Cell Phone Fashion: Personalizing Mass Production
by: Emily Sims
?Individuality: advanced features, precision engineering and couture style in a choice of elegant colors -- as individual as you are?. This is the blurb for the new Motorola Razr, one of the new breeds of mobile phone flying off the shelves. Where mobile were once marketed as an high-tech device, a tool packed with ingenious features, the new trend is for fashion phones. The major handset manufacturers are now offering seasonal collections, joint-venturing with well known fashion designers, and emphasizing aesthetic features when marketing their products. Indeed, some companies are scaling back the technical, yet utilitarian features, offering simpler but sleeker phones; form over function. Somewhere along the evolutionary path of the cell phone, the device has reached the point where it is no longer considered a gadget, available only to the privileged few with the money and/or technical savoir faire, but an ordinary piece of equipment not unlike a wristwatch. For handset manufacturers, there is no benefit in trying to ?out-tech? the competition. The technology has reached a stasis, cell phones are reliable, small, WAP enabled, contain innumerable clocks and alarms, include high resolution cameras and MP3 players. And excepting some radical departure from the silicon chip, the current technology can expect only slight improvements. For manufacturers the question is how to continue adding value to their product, for consumers it is a question of choice. A report produced by ARCchart offers some insight into this new trend: ?For the consumer faced with a range of seemingly identical devices from a technical perspective, the aesthetics of a device can generate an emotional response to which they will ascribe a value and for which they will pay a premium?.
The rise of the fashion phone is inextricably linked with consumer's desire to differentiate themselves from other consumers. The pursuit of individuality seems to be a priority, at least that is what companies like Motorola believe. The staggering growth in the mobile content industry points to consumer preoccupation with personalizing their mobiles. The catch-phrase, "Make it you own", is selling ringtones, wallpapers, phone charms and decorative cases, now it's selling fashion phones. More and more, it seems, what we own defines us. Despite capitalizing on the trend at lightening speed, handset manufacturers aren't the prophets personalization, the trend towards customized and fashion phones is consumer driven. In China, where mobile phone saturation is high, it is possible to see phones worn on the wrist in handmade lace cases, or covered in stickers of pop stars and smiley faces. In Japan, the omnipresent Hello Kitty dangles from every schoolgirl's phone. These small aesthetic additions are intended to reveal something about the phone's owner. A Samsung cell phone emblazoned with an image of Diane von Furstenberg serves a similar purpose. As does the Roberto Cavali phone, or the Anna Sui phone. "Cell phones have become a ubiquitous accessory-- every woman has a mobile phone by her side. I wanted to create one that makes a statement with a signature look", declares Ms. Sui on her website. Making a statement is expensive, a designer's name on a phone increases it's value by several hundred dollars. It is no longer a high-tech tool, it is a designer accessory.
Not surprisingly, engineers like Bill Schweber are wondering who stole their glory. "Engineers do design, and by this we mean the hard and slogging work of pulling together ICs and software and resolving mechanical, thermal, power, display, format, protocol, and packaging issues. Then a celebrity comes along and takes all this hard work, puts on a new case or shell?perhaps studded with crystals or glitter?and takes the bulk of the credit. Once again, engineers do the work and don't get the appreciation." Recently, Nokia has undertaken a project with the design firm of Schulz and Webb, to explore the possibilities of personalized phones. The Schulz and Webb blog describes the project as "looking at how personalization of Nokia phones can change their meaning or impact culturally. Large-scale manufacture is inevitably distanced from the very precise social context of use. Once we bring in short-run manufacture, however, the mobile can be more culturally situated." Nokia have realized, at least, the inevitable paradox of mobile personalization. At the end of the day, the mobile phone in your hand is a mass produced clone.
About The Author
Emily Sims is the beautiful and talented ringtones (ringtones.foovely.com)> queen at foovely (www.foovely.com). She also keeps a popular blog (blog.foovely.com).
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The Basics of Phone Bugs
The Basics of Phone Bugs
by: Kingston Amadan
Phone bugs are among the most popular of devices for surveillance. This is because there is something that humans enjoy about listening in on conversations and learning things that others may not want them to learn. For those who aspire to involve themselves in professional surveillance, and even for those who just participate in surveillance as a hobby, knowing the basics of phone bugs is valuable information.
