Samsung Launches 3D Movement Recognition Phone 154
Shuttertalk reports that Samsung have launched the world's first phone equipped with a continuous 3D movement sensor. Movement sensors in mobile phones to date have been limited to slope calculations and applied to some games and bio-related features. The potential is there to do away with the need for complex keypads on mobile phones, MP3 players, digital cameras and other handheld products. Many functions will be controlled by movement instead of buttons.
I don't get this... (Score:5, Insightful)
From what I can tell, the only purpose of this is for games. And we all know how successful they have been combining phones with game systems.
Move on
The problem is... (Score:3, Insightful)
Clearly, they are jumping the gun. What about people on bumpy trains, busses, etc? Granted, it might be an easier means of input for people walking or standing, but for people in cars, trains, etc, etc, It won't work, and clearly won't "do away with" a standard "complex" input keypad.
Though, it is kind of cool to see components like accelerometers finding their way into everything. With modern mobile phones, maybe they'll be programmable for use as a bluetooth wireless "air mouse"? One would only hope the spec would be at least open to mainstream programmers.
Hard to use (Score:3, Insightful)
Imagine having to write an SMS by hand in the air, there would be a much greater strain on your muscles, it can't be done in a small space, and it is SLOW.
I mean does anyone here like the idea of going back to writing communications by hand? Or for that matter, shaking the input device to do something that can be done by moving your thumb 3cm?
Is it just me... (Score:2, Insightful)
I don't think it's that dumb (Score:4, Insightful)
agreed (Score:3, Insightful)
i like the idea of a pen phone where you dial a number by writing it down though - good for SMS messages, too...
Not exactly (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Some potential problems (Score:2, Insightful)
Map scrolling (Score:2, Insightful)
One application I immediatly think of is navigation of maps. Just move the screen over your virtual map instead of slowly scrolling around with softbuttons, or whatever conventional method there might be on your current phone.
Somatic components... (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Not exactly (Score:2, Insightful)
I'm not used to driving a car with a command line either. Thankfully.
So maybe we're not used to waving our arms around to make phonecalls because that's a stupid way to do it.
Re:Great, away from hands-free (Score:3, Insightful)