device convergence

I’ve long been suspicious of modern cell phones. Crammed with bells and whistles as they are, they usually serve as nothing more than hooks to get you to subscribe to various expensive media and internet services via the cellular provider. My experience until now has been that it’s virtually impossible to copy a photo or video off a phone and onto a PC unless you’re ready to jump through various hoops (logistical and financial). As a result I’ve long been a proponent of the “just a phone” mindset – my Nokia 6016i has served me well for two years in that regard, as did the various “bricks” I’ve owned prior.

However, with generous Sprint rebates as bait, I’ve taken the plunge and am now using a Samsung M500 for the past four days.

What’s cool is that it supports the new MicroSD card format – these miniscule cards are smaller than my fingernail but can hold up to 2 GB. Since the phone comes with an mp3 player app built in, I can actually store a serious amount of music on this device. Not to mention podcasts, my beloved H2G2 radio scripts, Qur’an recitations… I’m impressed. Video, photos, and audio taken with the phone camera all can be saved to the card, as well.

Technically I could even use the phone for USB file storage, but that requires carrying the special cable around, so I’ll stick to my jumpdrive. Still, if I get some bluetooth headphones I’m pretty much set for convenience.