Phones Get Multitasking, FM Transmitters, Stereo Bluetooth...
Wednesday April 5, 2006
Live from CTIA 2006, Las Vegas - Built-in flashlights and and FM radio are innovations of the past. To distinguish from each other, cell phone manufacturers are showcasing new features that are added to some of their phones.
FM Transmitter: An upcoming music phone by LG, the LG LX550, will include a FM Transmitter so that users can broadcast all their phone-stored music directly on a car radio.
Stereo Bluetooth: Now that music phones are becoming common place (each manufacturer has at least one model to show with a play, pause and stop button), headsets need to adjust, and so will Bluetooth, with the A2DP standard, allowing for Bluetooth headsets. Make sure the next music phone you buy has A2DP Bluetooth!
Counterfeit Battery Rejection: For the last 2 or 3 years, manufacturers have been coming up with security features on their batteries to help users identify "official" batteries from aftermarket models made by peddlers. Kyocera promises to take it a step further in their next phones with "active batteries" that identifiy themselves to the handset with an encrypted code. If the battery is not recognized as genuine, the phone will not allow it to be recharged. But is it good for consumers or even better for manufacturers, who can now fully control the replacement battery market? Kyocera says it will licence the technology to a bunch of approved third party makers so that consumers still get various options.
Multitasking: A phone recently launched on Cingular, the LG CU320, has an interesting almost hidden feature: multitasking. For instance, you can download a movie while playing a game.
FM Transmitter: An upcoming music phone by LG, the LG LX550, will include a FM Transmitter so that users can broadcast all their phone-stored music directly on a car radio.
Stereo Bluetooth: Now that music phones are becoming common place (each manufacturer has at least one model to show with a play, pause and stop button), headsets need to adjust, and so will Bluetooth, with the A2DP standard, allowing for Bluetooth headsets. Make sure the next music phone you buy has A2DP Bluetooth!
Counterfeit Battery Rejection: For the last 2 or 3 years, manufacturers have been coming up with security features on their batteries to help users identify "official" batteries from aftermarket models made by peddlers. Kyocera promises to take it a step further in their next phones with "active batteries" that identifiy themselves to the handset with an encrypted code. If the battery is not recognized as genuine, the phone will not allow it to be recharged. But is it good for consumers or even better for manufacturers, who can now fully control the replacement battery market? Kyocera says it will licence the technology to a bunch of approved third party makers so that consumers still get various options.
Multitasking: A phone recently launched on Cingular, the LG CU320, has an interesting almost hidden feature: multitasking. For instance, you can download a movie while playing a game.
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