Why is the iPhone and every other phone in the USA in the dark ages?

[RAV TUX]

Let me explain I was flying back from Boulder, Colorado via Denver to DC on Frontier Airlines.

I read this article about Japanese Cell phones and how they are so much more advanced. To start, most phones have at least two cameras; one in the front and one in the back and both being 3 to 5 meagpixels is very common. You may ask what difference does it make and why would you need two Cameras?

One camera is facing you for video identification, and video conferencing the other to take pictures. Why would you need this? Only you can every use your phone which is secured by video face identification. Why would you need that you ask? because in Japan they don't need their wallets they pay for everything by their phone, credit card and cash(Yes and cash). Another function for the Camera is when they are at the market they can scan a bar code on a packaged fish, the scan will tell them who caught the fish, where it was caught and when it was caught. They don't have to carry a wallet around, or keys. Yes the phone is used to unlock doors to cars, houses, offices and garage doors.

Students become so used to using the phones to browse on the net and check e-mail that they don't even know how to use a keyboard when they first arrive to school often. Makes me think that the desktop will go the way of the Dodo. Web Browsers and Operating systems that will survive will be able to be used on a phone.

The iPhone of course has ripped a lot from the Japanese phones but they are already old in their technology and way behind times.

Also the internet speed is much more reliable and fast in Japan. This is one main deterent to this technology taking off in the USA.

[Iceni]

Well, I guess we are used to being two years behind japan in cell phone technology by now:) They use their phones for everything. But I think one of the reasons this is possible is because Tokyo (where we usually go) is relatively small and with the advanced technologies being produced in Japan (and Korea, mainly) it is a great platform for testing before deploying it in the rest of the world.

That being said, I was surprised at the horrible cellphone reception in rather large parts of the United Stated when I drove across the country this summer. Even in this small country (norway) we can call from pretty much everyewhere.

[shen-an-doah]

Meh, the US is behind other countries, not just Japan. One thing that pops to mind is that you pay to recieve text messages...

As for the iPhone, it can't even send a picture message, wtf?

[pluviosity]

One thing that pops to mind is that you pay to recieve text messages...


This has to be one of my pet peeves. I don't have text in my plan, and people will text me for reasons that merit calling more than text, even though I tell them not to. Very annoying.

US mobile phone companies need to get with the program and not have charges to receive one.

[shen-an-doah]

This has to be one of my pet peeves. I don't have text in my plan, and people will text me for reasons that merit calling more than text, even though I tell them not to. Very annoying.

US mobile phone companies need to get with the program and not have charges to receive one.

It really makes no sense. You don't pay to receive calls, so why text messages? Also, there's nothing you can do to stop people texting you and wasting all your money. Like when my friend posted a bulletin on MySpace asking people to stop texting him as it was costing him. Cue a slew of texts saying "Ok" :rolleyes:

[Nano Geek]

Let me explain I was flying back from Boulder, Colorado via Denver to DC on Frontier Airlines.

I read this article about Japanese Cell phones and how they are so much more advanced. To start, most phones have at least two cameras; one in the front and one in the back and both being 3 to 5 meagpixels is very common. You may ask what difference does it make and why would you need two Cameras?

One camera is facing you for video identification, and video conferencing the other to take pictures. Why would you need this? Only you can every use your phone which is secured by video face identification. Why would you need that you ask? because in Japan they don't need their wallets they pay for everything by their phone, credit card and cash(Yes and cash). Another function for the Camera is when they are at the market they can scan a bar code on a packaged fish, the scan will tell them who caught the fish, where it was caught and when it was caught. They don't have to carry a wallet around, or keys. Yes the phone is used to unlock doors to cars, houses, offices and garage doors.

Students become so used to using the phones to browse on the net and check e-mail that they don't even know how to use a keyboard when they first arrive to school often. Makes me think that the desktop will go the way of the Dodo. Web Browsers and Operating systems that will survive will be able to be used on a phone.

The iPhone of course has ripped a lot from the Japanese phones but they are already old in their technology and way behind times.

Also the internet speed is much more reliable and fast in Japan. This is one main deterent to this technology taking off in the USA.Sounds to perfect to me. This might be true in controlled environments but if it got out I could foresee people's cars, bank accounts, anything being hacked into simply because a guy had a picture of that person.

[jrusso2]

The reason the Phones in the USA are behind is totally due to the restrictions of the phone companies.

They specify and lock the phones to their service.

[Andrewie]

Question: Why is the iPhone and every other phone in the USA in the dark ages?
Answer: Because we bend over and take it.

[macogw]

It really makes no sense. You don't pay to receive calls, so why text messages? Also, there's nothing you can do to stop people texting you and wasting all your money. Like when my friend posted a bulletin on MySpace asking people to stop texting him as it was costing him. Cue a slew of texts saying "Ok" :rolleyes:

Er....maybe on a landline. On cell phones, you pay when you receive a call if you answer it. It's only on landlines where only the dialer pays.

