A cellphone used to be mainly about making phone calls, but those days are over.
Now not only can you take pictures with your cellphone, you can use it to send e-mails, chat on instant messager2, listen to music and even watch television.
What else can our cellphones do? American CNET News.com recently talked to industry experts. It comes up with the following list of six things the average cellphone user will be doing in the future.
1. No wallet? No problem
A new technology called “near-field communications” (NFC) will turn cellphones into credit cards. A chip is put into a phone that allows you to make a payment. You just have to bring the phone within a few centimeters3 of an NFC reader to do that.
2. The World Wide Web4 in Your Pocket
Today many smart phones have Internet browsers5. In the future, browsers will make their way onto basic phones. Most phones will also have a search function built in. You type a keyboard, hit a button on the phone and will get results from Google and Yahoo.
3. Location, Location, Location
GPS (Global positioning system) are already used on some phones. The most common GPS service is navigation. Users type in a destination6. Satellites then locate the phone and map its location to the destination. A map can then be sent to the user’s screen, along with text information.
4. TV on the Go-Go7
Experts believe there will be a rise in mobile8 TV usage in 2008 when the Summer Olympics in Beijing takes place. Many operators worldwide expect to have their mobile video services up and running9 to air10 the games.
5. Picture Perfect
One of the most exciting changes in cellphone technology over the past 10 years has been the development of the camera phone. There’s no doubt that the technology will improve. High-end phones will easily support 8-megapixel11 cameras. Some camera phones will also let users share live video with their friends and family.
6. Mad for Mobile Music
Mobile music is hot and will continue to grow in popularity. There will be easier and cheaper ways for people to download their favorite music onto their phones.
(English version from 21st Century.)
手机的用途在过去主要是打电话，但那个时代已经一去不返了。
如今你不仅可以用手机拍照，你还可以用它来发电子邮件、在线即时聊天、听音乐、甚至看电视。
我们的手机还能做些什么？最近，美国CNET新闻网站在与信息产业的专家们进行了交流之后，列举了普通手机用户在未来将会做的六件事情。
1. 没带钱包？没问题
一项被称为“近距离无线通信”的新技术将把手机变成信用卡。一块放入手机的芯片让你轻松付款，只需把手机拿到离“近距离无线通信”读卡器几厘米远的地方就能搞掂。
2. 网络世界尽收囊中
如今的许多智能手机都有互联网浏览器。在未来，浏览器将会进入普通的手机。大多数手机还将具有内置的搜索功能。你只要敲敲键盘，动一个按钮，就能从谷歌和雅虎获取搜索结果。
3. 定位，定位，定位
GPS（全球定位系统）已经被用于部分手机。最常见的GPS服务是导航。使用者只要敲入一个目的地名称，卫星就能给手机定位，并绘出从该处到目的地的方位图。一份带有文字信息的地图将被发送到使用者的手机屏幕上。
4. 电视业务窜升
专家们相信，在2008年北京夏季奥运会期间，移动电视的使用率将会上升。世界各地的很多运营商都期待着启动他们的移动视频服务，来转播奥运赛事。
5. 完美影像
过去10年在手机技术领域最激动人心的变化之一就是照相手机的开发。毫无疑问这项技术将得到进一步完善。高端手机将可轻松地支持800万像素的拍照功能。一些照相手机还可让使用者与朋友和家人分享实时视频。
6. 为移动音乐而疯狂
移动音乐大行其道，未来还将持续红火。将来会找到更便捷和更经济的办法来让人们把喜欢的音乐下载到手机上。
1. cellphone n. （美英）手机
2. instant messager 即时通讯软件
3. centimeter n. 厘米
4. World Wide Web n. 全球信息网，万维网
5. browser n. 浏览器
6. destination n. 目的地
7. go-go adj. 窜升的，活跃的
8. mobile adj. 移动的，流动的
9. up and running 运转（工作）正常的
10. air v. 直播，广播
11. megapixel n. 百万像素