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Half of cellular-phone customers want digital cameras and walkie-talkie service on their next mobile phones, but don't care if the phones come with the short-range wireless radio Bluetooth, according to market-research firm Zelos Group.
In a study by Zelos Group principal analyst Seamus McAteer, nearly 50 percent of about 1,300 cell-phone users said they wanted an integrated digital camera with their next cell-phone purchase. Forty-five percent of the customers who subscribe to carriers other than Nextel -- the main provider of instantaneous push-to-talk service -- said they wanted the walkie-talkie service as a feature in their next mobile-phone purchase.
But Bluetooth, a cable-replacement technology that lets devices within 30 feet of each other interact wirelessly, ranked dead last in a list of 10 features customers wanted on their next cell phone. Only 13 percent of survey respondents placed Bluetooth as a "top five" feature on their lists.
"Considerable marketing and educational efforts will be necessary to improve the prospects of Bluetooth," McAteer said. "Consumers are, on the whole, unaware of the technology. If Bluetooth is to enjoy wide appeal, carriers and handset manufacturers must clearly articulate one or two useful applications of the technology."
Despite Zelos Group's pessimism, about 2,000 companies continue to make Bluetooth products such as laptop computers, personal digital assistants, cell phones, wireless headsets, car kits and printers, according to the official Bluetooth website. Most recently, carmaker Acura said its TL luxury sedan now comes with a built-in Bluetooth system so that customers can make hands-free cell-phone calls.
In the fourth quarter of this year, mobile-phone manufacturer Sony Ericsson plans to sell a Bluetooth-enabled toy car that customers can control with a Bluetooth-equipped cell phone. The price for the car, about the size of a Hot Wheels toy, will be released in upcoming weeks, a Sony Ericsson spokeswoman said.
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Cutting cables at the ballpark: Starting next year, fans at Raley Field -- home of the Sacramento River Cats, Triple-A farm club of the Oakland A's -- will be able to order food and tickets wirelessly over the Internet.
The ballpark's Wi-Fi service is already available to fans seated in the suites and the upper-level Solon Club. These folks can bring their Wi-Fi laptops and PDAs and immediately tap into the system, said Ali Mackani, co-founder and CEO of Corporate Information Exchange, the company that installed the Wi-Fi network. Through the network, fans can order food, beverages and tickets; check player statistics and game schedules; and even check their e-mail while they watch the game. The service is free.
Mackani said he is shopping his idea to another minor-league and a major-league team, although he declined to give their names.
"(The ballparks) see (Wi-Fi) as a valuable marketing strategy for them," Mackani said.
Mackani is hoping to have better luck with his offering than a couple of 3Com partners did at 3Com Park in San Francisco a few years ago. The stadium, which is home to the San Francisco 49ers football team, had a Wi-Fi network that let fans order food, look up stats on players and even talk to one another in the stands, using their own wireless devices. But that service is now gone.
"It was on for one year," said a member of 3Com Park's information technology department. "All the companies behind it are gone now, so the service went away with them."
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Calling on eBay: One category of products apparently selling off eBay's virtual shelves is cell phones.
Cell-phone sales continue to grow at an average annual rate of 180 percent, the company said. There are more than 150,000 live cell-phone listings at any given time, including accessories and service plans. About 60 cell phones sell each hour.
While wireless carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile attempt to lure customers on eBay with heavily discounted service plans, many users prefer to purchase the phones from independent vendors so that they are not locked into contracts.
"I've bought three cell phones in the past six months," said eBay user Marcos Lahera, a Spaniard who goes by the user name "marquitos28." "I choose to buy cell phones on eBay for two reasons: The prices are lower than they are in our local shops, and the selection on eBay is greater than it is in Spain."
