I'll admit that when I got my first flip-phone I was disappointed that I couldn't program it so that it would get a TOS-series communicator chirp when I opened it, but I wonder how successful this venture will be. Star Trek fans are stereotypically a rabid bunch, but is there any hard data on how large a demographic that actually is? How many units of a particular cell phone model have to be sold in order for it to be worth a company's while to produce them?
[ August 22, 2005, 02:49 PM: Message edited by: Noemon ]
Posted by dabbler (Member # 6443) on :
Oh man. If this thing is anywhere near reasonable, it'll make a nice Xmas present for a geek I know Posted by kojabu (Member # 8042) on :
Nice! Now they need to develop something like the badges.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Would they, like the badges, know who you were calling before you'd done anything to indicate that particular piece of information?
Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :
quote:How many units of a particular cell phone model have to be sold in order for it to be worth a company's while to produce them?
I imagine it's relatively small. The Sprint store has dozens of models to choose from. Other carriers offer dozens more. Most of my friends have phones that are different from my other friends' phones. Every time I've gone to "upgrade" to a better or newer phone, the one I'm trading in isn't even available anymore.
Used phones are practically trash. I got a $25 rebate on my new phone by trading in my old one. That brought the new phone price down to just over $200. (My car and computer didn't depreciate that fast.) There is a box in the lobby of the local bowling alley with a sign that says, "Drop off your old cellphone here to benefit [some charity]". There are usually a half dozen phones in the box when I've looked.
Based on these observations, I don't think the cost of designing a new model of cell phone is very high at all. Also, I don't think this will be restricted to the hardcore trekkie demographic. I consider myself far from hardcore (never been to a con, enjoy the shows but haven't seen an episode in months) yet I would consider buying one if it were available at the time I happened to be shopping for a phone.
Posted by kojabu (Member # 8042) on :
quote:Originally posted by Noemon: Would they, like the badges, know who you were calling before you'd done anything to indicate that particular piece of information?
Sure, we could hardwire them into our brains and everything.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Good point on all counts Karl.
Posted by advice for robots (Member # 2544) on :
quote:Originally posted by Noemon: Would they, like the badges, know who you were calling before you'd done anything to indicate that particular piece of information?
Wow, that's something I've never thought about before.
Kind of like how the doors just opened when somebody wanted to go through them. Cool.
Posted by dabbler (Member # 6443) on :
I've heard that cell phones are often heavily subsidized by the absurd calling plans, thus the contracts for 1, 2, or 3 year agreements.
Posted by Sarcasm (Member # 4653) on :
quote:Originally posted by advice for robots: Wow, that's something I've never thought about before.
Kind of like how the doors just opened when somebody wanted to go through them. Cool.
I loved it when two characters would walk down the corridor and stop in front of one person's door. They'd chat for a minute, and then as soon as the conversation was finished and the person turned to go into their quarters, the door opened. It's like the ship's computer is telepathic!
Posted by kojabu (Member # 8042) on :
And how they could pick up what the person was saying from a tiny little badge not anywhere near the person's mouth. Then they could also hear the response as if it were a phone, but not. If someone's in a corridor, does everyone else hear the conversation or was it private?
Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :
The computer was quietly listening in on everyone's conversation and knew where everyone's quarters were. From that, it was a short step to extrapolate when and for whom doors should be opened. Posted by kojabu (Member # 8042) on :
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
(My car and computer didn't depreciate that fast.) There is a box in the lobby of the local bowling alley with a sign that says, "Drop off your old cellphone here to benefit [some charity]". There are usually a half dozen phones in the box when I've looked.![[Wink]](wink.gif)