider the case of cars: An idea about a Mercedes off-roader with a little flower vase like in the old Beetles would, on the surface, be both a doable and new idea, but still, it's not Halfbakery material, more something to send to the Mercedes customer board. |
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As a consumer, I'd rather have one device: *my device*. Which is
why I don't sign contracts for cellular service. It may cost more
to pay their damned 'no-commitment' pricing for the device, but
you can't put a price on the freedom to unlock it and quit their
service without an ETF. I expect the GodPhone would be quite
pricy. I would save up the money and gladly pay it. |
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Problem is, 'ultimate' is a moving goalpost. |
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At first I thought this was going to be more toilet humour.
Well, apart from the Android, the IRDA (sooo 1990s), the batteries, the standard (??) 2.5mm jack and the low-res camera, I'd say I've got one of these on my desk. |
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I have always wondered why they leave out the basic features on the advanced phones -- the iPhone MMS especially; that amazed me. |
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I think most of the reason this doesn't exist is because if a company develops a phone, they're trying to keep the price down, so in order to make money, they also develop proprietary hardware, which they won't sell unless buyers of the phone are forced to use it. Sony is the shining example of this. |
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Something like this would be quite expensive, yes, and that is another reason why it doesn't exist. The business model says that if the phone itself, apart from accessories, etc. is $X, the company will sell the most units and make the most money; so, they will try to keep the phone at or under $X. For them to do anything else would be bad for their business. |
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[21] - (marked-for-tagline) |
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" This kind of stuff is just plain bullshit " |
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[Jinbish] - " consumers are moving towards having the 3 desirable items in their pocket: keys, wallet, phone" |
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That should read "keys, wallet, phone, sunglasses, pepper spray". |
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Eventually, all locks will be electronic and keys will be
programmed into the cellphones. Same with credit and debit
cards. |
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I hate the proliferation of video and photographic capability on phones, they are pointless, low quality pieces of nonsense.
You also don't want to be using the poxy 32Gb limit of the SDHC standard, try making sure it'll be compatible with SDXC, you wouldn't possibly want your God phone to become redundant.
"10 alarms with adjustable snooze and auto-power (currently only standard on certain Blackberry devices)" What? My Nokia of five years ago had an auto on feature for alarms, and I'm staring at a phone that has it right now, and it certainly isn't a Blackberry.
How much will this over featured brick weigh just out of curiosity?
The ultimate mobile phone, that is designed for "functionality and purpose" would make phone calls. Your device appears to have no particular purpose, choosing to try and fulfil many instead. |
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Kaz, the autopower feature is quite common on basic, non-
smartphone devices. I've got a couple old Nokia bar phones, a
Samsung bar phone, a Samsung flip phone, and 2 Sony Ericsson
flip phones that all have that feature. On PDA/smartphone
devices, however, it's a rare find, and that's what I mean, yet
another extremely basic feature left out on these advanced "do it
all" phones. |
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Which is why you're going about it all wrong.Your phone doesn't do it all either, there will be someone out there who would suggest that your device doesn't do enough, it can't play VHS for example. |
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Have you seen the nokia n900? Ticks most of your boxes. |
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It would do everything that current smartphones are capable of, as well as providing all the basic features that 12-key phones provide. It may not do *everything* that's media-related, but at least nobody will be able to say it lacks something that other phones have (except, perhaps, a certain aesthetic quality, but beauty's in the eye of the beholder). Sure, new features may come out as technology progresses, and some of the future state-of-the-art stuff may not be supported by it, but this'll at least be completely up to speed when it's released, and the hardware will support over-the-air software and firmware upgrades that add new features and functionality as it comes available. For instance, even old mini-USB phones are still functional for tethering and data transfer. Same with IR. |
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//Eventually, all locks will be electronic and keys will be programmed into the cellphones.// |
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// I've got a couple old Nokia bar phones, a Samsung bar phone, a Samsung flip phone, and 2 Sony Ericsson flip phones that all have that feature.// |
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So in the future we will have large rings for multiple mobile phones. I'm still on my second mobile. |
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I looked up the n900, and, sure enough, it doesn't say a thing about MMS support. It specifically mentions all sorts of email, IM, and SMS functions, but no MMS. I'll post a link to the company website, but here's a cryptic quote from it for easy reference: |
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//Only devices that offer compatible multimedia message or e-mail features can receive and display multimedia messages. Content appearance may vary. Some images and ring tones can not be forwarded// |
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Kinda makes you wonder if it even has MMS capability. I can say for certain that the fancy new Garmin Nuvifone G60 that just came out doesn't have it, or even IM. |
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But that is because the Garmin Nuvifone is terrible.
Also, I've just checked, my brick clock has an always on function. |
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Ah, So these smart devices will help me can carry less
and be carried more. |
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The n900 does not currently have MMS - but it is still pre-release and it's relatively trivial to fix. I should have my hands on one before the end of the year. We'll be developing on it - the fact that it will have Maemo as an operating system is key. The n770 'media tablet' was ok, the n810 is pretty decent (although not quite as a phone). I have high hopes for the n900. |
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