Cell phone de Fausta
Instapundit links to The ever-expanding smartphone screen: how supersized became everyday.
I recently had to replace my old cell phone, and bought a Samsung Galaxy S3 at a really good price at my neighborhood Radio Shack. I also own an iPod Touch, and you can find most of the apps, send email and text with the iPod as long as you have an internet connection.
I had looked at the Samsung Galaxy S3 last summer while visiting the Samsung booth at BlogHer. Once you get over the shock of the size (my old cell phone was tiny), you love the large display. Why so big?
… the primary purposes of smartphones have clearly changed. Early on, they were phones first, and data devices second. The various advents of modern apps, browsing and media shifted the focus enough that voice is almost incidental today. Our smartphones are now pocket computers, and they’re often our cameras and GPS units, too. Until and unless wearable computing replaces the smartphone, a bigger screen helps us process the glut of information we face in a day, and frequently provides a source of entertainment when it’s time to relax. There’s undeniably a threshold at which smartphone builders will have to relent: no one’s about to stuff a Galaxy Tab into their pocket. Likewise, there’s a good chance we’ll still see smaller devices for those who can’t (or won’t) switch to a phone that’s too big for their hands or pockets. Still, the past few years have taught us not to make too many assumptions — through technology and shifting tastes, what’s an extraordinary screen one year often becomes run-of-the-mill fare the next.
The size itself, even with the Otter protective case, is no problem for me since I have long fingers, it fits in coat pockets, and when I go out I carry it in a handbag. I prefer the iPod’s camera, but the Samsung’s cell phone reception indoors is superior to my son’s iPhone’s. The large screen’s great for videos and GPS, too.
Oh, yes, I got the heavy-duty Otter. While I got the Samsung S3 at a really good price, it’s best to not have to replace it.
I have had the Galaxy S III for about eight months and have really enjoyed using it. It is definitely an upgrade from my old Blackberry. The text entry is much easier and the phone just does so much more. It is great with Gmail, Twitter and Facebook too. The S IV is supposed to be out in a little over a week, and it has some interesting new features such as following your eyes and automatically turning the page when you get to the end.
Glad you like it, Merv. I got such a good price on mine, that I decided not to wait for the SIV.
}}} Oh, yes, I got the heavy-duty Otter. While I got the Samsung S3 at a really good price, it’s best to not have to replace it.
Agreed. I’ve never used one, but I’ve never been the drop-prone type. The only time I’ve had to replace a dropped phone was when it was plugged into the wall, I dropped it and it managed to fall EXACTLY onto the power plug, breaking the connector IN the phone. No case is going to help with that… :-S
My phone faceplates are generally scratch free even after 2 years — one result of having a policy that NOTHING that isn’t 100% soft goes into the pocket the phone is stored in, plus borderline zero droppage.
I’ve got the GSII, not the III, but one thing that I’ve come to realize:
The first gen phones were, in fact, 1st gen Star Trek communicators.
These phones are no longer mere communicators any more, however.
The current smartphones are 1st gen Star Trek tricorders.
Seriously. They have sensors for motion, acceleration, angle, orientation, location, and even magnetic fields. There are also light sensors in them, too, though those are currently very limited, usually a 1/0 level sensor, either it’s “bright” or it’s “not”. They clearly have access to the “ship’s computers” in most places, and can handle other forms of communication besides voice. You can send and receive photos and videos in realtime.
Whenever we’ve got a question about something — for example, when an older friend of mine (he’s 87) is trying to recall some oddball model of car, I’ve found it within minutes of searching the net, usually via Wiki.
Granted, my smartphone can’t yet tell you about localized dark matter accretions or verify hadron densities, much less control a warp field generator but… give it time, hey?
😀
I loved my Galaxy S3, was the perfect size, but, only had 500mb internal memory. I actually upgraded to the Galaxy S2, but, just two big to hold comfortably for me. Ended up with the HTC One S. Almost as tall, but not as wide.
Personally, I wish they would stop going bigger and bigger.
William, I don’s know about the HTC1S, but the SamsungS3 has expandable memory.
IGB, “breaking the connector IN the phone” Yikes! The main reason I had to replace my trusty old phone was because the charger broke and they don’t make them anymore.