What new advancements in the next year will phones after the EVO have?

[gwlaw99]

This is what I came up with. What do you think?

1. Faster processor
2. Discrete 3d graphics
3. Higher res screen
4. HDTV tuner

 

[neodorian]

Yeah, I think the move will be toward faster/multicore processors and improved video processing like you see in Tegra. Video acceleration will allow for much faster transitions and performance the way it did on the desktop with the move to GPU desktop compositing.

My main wish however is battery life. If they can improve significantly on battery tech to allow even 2 days instead of 1 on these big touchscreen devices it will be a huge boon to the industry and users.

 

[Caloy]

I agree with you neodorian. Battery would be the best advancement for smartphone users (and Hybrid users as well).

On another note, I would love to see a slide out physical keyboard that is so thin, that it won't affect the profile of the phone.

 

[twospirits]

Screw the current battery, I say put in a nuclear reactor in there and put every one else to shame.

But seriously, everything else is either getting smaller (components), bigger (screens) but the battery. They really need to come up with a better longer lasting battery.

TS out (putting on a nuclear reactor suit)

 

[kbayer]

I bet there is going to be a HUGE push towards face-to-face video calling, geo-tracking, etc...

 

[gmcdaniel]

My bet is on battery life, faster processors, more memory, higher mp cameras, and higher res screens. Not necessarily in that order. Battery life will probably be the last thing improved. The EVO pretty much sets the bar for goodies on a phone. Much more then what this thing has would be just wasted junk causing the phones to become bigger and heavier, which is totally against what a mobile phone is supposed to be.

 

[mi_canuck]

digital wallet is what should be the next big thing... for some reason, we have yet to adopt this here in north america... the japanese have been using this feature for years on their "keitais".... for anything from groceries to buying a pop from a vending machine...

 

[gmcdaniel]

digital wallet is what should be the next big thing... for some reason, we have yet to adopt this here in north america... the japanese have been using this feature for years on their "keitais".... for anything from groceries to buying a pop from a vending machine...

We won't get DW because it's a government scheme to keep us behind the Japanese. LOL

 

[evotitans]

I bet there is going to be a HUGE push towards face-to-face video calling

This is the one thing that really sticks out to me....if that front camera really ends up being a hit on the EVO, and succeeds in have quality face to face video calling....it is going to force alot of companies to rethink how they design their phones. It will be a game changer.

Apple, RIM, and the like are going to have to do re-designs to have the camera on the front, it is basically the next new "IT" for smart phones.

More and more, I think HTC and Sprint are about to hit it BIG with the EVO.

 

[cary328is]

I think the EVO will urge future "super" phones to have:

1. hotspot capability
2. wireless N
3. both wimax and LTE compatibility (connects to which ever is available)
4. I agree with Original post about HDMI tuner
5. DVR capability

6. nanowire battery (see here: Nanowire battery can hold 10 times the charge of existing lithium-ion battery)

7. flexible/indestructible/bacteria resistant/smudge free laser LED screen

8. USB 3.0 of course

9. bunch of other advancements in technology you see from engadget built in

 

[twospirits]

That nanowire battery is impressive, but that was back in 2007. I wonder whats the status of the technology in 2010.

Ts out

 

[cary328is]

That nanowire battery is impressive, but that was back in 2007. I wonder whats the status of the technology in 2010.

Ts out

They are starting to find its use in electric vehicles:

Lithium-sulfur and carbon nanowires could increase battery capacity 4X — Autoblog Green

and this article is 10 days old I hope they move from auto to more practical and portable gadgets

 

[MindTrainer]

As great as the EVO 4G appears to be there is in fact room for improvements. Here is where I believe phones like this will inevitably go in the future:

We need cradles that hold the phone while at the office and will act as automatic wireless charging/tethering devises. While on the cradle a light will illuminate verifying the enabling of our blue tooth keyboard and mouse to control the phone. At the same time the screen is ported to the full size monitor into a window that can be minimized or sized.

When this window is active the mouse and keyboard control the phone. When the window is deactivated (by clicking another window or minimizing), the keyboard and mouse control the computer.

If the phone rings this window automatically restores itself and the phone is answered or ignored by a simple mouse click. Audio is automatically ported to our PC Speakers and the microphone on the phone is utilized to enable the conversation. Unless of course you pick up the phone allowing for private normal handset usage.

In this manner all the apps on the phone should work on the PC. In other words the PC has the ability to emulate the Operating System of the phone. This would also require Android to allow all its screens to be viewed in Landscape mode, as most of our Monitors are wider rather then taller.

By having a series of cradles (at work, at the home office and at our bedside) one of our biggest issues of battery life is addressed since the phones are constantly being charged whenever they are not en-rout to our next destination.

To sum up: Our phones need to integrate with our computer systems fully and easily.

One last note regarding cables and devises: All devises should have the cable sockets recessed 1/8” and have funnel openings larger then the cable end. Thus easily guiding the cables home. Of course I can’t wait till we do away with these dam cables altogether.

 

[erikivy]

MindTrainer, that sounds like a dream setup to me. Where do I sign?

 

[senormatt]

I still don't see a phone replacing a set top box - it's just too awkward and not stream-lined.

