http://www.cellplaza.org The Plaza is the Place. Tue, 03 May 2011 19:46:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 en hourly 1 http://www.cellplaza.org/blog/2308/casio-wristwatch-links-to-your-cell-phone/ http://www.cellplaza.org/blog/2308/casio-wristwatch-links-to-your-cell-phone/#comments Fri, 25 Feb 2011 15:43:00 +0000 MobileMaiden http://www.cellplaza.org/?p=2308
photo credit: Casio Bluetooth Wristwatch

Ever had to dig in your bag to silence your ringing cell phone? Now you can just tap your wristwatch twice and it will silence your phone. According to Martyn Williams, IDG News, Casio has developed a prototype system that can mute a phone with a couple of taps to a wristwatch. The wristwatch works with Bluetooth Low Power technology (BLE-technology) and an app that enables it to link with your cell phone. The watch is scheduled to be out to consumers by the end of the year.

New Casio Wristwatch Links to Your Cell Phone

Casio debuted its new wristwatch at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The watch does all kinds of cool things. In addition to being able to link with your cell phone or Smartphone to silence the ringing, it informs you of new email and incoming calls with caller ID, and can even show GPS information from the phone or GPS device. Sports enthusiasts can also use it as a sports heart beat monitor. The watch can also help you locate a misplaced cell phone by sounding an alarm on the phone. Of course the phone must be within a certain range or it can’t find the phone. For watches that are connected to a phone for 12 hours per day, the watch battery will last about 2 years before needing a replacement battery.

The watch-cell phone two way communication. According to the article by Martyn Williams, “information flows both ways. With the push of a button, the watch can request the current time from the cell phone and update itself. This could be especially useful when traveling, because cell phones generally take local time from the mobile network, and automatically adjust to time zone changes.”

What is the new Bluetooth Low Power technology? Bluetooth Low Power (BLP) is a new version of the wireless technology that uses much less power than current Bluetooth. Expect to see quite a few new devices running this new technology by the end of the year or the beginning of next year.

Casio’s biggest challenge? Getting people to wear wristwatches again. Apparently a recent poll in the UK found that 1 in 7 people feel no need for a watch and a cell phone. This new Casio wristwatch may change their attitudes. Of course, the next thing will be a cell phone that you wear on your wrist. It could be Bluetooth connected to a pad and keyboard for larger viewing when needed. Otherwise it could just connect to your Bluetooth wireless headset for calls. What do you think? Good idea? Inquiring minds want to know…

]]> http://www.cellplaza.org/blog/2308/casio-wristwatch-links-to-your-cell-phone/feed/ http://www.cellplaza.org/blog/2296/goodguide-lists-top-%e2%80%9cvirtuous%e2%80%9d-cell-phones/ http://www.cellplaza.org/blog/2296/goodguide-lists-top-%e2%80%9cvirtuous%e2%80%9d-cell-phones/#comments Mon, 21 Feb 2011 15:43:49 +0000 MobileMaiden http://www.cellplaza.org/?p=2296
photo credit: Top Virtuous Cell Phones

Wonder what impact your cell phone has on the environment? GoodGuide has just published a report rating the top 5 “virtuous” cell phones. The ratings are based upon not only environmentally safe practices, but also takes into consideration the social attributes as well? “Social attributes?” you may ask. This rating has to do with the safety and labor policies of the company manufacturing the cell phones. GoodGuide ranks individual models and manufacturers on 3 levels: health, environment, and social attributes. 576 phone models were rated.

GoodGuide Lists Top “Virtuous” Cell Phones

Which phones were rated highest by GoodGuide? According to an article posted by Martin LaMonica, GreenTech, “Nokia phones hold the top spot with a model that contributes to a score of 7.7 out of 10. That’s followed by phones from Samsung, Motorola, Palm, and Sony Ericsson. BlackBerry and its phones are at the bottom, with the lowest score a 3.3 out of 10. Phones from LG, Garmin-Asus, Casio, and Sharp contribute to scores that are largely between 4 and 5.” Apple’s iPhone came in just about middle of the ratings.

How are the ratings derived? Rating the environmental attributes, GoodGuide took into consideration the cell phone’s standby power consumption, as well as the use of recyclable materials used in the packaging and the phone itself. Those products not using bromide flame retardants and PVC are rated higher. Cell phone radiation emissions are not factored in, as there is no consensus about the amount of radiation allowable.

The social attributes rating is based on several factors. Compliance with labor laws is only one aspect. Another consideration is how a manufacturer rates on policies and practices related to conflict minerals, according to the Enough Project. Employee safety is another big concern affecting the ratings. The ratings even include the ethics of the manufacturer.

Are consumers concerned with how their cell phone rates by GoodGuide? I’m not sure too many people are even aware there is a rating like GoodGuide’s. However, as more awareness grows, consumers may make their cell phone purchases based not only on the features the cell phone offers, but also may take into consideration some of the issues rated by GoodGuide. What’s your take on the cell phone ratings? Do you see yourself consulting the ratings by GoodGuide before purchasing another cell phone?

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