Imagine that. A chat-enabled telephone...

September 4, 2000 9:19 AM

Imagine that. A chat-enabled telephone... What's next - a broom-enabled vacuum cleaner? A walking-enabled automobile? A hand-scrubbing-enabled washing machine? Next thing you know, they'll want to move all television transmissions to wire, and move all telephony to wireless. Uh, wait...
posted by quonsar (8 comments total)

I'm with you on this one. Worthless idea, but I'm sure the kids will love it.
posted by howa2396 at 9:43 AM on September 4, 2000

Reminds me of a headline-gone-bad in the Minneapolis Star Tribune of about a month ago: "Telephony comes to the cellular market."

The article was all about wireless Internet access.
posted by Electric Elf at 12:17 PM on September 4, 2000

Eh, it's actually pretty useful, if you want to talk to more than one person at once, or you're somehwhere that's too loud, quiet, or rude to talk on the phone.
posted by endquote at 1:37 PM on September 4, 2000

Speaking of typing on cell phones, is there any popular method other than the one that involves, for example, pressing the 4 key once for g, twice for h, thrice for i? Ii.e. "hello" would be 4433555555666. I only ask because I remember seeing a chat-device advertised in I.D. Magazine that used a 9-button pad that you drug your thumb across in specific patterns. It reminded me of the Palm Pilot method of approximating the alphabet into forms that are more computer recognizable. i.e. top-button, middle-button, right-button is L. It seemed like a nifty system that would incorporate well into phone layout and be quicker to use.
posted by Lirp at 7:19 PM on September 4, 2000

They're not talking about a direct, real-time, IRC type function... they're simply talking about making SMS easier to use.

SMS may seem pointless, but often it's easier (and cheaper, depending on rates) to send a quick message than to talk to someone.
posted by cheaily at 9:50 PM on September 4, 2000

I don't think it's worthless. Great way for sending messages when you're otherwise engaged -- e.g. in class, at the movies, in the car with the 'rents ... teenagers will LOVE this. Adults, maybe not so much, but it does beat being the guy everybody in the theater stares at as you whip out your cellular.
posted by dhartung at 10:05 PM on September 4, 2000

Lirp, I think the key here is IRC-type abbreviations.
posted by dhartung at 10:07 PM on September 4, 2000

I can't wait for SMS. In some countries you can pay a flat access fee and then there's no charge for SMS. Does the US even have SMS?
posted by mecran01 at 6:30 AM on September 5, 2000