Smartphones are truly ingenious devices. Since the emergence of the iPhone in 2007 and the ensuing competition brought forth by Droid and Evo, phone technology has evolved at a blistering pace. These days, there isn't a lot you can't do with your phone. For perspective, think back five years when you were relying on that little flip phone, imagining all the things you wish it could do. Then, your Motorola RAZRwas still all the rage, as it was sleekly designed and compact -- but that was all. Contrast it to your new HTC Thunderbolt, for example, with its 4G capabilities and lightning-fast internet surf speeds, unique apps, eight megapixel camera and 720p video. Who knows what to expect five or even 10 years from now? Phone fanatics are always dreaming about the possibilities -- check out 10 things people are speculating your phone will soon (relative term) do.
  1. Replace your credit cards: Many phones are equipped to handle some form of payment transaction. This emerging capability, in many cases, is made possible by Near Field Communication (NFC), which enables two devices to exchange data from four inches apart. With the new Android 2.3 platform, also known as Gingerbread, users can simply tap their phone against the register to make a payment. As it becomes a more accepted practice, it could replace every card in your wallet, eliminating the George Costanza problem.
  2. Transform into a wearable accessory: Or become foldable again, at least. The Nokia Morph, a concept phone that certainly won't be coming to fruition in the near future, features incredible nanotechnology that enables it to sense and adapt to its surroundings. Specifically, the nanoscale structure allows it to stretch, so you can wear it on your wrist if you so choose. No longer will you have to carry a brick-sized device in your pocket, and you won't have any excuses if you lose it.
  3. Repel dirt and grime: This is another desired capability of the Nokia Morph -- watch the video in the above link to see animated honey slide right off the phone. Given our dependence on our phones -- we carry them everywhere -- and the filth we accumulate on our hands, you can only imagine just how dirty our phones can get. Of course, the next step would be to make them germ-proof, but let's not hold out breaths.
  4. Display content on more than one side: The Flip, designed by design student Kristian Ulrich Larsen, can also change shapes, but in a different manner from the Morph. Its three flexible AMOLED displays can assume a variety of positions, forming shapes the user finds most comfortable. For example, if you want to watch a video hands-free, fold it into a triangle and sit it on a table. Or you can use two screens at once, something most avid phone users would find very useful.
  5. Expand into a PC: Touchscreens will be passé in future phone generations. Instead, we'll focus on PC or laptop-like holographic projections. The imaginary -- meaning it's not really being created at the moment -- Mozilla Seabird, a concept developed by award-winning product designer Billy May, can become a larger, more capable computing device. Sit it on your desk and watch the screen and keyboard blow up to the size of your laptop or desktop. The versatile device would make working on the go much, much easier. Imagine a coffee shop after these things have hit the market.
  6. Receive holographic text messages: Holographs will also make phone communication more personal. With holographic texts, not only will you be able to see the messenger speaking, but you'll also be able to bookmark parts of the message to view later. The bad part, however, is that it may be too personal. Without traditional texting, how are you going to cowardly make excuses for missing engagements or decline unwanted invitations?
  7. Actually recognize what you say: Voice recognition technology may already exist, but it's still primitive. How often do you command your phone to do something, only to have it do something completely different? Even paying a bill over the phone is difficult -- how many times do you have to repeat a simple "yes" or "no?" Because this sort of technology has long been coveted, it's sure to evolve into something more reliable. In the meantime, click the link and follow the advice in order to get the most out of the speech recognition software you have now -- or just go back to pushing buttons.
  8. Perform like a PC: It would be incredibly convenient to access programs such as Microsoft Word and Adobe Photoshop from your pocket, especially if you have to work on the go often. Common sense dictates that it'll soon be possible as smartphone processors become even more efficient. The potential problem, though, is the size of the screen, which can make it a pain to use a program for long periods of time, especially Word and Photoshop. But as we've already mentioned, that can be solved.
  9. Act as your personal assistant: The smartphone will truly becomesmart when it knows your preferences and acts accordingly. Soon it will be aware of everything on your PC, laptop or tablet -- if it doesn't already function as one -- and act as an independent personal assistant. For example, if traffic is backed up on your regular route, it'll alert you before your commute home, and when you're traveling, it'll suggest favorably reviewed restaurants that it knows you'd like. Essentially, your phone will read your mind.
  10. Go more than 24 to 36 hours without being recharged: Sometimes the most basic of problems are overlooked. Because phones are so multifaceted, they require a lot of energy. Once you purchased your phone, you likely went a little app crazy, and now several of them are running all the time. For that reason, you probably find yourself recharging your phone once a day. Thankfully, scientists in Korea are developing a solution using a nanomaterial found in calamine lotion that can convert sound waves into electricity. That's right, you might be able to charge your phone by simply talking into it. How's that for convenience?
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