Old Mobile Phones: Things to Do
When it comes to technology, nothing gets phased out faster than a mobile phone. Sure, desktop computers and laptops also run on technology that gets updated on an almost weekly basis. But nobody trades up computers on such a fast schedule. Mobile phones on the other hand are devices of a completely different nature; people carry them around all the time and despite being expensive, it is not so uncommon to easily trade in a new device for an even newer mobile phone.
There is nothing wrong with this; in fact, it is a lot better than having a mobile phone sit in the house all day doing nothing but accumulating dust. But while it is important for users to find ways of disposing of their old devices in a useful and practical manner, there is one other important consideration as well, personal safety.
Any mobile phone will contain a history of its previous user if the contents have not been perfectly cleaned out. The best way to ensure that this is done requires doing it manually. The first step is by removing the storage device on the handset: the memory card. Most handsets come with a limited internal memory, forcing users to stick with memory cards to storing data. Simply by making sure that the card is no longer inserted in the device means that the data is no longer accessible.
The next step is to look for a factory reset option. Most devices would allow users to instantly delete entire caches of information –provided that a proper password is also used. This will make sure that other content are no longer available.
Lastly, users should manually check the device after a full memory wipe. In the instance that some data (such as image folders) are not deleted, users can manually remove such content from the phone.
Predicting Smart Phone Trends
With manufacturers focused on current technology and what new features the various operating systems are delivering, some might say that the level of innovation in smart phone technology has come to a slow down.
While there is no decrease in the number of concept devices being made by various manufacturers and product developers in order to inspire the industry to push forward, the innovation has been concentrating more on software than the hardware itself.
This does not mean that the hardware is not changing, it is but only in a single direction of “better specs”, which simply means that the easiest way to predict what tomorrow’s handsets is by looking at the devices available today in simply increasing the speed, power, capacity and performance.
Still, there some new (and old) technology that is being developed that might change the way mobile phones are being used. Take Nokia for example, they are now bringing back short range device communication, this technology as originally developed as a more secure alternative to Bluetooth thanks to its limitation with proximity for devices to communicate.
The development of new touch screen technology is also being implemented as well. Larger, thinner and more flexible touch screens are being developed and this may help change the way mobile phones are designed and made. However, since the current form is quite effective and efficient in terms of functionality and practicality, it will be a long time before a new form factor is accepted.
As stated above, the real change in hardware is simply in improving the current specs. Chip manufacturers are racing to create not only faster and more powerful processors, but also in finding ways to cut down on power consumption. Since mobile handsets rely on rechargeable batteries with limited capacities, there are limits to how fast a modern CPU can be.
How Powerful Should a Smart Phone Be?
Technology moves, and when it moves, it moves fast without waiting for anyone, not even our society. As our daily lives become more and more entrenched with the use of smart phone technology, WiFi, and 3G access, the more we leave ourselves chained and tethered to the limits and capabilities of the very handsets we use.
A person who does not check Facebook or send Tweets often will not be reliant on a smart phone with live updates or similar social networking tools. On the other hand, a person who has come to enjoy the benefits of being able to send new updates to friends and colleagues at almost any time will feel rather out of touch and disconnected when forced to use a basic 2G handset without WiFi access.
And that is just the start of it. Web browsing and internet access are now considered to be very basic features, and for many people, owning a social networking account or Twitter account is commonplace. They would actually raise an eyebrow when told that an individual does not have either (a reaction that was not so common when net access was restricted to desktop computers). While this reaction can still be shrugged off, it is a benchmark about what we consider accessible and doable for the average person.
When mobile phones start getting higher capacity batteries that are able to handle faster and stronger processors, the range of things that a person can do with a smart phone will also increase. Employers often expect their smart phone-bearing employees to be able to stay on top with email and basic documents since the device can handle the document processing. At this rate, the speed and power that we see in the desktop computers of today will soon be available on smart phones of the future.
Vitamins Design Brings a New “Out of the Box” Experience for Mobile Phones
If you have ever given a smart phone to, say, an aunt and have gotten frustrated over the lackluster manual that comes with it, then Out of the Box may just be the thing for you.
Out of the Box is a very simple but genius solution to a timeless problem: getting older people to understand how tech works. If you are the aunt or uncle, then you can relate to the millions of people all over the world who just cannot make sense out of those stapled pieces of paper that contain what seems to be Martian language.
With Out of the Box, you will have no problem getting your brand new smart phone to make a call or send emails with ease. All you have to do is place your phone in the middle of the manual, turn to the page which contains the instructions on what to do and voila! You may just base off the bulleted instructions pointing to those tricky little icons and you will be on your way to mobile phone proficiency.
Of course this only applies to devices which have not been fiddled around with and customized. But, since you will probably be reading the manual that comes with the mobile device first (right?) then you will have no problems starting a good, long term relationship with your handheld device.
It is a wonder why this sort of manual has not been implemented before. Based on the video demo, it looks like it will work wonders even for those who are totally tech illiterate, provided that they have the patience to wade through the manual. The only obvious limitation here is the number of phones which these manuals will be printed for. Surely not every maker in the market will be willing to pay the price for two whole books worth of instructions.
Out of the box - book from adrian333 on Vimeo.