Technologies I would like to see for my smartphone in 2011/2012
- I go through a charge about twice a day, so yes, there's a need. When hiking it would be really nice to hot swap. Always seems to reach the limit right when I want to take a pic.
I still think the upgradeable processor could be a reality. Tedious for the ill informed to accomplish, but cellphone repair shops could make a fortune off adding memory alone.07-19-11 09:21 AMLike 0 -
If anyone could just add more RAM and a better processor to their iPad, they would basically have an iPad2... (Just using Apple as an example. Holds true for any company that releases iterations of devices)07-19-11 09:41 AMLike 0 - I know it's hard to believe, but being able to upgrade hardware could be a huge selling feature for RIM, while still being able to sell new devices yearly, containing improved motherboards, and additional enhancements such as NFC and mobile hotspot. Not to mention screen resolution, camera improvements, format changes, etc.07-19-11 09:50 AMLike 0
- I highly doubt this will ever happen, this is the exact reason why Apply makes billions every time they release a new version of their product with just slightly better performance and features. (iPad vs iPad2)
If anyone could just add more RAM and a better processor to their iPad, they would basically have an iPad2... (Just using Apple as an example. Holds true for any company that releases iterations of devices)I know it's hard to believe, but being able to upgrade hardware could be a huge selling feature for RIM, while still being able to sell new devices yearly, containing improved motherboards, and additional enhancements such as NFC and mobile hotspot. Not to mention screen resolution, camera improvements, format changes, etc.
For instance, brand-name PCs can use hardware from many different manufacturers, as long as the proper hardware that fits the form factor of the motherboard is purchased.
Getting all of the smartphone manufacturers, not just RIM, to use the same form factor, would be necessary to make replaceable/upgradeable hardware a reality, like the way the ATX form factor was standardized by PC manufacturers.07-19-11 12:24 PMLike 0 - I don't see the issue with hot-swappable batteries.. :S Couldn't you just have a little tiny built in battery with a small charge, so that when you disconnect the battery it will go into a sort of freeze state or something until you connect the other battery, which when connected would recharge the tiny battery.
Similar to how a computer goes into sleep or hibernate mode, using very small amounts of energy until you turn it back on. I don't think the built in battery would have to be very big for that.
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com07-19-11 12:27 PMLike 0 -
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com07-19-11 12:30 PMLike 0 - I highly doubt this will ever happen, this is the exact reason why Apply makes billions every time they release a new version of their product with just slightly better performance and features. (iPad vs iPad2)
If anyone could just add more RAM and a better processor to their iPad, they would basically have an iPad2... (Just using Apple as an example. Holds true for any company that releases iterations of devices)
01itr likes this.07-19-11 12:32 PMLike 1 - I know it's hard to believe, but being able to upgrade hardware could be a huge selling feature for RIM, while still being able to sell new devices yearly, containing improved motherboards, and additional enhancements such as NFC and mobile hotspot. Not to mention screen resolution, camera improvements, format changes, etc.
Customized, upgraded computer sales are waaaay down, as is upgrading peoples laptops, the costs associated with upgrading hardware vs buying new hardware every 2 years is too great.
The HOBBY market exisits, but even IT departments aren't upgrading RAM on desktops/laptops, they just replace the unit with newer hardware sell off the old unit and come out ahead.
Mobile phones will be no different, you buy a sub 300 phone on contract, 2 years later you buy another, you don't see a mass amount of people looking to drop $100+ to get a boost out of their one years performance of the device. Would again be a hobbiest thing.
Something HTC or Motorola would be best to target using a modular design on a 4.3" device.
"Build a bear" for smartphones.
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.comLaura Knotek likes this.07-19-11 12:35 PMLike 1 - I don't think you've spoken to many computer repair business owners in the last 3 years.
Customized, upgraded computer sales are waaaay down, as is upgrading peoples laptops, the costs associated with upgrading hardware vs buying new hardware every 2 years is too great.
The HOBBY market exisits, but even IT departments aren't upgrading RAM on desktops/laptops, they just replace the unit with newer hardware sell off the old unit and come out ahead.
Mobile phones will be no different, you buy a sub 300 phone on contract, 2 years later you buy another, you don't see a mass amount of people looking to drop $100+ to get a boost out of their one years performance of the device. Would again be a hobbiest thing.
Something HTC or Motorola would be best to target using a modular design on a 4.3" device.
"Build a bear" for smartphones.
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
The prices have come down so much that it is not worthwhile for the most part to repair/replace the hardware. I had a friend whose motherboard went bad. I told him to buy a new PC. It wasn't worth it for him to pay for the parts or to pay me to fix it. I could have made some money, but I wasn't going to charge my friend for something that would not really be cost-effective anyway.07-19-11 12:43 PMLike 0 - Very true. I have upgraded hardware on family members/friends PCs as well as my own, but I would not seek a career in PC repair.