[shen-an-doah]

Er....maybe on a landline. On cell phones, you pay when you receive a call if you answer it. It's only on landlines where only the dialer pays.

Really? You guys are getting screwed!

[Depressed Man]

At least for cell phones we don't pay extra for long distance. My friend in Canada has to pay long distance charges for her cell phone. (though it just may be her service that sucks).

Oh I'm not talking about Canada -> US. I'm talking Canada -> Canada long distance.

[Dimitriid]

Well Japanese folks do have some of the highest suicide rates....I wouldn't like to lose my pc, my wallet, my house keys, my car keys, all my other keys, my pc, my phone, my mp3 player, all my credit cards, all my cash, all my contacts, all my appointments, all my homework...all at the same time. :)

[RAV TUX]

At least for cell phones we don't pay extra for long distance. My friend in Canada has to pay long distance charges for her cell phone. (though it just may be her service that sucks).

Oh I'm not talking about Canada -> US. I'm talking Canada -> Canada long distance.
One word:

Skype

[RAV TUX]

Well Japanese folks do have some of the highest suicide rates....I wouldn't like to lose my pc, my wallet, my house keys, my car keys, all my other keys, my pc, my phone, my mp3 player, all my credit cards, all my cash, all my contacts, all my appointments, all my homework...all at the same time. :)If you lose it nobody else can use it...due to video face identification coupled with other security measures.

[Steveway]

You guys have to pay if you recieve a call? oO
That is the weirdest thing I ever heard.
We here in Germany only have to pay if we make a call not when we recieve one.
EDIT: I even get about 4 cent per minute if someone calls me, if I got about 2 Euros then they add it to my card. But that is only with my provider, other's don't do this. O2

[buzzmandt]

That being said, I was surprised at the horrible cellphone reception in rather large parts of the United Stated when I drove across the country this summer. Even in this small country (norway) we can call from pretty much everyewhere.

I have alltell and am a truck driver in the US, I have service "pretty much everywhere". I've been nowhere parked for the night that I couldn't use my phone.

That being said....
I don't like the way cell phone services are offered in the US. You have to take "packages" with most options you'll never use. Even though it's suppose to be part of the plan, I feel I'm paying for unused services. But all the companies do it so there isn't choice in the matter.

[Depressed Man]

One word:

Skype

Well yeah, whenever she and I do voice/video we use Skype (I'm in America she's in Canada so the long distance bills would be tremendous on both sides). I just find it odd they have to pay a seperate long distance charge just for calling long distance in Canada. While I can call someone on the West Coast and be charged the same as if I called a friend on the same campus! Both use minute systems too oddly.

Though she hates using a mic and a headset (I've told her that she can get it on her cell phone though).

I'd like to hear from another person that lives in Canada about their cell phone service though.

[LookTJ]

Er....maybe on a landline. On cell phones, you pay when you receive a call if you answer it. It's only on landlines where only the dialer pays.for landlines, it actually depends. if both you and the caller have at&t then both sides of the call is free....our plan with at&t(only landline)have long distance in the us anyway..our mobile is verizon....

[RAV TUX]

I have alltell and am a truck driver in the US, I have service "pretty much everywhere". I've been nowhere parked for the night that I couldn't use my phone.

That being said....
I don't like the way cell phone services are offered in the US. You have to take "packages" with most options you'll never use. Even though it's suppose to be part of the plan, I feel I'm paying for unused services. But all the companies do it so there isn't choice in the matter.

No coverage in the Rocky Mountain National Forest and some parts of Wyoming, particularly between the Great Divide Basin and The Grand Tetons.

[dizee]

I don't know if you can really compare anywhere to Japan, it's such a gadget-obsessed country it's like looking ten years into the future. But yeah, it sounds like you Americans are getting screwed over by the phone companies. Paying to receive calls or messages is ridiculous, the only time that happens here is if you receive a call from a mobile roaming on another network abroad.

All the new phones here have two cameras too, I guess 3G isn't so popular yet in the US. Not that anyone ever even bothers making video calls :lolflag: But at least you can.

[shen-an-doah]

I'm in Canada, staying with my dad, at the mo. My phone reception is ******* terrible out here (admittedly I'm in New Brunswick, out in the middle of nowhere)...

[RAV TUX]

I don't know if you can really compare anywhere to Japan, it's such a gadget-obsessed country it's like looking ten years into the future. But yeah, it sounds like you Americans are getting screwed over by the phone companies. Paying to receive calls or messages is ridiculous, the only time that happens here is if you receive a call from a mobile roaming on another network abroad.

All the new phones here have two cameras too, I guess 3G isn't so popular yet in the US. Not that anyone ever even bothers making video calls But at least you can.

Interesting.