Mobile Working Experiences
The realities of remote working
Friday 7 December 2007, 1:01 PM
Mobile Manufacturers - Obsessed by cool?
However as the phones get smarter and cooler they seem to be prone to be more complex and fragile. Are the manufacturers missing a trick in their R&D?
I have the dubious pleasure of sitting in on a lot of focus groups with mobile users and I am always surprised at how many users want and need a phone that is robust. For example - many still treasure their Nokia 6310s and go all nostalgic when they talk about its reliability. Even more importantly - many people who work in manual businesses need a phone that is robust so that it can survive the workplace. A garage mechanic who was given a free upgrade to an XDA by his supplier ruefully commented that it didn't look or work nearly as well when it had been dropped in a puddle of engine oil....
Many years ago - Panasonic launched their Toughbook range of laptops, at the time laptops were getting smaller, lighter and funkier -so a collective eyebrow was duly raised. They are now established as THE laptop to use for on the road engineers or anyone who needs the a robust machine - and they command a premium price!
I noticed that JCB have recently launched a toughphone in conjunction with a small mobile manufacturer- what a great brand extension! I only wonder why one of the manufacturers did not spot it first... which got me thinking whether they are all obsessed with style and reaching the hallowed top right corner of Charles and Rupert's Axis of Awesome!
Do you have a favourite phone from the past? Any views on the on-going reliability of new phones? Would you buy a rubberized phone capable of withstanding a few serious knocks and scrapes?
PreviousComments on this post
Nice blog, I recently posted on my own blog about the lack of hardy phones and I agree completely.
I like and still own clam shell phones, the main reason is that I trash technology. I will happily take it to work/cinema/club or gig and i don't really mind if i gets knocked about a bit. So all these swanky nice technology with large touch screens is lost on me as i know if i bought one it would end up stratched and covered in fluff from my pocket within a week or two. Having a clam shell helps the extend the life of the main screen for me.
As I said what i need is the G-shock of mobile phones that can withstand a few weeks with me. Saying that the JCB one looks ok, apart from looking kind of like a walkie-talkie :)
Great post
Phone manufacturers have gone through this type of phone and have come out the other side.
Many years ago in the early days of GSM. selected people at my workplace were given Motorola Flip Phones (I think that is what they were called) After a while, when a more fashionable model became standard issue, one person decided that his phone should meet with an "accident". What followed was an amusing tale of of the various accidents that he phone met with, yet still continued to work. I understand it finally met its fate when it mysteriously got left under a jack, as it lifted a lorry off the ground.
I would like to see that done to an iPhone.
I suppose there's not much money to be made in tough, ragged phones; Nokia used to have a such a range (not sure whether they still do) and they often sold for around £60 - £80 offline, compare that to the price of the iPhone.
By the way, i think a JCB phone would be interesting, can't wait to see it!
Precisely the reason I am so attached to my aging Treo is that it still works. It’s a solid brick without any unnecessary sliding or moving parts (unlike my worst PDA experience ever with the Palm Tungsten) that might increase its propensity to break.
This is why I drive a car made in 1989 and why some modern BMWs won’t start until they have their on board systems re-set. It’s over-engineering.
