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Last fall, I wrote about the Samsung Instinct HD cell phone that could capture HD video. Now comes news that SonyEricsson is following suit. The new Vivaz is a 3G touchscreen phone that can record 720p video using the 8.1-megapixel camera. (The phone originally was known as the “Kurara”.) Apparently, the press release announcing the product may have be posted prematurely, as it appears that it has since been taken down, but not until after the information got posted to a host of Web sites. According to various reports, the phone is expected to ship in the first quarter of 2010, but the company has not announced any specific plans to market it in the U.S. The cell phone continues to become the kitchen sink of mobile devices, able to do just about anything you might want to do while on the go. As I’ve stated before, this is probably motivated more by the need to differentiate products from the competition than it is by the user demand for more features. But clearly this trend shows no signs of slowing down, so expect cell phones to continue to evolve into the Swiss Army knives of the consumer electronics market.
Posted by Alfred Poor, February 2, 2010 5:00 AM
Reader Commentary As I’ve stated before, this is probably motivated more by the need to differentiate products from the competition than it is by the user demand for more features.Read Column Alfred, I respectfully disagree. I like having a camera and GPS and web browser handy at all times. Each of these functions has been of great value at one time or another, in situations where I wouldn't have brought a standalone device. The slight extra bulk of an iPhone or HTC Tilt or Asus P527 is well worth it. Your favorite critic, Larry Marks... I'm not arguing that the functions you cite aren't useful, and I actually agree that it's great to have them in one device. Years ago, I would complain that I wanted my Palm and my cell phone to be one device for convenience's sake. I'm just saying that I don't believe that Nokia and Samsung and SonyEricsson are getting swamped by user mail demanding that they add HD video cameras and projectors and glucose level testing and remote heart monitoring and whatever else to their cell phones. It's a crowded market with mercurical buying patterns and a rapid product turnover rate, and these companies have to grasp at whatever straws they can to try to maintain a competitive advantage. Alfred... I'm not arguing that the functions you cite aren't useful, and I actually agree that it's great to have them in one device. Years ago, I would complain that I wanted my Palm and my cell phone to be one device for convenience's sake. I had that--in around 2000 I had a Handspring with the cellphone "Springboard". I used it for a few years--long after my son insisted there were newer and better devices. I'm just saying that I don't believe that Nokia and Samsung and SonyEricsson are getting swamped by user mail demanding that they add HD video cameras and projectors and glucose level testing and remote heart monitoring and whatever else to their cell phones. Alfred Hmmm. I don't need the HD Video camera but have been looking forward to the projector so I can show granddaughter pictures on the wall instead of having three people hunch over the small, directional TN-mode LCD... I guess it depends on taste, but there is a big difference between HD and a high quality photo. I don't expect much out of a tiny lens and I've never been disappointed. As for the extra functions, I want a phone that is small and compact. I had all of the other functions blocked when I started getting spam. If I want text messages I'll get them on something with a larger screen. But being an early adopter, having a house and shop full of computers, and having tried most cell phones, PDAs, computers, and cameras, I don't really see a place for a built in HD camera that gives mediocre results. From what I've seen so far, more than about 3 mega pixels behind such a tiny lens is nothing more than an advertising gimmick.... LARRY Hmmm. I don't need the HD Video camera Wait until you have to hold one of those little projectors steady enough to see some detail in photos, then you'll have need for the heart monitoring<:-))... More from Alfred Poor
More in Category: General Interest
About Alfred PoorAlfred Poor is a well-known display industry expert, who writes the daily HDTV Almanac. He wrote for PC Magazine for more than 20 years, and now is focusing on the home entertainment and home networking markets. |
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