Color phones - why do people get them?

[Telekom]

Here's something that I've wondered for a while. Why on standard phones (not PDA's) do people get phones with color screens? As far as I've been able to see the only "real" function people use them for is to have wallpaper of some favorite thing like their sweety, their kid, their dog, etc.

As far as being practical for anything else I'm at a loss. It doesn't help with sending text or making notes on your calendar. Maybe I'm just not seeing it. I do note that with color phones it's much harder to see what's on the display when there's bright sun out where this isn't a problem with monochrome displays.

I realize that these days monochrome screen phones are rare and that even bottom of the line phones are now color but I've noticed using older phones with monochrome displays that it's much easier to use outside than the color ones.

[Analog man]

i think its time for a real phone, a simple workhorse phone, monochrome display, huge battery, powerful transmitter, tough key pad and bluetooth!

[walkguru]

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because black and white sucks.

[Quint101]

Originally Posted by Telekom

I realize that these days monochrome screen phones are rare and that even bottom of the line phones are now color but I've noticed using older phones with monochrome displays that it's much easier to use outside than the color ones.

Maybe you answered your own question. I haven't seen any phones with black and white screen for a primary screen in ages. Over time, people wanted color screens and a few years ago, that was a premium. Stuff gets cheap over time. In my opinion, its fine to have the outer flip be black and white or have an OLED screen.

I've noticed that the color screens are easier to see in bright sunlight than in the past. My plain LG VX3300 has a 65K color screen and it was impossible to use it in the daylight. On the other hand, my old Samsung A930 had a 262K screen and it was a lot easier to use in bright sunlight. One thing I like about my BlackBerry is the auto adjustment of the display in extreme lighting situation... This will eventually get passed down to standard phones over time, I hope.

[Telekom]

Originally Posted by walkguru

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because black and white sucks.

And this is a non-answer answer. "Sucks" doesn't say anything.

[RJB]

Because it adds so much more to the phone. I know there are users who dont care about anything but plain text but what about viewing pictures and other things.

[Analog man]

one question, is it true that color take more power than monochrome?

and yesterday, i saw a few alltel analog phones when i was in nevada. and a few old gsm nokias. so there still monochrome and analogs out there.

[Telekom]

Originally Posted by Analog man

one question, is it true that color take more power than monochrome?

and yesterday, i saw a few alltel analog phones when i was in nevada. and a few old gsm nokias. so there still monochrome and analogs out there.

Yes, color screen phones use more power than monochrome. And for those who said that there are not any more monochrome phones it's not true. No high end phones for sure. Nokia at least makes the 1100 and 1110 which are monochrome phones. Most decidedly very low end but they still do exist.

The more fancy the phones get the more they require more power. Sometimes less is more

[SteveW]

Originally Posted by Telekom

Here's something that I've wondered for a while. Why on standard phones (not PDA's) do people get phones with color screens? As far as I've been able to see the only "real" function people use them for is to have wallpaper of some favorite thing like their sweety, their kid, their dog, etc.

I had a Siemens S46 a few years back that had a yellow on black display. It was very visible in all kinds of conditions. Currently, I keep the outer display on my midrange LG flip phone free of color pictures - just reading the time, date and notification icons, so monochrome here would be fine.

Still, I like the color on my inner display. If all you want to do is make phone calls, this may not be important to you, but I use it as:

- a camera display, both during picture taking and reviewing
- a browser display - many sites are difficult to read without color, and though I often turn images off in the browser, sometimes they are nice to have.
- a multimedia message display. I've probably gotten less than 20 picture messages in the two years I've had the phone, but those represent some nice memories.

Besides, the overall interface - menu icons, calculator, calendar, world clock etc., just look nicer in color. I'll trade that for a bit of battery life.



SW

[walkguru]

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Originally Posted by Telekom

And this is a non-answer answer. "Sucks" doesn't say anything.

that's my answer. take it or leave it.

[AnthroMatt]

Originally Posted by walkguru

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that's my answer. take it or leave it.

Let's stay on topic please. Constructive comments and contributions please.

[Eric47]

not to be a jerk but this thread is not constructive IMO.

[AnthroMatt]

Originally Posted by Eric47

not to be a jerk but this thread is not constructive IMO.

Actually, the thread asks a legitimate question. I am not sure what is not constructive about it.

I like color screens for web browsing but on flip phones I definitely prefer monochrome or OLED.

[Telekom]

Originally Posted by AnthroMatt

Actually, the thread asks a legitimate question. I am not sure what is not constructive about it.

I like color screens for web browsing but on flip phones I definitely prefer monochrome or OLED.

Just to say "it sucks" without saying why is a waste of space. Yeah, I care why you think it sucks. Why you think just saying it sucks is all the answer anyone needs is what I don't understand. I asked a legitimate question and it was answered with a SA answer.

[RadioRaiders]

Originally Posted by Telekom

Why on standard phones (not PDA's) do people get phones with color screens? As far as I've been able to see the only "real" function people use them for is to have wallpaper of some favorite thing like their sweety, their kid, their dog, etces.

I think it's simply because it looks nicer. Is it necessary? No, of course not. But like all the other extra "bells and whistles" you get on phones now-a-days (mp3 player, camera, voice recording, etc.) they are nice to have, even if you don't need/use all of them.

...however, there should be an option in color screen phones to choose a monochrome theme if you want. On some phones you can create your own themes, so you could do it there too I suppose. Or wait another 10 years and bag-phones with monochrome screens will become retro and cool again

[AKP]

My current color screen is a little easier to see than my previous one, but yes, I think monochrome LCD should still be a choice. People do use their phones as phones outdoors in the sunlight quite frequently.

[mlcurtoo]

Originally Posted by Telekom

Yes, color screen phones use more power than monochrome. And for those who said that there are not any more monochrome phones it's not true. No high end phones for sure. Nokia at least makes the 1100 and 1110 which are monochrome phones. Most decidedly very low end but they still do exist.

The more fancy the phones get the more they require more power. Sometimes less is more

Im not sure if color displays consume more power than monochrome. This seems similar to the "Blackle.com" debate. Blackle was a duplicate of Google.com but instead of displaying in plain white, it showed all in black... allegedly it was supposed to save energy because it used less energy to display a black screen than a white. While that is true for CRT technology, its not true for LCD.

Blackle - Energy Saving Search

Blackle.com - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Bugwart]

Most display R&D has been on color, not monochrome (except for OLED monochrome). The technology that brings you 60 inch LCD HD TVs is the same technology that provides better LCD screens for our handsets. There is just not much demand for really sharp, clear monochrome displays.

Although color displays do consume more power than monocrome displays, it is the backlighting that is the big power user.