Cell Phone Guru

Success and failure in the telecommunications industry is all about numbers. Number of units sold, number of subscribers, and number of subscribers that upgrade their handset models each time a new technology or feature is available in the market.With a ten-digit population, China alone could already spell a world of difference in winning at these numbers. China accounts for more than 20% of the world population. Therefore, the brand that conquers the Chinese market has virtually conquered the world.

With the 2008 Olympics fast approaching, the telecom industry in China and the world has been working round the clock, to get a better market position.

China is still finalizing its 3G efforts in time for the big event. Meanwhile foreign brands are outwitting one another at getting a chunk of the market. And the easy and effective strategy employed by these foreign companies is to enter into a joint venture and partnership with local brands. Currently, Nortel of Canada, Bell, Ericsson, Siemens, Motorola and neighbor Korea’s LG and Samsung have already established themselves in the dragon’s lair.

In the true fashion of technological developments, China also wants to be the first Olympic host to offer to people the convenience of 3G technology. If plans do materialize, tourists in the mainland will be able to buy tickets and find or reserve restaurants through their 3G cellular phones. The rest of the world will have the option of either receiving regular updates or alerts about their favorite events or watch the games themselves via 3G handsets in real time.

With this latest development, the industry expects the demand for the latest models that support the 3G feature to reach as high as two hundred million. And cellular phone companies with loads of 3G handsets to sell have already set up camps in the mainland to ensure that their aggressive marketing campaigns are able to catch the taste of the Chinese market.

At the end of the day, when all this hype and excitement has subsided and the Olympic dusts have settled, the industry will go back to its seat and again reckon the numbers. Will targets sales be met? Will company growths punch in the right projected values? Everyone is optimistic about the Olympic results as well as the development and progress in the host country that has been its landmark aftermath.

There has been a lot of hype and media scare regarding the hazards of using cellular phones. Studies point to radiation which is said to have caused several illnesses with initial symptoms that include headache, nausea and migraine among others. 

Of course, we should not forget the perennial and obvious dangers of driving while talking on the phone or crossing the street while minding the handset. These acts have been proven to be dangerous and are actually deadly. 

In response to mounting calls for human safety and protecting world population that has depended on the mobile devise, governments around the world have imposed various measures in an effort to save man from himself. Laws were enacted to forbid the use of cellular phone while driving on the road and even while parked in a gasoline station for a refill. 

However, a recent survey conducted by Pollster YouGov upon commission from the London Post Office, revealed that more than half of the British respondents get highly stressed when they have no access to a cellular phone. And medicine has already proven time and again that stress can cause several illnesses, even as serious as some forms of cancer, heart failure or stroke.

This lack of mobile phone may be due to its loss, a defect with the devise itself or to a situation wherein they are forced to turn the devise off as in a theater, courtroom or church. In the last case, we could anticipate that those who spend a good number of hours talking on the phone or sending SMS would admit that they would have to sneak out every once in a while to check on their phones.

Apparently, the use of cellular phones is a damn if you do and damn if you don’t dilemma. But that is just the way things are and there seems to no signs that it is going to change in the near future. 

Quite on the contrary, we are to expect more heated debates on this issue with their benefits and value to the 21^st century man on one hand, and the hazards and risks they pose on the other. Short of being hysterical or theatrical, each camp would have studies and surveys to support their positions. 

Therefore, when it comes to such type of questions like, whether or not we should continue or stop using cellular phones, well, to each his own.

Alexander Graham Bell himself could no longer recognize the descendants to his revolutionary invention. Indeed, the machine that allows two persons from two different places to communicate in real time have evolved and changed so much in such a short time. The stationary telephone got to ditch its wires and bulky base. It now fits in the bag or pocket and accompanies its owners wherever they go.

Just thirty-five years since Martin Cooper made his first mobile phone call via the Dyna-Tac prototype which weighs about two pounds, cellular phones of the twenty first century is either ultra small and super slim or regular sized with wide screen displays and packed with value added features.

From the pioneer Dyna-Tac, which only has the three basic telephone functionalities, namely, dial, talk and listen, we now have models with touch screens, cameras, videos, mp3 players, games and internet capabilities. Today, cellular phone units that allow video and TV streaming are hot. No doubt, models that feature full-length movies will definitely be hotter.

Sony Pictures Television, a subsidiary of the Sony Corporation of Japan has recently disclosed that works are already underway for the production of movies specifically for the cellular phone. Unlike movies which are available on demand via the internet or cable network, these movies will be streamed through supported cellular phone units complete with a loop of commercials.

In the US, AT&T has already confirmed its commitment to deliver the said feature to its loyal subscribers. Although the US telecom giant has yet to determine the subscription price for the package that carries the mobile movie feature, the company is already swamped with inquiries from those who always want to be the first to have the firsts in technology.

