When you get a new phone there's a complex and time-consuming process required in order to get all of your settings into the phone (for things like POP3 and SMTP server addresses, instant messaging settings, address book and calendar settings, etc.). Most people don't even know what all of those things mean let alone what they are supposed to type in on that tedious little keyboard. Rather than going through all of that, the phone should just download those settings from AuthentiKey like this little J2ME application...
First, select a user ID, either by picking one already previously used or type in a new one.
Next, provide a password.
Next, all of the settings, server names, passwords, etc. are downloaded and configured on the phone.
...and we are all done!
While this is pretty cool it could be even better. Rather than entering a user ID and password, a simple biometric device (like a fingerprint reader) could be added to the phone which would identify the user, verify his identity, and initiate the download of settings.
Doing this would allow there to be no interface at all and just a fingerprint pad that will at a touch reconfigure a phone for a new user. It coudln't be more simple.
Some kind of method like this of setting up small devices like this is almost inevitable over time for several reasons:
As Moore's Law forces prices of the Internet devices fall, and more of them become more "disposable", it will no longer be possible to include $25 in technical support services since the whole device won't cost much more than that. As people have more devices (computers, cell phones, PDAs, PVRs, car computers, laptops, etc.) and services, the number of combinations grows exponentially as does the complexity of explaining to each device and service how to interact with all of the others. Smaller more single-purpose devices will have less need for complex user interface devices like keyboards, but still need configuration and integration with other devices and will therefore need an automatic configuration system. Competitive pressures will give a strong advantage to manufacturers who include automatic configuration services both from a usability and features point of view as well as the cost of providing keyboards and technical support.