Phone bugs are interesting because they are versatile. There are different types of these listening devices, and it is even possible to combine two or more different bugs into one bug that can act as its own backup device. These hybrid phone bugs are constructed from one of four different eavesdropping techniques: radio frequency (RF), ultrasonic, optical, and acoustic.
RF phone bugs are the most popular of covert listening devices. This is because they are inexpensive and they are difficult...
The Basics of Phone Bugs
Razr phone > The Basics of Phone Bugs
How to Tap Your Own Phone Line
How to Tap Your Own Phone Line
by: Kingston Amadan
It may seem kind of strange that you would want to know how to tap your own phone line. After all, aren?t phone taps meant to be used on other people? However, there is a definite advantage to having a tap on your own line, as long as you are the one doing the tapping. The best thing you can do, especially if you are fielding some pretty important or incriminating phone calls, is to record them. You can use them for bargaining, or you can use them as evidence that someone is behaving inappropriately.
It is not too hard to learn how to tap your own phone line using simple and relatively inexpensive items that can be picked up from your local electronics store. You will need one Ferrite split core assembly, 75 feet of 28 AWG magnetic coil wire (enameled), one 1/8th inch mini-lug cable (should have tinned ends), and make sure have heat shrink tubing, tie wraps, and electrical tape.
One you...
How to Tap Your Own Phone Line
Razr phone > How to Tap Your Own Phone Line
How to Rid Yourself of Phone Charges with Internet Phone Service
How to Rid Yourself of Phone Charges with Internet Phone Service
by: Jim Sherman
Session Initiation Protocol and Short Message Service (SIP and SMS respectively) refer to frameworks that allow devices to communicate directly with one another without the need for a central routing computer. It seems rather surprising that a mere framework can so radically change the face of communication, but in the few years since their explosion onto the communications world, SIP and SMS have done just that.
The brilliance of SIP and SMS is that they are able to bypass the traditional telephony model whereby a line had to be routed through a telephone hub and maintained for the duration of a call to complete the conversation.
The process of routing and establishing connection as well as maintaining connectedness throughout the call in increasingly congested phone lines is quite an expensive venture.
And like all good for profit businesses...
Razr phone > How to Rid Yourself of Phone Charges with Internet Phone Service
Hold That Hold...Please!
Hold That Hold...Please!
by: Kingston Amadan
It never fails. Whether ordering a pizza or making a doctor's appointment, I hear it almost every time. "Can I put you on hold?", they ask. Before I have a chance to even answer...I am on hold! What just happened? Was it a rhetorical question? Why even give me the option? Why not just say, "Welcome to XYZ, where we promptly put you on hold!".
Some people hate automated phone systems, but not me. I like to be informed of where I stand in any given situation. I would rather have an honest computerized voice telling me I will have to wait (and also likely telling me for approximately how long), than to encounter a real life human being who will tease me with a choice and then make the decision on my behalf in a split second. Imagine if everyone you encountered operated this way. You might be standing in line at a fast food restaurant and be asked if you'd like to try a new item on the menu they are...
Hold That Hold...Please!
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Easy Tips To Keeping Kids Quiet While You?re On The Phone
Easy Tips To Keeping Kids Quiet While You?re On The Phone
by: Nell Taliercio
One of the easiest ways to get into the telecommuting industry is to get a phone job. These phone jobs are more readily available than other telecommuting jobs and usually pay pretty well.
When you first start working on the phone from home, keeping the kids quiet can be a bit of a challenge. There is a fine line between keeping your child quiet and stifling the fun that kids should have every day. Here are some age-appropriate ideas on what you can do to make sure you get at least some quiet phone time in each day.
For Babies:
1. Keep them busy with some soft toys that make little or no noise. Fabric dolls and stuffed animals are a good choice. You can also use the stackable plastic rings. I found a soft, fabric covered box that came with a set of 4 finger puppets. The box had different openings and a mirror on one side. My baby spent hours putting the...
