TECHNOLOGY FOR CHANGE

Readers' Ideas for Leapfrogging Apple's iPhone/Google's Nexus

R. Colin Johnson | Date: 01-18-10 | Comments

Readers come up with innovative ideas that could redefine the next generation of smartphones.

Our readers have come up with several innovative ideas for leapfrogging the smartphones out there today. Here we recognize those readers whose ideas could redefine the next generation of smartphones.

In "Six Technologies That Could Leapfrog the iPhone," I suggested features for a better smartphone. Not everybody liked my ideas (see all comments here), and in my opinion the best ideas came from our readers. Let's keep it up. Who knows? Maybe someday we-the-people will get the smartphone we really want!

My first suggestion was modularity, so that users could specify just the features they wanted. Some readers agreed.

"I like the modularity concept. Why, as you say, pay for something you don't need," said Larry W.

"I like the ideas of a modular smart phone. It makes sense for these devices to evolve in a fashion similar to PCs," said Anonymous.

One reader had an even better idea regarding modularity.

"Consider changing the definition of modularity as follows: miniaturize the PC tower to a core the size of a cell phone ... make the core mobile ... providing for the easy attachment of various monitors, keyboards ... integrate complementing technologies�unified cell (voice) and wireless broadband ... communications, wireless USB, voice interaction, pico-projector, motion sensing, GPS, RFID, biometrics (security)," said Jim Hemphill.

I also suggested offering a choice of screens, so that users could pick color for beauty or go with a black-and-white (B&W) screen for daylight readability and longer battery life, and some readers agreed.

"Ever since the color-rich LCD screens came out it has become impossible to read anything in sunlight. I would gladly go for a B&W option if that would only bring back readable screens. ... And a screen that [drew so little power that my battery] could last for days�better yet," said Mike Hawkins.

Other readers suggested features I had not considered:

"One thing that I REALLY ... want is very simple ... make the AC charger for all devices the same ... like USB line power," said Mike ONeil.

"I am in Latin America and would like to have language translation," said Larry W.

"Some of us rely on our Smart phones to conduct business, transfer money ... and the phones need to have better security features using some form of biometrics, voice recognition, finger print, facial recognition or other," said georgeg100.

"For my 6 'technologies,' How about 1. voice recognition ... 2. better power management hardware, so you can run more processes in the background ... 3. an 802.11n chip [for] high quality streaming video 4. better quality ... camera 5. fuel cells for extremely efficient and long-lasting power, and 6. voice synthesis software so that the phone can arrange conference calls by calling each participant and then connecting them all," said Anonymous.

"What about a phone that will work on every GSM network and Verizon�that would be true unlocked," said Anonymous.