Chapter 14 - Screen and Video Phones

Abstract

This chapter focuses on screen and video phones. Screenphones are the corded cousins of smart phones. Screenphones offer many of the same options as smart phones, including Internet access, shopping, and email. However, screenphones do have one important advantage over smart phones—the viewable screen area can be significantly larger than that of a smart phone, thus making Web browsing easier on the eyes. Screenphone commands and functions are activated on the virtual keyboard by touching desired keys and icons with a finger or specially designed pen. The screenphone communicates cordlessly via Bluetooth with the compact, color screen that can be carried from room-to-room. It provides Internet access for applications such as email, messaging, informational services, and Web browsing. The screenphone delivers features driven by concept familiarity, product suitability, and existing network/service support. Screenphones also include several useful applications such as broadband transmission and reception, email, Internet connectivity, safe and secure transactions, PC-like features, and Internet phone calls that allow the user to call and surf at the same time. Furthermore, another popular category of Internet videophones has hit the market. These phones incorporate an Internet videophone, the PC, digital camera, microphone, speakers, and a modem. These videophones use the Internet/IP backbone to transmit voice, video, and data among users based miles apart.