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Übergadgets are go!

MURDO MACLEOD
(mmacleod@scotlandonsunday.com)

THE age of the übergadget is about to dawn. Within months, well-heeled consumers will have the option to throw away their existing phones, cameras and MP3 players for single devices that promise to do all those jobs, and do them well.

Electronics giants Nokia, Sony Ericsson and Samsung will deliver rival übergadgets to the UK market early next year in the first skirmish of a technology war that is set to rage for years.

The machines will offer high-resolution still and video cameras, high-capacity digital music playback, the latest mobile phone technology and personal organiser functions.

Remarkably, the übergadgets are little bigger than existing mobile phones. The price tags, however, are sizeable: £450 for the Sony Ericsson and about £400 for the Nokia. But the manufacturers believe consumers will be prepared to stump up the cash in return for the sheer convenience of carrying a single device, and the opportunity to throw half a dozen recharging leads in the bin.

Last week, Microsoft revealed its rival to the Apple iPod digital music player. Its Zune will allow songs to be shared wirelessly between players.

However, some technology experts believe this battle is little more than a sideshow on the road to "convergence", the industry term for a single gadget that takes care of every aspect of consumer electronics.

The device getting most attention is the new Nokia N95, which combines a phone, a 500-song MP3-player, handheld computer, DVD-quality video camera, GPS navigator and five-megapixel still camera.

Due to launch "early next year" and costing up to £400, the N95 is described by Nokia as a "multimedia computer".

It will be up against the Sony Ericsson P990i, which includes a miniature keyboard, high-quality still camera, two-gigabyte music player, radio and e-mail editor. While it does not include a GPS device, it does have a business card scanner.

South Korean giant Samsung will shortly launch its SCH-B570, which includes an up to 2,000-song digital music player, GPS, a two-megapixel camera, personal organiser, internet connection and DVD-quality video playback which can be plugged into a TV. It also has an alarm that can be placed in snooze mode with a shake.

Perhaps fearful of missing out on the convergence market, Apple itself is planning a combined phone and MP3-player, dubbed the iPhone, to be released early next year.

Brian Baglow, ceo of technology and entertainment marketing firm Indoctrimat, said: "The N95 from Nokia is a very major development in getting to a convergence device. About 12 months ago we were talking about it, but the problem with the devices which have been around was that you felt you were compromising on quality. It's not just Nokia - the new Sonys look promising too."

But other technology pundits believe many consumers will be wary of the new devices, fearing that more functions will mean more fiddling.

Joe Svetlik, a writer with the technology magazine T3, said: "Everyone is looking forward to the N95, but the big question will be how easy it is to use. Apple was not the first in the MP3 player market, but it dominated it by making it simple to use. The more functions a device is capable of, the more complex it risks being."

Chris Steven, a reviewer with the online technology news website Cnet.co.uk, also warned that consumers might be wary of missing calls because they had run their battery down while listening to music.

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Posted: 2006-11-20 09:12:29
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The last paragraph is spot on, most of the times the battery levels are so low due to the fact Music and Videos are watched more than calls made. Especially on my p990i, the way i use it i need to charge it daily

What these so called Technology experts need to do is create a battery that can last weeks with heavy usage! That would be technology with a difference.

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Posted: 2006-11-20 09:36:43
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@PeterKay

What you say has already been done look here.

Samsung have recently taken delivery of fuel cell powered units. Hopefully this make other manufacturers follow.
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Posted: 2006-11-20 09:46:03
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I hope so.

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Posted: 2006-11-20 09:50:15
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I think though that the all-in-one device is not part of 's strategy.

Dual purpose devices are more the way to go for them, the W950i is a perfect example.

As the above article says, devices can become to complicate to use for the average person.
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Posted: 2006-11-20 10:46:25
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all good...until apple comes to town
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Posted: 2006-11-20 10:48:38
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@PeterKay- how about one that last a whole month with heavy usage? That'd really make life so much easier. I guess I'll keep dreaming on this one.
@goldenface- I think SE will have to change their strategy with regards to their product segregation. How do you compete when others are pushing far advanced products with all the bells and whistles? Eventually you get left behind, meaning loss of market share and profits. Ease of use should of course be of utmost importance.
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Posted: 2006-11-20 13:16:00
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@EMS06, Thats what we want, a long lasting battery even a week would do

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Posted: 2006-11-20 13:24:34
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@PeterKay- yeah, I know what you mean considering that what we have currently last for a day or two (if you're lucky) with heavy use.

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Posted: 2006-11-20 13:33:00
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putting everything in one phone is a very bad strategy. you will make a perfect phone (probably in a few designs). with this other phones won't sell and you'll have alot of work making a succesor.
SE's strategy of making phones specific for some users is in my eyes a better idea. they also make them in diffirent designs (normal, walkman, cybershot).
SE has got alot of potential, their is a change that they'll pass samsung in terms of market share in 2007. but it all depends on how long it takes to get the new UI ready.

as for the battery, well the more stuff you put into a phone, the more it will use, battery R&D is limited, i ques we'll have to carry a spair one.
and to think that about 5years ago you had the ericsson T39m with that high capacity battery that lasted a full month!
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Posted: 2006-11-20 13:50:04
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