However, the only phone models that could support this feature, for now, are the Vu line from LG and the Access phones from Samsung, both of which have been released in the market only a few weeks ago. This development will surely boost LG and Samsung sales figures overtaking other handset brands like the troubled Motorola which got stuck to its highly raved Razr line of cellular phones.

Just like any other innovations in technology, other handset brands are expected to upgrade their line to include models that would support the recent feature. Likewise, other telecom companies are anticipated to follow suit and carry the mobile movie feature in its subscription packages.

In a desperate attempt to keep the handset division’s problems from affecting the entire company’s operations and viability, top executives of Motorola Inc has announced recently that it will perform a surgical remedy to the problem.

The handset division will be cut off and established as a separate entity. If the plan materializes, the market will see two Motorola entities that will be traded publicly by 2009. One company will be for the handset products line while the other will be for the rest of the Motorola electronics products which include a line of network equipments and television set top boxes.

The plan is intended and hoped to provide a painful solution to the continued downfall of company stock values due to huge losses from the handset division. The crisis faced by the Motorola cellular phone line has brought to the company an agonizing drop in market values reaching to as much as 60 percent which translates to approximately $22 billion.

Motorola handsets continue to sail on perilous seas of stiff competition, first by the undisputed market leader Nokia and recently by the upcoming Samsung brand from South Korea which deposed Motorola from its perennial number two position.

Sources from within the troubled electronics company place the time line at about eighteen months for the whole process to be completed and operational. There are still a lot of concerns that need to be addressed as a necessary consequence of the planned remedial break up.

On top of the list is the fate of its approximately 66,000 employees scattered around the globe. Company top brass needs to draw clear-cut criteria as to who shall move to the newborn handset firm and who shall remain with the mother company. Likewise, the issue of talent piracy needs to be addressed. Motorola might have difficulty in keeping their top talented artists and professionals from jumping overboard and abandon the sinking ship.

The other path that needs to be eased out is the possibility of a take over or merger with another company that could buy Motorola out of its predicament. The company’s executives are eyeing at Japanese and Chinese telecom companies as possible investors. Again, as in the case of a simple split up, the fate not only of the stockholders but also of the employees are at stake.

At any rate, Motorola is definitely going to have a rough and challenging year ahead. 

Banking on their wide selection of quality low end products and sophisticated high end line, Asian mobile phone companies continue to grab a large chunk of the market share at the conclusion of the first quarter of 2008.

The same upward trend is expected up to the end of the year, provided economic conditions remain steady. The credit crunch coupled with an upsurge in oil pump price has greatly hurt American brands like Motorola, even in its own turf.

Lead by Samsung Electronics which is based in Korea, Asian handset firms continue with their aggressive marketing campaigns. Expectedly, their strategies proved effective as Samsung Electronics now enjoys its place in the number two spot after snatching the position from US based Motorola.

Figures from the Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker of the International Data Corporation (IDC) that was released in August 2007 revealed that global market trends swing favorably towards Asian brands. Europe’s Nokia seems to be the only exception which still tops the list as the favorite and most coveted cellular phone brand worldwide.

Apparently, there is no hint of slowing down for Samsung. Just recently, they have launched a new aggressive marketing campaign in the East African region, particularly Kenya and other emerging market economies.

Recognizing the current upsurge in demand for both low cost units that meet the daily mobile telecommunications demand in the region as well as sophisticated high-end models for the emerging and growing affluent African class, Samsung is able to capture the market by producing handsets that specifically meet these demands.

Nevertheless, Samsung Electronics is still not about to rest. They are not happy with the current performance of 10% growth for the first quarter of 2008. Apparently, unstable oil prices have affected the telecom industry too. The South Korean handset maker has posted only a 10% growth for the quarter, five points short of the projected 15% first quarter sales growth. Conceding to the general economic slump, the top brass in South Korea has recently announced a cut in their target sales for the next quarter.

The cut in sales target notwithstanding, the market is bound to expect for better performance from Asian handset brands such as Samsung and LG. Their drawing boards are filled with stylish and classy models to suit the discriminating tastes of the upper classes as well as functional and chic low cost units for the big middle and lower middle class mobile telecommunication needs.

The Mysto is a CDMA version of the Samsung Ultra U600 designed for release in the United States.  The Mysto is a slider phone that boasts of an excellent display screen and a sleek finish - at 12mm thick, this phone just exudes “style.”  

Beneath the screen you’ll find a circular navigational pad that you can click in five directions – upwards, downwards, left, right and middle.  If you are on the home screen, the five buttons each function as a shortcut key.  Around the navigational pad are 4 other keys that are actually touch controls – the talk, back and 2 soft keys.  The phone slides open to reveal a keypad with a smooth finish and raised ridges in between the key rows. 

