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Why You Can't Build a Smartphone

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Re: Why You Can't Build a Smartphone

#111

Post by cflee »

pgreenwood wrote: post #82
matthewmacleod wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't really believe this market exists. And even if it does, I expect it's tiny - otherwise, manufacturers would be targeting it.

Last night I had dinner with my parents. They lamented that they could not find a phone for my elderly grandmother. They just need something that just makes and receives calls, is dead simple, has (very) large buttons, and is loud. Where is this phone? We have an ageing population.

iNO Mobile here in Singapore has a whole series of elderly-targeted phones, here's one:

http://www.inomobile.com.sg/2012/07/ino-cp10/

actual retail price now is SGD 79, which is about USD 65. I'm not sure if I can get these at our 7-Elevens, but I think they have something similar with large keys.

Re: Why You Can't Build a Smartphone

#112

Post by Kliment »

MatthewPhillips wrote: post #92
gnaffle wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most things needed to make a smartphone is covered by FRAND patents. Software patents are of course a problem for anyone working in the software industry, so that's not limited to smartphones.

I work in the software industry and have never once worried or even thought about patents in the things I work on. It really depends on what field you work in.

This is only a valid strategy until you have enough money/exposure. Then you get targeted by asshead extortionists and the law is on their side. After the first lawsuit, you will never "never once worry" again.

Re: Why You Can't Build a Smartphone

#113

Post by Kliment »

kubiiii wrote: post #46
hershel wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The biggest problem the smartphone solved was boredom. That's the reason for it's popularity. At it's core ,boredom might be manipulated neurologically, so maybe you won't feel bored and just feel content with whatever. If we're going to aggressive means as neural implants ,this seems a more interesting option. Another options(without opening skuls) is something that offers far better experiences. Maybe more immersiv…

It solved boredom by enabling to play a game a megadrive would run.

Yes but a megadrive did not fit in your pocket, and the game gear, while backpackable, had awful battery life. The smartphone is successful running game gear level games because it will do so all day, and has a setup time of four seconds from impulse to game.

Re: Why You Can't Build a Smartphone

#114

Post by bottled_poe »

MatthewPhillips wrote: post #92
gnaffle wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most things needed to make a smartphone is covered by FRAND patents. Software patents are of course a problem for anyone working in the software industry, so that's not limited to smartphones.

I work in the software industry and have never once worried or even thought about patents in the things I work on. It really depends on what field you work in.

Well that and whether you are making millions from software sales.

Re: Why You Can't Build a Smartphone

#115

Post by zmmmmm »

Seems to me it's easier than ever before to build a "smartphone": Android has everything you need and is open to everyone. What's hard is to build a smart phone operating system. And in some ways (not all!) that's a good thing - you need a pretty big justification to reinvent a giant wheel. If you have one, great. If not, do your innovation on top of Android.

Re: Why You Can't Build a Smartphone

#116

Post by jahagirdar »

I disagree with the article. I am still waiting for the device which can be a complete replacement for my laptop. That means

* Ability to "dock" to get a keyboard+mouse+monitor Interface.

* True multi-tasking (The music should not stop just because I switched apps)

* A full fledged command line terminal (xterm).

* support for ssh, Perl, python, ruby, C/C++ etc.

This device may not start out as a phone, May be it will be a raspberry type hobby device with a computer on chip running linux which will "grow" to acquire a pluggable phone module, a touch screen and a docking station.

Still waiting for it.

Re: Why You Can't Build a Smartphone

#117

Post by _Simon »

e12e wrote: post #102
gnaffle wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most things needed to make a smartphone is covered by FRAND patents. Software patents are of course a problem for anyone working in the software industry, so that's not limited to smartphones.

"Most things"? Haven't we just learned that if you make a smart phone that looks like a smart phone (rounded rectangle, button below screen) you can (and will) be sued? I suppose the fact that stuff like that is the area where big legal battles are fought, does imply that a lot of the "hard" patents (radio spectrum/coding, noise cancellation, audio encoding etc) are indeed covered by FRAND patents, though. It still s…

No. The argument re "rounded rectangles" (actually a meme invented by people like yourself) is about trade dress, which in the US is covered by a design "patent", which is not the same thing as a technical patent. This is not difficult to understand. To this day the level of denial around Samsung blatant imitation of the iPhone is staggering.

Re: Why You Can't Build a Smartphone

#118

Post by Andrex »

jahagirdar wrote: post #116

I disagree with the article. I am still waiting for the device which can be a complete replacement for my laptop. That means * Ability to "dock" to get a keyboard+mouse+monitor Interface. * True multi-tasking (The music should not stop just because I switched apps) * A full fledged command line terminal (xterm). * support for ssh, Perl, python, ruby, C/C++ etc. This device may not start out as a phone, May be it will…

The latter three are covered by Android, and the first was covered by the Motorola Atrix (which bombed) and the upcoming Ubuntu phone.

Re: Why You Can't Build a Smartphone

#119

Post by namenotrequired »

benjamincburns wrote: post #61
CanSpice wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fairphone's website says they've sold 25,000, and have another 8200 on the way. Apple sold over 9 million iPhone 5s and 5c models in the first weekend they were for sale. While it's impressive that an independent group is putting out a phone, their sales are orders of magnitude away from what Apple puts out in a single weekend. Sure, they're "joining the game", but they're not in the same league.

This comparison is just silly. Look (guess) at Apple's development budget for the iPhone. Look at Fairphone's (or again, just guess). Look at the size of Apple. Look at the size of the Fairphone team at the Waag Society. I don't think I need to say anything else. This is majorly impressive.

Of course, you're both right - it's very little compared to the market leaders, but for a new player it's definitely impressive. Especially considering they were all sold before they were even made.

Re: Why You Can't Build a Smartphone

#120

Post by kubiiii »

Kliment wrote: post #113
kubiiii wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It solved boredom by enabling to play a game a megadrive would run.

Yes but a megadrive did not fit in your pocket, and the game gear, while backpackable, had awful battery life. The smartphone is successful running game gear level games because it will do so all day, and has a setup time of four seconds from impulse to game.

Plus the game gear was more a master system than a megadrive even if both would run columns (I was wondering if ppl from the US understand what a megadrive is since I think they call it genesis). Talking about battery life, I had a lynx which was even worse I think.
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