I've just seen this article on The Register about the Nokia 6103 low-end mobile phone. The editor describes it as 'a drop-dead simple phone'. I remember drop-dead simple phones. You could talk and text and that was about it. In fact I still have my Motorola Timeport which I would consider a drop-dead simple phone.But this is 2006 and "drop-dead simple" or 'low-end' now includes:
- Clamshell style
- Small protruding antenna
- Colour screen - 128 x 160 pixels (ok for pictures, not suitable for video)
- Camera (yes, you read that right, a camera) albeit VGA
- Email client
- Tri-band
- Wap access
- Edge support for faster downloads
- Change your ringtone
- FM radio (but no MP3 player)
- Excellent reception (umm, shouldn't *every* phone have this?)
- 4.4 mb memory (ok, so that's a bit small these days)
- and, err bluetooth for wireless data access.
Yes - the baseline changes with time. I, too, still have a Timeport - the usability was awful but it was tri-band, which for travel to USA was essential at the time.
ReplyDeleteBut the Nokia 2110 (which I also still have) is what I call drop-dead-simple! Will post up a picture of it sometime!
You make an excellent and valid point Helen. Whereas us hooked-on-mobile geeks will stop at nothing to try out a cool new feature, it's the complete opposite for Mum.
ReplyDeleteShe uses a Pay-As-You-Go Nokia 3410. She's got the hang of the address book but not texting.
That's it. Literally! That is ALL she uses. It's not through frustration or awareness, she simply doesn't want to use any other feature.