The main highlight of the phone is its multimedia capabilities.  For starters, the phone’s 2 mega-pixel camera has a varied settings array and is capable of recording video at 14 frames per second.  Its resolution is an impressive 320 x 240, and allows for image editing and geotagging.  You can also upload images to MySpace and Flickr. 

The phone is equipped with a sensor that protects the camera when the phone is shut.  Surfing the Internet over the Mysto is also quite good with its built-in HTML browser.  You can use the Mysto to access YouTube, stream audio and video and it lets you download a wide selection of content including songs, games, ring tones, videos and more from Helio’s online store.

What’s more, Mysto also supports Google Maps, Garmin Mobile, the voice-activated Tellme service from Microsoft and Helio’s friend locator service, Buddy Beacon.

One drawback to the Samsung Mysto is sound quality.  Calls made over the phone yielded poor results as static could be heard and sometimes voices come in faint.  The phone comes with a wired stereo headset but it cannot be used with other connectors, rather, the phone is compatible only with Samsung’s phone jack. 

Voice calls over Bluetooth are also problematic and the speaker phone doesn’t work much better.  Also, some users find the touch controls difficult to operate.  The End key, which you can find on the right side of the phone, is also ill-placed as people tend to look for the key on the front once they are done with calls.

All in all though, the Samsung Mysto is still a good purchase especially if you take its multimedia features and locator services in consideration.  Its web browsing capabilities also make it attractive to heavy Internet users.

Treos were the pioneer phone models that could be considered mini-computers with their qwerty keyboards, organizing functions and E-mailing capabilities.  The Treo by Palm Centro is no different – it is still a device packed with excellent smartphone functionality but now coupled with consumer-friendly features.  If you are looking into purchasing a smartphone, the Palm Centro is a very good choice as it is one of the more user-friendly pieces in the market today.

The Palm Centro’s 2.25 inch screen is quite small, however due to its high resolution, it displays bright images and reading is not a problem.  The display is a touch screen and the unit comes with a stylus which lends to usability especially if you don’t like using your fingers to navigate the screen.  The phone also has a navigational pad that makes it even easier for users to work the phone.  The qwerty keyboard buttons are quite small but surprisingly easy to type on.  Some users might need to adjust a little especially those who have larger hands but all in all, once you get the hang of typing on the Centro the small buttons won’t be much of a problem.  The buttons are very clearly labeled and easy to read. 

Another great thing about the Centro is that it is budget-friendly.  Besides the applications already loaded on the phone, users are allowed to install third-party applications.  The phone retails for less than a hundred dollar.  Its email program, VersaMail, supports Yahoo, Gmail, Mac, Apple, MS Exchange among other email services.  Additionally, the phone has instant and text messaging capabilities.

You can read, create and edit new Word and Excel documents on the Centro and it allows you to view PDF and PowerPoint files.  Other organizational features of the phone are its calendar, to-do lists and memo applications.  The phone also has voice recording capabilities and it sports a music player and allows for listening to Internet radio.  The Centro is equipped with Bluetooth which enables you to use the phone as a modem if you need to surf the Internet on your laptop. 

As a phone the Palm Centro works excellently with calls coming in clearly on both ends.  If you are busy and prefer not to take a call, the phone has an ignore feature that sends a text message to the caller.  The speakerphone function also works pretty well. 

The Palm Centro is an excellent option for mainstream users – it is very user-friendly, it has full smartphone functionality yet very affordable. 

The Blackberry has long been known for its functionality and as a tool that heightens the corporate executive’s productivity.  With the Blackberry Curve 8320, Research in Motion creates what could be its most consumer-friendly device yet – a smart phone packed with entertainment features but still comes with the revolutionary messaging capabilities that the Blackberry is known for.  

The Curve veers off from the usual Blackberry design in that it sports a sleeker, more stylish look to it.  It is also the lightest and smallest among the Blackberry models.  The Curve 8320 has a full qwerty keyboard that’s easier to type on than the one found on the 8800 series plus a trackball that makes for effortless navigation.

Its entertainment features includes a 2 mega-pixel camera that comes with a flash and self-portrait mirror and 5x zoom lens.  The phone gives you three options each for picture size - 640×480, 1,024×768 and 1,600×1,200 -  and picture quality – normal, fine and superfine.  The Curve also comes with a media player that allows you to listen to MP3, WAV, AAC and MIDI files and watch MP4, AVI, 3GP and MOV video files. 

The Blackberry’s signature enterprise features are of course also present.  The Curve 8320 allows for e-mailing, instant messaging, SMS and MMS capabilities.  Another great thing about the Curve is its Wi-Fi capability.  This allows you to make unlimited calls without being charged as long as you’re within range of a hotspot.  The Wi-Fi connectivity is also fast enough to satisfy most e-mailing and surfing requirements. 

