This love afair is going to make this company rich if the tech works properly!
‘Americans love cell phones’
Companies tout their latest and greatest devices
By Jessica Legge
Times West Virginian
FAIRMONT — Cell phone companies are constantly striving to offer the “latest and greatest” crazes in wireless technology. Today’s top-of-the line phones feature Internet capabilities, high-quality cameras, music and mobile TV — and everything in between.
U.S. Cellular launched the BlackBerry 8830 last week. Frank Jacquez, direct sales manager for U.S. Cellular, said the 8830 is the latest version of a smartphone device. Smartphones combine a cell phone and electronic applications such as calendar, Internet and e-mail into one advanced mobile device.
Jacquez said this phone has filled a void in U.S. Cellular’s phone lineup. U.S. Cellular has offered a smartphone option for more than two years. Before the 8830, however, BlackBerry didn’t offer any devices with consumer-style alternatives, like a camera and music.
“Prior to this 8830, a lot of people thought that smartphones were only going to be for your IT department or for the folks who were (technology-driven),” Jacquez said. “It’s really kind of re-invented itself to where a larger scope of the public is interested in it.”
The 8830 allows cell phone users to still have the security that BlackBerry is known for while also having a camera and MP3 player built into the device, Jacquez said.
“I think that the big drive is that folks want to be able to access all this different data while they’re on the move,” he said. “They don’t want to carry multiple devices.”
The BlackBerry 8830 has bluetooth capability, which allows a consumer to use a wireless headset. The device also has some storage capacity to allow a person to transfer applications from the office to home.
Now that different options are available for smartphones, consumers should choose a cell phone carrier that can help them decide what device will work best for their needs. A company must have customer service, wireless service and commitment to back up its high-tech products, Jacquez said.
“The consumer should really pick a carrier that will take the time and explain their options because there’s just so many out there right now,” he said. “It can really set up for a (nice) user experience.”
NTELOS is excited about two new Motorola phones that will come out in early October, Mike Minnis, NTELOS director of public relations, said.
One phone is the next generation of Motorola RAZR. This phone has touch screen functionality on the outside cover and has a lot of music capabilities. It also has a 2-megapixel camera.
The other Motorola product is a slider phone called the Motorola ROKR, which features iTunes as part of the package and can store 100 songs. It has a 2 gigabyte removable memory and a 2 megapixel camera.
Minnis estimated that these two phones will each have prices in the $200 range.
“When you have the new advances and the latest and greatest technology, these are very affordable for the things that they do,” he said. “We’re really excited about these Motorola phones coming out because they have some cool functionality.”
Minnis said phones are coming with more and more music capabilities, like the amount of storage and improved sound quality. Bluetooth technology and headsets allow consumers to sync up wireless to their cell phones. Text messaging has evolved, and camera phones allow picture messaging.
“Text messaging has just continued to grow in usage, especially with the younger generation,” he said. “It’s almost a phenomenon. They’ve taken their wireless phone and essentially text as much as they talk on their phone.”
Individuals can personalize their phones with games, wallpapers, ringtones and ringback tones. With ringback tones, which are becoming popular, a cell phone user can select a song for callers to hear instead of a ringing sound when they call.
Even with all the new technology, cell phone coverage still seems to be the most important factor for users, Minnis said. Also, cell phone batteries are becoming better.
“Battery technology has continued to improve as all the elements of the phone continue to evolve,” he said.
Minnis said the wireless industry is extremely competitive. The consumers, the handset manufacturers and the wireless providers all play a part in driving the demand for phones with new functionalities.
“We felt it was important to have quality phones and very affordable data packages to go with it so your complete experience is a positive one when it comes to wireless service,” he said.
The new version of the LG Chocolate phone, which came out in July, is one of Verizon Wireless’ top-of-the-line handsets. Robb Moretti, regional director of data sales for Verizon Wireless, said this slider phone combines an MP3 player and wireless phone into one device. This popular music phone has a 4-gigabyte card that can store approximately 2,000 songs.
It also has a camera, text messaging and Web capabilities. A touch screen allows persons to control their music without sliding the phone open. Right now, Verizon Wireless is running a $79.95 promotion for the phone.
“Americans love cell phones, and we love music,” Moretti said. “This way, I’ve always got my music and my phone at the same time. It’s great.”
Verizon Wireless is also offering one of its first mobile TV phones, the LG 9400. This phone has many of the same capabilities as the Chocolate, such as a music player and navigation feature with GPS, but it also has the mobile TV product. Until now, most cell phones could only show video clips, but the LG 9400 is “like watching TV on your phone,” Moretti said. The video quality and screen on the phone are top-notch.
“The competition to get the latest, greatest phone is very fierce,” Moretti said. “Within a couple months, you’ll see phones that will (do) even more, and Verizon Wireless will be bringing the latest, greatest technology to our customers.”
One of AT&T’s leading products is the iPhone.
“It is one of the hottest and most exciting revolutionary phones we’ve had,” Tom Schindler, AT&T market manager for West Virginia, said. “The iPhone is by far the most user-friendly and exciting device I’ve laid my hands on.”
This device features a full touch screen with several different icons specifically for the Internet, as well as the iPod and music library. Users can open up the Internet vertically or horizontally on the screen and enlarge or shrink the image. The iPhone also has visual voicemail, which allows consumers to choose which voicemail they hear first.
“Anyone can pick this device up and get familiar with it and use it quickly,” Alexa Kaufman, AT&T director of public relations for the Northeast, said.
The iPhone is offered with 4-gigabyte memory for $499 and 8-gigabyte memory for $599.
The BlackBerry Pearl and the BlackJack are the most popular phones in AT&T’s PDA lineup, Schindler said. Both devices include voice and text messaging as well as cameras. The BlackJack also has some music capabilities. AT&T is offering each phone for $99 after a mail-in rebate.
“Where the BlackBerry has been considered in the past a corporate tool, in the last couple of years we’ve really seen increased (interest) from consumers,” Kaufman said.
The Motorola RAZR V3xx, which varies from $99 to $129 after a $50 mail-in rebate, is also a favorite, Schindler said.
Kaufman said the cell phone industry is a “hyper competitive environment” where national and regional carriers are contending to bring innovative devices and improved network quality to consumers. AT&T wants to continue its strong presence in the state, she said.