Inspired by Wired’s post(s) we decided to have a look at the gadgets “killed” by the cellphone. It’s obvious now that convergence is swallowing more and more gadgets and incorporating them into a single device, probably the mobile phone. And now let’s have a look at the devices “killed” by handset.
The PDA
Back in the days when Psion ruled the world, PDA meant everything for business men, as it held their calendar, address book and notepad. Now, most smartphones are PDA phones and the attributes of the above-mentioned device have become features on a BlackBerry, HTC Touch Diamond or even an iPhone.
Camera
Most modern phones incorporate a digital camera and Sony Ericsson have already started working on a 12 megapixel device, destined to hit the market in 2009. Who needs a camera any more? Even Kodak is in the game, working with Motorola and I even expect Nikon to enter the market some day, perhaps working with Nokia?
The UMPC
Too pricy, too big, featuring an uncomfortable keyboard, poor interface and poor battery… These were the UMPCs of the old days, but there’s no point in developing them now that we see smartphones getting introduced officially and demonstrating their calculus power provided by an 800 MHz processor, like in the case of the Asus P565 device.
The telephone
Is there anyone out there who uses a fixed phone any more? They’ve become more obsolete than paper mail and they got replaced by similar VoIP devices, but still cellphones will bury fixed phones any day now and for good. Their only advantage is the longer battery life and tons of offers and contracts meant to draw the public to fixed telephony services.
The MP3 player
There are probably as many handsets with cameras as there are with MP3 players nowadays, so buying an audio player of any sort becomes redundant if you own a phone. Some cellphones even come with mixing software and Track ID, so you can identify your favourite song and mix it up, like you were a DJ. Now what MP3 player does that?
The Pager
Kids playing Halo now didn’t even get to see the pager, probably the gadget that doctors loved most, aside from a TV playing ER. Since texting is the new global hobby, beepers have died, end of story.
The Wristwatch
Yes, some of us still wear watches, but just for their elegant looks, rather than their accurate display of the current time. You’ll see most watch owners pulling out their phones constantly in order to check on the time… Need more proof that the wristwatch is dead/dying?
Pocket Calculator
I can’t tell you the name of a phone that comes without a calculator nowadays and some of the handsets really feature scientific oness, which are far better than Casio’s yesterday devices that impressed accountants.
Alarm Clocks
I wake up every morning at the sound of my handset’s alarm clock, I use visual and audio mementos, simply because the phone is close to me or in my pocket all the time. Who needs alarm clocks any more?
SatNav
Well, the battle’s still going on right here, but we haven’t heard the last of GPS devices yet, specially on emerging markets. What more proof do you want that the satellite nav gadgets are dying, now that Garmin is getting ready to launch a mobile phone?
Books
Yes, it’s a hilarious inclusion in this top, but hey, when was the last time you read a paper/carton book? Nowadays, people read books on their cellphone, iPod, PSP and God knows what else. Some even write novels on their Nokia devices… but can it compared to turning a page?
Portable Consoles
I disagree with this one, but I have to admit that there are many people playing games on their mobile phones right now… I’m a PSP fan and will never give it up, because I think that the mobile videogames haven’t really reached the standards of the ones on portable consoles yet. God forbid they ever will… I want a portable XBOX!
That’s all folks, 12 gadgets/products killed by the mobile phone and if you can think of more, please leave a comment below and we’ll debate it.
[via blog.wired.com]
