User breakdown

Since I started this blog, strangely I've developed a keen awareness of the phones that people use around me, friends or strangers. Whether I'm at work, out for lunch, out at the Mall walking around or having tea at a cafe, I would instinctly notice the phones people use. (I can't help it ok?!)

You may not believe it, but phones are usually indicative of the type of user the owner is.

For example, if I see a person with the ever popular Nokia 3310 (yes, they're still around today believe it or not) or a Nokia 1112 (pictured), then it tells me that the owner's probably a simple user, or a simple person, with absolutely no care about phones and that they just use it mainly for calls and sms-ing.

If I see a person using a Sony Ericsson k750i (pictured) or Samsung (hey, all Samsungs have cameras), or any Nokia Nseries phones, then it tells me that the owner, is an image user. Sometime in his / her daily life, he / she appreciates taking the odd snaps here and there. (Although, having said that, these days almost all phones have cameras.) But still, the more serious users are noticable too, they sport SE w810's, SE w900i's, SE k800i's, Nokia N80's, Nokia N73's, N93's and so on.


On the other hand, if I spot a person using the Sony Ericsson w800i, SE w550i, Nokia N91, Nokia 5300 (pictured) and so on, then it means that the owners are music users. Everywhere they go, they need to have music plugged in, at work, out walking, at the gym, in the car, at school. Music is their life. Heck, I know people who can't work or study without some sort of music in the background! (I personally can't) But, there are alot out there.


Then, there are the multimedia users. They NEED their phones to have E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G. Cameras (high mega pixel-ed ones at that too!), mp3 players, wifi (which they probably end up not using much), video capabilities, games, email, 3G... Sort of like the Sony Ericsson p990i (pictured) or even the Nokia N80. Usually, these users won't even use half the features they have on their phones. It always ends up being "nice to have".

And then lastly comes, the business users. They're easy to spot. Usually yuppies, bosses or IT-savvy people. Smartphones, as they're known as now, like these are growing in use in the market now. HP 6965 (pictured), Nokia E61, Nokia 9500, the whole Treo range, the whole O2 range, the whole Dopod ranges and even the SE p990i can be considered one. The users of these ranges usually have "requirements" for their phones. QWERTY Keyboards (or not), wifi (or not), cameras (or not), mp3 players, connectivity capabilities, Emails, tweakable softwares and probably the most important features, fully integrated Calendars and Office functions. Their devices basically run their life, their whole schedules, their budgets, their expenses, their reports, powerpoint presentations. Users like these will not tolerate the simple, the image, the music or multimedia users. They don't care about those features. All they care about is the business of making $$$. And they should too, smartphones don't come cheap.

I've not mentioned the other users like fashionistas and gamers. Fashionistas use (useless) phones like the Motorola v3's (all colours), v3i's, v3x's, KRZR's, LG Chocolates, Samsung x820 (pictured), Nokia 8series, Vertu's (though expensive, they suck functionwise) and so on. Not to offend anyone, but these phones don't do anything to improve your life other than make you look good. (I should know, I owned a Nokia 8800 once) Gamers, on the other hand, are those who use N-gage series mainly. Another useless range. Wanna play games? Get a PSP or Nintendo DS Lite.

In the end, I'm pretty sure everyone falls under one of these categories. If you think you don't, it means you probably don't own a phone. You're a rare breed too if that were the case. For myself personally, I liken myself to be a business user now. I didn't start out as one though. I started as a simple user back in the day. Then I progressed onto multimedia and now, to business. Nothing matters more to me now then having my one device to handle it all. "Everything else is just a toy" really.

Seeing all the phones that are out now, its become a jungle out there. Buyers have just TOO many choices! Its become such a big market, this business of phones. Too many brands out there. What happened right? What happened to just using phones to make calls? What happened to phones to just be "contactable"? Well, I don't know about you, but I sure ain't complaining! All you need to decide on, is what kind of user you are. Easy.