30 January 2012

The AA Battery Cell Phone


We are always looking out for the next new thing in gadgets, especially if it has cool new features like Siri for the iPhone 4s. Whether it’s a PC, laptop, tablet, phone, or any other gadget for that matter, we’re probably always checking how many things it can do packed into one device.
Our Smartphones alone are so many things all in one because of their internal features and the many applications you can get. We now even have TV’s that can surf the web.
An online article caught my eye about two weeks ago because it was so against what our gadgets are today. I was drawn to the article because of how handy it could potentially be and upon reading it; I was even more intrigued by its simplicity.

How does a cell phone that runs on a single AA battery sound to you? That’s what drew me in to read the article, especially since the phones nowadays use up so much battery life quickly. Alas it’s not what I originally thought but the article managed to intrigue me anyway.
I’m talking about the SpareOne cell phone made by the battery technology company XPAL Power. It’s supposed to come out during the first quarter of 2012 and will cost $49.99. It’s a GSM cell phone that is designed to be a spare phone used only for emergencies, as its name suggests. The idea is that you can transfer your SIM from your normal phone when it runs out of juice.
The reason it runs on a single AA battery is because it’s really stripped down. It’s even simpler than the typical cell phone from way back because it doesn’t even have a screen. All it has is a keypad and LED lights to indicate if you have power and signal.
The LED light also doubles as a flashlight, which is handy for emergency purposes. Since it doesn’t have a screen, you also can’t use it for SMS so this device is only just for phone calls. I also read it has an always on 911 feature, so you can call 911 even without a SIM inside. I wonder if that works for other emergency numbers worldwide too.
This bare bones cell phone can be really handy in all kinds of emergency situations like floods, earthquakes, typhoons. Just hope that the cell towers hold up, especially if the disaster is really destructive like an earthquake.
It was pointed out in the article that this could even be a way to keep in touch with your kids when they are away from you for an extended period of time like summer camp without having to invest in a real and more expensive phone. I’m not sure that will work well in our SMS driven culture though, given the limitations of the phone.
This device sounds like something that every Boy Scout would always have near him. It’s always better to be prepared for emergencies and I can already see a lot of instances where this thing can save lives.
Sure it’s not your latest gadget full of cool features but this boring little gadget still sounds interesting for the difference it can make.
By ANGELO FERNANDEZ
mb.com.ph

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