Sunday May 27, 2012

JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

Do you think smartphones are becoming too complicated with too many functions?

Have Your Say May. 30, 2011 - 02:13AM JST ( 28 )

Order by Time Order by Popularity

28 Comments

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NovenachamaMay. 30, 2011 - 06:29AM JST

In a society what we do not have is time or patience to read and go through in detail the smartphone manuel. Many people want to click on the application and see immediately what it is for, how to use it, and how it can make life a lot easier. But how to stand out when there is so many applications available and they are so easy to copy? However nowadays smartphones are more like computers. And like computers, they are going to suffer form similar problems. Therefore while the smartphones are a useful development in mobile technology, the more complex they become the more problems they are likely to develop. It is simply the price that must be paid. Hence most sales figures will probably suggest that consumers are increasingly seeking phones with a range of features.
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NuckinFutzMay. 30, 2011 - 06:59AM JST

Maybe the phones have become smarter than the users?
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tajMay. 30, 2011 - 10:04AM JST

No.
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cactusJackMay. 30, 2011 - 10:46AM JST

Just wait until smartphones are swamped by viruses. People should dump them pronto.
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buggerlugsMay. 30, 2011 - 10:50AM JST

Nope!! If anything they are still too limited by narrow visioned companies who want to slowly dribble out the newest technology to keep users yearning for more. An example would be the Japanese market. It is so limited in it's view. Just look at the way motorola, samsung and iPhones are limited or dare we say castrated within the local market. Tethering is basically banned, wifi is stunted and the accessories are almost laughable. The xoom? Has an amazing feature in other countries but I can't find it in japan. Give me a more powerful smartphone and I'll give you the world!!
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Zenny11May. 30, 2011 - 10:51AM JST

As was said Smart-phones these days are nothing more than scaled down Pc"s and thus will suffer the same.

People will buy them because they got the latest specs/software(not really) and will use minimal functionality that they offer.

As for being smart, not so sure plenty of probs as can be seen here: h t t p : / / damnyouautocorrect.com /

Being smart depends on how you use them for the maximum benefit to your needs. They should not dictate or control your life.
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ihavegreatlegsMay. 30, 2011 - 11:09AM JST

No
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EUcitizenMay. 30, 2011 - 11:24AM JST

It is ok as long as an average user can easily use them without carrying a 100-page manual in their hand/backbag. I don't know if this is advertizing, but I am satisfied with my iPhone.
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BlackOutMay. 30, 2011 - 11:26AM JST

it is getting a lot more easier to use for me.
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GWMay. 30, 2011 - 12:57PM JST

buggerlugs

dont worry about Motorola they are used to being shut out of Jpn, I remember in the early 90s when mobile phones were starting to happen Japan developed all their own incompatible systems & refused to allow real competition(I know we still have that problem) & then it took many years here before we cud get a damned smart phone, I hated how people wud fly into Japan using their BBerrys etc & there was zip in Japan we cud use that wud make work easier.

Now I am happy I can do a few emails without having to use some antiquated preprietary system that wont allow me to use my work related email addresses & I occasionaly use the calculator & a game or two.

Its much better now, but my eyes are going bad bigtime
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SmorkianMay. 30, 2011 - 02:56PM JST

No, not too complicated. They still make phone calls if you want simple, and there are other phones if you really want simple. I think the Android/iPhone type smartphones are easier to use than the older smartphones...
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Beer99May. 30, 2011 - 03:18PM JST

Nope! Smart phones should be more smarter and easy to use. I see the future of smart phone technology to increase 10 fold and also the speed and functions increasing equally.. Couldnt live without my smart phone!
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YoudontknowMay. 30, 2011 - 03:34PM JST

If you don't know how to use a Smartphone or have preconceived ideas about viruses etc, then you don't deserve to have one.
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nisegaijinMay. 30, 2011 - 04:34PM JST

ノー
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yokomocMay. 30, 2011 - 05:37PM JST

They're as complex as you choose them to be. Isn't this just a question about the user interface?
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YongYangMay. 30, 2011 - 11:10PM JST

Errr... no. Err. YES! Wait. You can use them to the degree of your tech savvy smartness.
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gonemadMay. 30, 2011 - 11:57PM JST

No. Even more, the most important feature is missing in all of them: fine-grained control of access rights for every app. I won't use any smartphone until I can decide by myself whether and when an app is allowed to access the address book, GPS or whatever.
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ZENJIMay. 31, 2011 - 03:01AM JST

Oh yes indeed
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glycol57May. 31, 2011 - 03:02AM JST

The computer power required to perform a few useful functions is also more than enough to perform dozens of questionably-useful functions ... and engineers hate to waste "potential". Unfortunately the user interface becomes complicated and it becomes more and more difficult to operate the phone for ANY purpose.

