I’ve been looking at smartphone options, and was reminded of an exchange between Jon Stewart and John Hodgman I heard last summer on the Daily Show:
Jon Stewart and John Hodgeman Discussing Ultimate Fighting
Jon: Why combine all these sports?
John: Why combine a cell phone and a camera?
Jon: That’s my point exactly. All you get is a crappy camera and a crappy phone.
John: Yes, but it fits in your pocket. And isn’t that the promise of America’s melting pot?
This got me thinking about what I really need from my phone. Here’s a list, in the order each item came to mind:
– Camera
– Phone
– Address book
– Alarm clock
– Text messaging
– Email
– Durable
– Waterproof
– Cool looking
But does this list describe a smart phone, or a smart camera? Right now, the paradigm of “phone” dominates. Will that change? Will there be a future in which “device equity” prevails?