Mobile Phone eReader?
As I find myself in the market for a new cell phone, more and more research is directing me to the newest hype in technology: mobile internet devices (e.g. Dell Streak, Apple iPad and Amazon Kindle, etc.).
Companies are attempting to find a healthy median between cell phones and laptops by building affordable, mobile pieces of technology that require very little time and effort to surf the internet, access email, and store media. The market is brand new and open for interpretation based on the consumer need and business capabilities. First thing is first: Do I need ANOTHER device in my possession aside from my phone and primary processing unit (laptop, netbook, desktop, etc.)?
Take a step back and evaluate your phone usage. What do you find yourself using the most, the least, and the areas that you wish were more enhanced or geared toward your specific needs. Now do the same thing with your computing device.
You might see some overlapping in areas and processes. Seeing as technology in general has turned pro-mobile, our cell phones are turning into mini-computers from a few years ago – capable of carrying a multitude of information while processing at speeds faster than original desktops.
But does this mean you absolutely NEED a mobile internet device?
From a consumer standpoint, it’s an easier choice: most likely not. MIDs, as they are abbreviated, are usually bigger in size and require a bag or protection when being carried around. For everyday use, a mobile phone with a three inch screen has sufficed – until now.
We’ve become so accustomed to 3-4″ mobile internet screens that we think anything over 4″ is monstrous! However, this is not the case as some have come to find out, including companies like Dell whose newest “MID” (with AT&T 3G capabilities) comes with a 5″ screen and capabilities for AT&T voice plans.
Maybe having a slightly bulging object in your pocket is bothersome, but for most it’s merely a comfort level that individuals either adapt or reject, similar to the style of the phone, the OS, or even the touch screen capabilities. It becomes just another spec to “get used to.”
With more landscape to play with, a 5″ screen appeals to those die-hard mobile internet browsing enthusiasts who both refuse to shell out for a netbook and see the phone as secondary to an internet device. With the direction that 4G is going, voice will be carried with VoLTE and soon “calling plans” will be obsolete.
With everything considered the bottom line is this – MID’s will become prevalent and cheap as many businesses invest in the median field of laptops and mobile phones. Personally, I will be patient for a device like Dell’s Streak which will cater to my consistent hunger for up-to-date news and my every-now-and-then need for a detailed, lengthy phone call.