There's a US company that sells a phone called the "JitterBug". The target audience is mostly older people who didn't grow up with high-tech. It's a cell phone ... and pretty much JUST a cell phone. No internet, no media, I don't even think it can take a picture. Lots of them are sold ... and not JUST to older people.

This suggests that perhaps a three-tier plan should be adopted by industry ... produce a 'minimal' phone like the Jitterbug, a 'utility' phone with photo and e-mail added, and an 'everything' phone with whatever the engineers and programmers can fit in there. Consumers can then pick the one that best fits their needs.

An alternative of sorts ... now feasable ... is a voice-control phone with NO 'menus' or anything like that. If you want a straight cellphone, press 'ON' and say "cell phone". If you need e-mail or texting or photos or streaming media or whatever, just SAY it and the phone does its best to become exactly what you need at the moment.
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SasorizaMay. 31, 2011 - 10:08AM JST

No! The previous phone I had, 80000yen Samsung-now that was complicated! I still suspect it had even Swiss knife hidden somewhere!That was the best phone I've ever seen, and I still miss it. Why on Earth did I buy an iPhone!
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lovejapan21May. 31, 2011 - 10:40AM JST

The same smartphone could be very complicated if you choose to use it to its fullest potential. Or for those that just like to surf the net, email, and so on, then it is quite simple. Ive got an htc and i use it as a usb memory card, can view all office documents when sent via email, find my way on google maps navi (way better than my old iphone 3gs for some reason, because it could find my location and accurately quiet quickly) and a billion other functions I use. Oh love the app when i hear a song and want to know the artist. It is definitely the future.
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DisillusionedMay. 31, 2011 - 12:19PM JST

No way!!! Gimme more! They are not smart enough yet and iPhones are leading the charge.
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NetNinjaMay. 31, 2011 - 03:24PM JST

They're not too complicated at all. Actually they're too easy to use. The people who buy them never learn their full potential.

Iphone 4 is a GODLIKE phone when you consider it's specs. The techie types that are most likely reading this thread REALLY know what you can do with an Iphone.

All one has to do is UNLOCK all it's little secrets then you'd see how much you can do with a smartphone.
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seeker1May. 31, 2011 - 05:42PM JST

I think the opposite is true. A regular Japanese keitai is a lot more complicated to use, and they have a lot of functions that people just don't use, whether they are too difficult to use, or just not something they want to use. Smartphones allow the user to pick what applications or functions their phone will have, so they are easier to use and more useful to the owner of the phone.
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KansaiTruthMay. 31, 2011 - 09:44PM JST

What's a smartphone?
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porterMay. 31, 2011 - 09:48PM JST

my two year old knows how to turn on then access the kids game apps on my smartphone.
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MrDarrylJun. 01, 2011 - 12:25AM JST

GODLIKE phone??? Get a life, or at least a clue. The smart phones' potential is limited by the corporations that put them out. Most people could handle and understand much more, but these companies keep putting out smart phone products with about 40% of it being crap that they can upgrade and profit from. God would make the perfect phone and the iPhone is NOT it.

These devices are computers with phones, but most people don't get why they would need a computer all the time. Until they do, smart phones will be relatively the same for a while. They need two things; more processing speed (which is coming, Samsung is looking to introduce a 2Ghz processor next year). And the ISP providers need to get up to snuff so you can download info just like regular cpu. Are they too complicated? Well for a phone, yes. For a computer, no. More functions are what you want from a computer, but not from a phone. This is the dilemma.
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FadamorJun. 01, 2011 - 04:06AM JST

I don't think they're becoming too complicated, but when I bought my 'droid, it came with 50% of the icons on the screens actually just being offers for services. There are enough useful apps on there as it is without having to wade through two pages-worth of useless stuff.