To: Mephisto who wrote (2683 ) 11/15/1999 1:59:00 AM From: Mephisto Respond to
nokiausa.com THE HOT PHONE Nokia 8860 , a relative of which was first glimpsed by American audiences in The Matrix . That phone practically a star in the movie, was a different model, but it triggered consumer interest in Nokia. When the 8860 arrived in stores months later, the pump was primed.simpler machines ...the 8860 appeal is based on aesthetics and feel; the Nokia model slides open vertically. It's antenna is inside the phone, rather than sticking out on top, making for a sleeker appearance. And its shiny chrome finish doubles as a serviceable mirror. ."Unlike most parts of Europe and Asia, where a uniform digital platform was agreed upon years ago, five separate, independent systems battle it out for supremacy here. This is more than just confusing for customers; it has proved to be a serious drag on phone-design innovation. "Having five different standards forces everyone to go to the lowest common denominator in terms of design, " explains Mike Isgrig, of the cell-phone maker Ericsson. " For every phone we put out for the American market, we have to make five different versions. In Japan they would make five different colors.THE SCRAMBLE The pressing issue for designers is, "How much do people want in a phone? By the time the United States conforms to a global wireless standard (which could happen in five years), a wave of technological innovation will have flooded the marketplace. Features like voice-recognition capabilities that allow users to "dial" phone numbers may be common by then."Excerpts from The New York Times Magazine , Sunday, November 14, 1999, page 74. Please read article for complete details.
