Not Just a Cell Phone Anymore

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Anyone who has bought a cell phone in the last couple of years knows that they aren’t just for making and receiving phone calls on the go anymore. Today’s cell phones boast the same level of sophistication as some computers, as manufacturers attempt to integrate the functions of many different devices into one. This article takes a look at some of the phones on the market now, and peeks at some prototypes to see what we might be wearing on our hips five years or so from now.

I'm the first to admit that I'm not the earliest adopter among my friends when it comes to personal technology; that's what I get for knowing so many geeks. But seriously, when I bought my Nokia 6030 at the beginning of this year (as an emergency purchase; my previous phone had died, and this was the cheapest one available from my plan provider), I was actually disappointed to discover that it didn't come with a camera and it didn't support Bluetooth! By the time I'm ready to purchase a new phone, I may not even be able to find one without those features, at the rate the market's changing.

And when will that be? Well, if I fit into the average of a recent J.D. Power and Associates survey of 18,740 customers, probably about as soon as I plan to replace my computer. At this time last year, the average person replaced their cell phone every 18 months; nowadays, that cycle has shortened by about two weeks, and may be continuing to shrink. Why? According to Richard Doherty, director of consultancy at the Envisioning Group, cell phones are "so increasingly personal, they tend to be a slave to fashion. And the fashion cycle for clothes is one season."

Companies are beginning to capitalize on the idea of making cell phones increasingly personal. MyTego.com sells totally custom skins for cell phones and other electronic devices (including iPods). Customers send in their own images and designs, and the company uses them to create a "skin" for the customer's electronic device: a thin, tough, flexible vinyl covering that's as individual as the person who owns it.

Next: Capabilities Available Today >>
 

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