The prices have come down so much that it is not worthwhile for the most part to repair/replace the hardware. I had a friend whose motherboard went bad. I told him to buy a new PC. It wasn't worth it for him to pay for the parts or to pay me to fix it. I could have made some money, but I wasn't going to charge my friend for something that would not really be cost-effective anyway.
So a PC repair shop buys hardware probably 5-10% less than you can online, chances they buy it from the same retailer you would (ncix.com for me). They NEED to make 30-40% mark up on the parts to just keep the doors open
Then you have labor, and smaller devices mean way more labor for simple things, changing my processor on my desktop used to take 20 min shut down to boot up
Takes me 10 bloody min to just get all the screws out of my laptop before I even start taking things appart.
Labor rates to run a place are. Min wage + governement labor fees (WSIB in Canada) + governement business taxes + over head costs + management costs
So for example a $10/h employee before they even start to turn a profit for the company needs to make $18/h charging labor with zero down time All billable hours, when in reality an employee does 60% of a day as true billable hours when you take breaks, lunch, shift starts, ends, paperwork/tracking. So you see a dramatic increase in per hour costs.
A fun statistic about the US for ya.
71% of people who Enter the snow removal/landscaping business as their personal self employed full time career go bankrupt in 5 years do to not understanding pricing models and going broke.
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.comLaura Knotek likes this.07-19-11 12:53 PMLike 1 - We already see that with folks who have physically damaged smartphones and no insurance. It is cheaper to buy a used device on Craigslist or somewhere else than to pay a repair shop to fix the device.07-19-11 01:00 PMLike 0
- You can download PatternLock on the app world and it is just that, you make your own pattern, and it is very customizable.07-20-11 06:59 AMLike 0
- well iOS doesn't have a swappable battery period
Haven't extensively tested out the new Windows Phone.
but my desire for Hotswappable is to not lose a minute of the business day, or be in mid conference call and having to discount to change batteries.
reboot times aside, it is the ability to have the always on, always mobile that I truly want
If we are talking about new technology though why stop there? How about a better battery that lasts longer anyways? I think its obvious why you will never go apple, those batteries burn out with normal use.07-20-11 07:59 AMLike 0 - I would say on my heaviest of low signal days I get 4-6 hours out of my device, and some events can see me 36+ hours away from the ability to charge, though planes are starting to give me a charging point for my blackberry now
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.comZizzzzy likes this.07-20-11 08:11 AMLike 1 -
Maybe a better algorithm to make it recognize my finger more consistently would change my mind.07-20-11 12:29 PMLike 0 -
To make this easier, the microprocessor could detect battery removal and go into an ultra low power suspension mode (i.e., shut off the peripherals, halt the microprocessor, and just keep the essential RAM and registers alive), and then pick up where it left off when the new battery is detected. Of course, this adds some detection circuitry and related development effort.
So, while I believe it is technically feasible, it comes down to the question of whether most users would value the functionality enough to accept the cost, schedule, reliability, weight, and size penalties.
I suspect that smartphone manufacturers have already run the trade study on this and concluded that it was more pain than gain. Perhaps with improvements in battery technology or availability of super-capacitors, this will become easier to implement in the future.07-20-11 01:02 PMLike 0 - "Hold-up" circuitry is common in aerospace electronics. To make a smartphone battery hot-swappable, you'd need some auxiliary energy storage to keep the smartphone alive for a minute or so. A watch battery or a capacitor that is diode OR-ed with the main battery should do the trick. Batteries wear out, so you'd need some sort of connector, and it would need to be accessible to the user. A capacitor would have to be pretty big to store enough energy.
To make this easier, the microprocessor could detect battery removal and go into an ultra low power suspension mode (i.e., shut off the peripherals, halt the microprocessor, and just keep the essential RAM and registers alive), and then pick up where it left off when the new battery is detected. Of course, this adds some detection circuitry and related development effort.
So, while I believe it is technically feasible, it comes down to the question of whether most users would value the functionality enough to accept the cost, schedule, reliability, weight, and size penalties.
I suspect that smartphone manufacturers have already run the trade study on this and concluded that it was more pain than gain. Perhaps with improvements in battery technology or availability of super-capacitors, this will become easier to implement in the future.
I always figured they'd use a capacitor in Circuit theory in University we always use Capacitors to blow up, I mean to store power in the even of a battery change/loss of power.
I am sure the usefulness is far more for the Marketing side over the usability side as I am sure few use their phones to the level of needing this tech, but it would be something to market, plus it would drive up secondary battery sales07-20-11 06:08 PMLike 0
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Technologies I would like to see for my smartphone in 2011/2012
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