Free the Phone
Who doesn’t like free stuff? Especially useful free stuff. Like free stuff you use all the time. How about free phone calls? Yeah, that would be nice.
That’s where the Magic Jack comes in. The Magic Jack has a USB plug at one end and a phone plug at the other. Plug into your computer and your phone at the same time and you have free calls. That’s right, using your internet connection you can now stream calls; voice mail, caller ID, and call waiting come included. Nice bunch of savings that would be. Magic Jack itself is $40.
Video Keys
With video-phones and video ipods it hardly seems necessary to invest in another pocket sized picture taker without any add ons, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any out there.
For $65 the Exemode SQ28m can be yours. A keychain sized video recorder in fun colors is aesthetically appealing, but doesn’t come with audio. That’s a definite down side because sometimes you want to remember what someone was saying. It will look good with keys if you feel like investing, but the truth is the Exemode isn’t really necessary in this world of cell phones and instant uploads.
Arm Interface
It’s just a concept for now, but it kind of freaks me out, The Digital Tattoo interface. It’s like a science fiction film right on your arm.
It would be an electronic interface embedded in your skin and powered by your blood, creepy right? The point would be for the tattoo to act as a computer, phone, and video display. No more pesky iphones in your pocket I guess. But is this really where we want to go with technology? I mean it sounds a little cool, but I’d rather just see it in the movies.
Hub-bub
Verizon is reinventing the home phone with its new Hub. The new system nixes the traditional landline phone for a Internet-connected display that links with Verizon cell phones and other content to bring information and technology together.
It uses similar VoIP technology to Skype and Vonage but with some Verizon add-ons like Chaparone ($10) which helps track your kids through GPS-enabled phones. The display posts info like weather forecasts or movie listings.
BusinessWeek criticizes Verizon for not being more open. For example you can text message from the display but only to Verizon-enabled phones. Also the Internet options are limited and features like its calendar don’t synch with popular web-based calendars.
The HUB runs $200 after rebate and $35 for unlimited calling/month. This may not be the answer but it’s the future of the home phone.
A Use For “Change”
Some things can be useful, but at the same time they’re amusing. The Handlink Wi-Fi Base Station is one of those things.
I haven’t used a pay phone since I was about eight years old, so its been awhile. If I decide I need to make a call my cell phone (or someone else’s) is always handy. My main mode of communication these days is definitely computer based, IM, e-mail, facebook …. So, it seems it was only a matter of time until the pay phone resurrected itself (sort of) to accommodate our upgraded needs.
More specifically, Handlink has upgraded our pay as you go communication. They have developed the Wi-Fi base station, or kiosk. Like a pay phone you put in your change to the Wi-Fi station, then grab a printout with your access code and there you go, Wi-Fi internet access.
With the prospect of free wi-fi in certain centers (and possibly certain cities) there is the chance Handlink will be almost unnecessary in many places, but not all. Only time will tell if there’s a place for the new change slot that is the Wi-Fi Base Station, but hey, I still see plenty of pay phones around, you never know.
