Monday, December 17, 2007

Build-A-Phone

This is my phone. I am generally satisfied with it. When I buy a phone, I don’t want a lot of features. In fact, I purposefully bought a phone without a camera, which is getting harder to find these days. I already have a camera, I don’t need one on my phone, and I don’t need internet on my phone either. I don’t even think I want an mp3 player on my phone because then I’d have to mess with headphones. I have an iPod. It’s smaller than my phone. And I like that.

I think it’s a little presumptuous of Samsung or whomever to create a phone with all these features that are useless to me. I don’t play the games on my phone, I barely use the “organizer” and I’ve never used the voice memo.

I think it would be quite clever of someone to start a business where you buy a phone that comes with the standard features: You can make and receive calls, text message and maintain a phone book. And then, just like when you go to build-a-car online, you can add your trim and accessories according to your needs and budget.

I thought of this last night when I was caroling at a nursing home in Bountiful. We started “O Come All Ye Faithful” a little too low so our bass couldn’t really sing his part. Someone said, “Who has a pitch pipe?” Of course no one did, but how awesome would it be if I had a pitch pipe on my phone? It would be so easy. There are 12 notes in an octave – there are 12 number keys on my phone. All I would have to do is switch from phone mode to pitch mode and each key would be a different note. See? Brilliant.

While I’m inventing fantasy features for my phone, here are others I would find useful. And it’s not like the technology isn’t there. I think it could happen.

Microphone
For speaking to large crowds. Or getting the attention of noisy children.

Flashlight
My phone gives off a little light, but hardly anything that can help me make my way down Kristi and Stephanie’s stairs after a late movie night.

Digital Audio Recorder
Yeah, I know there's voice memo, but I need more memory. This would be extremely helpful when conducting interviews for my 15 Bytes articles. I wouldn’t have to mess with an audio tape. I could just plug it directly into my iTunes and import the file.

Universal Remote Control
All the numbers you need are there, the on and off button, volume. Just switch to “remote control” mode.

Yeah. This is a great idea. Move over iPhone.

6 comments:

Ilene said...

Fabulous idea. I have an mp3 player on my phone that never gets used. My camera is only used to take picture of my children for my phone wallpaper purposes.

What I would like on my phone is a good book light. I had to use it as a book light during a road trip and it was obnoxious because i kept having to press a button every time the light timer would turn the light out.

I would also like my phone to send out an electric shock. Something I could get bad guys with or at least stun a small child (say about a three year old?) to keep him from running out into a parking lot.

Laura Lee said...

oooh...a taser. Good one.

Lisa Marie Trent said...

Nice.

I need this feature now that Jack has dropped my phone into the bath tub. I can still make calls, but every now and then my phone will start vibrating for no reason, videotape, beep while I'm talking to people and the light turns on alot in the middle of the night.

Dang it. Now I'm gonna have to go get a phone, and the simplest one will be the camera phone with the mP3 player and internet.

TUG said...

I love the GPS on my phone. It is really helpful, but there are a lot of bells and whistles that I could do without.

You are a freaking Genius!

You better pattens this idea before someone steals in a makes billions . . . no . . . millions

Anonymous said...

I never thought I'd like the camera on my phone but I'm actually starting to use it. Now I just need to post what I take on my blog.

BTW, I would love a phone with a flashlight.

Hilda said...

Laura, you're a genius! You should definitely look into patenting this idea. I especially like the idea of the flashlight (I've too though of this) and the universal remote. What I would also like to see is voice text messaging...you just speak and the phone types it for you. That way we can freely text and drive at the same time.