Making cell phones simple is hard (Gimme a simple phone, please!)

CNN Technology ^ | Monday, May 29, 2006; Posted: 8:38 a.m. EDT (12:38 GMT) | AP

[butternut_squash_bisque]

Nathan Bales represents a troubling trend for cellular phone carriers.

The Kansas City-area countertop installer recently traded in a number of feature-laden phones for a stripped-down model. He said he didn't like using them to surf the Internet, rarely took pictures with them and couldn't stand scrolling through seemingly endless menus to get the functions to work.

[Fintan]

 

I love my Motorola V551. It has Bluetooth capability, so I look like a dork with that earpiece thingy, I can store images of semi-nude women, MP3's as ring tones, and watch the battery die every time I make a call.

[Syntyr]

"I got ya beat! Bought a DVD player about 5 months ago.

There are FORTY SIX buttons on the remote. So far, I've been able to watch 2 dvds! "

Double Ha! :)

Harmon Karon AVR7200 Home Theater Receiver 2 remotes...

First remote has 74 buttons
Second Remote has 23 buttons

Buy a Harmony remote control... Best thing since sliced bread. I have:
1 Sony HDTV
1 HD DVD PLayer
1 DVD Recorder
1 Movie Beam PLayer
1 Ultimate TV DirecTV system
1 Harmon Kardon 7200 Home Theater Sytem
1 Roku Media Bridge
1 Netgear MP101 Media PLayer
7 speakers

and best of all - 1 Remote Control! Every setup or combination of any or all the components is at most 2 button presses away.

[SE Mom]

OMG...you and I are possibly the only two people left on planet Earth that do not have a cell phone.

I refuse- though I'm not sure exactly why- I just won't do it.

Of course..I gave away my microwave too..never used it.

[Syntyr]

Forgot the link. Logitech bought them out...

http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/products/detailsharmony/US/EN,CRID=2084,CONTENTID=9933

[rw4site]

http://www.gojitterbug.com/index.html

Comming soon!

[rw4site]

See post #85

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1640182/posts?page=85#85

[pigsmith]

I still have my StarTac. It receives and makes calls, and gets voice mail. It has decent battery life and is easy to carry. That's all I need. You can still find 'em on Ebay.

I still have mine, and after getting a new phone I hate, I tried to get the StarTac turned back on with my service and I was told some jibberish about 'they can't do it'. No one had an answer as to WHY they couldn't turn the StarTac back on. Anyone know?

[pigsmith]

No one had an answer as to WHY they couldn't turn the StarTac back on. Anyone know?

If I'd only read further down the thread, I'd find out why. Dang. I miss my StarTac.

My new phone keeps turning itself on to take a picture of the inside of my pocket and I only find out about it when the dang thing gets HOT. ...and then of course it goes dead if I get a call...

[Revolting cat!]

Here's what I use. Don't even have to take off my shoes!

[Mr Rogers]

Maybe as more of us hit bifocal age, the companies will figure out a market exists here. I buy a phone to make/receive phone calls.

For text messages, I have email. For digital pictures, I have a good digital camera I can hook up to my computer and email 1-2MB pictures - so someone on the receiving end gets a picture worth looking at. I'm old enough to do sums in my head, and young enough not to forget the answer. I haven't played a video game since Pong, and am not looking to resume play anytime soon.

I'll be glad to accept an increase in size to get: stronger construction, larger buttons, clear reception and longer battery life. I don't even mind PAYING for such a phone. But at the moment, it seems I need to build on from scratch.

Now there's a thought - maybe when I retire from the military in a couple of years, I can design and produce and sell a cell phone for adults!

[Incorrigible]

Very good! The fake dial-tone is a nice touch for those that still remember such a thing! :-)

[TexasTransplant]

That is the very phone that I need.

Only two things that make it less than perfect

(1) "A phone for the elderly" I can just imagine the ribbing that I would get from the guys at work.

(2) It's name, I can already hear the Wife "Would you get off of your TUKAS and take out the trash"

:^)

TT

[brityank]

... which get activated while in your pocket.

See Page 11 here

•LOCK THE KEYPAD

Keyguard locks your keypad to prevent accidental key presses.
•To lock the keys, select Menu and press *.
•To unlock the keys, select Unlock and press *.
•To answer a call when Keyguard is active, select Answer
or press the Talk key. If you are connected to a headset
or loopset, press and hold the End key to end the call. 
•After you end the call, Keyguard automatically becomes active again. 
•If you need the phone lights while Keyguard is on,
press the Power key to quickly switch the lights on
for 15 seconds.
•Connecting your phone to a car kit automatically
disables Keyguard.

Note: When Keyguard is on, calls may be possible to
emergency numbers programmed into your phone (for
example, 911).
Enter the emergency number and press the Talk key.
The number appears in the display after you have
keyed in its last digit.

Had one; did that; found this; saved job!

[Sender]

Yep, that's the one. Now they have a newer version, VX-3300 and may even have a newer one than that. When I first got into the cell phone business a year ago, I had never heard of the Korean company LG. I thought it must be some kind of cheap throwaway phone. However I have seen a lot of phones and IMHO the LG phones are some of the very best. Samsung also makes a good phone, and some of the sturdiest and simplest come from Sanyo, although they only make phones for Sprint.

[cmsgop]

Wife and I have this model, and we can't even get it in the car.......

[martin_fierro]

not any common sense phones to be had anymore

Hey now! I find this to come in pretty darn handy when trapped in an airport with CNN blaring everywhere.

[butternut_squash_bisque]

Went there and signed-up for their literature etc. Thanks for the tip, r.

[Peet]

"...you and I are possibly the only two people left on planet Earth that do not have a cell phone."

AOL Me too! /AOL

I'd probably use one mostly at home IF I had one but since I live in a dead zone, why bother. NO cel phones work here and the surrounding towns won't let the telcos put up any more TUFTs (Tall Ugly ____ing Towers)

As well; I have NEVER had a COMPLETE and FULLY AUDIBLE conversation with someone who does have a cel phone. *spit*

Peet

[cmsgop]

That's a nice device

[Gimme]

"OMG...you and I are possibly the only two people left on planet Earth that do not have a cell phone.
I refuse- though I'm not sure exactly why- I just won't do it. Of course..I gave away my microwave too..never used it."
~~~
Hey I don't mind not having to pay for cell phone every month. I just use the micro wave to reheat coffee tho :)
Hey SE Mom, we are either "dated" or very special people.