Cell
Phones and Cell Phone Features You
Simply Cannot Live Without
It
was not that long ago that cell phones
were a luxury, not a necessity. Anyone
over the age of 30 will remember the days
when wireless phones were big and bulky
with average reception and limited coverage
at best. As hard as it is to imagine now,
cell phones of yesterday had one function
and one function only - to make and receive
calls.
How times change.... Even the most basic
cell phones of 2007 pack more computing
and navigational power than was used on
early NASA space missions!
And as you would expect, business people
have become emotionally attached to their
personal cell phones and wireless technological
devices. So much so that there are now
specialists treating addictions to advanced
wireless devices such as the Blackberry
and other e-mail capable "smart"
phones. Studies have shown that addictions
to cell phones and wireless Blackberry
e-mail are as powerful as heroin addiction!
We have tracked down some of the latest
cell phones and features that eventually
you may not be able to live without. If
you suffer from cell phone or PDA addictions,
this list may make it that much harder
to kick the habit.
Wi-Fi Cell Phones
If
you have ever had a call "drop out"
for a brief period of time, you will appreciate
the introduction of the Wi-Fi cell phone.
This handy device can automatically switch
between conventional cellular and Wi-Fi
VoIP modes - even during the course of
normal conversation.
Dense urban areas that contain large buildings
made of concrete and steel continue to
pose problems for conventional cellular
signals. These structures have a tendency
to block the radio frequencies needed
to maintain wireless call connection to
a "repeater" - the device that
picks up your signal and makes the call
possible. If a phone is near the limit
of a repeater's range and the user walks
from the outdoors to indoors, the call
can easily be dropped out of the network.
The Wi-Fi cell phone eliminates this dropout
by automatically and seamlessly connecting
to the closest Wi-Fi hotspot. With Wi-Fi
becoming more and more popular and widespread,
look for many more handsets to carry this
feature in the near future.
The Breathalyzer-Enabled Cell Phone
You've
been out celebrating a new promotion with
colleagues and business associates. No
longer do you have to wonder whether or
not you have had one too many to drive
home. Introducing: The Breathalyzer Cell
Phone.
The breathalyzer cellular phone is a handset
that is equipped with a built-in device
for detecting ethyl alcohol vapor on the
breath. The Korean company LG manufactures
a breathalyzer cell phone (LP4100) that
is already in use by thousands of Korean
customers.
Many predict this feature will be integrated
into more handsets from a variety of companies
sooner than later. The breathalyzer wireless
phone is especially handy for the college-age
crowd or for the business person who is
required to constantly entertain clients
or prospective clients. The breathalyzer
cell phone will undoubtedly save lives
as its use becomes more popular.
GPS-Enabled
Cell Phones
GPS
(global positioning system) navigation
technology has started to be offered by
wireless companies to help guide users
to any address they wish to find. The
newly equipped GPS phones are even able
to give verbal directions in response
to an address that is entered into the
handset.
Practical
uses for this technology are vast for
both business and personal use. For salespeople,
or for those whose jobs require them to
travel to multiple destinations in one
day, the feature could become highly addictive.
On a personal level, keeping track of
teens is as easy as handing them a cell
phone.
There is one company that offers a service
that allows users to form networks so
that anyone in the network can alert everyone
else in that network as to their current
location. Eventually, GPS will be standard
for all cell phones and wireless devices.
The
"Screaming" Cell Phone
The screaming cell phone
is a feature that allows for the cell
phone handset to emit a noise similar
to a human scream in the event that the
phone is lost or stolen. Once reported,
a system administrator can begin to render
the scream through the use of a "kill
switch". Once the noise begins, the
device becomes inoperable and all stored
data is subsequently erased.
Although "screaming technology"
does not prevent the theft itself or even
the return of the handset, it does keep
sensitive cell phone data out of the hands
of the thief. As one would expect, it
makes the perpetrator of the crime extremely
conspicuous as well. This technology can
be used with any portable device: cell
phone, Blackberry, PDA, pager and even
a notebook computer.
Personal
Handyphone
Want a phone that will function
as both a wireless and landline device?
If so, the Personal Handyphone is for
you. The only drawback is that you need
to live in Asia to use it.
Developed over 10 years ago in Japan,
the personal Handyphone now boasts over
70 million users. The device is simple:
a lightweight and portable wireless telephone
that functions as a cordless phone in
the home and wireless mobile phone everywhere
else. It can now handle voice, fax and
even video signals.
Apple
Iphone
Due out in June, 2007, the Apple IPhone
may change the cell phone landscape forever.
Navigation is as simple as flicking your
finger across the screen. Of course the
phone comes with Ipod functions and internet
browsing capabilities. The ease of use
of this phone is vintage Apple, a company
that seems to make everything incrediby
easy.
Critics
say the Iphone will not live up to the
hype it has created over the last six
months. Maybe so, but Cingular, the contracted
carrier for Iphone service, has already
received millions of inquiries about the
new phone. If the Iphone is as popular
as the Ipod, Apple will force other cell
phone manufacturers to follow their lead.
Be prepared to spend some money if you
plan on buying one. The Iphone is slated
to carry a hefty price tag ($499-599)
- (but is it ever a cool phone!) For
a more detailed look into the Iphone and
its features, refer to the video below.
That's
it for this month. If you have questions
about this newsletter, or regarding a
specific telecom cost-reduction strategy,
a telecom
audit or telecom
bill management need, please don't
hesitate to contact
us today or call us toll-free at 1-888-383-3200,
Ext. 5900.
Sincerely,
The
folks at:
TelCon
Associates
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Apple Iphone Demonstration
Video
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