December 23, 2004
Novel idea coming soon to cell phones
The Chicago Tribune looks into the increasing power of cell phones and how they are fast shaping innovative forms of compact culture: such as cell phone-size literature. Most of the examples are familiar to readers of this column, but this part is new:
"In Europe, even some old-guard publishers have jumped into the mobile format. The Munich-based Langenscheidt Publishing Group is a traditional, family-run company that would seem an unlikely player in this market. It has been publishing dictionaries, travel guides and map books since 1856 and is run by the fourth generation of the Langenscheidt family.
This month Langenscheidt started offering a phone-size flirting dictionary that is its way of promoting international understanding. For about $5, the service offers 600 or so phrases in the chosen language, and practical advice including phonetic pronunciations of polite brushoffs.
The benefit, said Ina Kaese, who manages Langenscheidt's mobile services, is that if you are a traveler in a foreign city in a busy bar, your telephone can be your instant guide to romance."
Click here for articles on cell phone novels
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