 

[Norril]

As great as the EVO 4G appears to be there is in fact room for improvements. Here is where I believe phones like this will inevitably go in the future:

We need cradles that hold the phone while at the office and will act as automatic wireless charging/tethering devises. While on the cradle a light will illuminate verifying the enabling of our blue tooth keyboard and mouse to control the phone. At the same time the screen is ported to the full size monitor into a window that can be minimized or sized.

When this window is active the mouse and keyboard control the phone. When the window is deactivated (by clicking another window or minimizing), the keyboard and mouse control the computer.

If the phone rings this window automatically restores itself and the phone is answered or ignored by a simple mouse click. Audio is automatically ported to our PC Speakers and the microphone on the phone is utilized to enable the conversation. Unless of course you pick up the phone allowing for private normal handset usage.

In this manner all the apps on the phone should work on the PC. In other words the PC has the ability to emulate the Operating System of the phone. This would also require Android to allow all its screens to be viewed in Landscape mode, as most of our Monitors are wider rather then taller.

By having a series of cradles (at work, at the home office and at our bedside) one of our biggest issues of battery life is addressed since the phones are constantly being charged whenever they are not en-rout to our next destination.

To sum up: Our phones need to integrate with our computer systems fully and easily.

One last note regarding cables and devises: All devises should have the cable sockets recessed 1/8

 

[MindTrainer]

I just thought of a new app that would be nice to have on our phones. I call it Auto Response Initiative.

Basically when ever we get a party on the line that just babbles on and on…..

We trigger this baby and as soon as there is a lull in the babble it auto-responds with a random reply of yea, or aha, or ok. We can make the list self record able and add as many words as we want.

Now with the EVO on 4G we can be browsing the net and giving our Forums undivided attention.

Then as soon as the caller asks “are you there?” it always replies “Yea I’m here” and gives us a beep notification (maybe it’s time for a few minutes of participatory dialog).

We can even hold contests to see who can keep their callers babbling the longest time on Auto Response. Of course that would require that we build in a timer, but that wouldn’t be too hard.

 

[Norril]

I just thought of a new app that would be nice to have on our phones. I call it Auto Response Initiative.

Basically when ever we get a party on the line that just babbles on and on

 

[Jack10]

1.5Ghz HTC HD3?

Multi-core processors, following in line with the development of laptops me thinks

 

[timmertc]

I can't wait to see what phone has the 1.5 GHz processor. I hear it will support 1080p video (as opposed to the 720p of the EVO). It's dual-core too. But, rather than say HD3, I'll say EVO 2.

(or maybe the HD3 will have 1.5, and the EVO 2 will have 1.8, or better...)

 

[Jack10]

HD3 details were leaked as 1.5Ghz and consumes same and even less power than today's processors due to the decreased size of the cores.

 

[twospirits]

Someone posted in another thread, that Samsung Earth phone that has the solar power back cover. Installing such technology will help. At least on sunny days. lol

TS out

 

[TheNorthernForest]

I bet there is going to be a HUGE push towards face-to-face video calling, geo-tracking, etc...

It's been said that Sprint was holding out on a lot of features at CTIA. I wouldn't be surprised if video-calling was one of them that they didn't spill out to the public.

 

[cabbie]

HD projection. Phone can beam an image to a surface and the whole touchscreen turns to a keyboard (or controls for games) while viewing the chat-screen/game/browser/etc on the projected image.

Incremental advancement in processor speed and separating graphics processing much like how we saw it happen with PCs.

3D/holographic visual display with a pair of glasses that also bluetooth video output to them, which eliminates the drag of multimedia on a pocketable device.

Lip-reading from the front-facing camera.

Eyeball tracking to make selections from the front-facing camera.

More sophisticated assistants. Google calendar/etc integration is handy but a sophisticated AI that can communicate (in an female australian's accent) with a personality. Code it with Asimov's three laws to prevent any HAL9000-like situations.

As far as battery advancements, I remember a couple articles I've read in the past few months:

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2009/...ould lead to rapid recharging of many devices

MIT engineers have created a kind of beltway that allows for the rapid transit of electrical energy through a well-known battery material, an advance that could usher in smaller, lighter batteries -- for cell phones and other devices -- that could recharge in seconds rather than hours.

The work could also allow for the quick recharging of batteries in electric cars, although that particular application would be limited by the amount of power available to a homeowner through the electric grid.

The work, led by Gerbrand Ceder, the Richard P. Simmons Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, is reported in the March 12 issue of Nature. Because the material involved is not new -- the researchers have simply changed the way they make it -- Ceder believes the work could make it into the marketplace within two to three years.

Nokia powering up self-charging cell phone

Nokia's goal is to get cell phones to harvest about 50 milliwatts of power. Currently the prototypes are able to harvest up to 5 milliwatts, but at least 20 milliwatts is needed to keep phones running in standby mode indefinitely without the need for a recharge, the U.K.'s Guardian reports in an article on Nokia's research.

Piezoelectricity and kinetic energy combine to create a way to charge a phone's battery without going anywhere near the mains.

Nokia has filed a patent for a new battery technology that could lead to the development of self-charging power cells in mobile phones.

The 'Piezoelectric Kinetic Energy Harvester' combines the principles of piezoelectricity and kinetic energy to create a battery that can be charged simply by moving around.

 

[cabbie]

Beers on me for whoever can integrate a phone with this:

I love the power glove. It's so bad.