Easy Tips To Keeping Kids Quiet While You?re On The Phone
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The Future of Wireless
The Future of Wireless
by: James P Mosieur
In 1985, at the beginning of the cell phone era, cell phone users in the world totaled only about 200,000. Today, according to CTIA-The Wireless Association, there are nearly 200 million in the US alone!
In the past some waxed futuristic, saying that someday there will be a cell phone in every car. No one, not even its creator, could imagine that the cell phone would become the most significant consumer electronic device in history; bigger than its wired cousin; bigger than TV?s; even bigger than PC?s. But that's exactly what?s happening.
A report by the Gartner Group projected that by 2009, manufacturers will be selling 1 billion cell phones each year. By then, 2.6 billion people worldwide will be using cell phones, Gartner says.
The cell phone's impact is so huge because it?s so widespread. A business associate of mine visiting a developing country in Latin America noticed a man riding...
The Future of Wireless
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Mobile Phone Glossary
Mobile Phone Glossary
by: Paul Smith
3G
The third generation of mobile networks, with video calling, web browsing and multimedia downloads of up to seven times faster than standard 2G networks.
Bluetooth
A specification for short-range wireless connectivity that allows users to make wire-free connections (via radio link) between a wide range of communications devices.
Dual-band
Phones that can switch between two different bands of frequencies. Most phones in the UK are now dual-band, capable of switching between GSM1800 and GSM900 frequencies. Useful for travellers allowing roaming on a greater number of networks across the world.
GPRS
General Packet Radio Service. Data communications upgrade for GSM networks, enabling a maximum data rate of up to 115kbps.
GSM
Global System for Mobile Communications. A digital cellular communications standard used throughout Europe, and elsewhere around the world....
Mobile Phone Glossary
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Those Mobile Phone Wielding Drivers
Those Mobile Phone Wielding Drivers
by: Ieuan Dolby
A taxi driver in Singapore recently drove his taxi headfirst into a rather deluxe condominium swimming pool! At the subsequent court case the driver was fully exonerated from any blame on the grounds that it was raining heavily at the time of the incident and (would you believe it?) that no barriers were in place around the pool. If anybody was to ponder over this scenario it would not be hard to conjure up a few chinks and cracks in the stories armor. Well, swimming pools do not normally reside directly in front of condominium entrances as those living there tend not to favor passerby?s peering in! Oh, and who would design it such that drunken residents, returning home from a night on the town, are faced with an assault course before being allowed to their apartment and to bed? I would also question the lack of lighting around the driveway, the speed that the taxi was taking and his knowledge of...
Those Mobile Phone Wielding Drivers
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Razr phone plasma Cell Phone Fashion: Personalizing Mass Production
What Is Electronic-Data-Interchange?
What Is Electronic-Data-Interchange?
by: Noel Matthew
Electronic-Data-Interchange, or EDI is a method of computer to computer exchange of various types of information. While many people know of the internet and the World Wide Web as communication methods, the electronic-data-interchange is much similar. It allows the transfer of data from one place to the next with very minimal need for people to get involved.
Today, the Electronic-Data-Interchange is...
What Is Electronic-Data-Interchange? Razr phone
Razr phone > What Is Electronic-Data-Interchange?
Razr phone Cell Phone Fashion: Personalizing Mass Production
My Search For Reality in TV Revealed Satellite TV and Television's Future, Now.
My Search For Reality in TV Revealed Satellite TV and Television's Future, Now.
by: Danny Planet
I never dreamed of TV becoming amazing again ? I was the guy with 12 o?clock blinking green on his VCR. Yes, I said VCR. So getting the hang of today?s TV was not a piece of cake.
Recently, during an emergency replace-ectomy of my dying Zenith behemoth, I realized I was in deep trouble. Never mind DVD. Who knew of progressive scan and digital convergence. Aspect...
Razr phone tvs My Search For Reality in TV Revealed Satellite TV and Television's Future, Now. Cell Phone Fashion: Personalizing Mass Production
Razr phone > My Search For Reality in TV Revealed Satellite TV and Television's Future, Now.