What if cell phones headed in a different direction?

Everyone's excited about the iPhone and the other manufacturers who are racing to create the next generation of phones that will be better, faster, with more capabilities. 

Every year, phones are becoming more like miniature do-it-all machines.  Phones today have cameras, email, to-do capabilities, calendars, web browsers, mp3 players, file storage, music libraries, individualized ring-tones, video players, keyboards and even credit card purchasing abilities.

But, as the tech-enthusiasts are flying off into the future, and the rest of us are dragged behind (happily or reluctantly), is anyone asking if this if what people really want?

It seems to me that all the phone manufactures are simply charging down the path to creating feature-packed, extremely-expensive, quickly-obsolete mini-computers. 

While this is a great thing for some people, it's a bad thing for creativity. There's no real thinking involved, just the bundling of more and more features into a tiny package!

Personally, I'm not thrilled about carrying around a mini-almost-as-good-as-a-computer phone.  It's expensive, too small to use as a main computer but very big for a phone, and it has a lot of things to break.  Especially for occasions like running or going out, a feature-packed phone isn't ideal.

Apple fans, please don't attack me here!  I like the iPhone... I just don't like that every cell phone creator is now dead-set on creating a "better, more advanced" version of it.  The iPhone is fantastic because it questioned many assumptions about what people want in their cell phones.

I'd LOVE to see more of that!

For example, take a look at this fresh idea from the Sparkbugg Idea blog:

Although it's not considered very promising on the blog, I beg to differ. This idea has promise not for its specific as-is market value, but because it challenges our embedded concept of a cell phone.

Who says that cell phones have to be blocky, inflexible tools?  Why can't they be elegant accessories?

Think about it!  When the phone doesn't have to be a mini-computer, what else could be done with it?

Comments

[Vikram Rajan]

Personally, I think simpler is better. I look toward a future of personal-networked gadgets that are sometimes unified in design, and yet can be separated. We don't have anything like that yet.

But the Palm Foleo has been getting a lot of bad buzz around the blogosphere. As a semi-mobile professional - and somebody who enjoys being on the go - yet tied to my power laptop - I cannot wait for the Palm Foleo to cause a revolution among executives.

Unfortunately, people are idiots and fall for empty hype. I'm so happy that "great marketing" is becoming synonymous with "educate your prospects."

iPhone sucks. Maybe Apple will get it right very quickly, but they should not just cash-in with a sub-par product. I respect Apple's innovative contributions - and truly this joke of a gadget is pathetic and greedy.

But I do think the two-finger stretch is cool :) And yes, full-size webpages... the Foleo is more productive. iPhone is more entertaining.... fair, it's enough for the masses.

The Foleo won't sell well. But it is closer to my dream gadget... it should be touchscreen, at least a simple touch. It can be used as a cellphone, wifi-phone, and sms/im gadget. And gives me full access to the AJAX saas/ASP web office.

~ Vikram
PersonalBrandMarketing.com

[Stephen]

I agree with this sentiment, the designers are trying to make phones do too much. I am of the opinion that a phone should do less, give me a second device that does is all!

See more here - http://hdbizblog.com/blog/2007/07/01/the-iphone-killer/

Good article, thanks for sharing! I agree... I don't want a phone that does everything. Unless it can cook and clean too. Then I might be interested... ;-)