The Curve has a spell check feature for e-mails and memos, although it doesn’t check for errors on text messages.  The call features of the Curve include smart dialing, voice activated dialing, speaker phone, conference calling and speed dialing.  Audio quality for calls is excellent as the Curve comes with technology that adjusts volume in relation to ambient sounds and prevents noise and echoes from interfering with calls.  Other features are the Blackberry maps application, calendar, memo pad, a tasks list, a calculator an alarm.

The main complaints about the Blackberry Curve 8320 are that it doesn’t have GPS and 3G capability.  The operating system that it runs on is also quite dated compared to the ones found on touch screen phones.

All in all though, the Blackberry Curve 8320 is a solid choice for consumers looking to purchase a smart phone as this Blackberry model combines a balanced mix of functionality and entertainment.  

AT&T announced recently that it will be launching its mobile TV services this May.  The service was initially set to be offered at the end of 2007, but a spokesperson said that AT&T opted to wait seeing as this particular offering was a whole new endeavor. 

AT&T has partnered with MediaFlo USA to offer live television content from eight networks namely NBC 2GO, CBS Mobile, Nickelodeon, ESPN Mobile TV, NBC News2Go, MTV and Fox Mobile.  Two other channel will also be broadcast exclusively for AT&T subscribers, although the telecoms company hasn’t revealed which channels. 

The AT&T service will be available on two mobile devices, Samsung Access and LG Vu.  Samsung Access, with its 2.3 inch landscape display and LG Vu’s 3 inch touch screen should be ideal for watching television content.  

Verizon Wireless has been offering similar services – with the exception of the two exclusive channels from AT&T – for over a year now.  Analysts say that while mobile TV services have acquired 10 percent market share in Korea, it still hasn’t had a significant impact on the US market.  This slow growth could be attributed to pricing and insufficient advertising. 

Verizon currently offers the service for $15 and some experts say people might not want to add more to what they are already paying in cellphone service fees.  After all, TV over mobile devices isn’t really considered a necessary feature.  Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs says there is not enough promotions being done on the part of the carriers so demand for mobile services has been on the low end.

MediaFlo USA, a Qualcomm subsidiary, currently delivers mobile TV content in cities such as Dallas, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, New York, Orlando and Chicago.  Right now, only AT&T and Verizon has partnered with the company but amid doubts of mobile TV’s prospects for growth, the company said it is looking into all possible opportunities for expansion. 

These include offering the service to car and refrigerator manufacturers who have expressed interest, as well as more talks with other wireless operators in the United States.  There is also the possibility of selling the services in the same way that satellite radio is being sold. 

In the meantime, there is no word yet from AT&T about pricing schemes.  The company’s announcement also doesn’t say how their services differ from that of Verizon’s.  Besides live television, AT&T also offers music services, video on demand and web access to its customers.

The LG KF600 is a slider phone that uses touchscreen technology. It boasts of dual screen display, one of which is what they call the InteractPad. The InteractPad is unique in that it is a keypad that adjusts to how you want to use the phone. In contrast to a standard keypad, the InteractPad keys change functions accordingly to which applications you use. For example, if you are using the phone to listen to music, the InteractPad displays media controls but if you switch to camera mode, the keypad becomes a zoom dial.

The main screen is quite small at 2 inches. However, the phone makes up for its small screen size with brilliant color display and excellent video playback as long as the phone isn’t used in direct sunlight.

You can listen to mp3s or tune in to FM radio on the KF600 and audio quality is very good. Musicphiles will also love its equalizer, Bluetooth A2DP support and album art capability. The phone also stands out when it comes to its call feature as its sound quality and speaker function are excellent.

The KF600 has a 3 mega pixel camera that boasts of automatic and manual settings plus a flash. The resolution of images taken with the camera is first-rate in quality.

The KF600’s stylish glass front design is sure to get raves from consumers wanting to get an Iphone-like unit for a less expensive price tag. Other noteworthy features are the phone’s preloaded games - which can be quite fun to play with using the touch technology feature of the phone.

As with other phone models, there are some drawbacks to the KF600. Although the KF600 is a music phone it doesn’t allow for content organization so you can’t group your songs by genre, artist and so on. The phone’s camera takes very good pictures but it takes long to save images. There is also no 3G capability which is a big disadvantage for this phone.

Yet even more strange is the phone’s handwriting recognition capability. The KF600 doesn’t come with a stylus so users might get confused as to why this feature is included if it isn’t going to be of much use to them anyway.

The LG KF600 indeed scores points for originality and stylishness with its InteractPad. It is an excellent starter unit, but if you have previously owned a smart phone, then the KF600 isn’t for you.