Need a New Phone

This post diverges a bit from the usual purpose of this blog, but is also related to Japan.

When I came back to Japan in 2009 I decided to use the mobile phone I purchased in 2007 when I was a student here. It is a great phone, the Sharp 910SH. The model was actually released in August 2006. After using the phone for almost 2 full years and having it sit in a box for one year between each year, the battery has decided to give up. Now everytime a receive a call, send a text message or connect to the internet the phone shuts off. If it's plugged in, it works fine, and if I use an external battery pack it can send messages. I could buy a new battery for $40, or since I am not tied to a contract I could purchase a new phone. With smart phones on the market such as the HTC Desire and the new Apple iPhone 4, purchasing a new phone seems tempting.

The new iPhone 4 is selling like cocaine in Columbia, making it impossible to purchase one. Must be good right? This is where I look back at my trusty Sharp 910SH which is about 4 years old.

Apple markets FaceTime as one of the best new features of their phone. The ability to have a video call. So what?! My Sharp 910SH also has a front facing camera, which can call any other camera that has a screen over any 3G network in Japan. Sure beats apple's new "innovation" which only works over wi-fi.


FaceTime on 3G

I like having a nice camera on my phone. One that is good enough to replace a normal point and shoot. That way when I go out, I don't need to pack my phone and a camera into my pocket. The iPhone 4 has a 5MP camera with flash and can also record HD video. But wait a minute?

My Sharp 910SH also has a 5 MP camera with a flash (farther from the lens resulting in a better picture) AND it also has a 3x OPTICAL zoom. Something the new iPhone 4 doesn't have, nor the HTC Desire. Hmm, I thought camera technology was suppose to be advancing. People are excited about a technology released only a few days ago that was available, and better, 4 years ago! Maybe the the "4" in iPhone 4 stands for 4 year old technology, and the Desire means you will desire more. If you want an example of images from my phone, just look at 90% of the pictures on my blog. Granted, my 910SH can't record HD video. =(


5MP with flash


3x optical zoom

Oh and internet. I can connect to the internet. But to be honest, the Sharp 910SH can't provide the experience a modern smart phone can. It can view normal PC web pages, but the formatting is off. Nonetheless Japan has a mobile version of almost any website.


Yahoo Japan Mobile

Comparing the HTC Desire to the iPhone 4 though, at least you can view Adobe Flash websites on the Desire. Apple has boycotted Flashplayer saying that it isn't good and the new standard will be HTML 5. Too bad consumers can't choose how to use their products when it comes to Apple. WHO CARES! Flash is used now! Every browser will support HTML 5. Nobody likes a N. Korean dictatorship, unless your the one following Dear Leader! It really makes me think Apple is better at developing marketing techniques than it is technology. Especially since Japanese are lining up just as much as their American counterparts, for a phone offering less for more money.

I was really looking forward to the new Apple iPhone 4. There are many good applications, but now after it's release and price tag that offers me only a pinch more hardware than my current 4 year old phone, it isn't worth it. I guess I will be going for the HTC Desire or upgrade to another normal Japanese cellphone which seems smarter than a "smart phone."