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From left: Trish Stratus, WWE 2003 Babe of the Year; Carl DeMarco, President,
WWE Canada; Michael Neuman, President, Bell Mobility; Rey Mysterio,
WWE Smackdown Superstar ...and the WWE themed AUDIOVOX CDM 8455
(not actual size)
THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF MOBILE PHONE TECHNOLOGY
BY MARC SALTZMAN
STAND-UP COMEDIAN AND SELF-PROFESSED LUDDITE Jonathan Weinstein
once cracked, "My cell phone is so old it has a rotary dial on
it."
Funny? Sure. But let’s face it — it wasn’t
long ago when we were forced to lug around brick-sized mobile phones
and secure antennas on our cars for better reception.
Not only have cell phones shrunk in size (with new
features added every few months), but they have become must-have accessories;
electronic appendages that serve as personal statements as much as handy
(and much relied-upon) communication tools. More so than any other gadget,
the almighty mobile phone has become deeply ingrained in our culture.
Bell Mobility spokesperson Don Blair says nearly 40
percent of all households in Canada have a wireless device (that figure
is expected to grow to 50 percent by the end of 2004). "Canadians
currently use more than 15 million cell phones, pagers and Blackberries,"
he says, "and by 2005, 50 percent of all calls in the world will
be wireless."
Before we dive into what’s hot in cell phones
today, let’s take a brief look at what’s happened over the
past few years.
THAT WAS THEN...
A major step in the evolution of cell phones took place five years ago
when the industry progressed from an analog platform to a digital one.
This is often referred to as the second generation of mobile phones,
or "2G." This critical shift resulted in a much clearer signal,
enhanced security, longer battery life and additional network features
such as Internet access, caller ID, voice mail and ring-tones.
Text messaging became a very significant trend in
the mobile phone universe (especially in Europe and Asia), offering
a more efficient and often cheaper way to communicate with others. Because
these devices are used for more than just talking these days, they’re
now collectively referred to as "handsets" instead of mobile
or cell phones.
"Wireless data functions like text messaging
and mobile browsing continue to grow in popularity," says Blair.
"In fact, currently more than 800,000 text messages are sent by
Canadians each day."
The next crop of handsets are considered "2.5G"
devices. Now popular in Canada, these phones offer even more features
and functions for end-users, including multimedia messaging, downloadable
screensavers, sophisticated games, better colour screens and "polyphonic"
ring-tones that can play up to 64 simultaneous notes instead of the
boring ‘ol "monophonic" ring-tones that resemble cheesy
elevator Muzak.
And that’s just the beginning. Handsets today
can double as digital music players, PDAs and portable gaming machines,
transmit digital images, display video, communicate wirelessly with
headsets via Bluetooth connectivity and support fun features such as
celebrity voicemail.
AND THIS IS NOW...
There is certainly no shortage of handsets to choose from today.
"Customers want to do more with their wireless
device – they want to communicate, get information and be entertained,"
explains Blair.
Convergence gadgets are popular, especially mobile
phones with an integrated digital camera. The LG 5450 is
a $300 handset ($99 with a three-year commitment to Telus) which
lets users take a snapshot, save it in a photo album, use it as
wallpaper or a caller ID tag, or send it to another handset or email
address. Alternatively, users can add "fun frames" to
their photos, as well. Other features include a self-timer, adjustable
brightness and the option for black & white or sepia photos.
The July 2003 issue of The Economist predicted
cell phones with integrated cameras may outsell both film and digital
cameras combined by 2005.
Another trend is handsets marketed to specific
groups. For example, Bell Mobility has entered into a partnership
with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) to offer the "Inside
the Ring" package, which includes an Audiovox CDM 8455
phone with exclusive wrestling-themed ring-tones, screensavers,
a downloadable WWE game entitled Mobile Madness Hardcore, a trivia
game and information such as news and event info delivered to the
device via text messaging. This WWE handset is available for $199,
or on a two-year rebate price of $74. Expect more of these "specialized"
bundles in the near future.
And because handsets aren’t just used by
adults anymore, Kyocera and Telus have co-marketed a stylish new
"youth-oriented" wireless phone, called the Kyocera
Blade. This is a hip and reasonably-priced wireless phone that
includes an edgy angular design, built-in flashlight and sport clip.
The Blade costs $130 on its own or only $25 for those who commit
to a service contract. Similar to the aforementioned WWE Audiovox
phone, the Blade also features high-speed 1X technology for fast
Internet access and downloads (such as polyphonic ring-tones, screensavers
and games).
Gamers also have a few handsets to choose from,
including Nokia’s N-Gage ($399) that takes memory card-sized
games ($40 to $50 each). Consider it a Game Boy for adults that
plays 3-D games on its high-colour screen. And because it’s
also a mobile phone, players can engage in head-to-head multiplayer
matches over a GSM cell network (e.g. subscribers to Rogers AT&T
Wireless service) or via short-range Bluetooth technology. Moreover,
depending on the game, players can download new content such as
extra levels, characters, weapons or missions, or post their names
to a worldwide high-score board. This handset also houses a built-in
MP3 player (blank MMC memory card required), stereo FM radio, electronic
organizer, digital photo viewer, and more.
Less serious gamers may opt for the Sony Ericsson
T310, which features the Mophun gaming engine for graphically-impressive
downloadable games. Titles played on this handset offer vibrating
force feedback effects, a five-way joystick and polyphonic sound
to help enrich the gaming experience. This Fido exclusive costs
$50 (after a $150 service rebate) but first-time activation is required.
According to Blair, we’ll continue to see
more integration of PDAs, MP3 players and camera phones on digital
mobile handsets in 2004, and existing mobile hardware, services
and applications will continue to improve.
"For example, as the majority of today’s
phones include a GPS chip, there will be a greater focus on location
based services," he explains. "And camera phones will
soon offer two megapixels of memory, comparable to some low-end
digital cameras available today."
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LG 5450 |
KYOCERA BLADE
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N-GAGE
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SONY ERICSSON T310
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.: ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
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