Introduction – What is a smart phone?
Firstly, to understand what smartphones are, you need to understand the meaning of the term ‘hybrid device’. This describes a single product that performs more than one different function. In relation to mobile handsets, what defines smartphone hybrid devices is that they have advanced computing operating systems with a processing power much like a PC. Plus they combine all this with a camera and music player.
This means that smartphones can complete complex functions when it comes to web browsing, application performance and streaming multimedia, allowing you to seamlessly multitask advanced actions and services while on the move. With the rapid advancements made in this type of technology and its popularity with the public worldwide, these pocket wonders increasingly include just about everything except the kitchen sink.
The following guide will explain with the main factors that make these mobile phones so smart.
Summary of Key Smartphone Functions
While traditional mobile phones focussed purely on your communication needs such as making and receiving calls or texting, smartphones also allow you to tailor your handset to match your digital needs and individual tastes.
Here are some of the main functions that smartphones can deliver:
? Download and run advanced applications such as useful widgets and video games.
? Internet browsing and E-mail (many include Wi-Fi).
? Data synchronisation with applications like Microsoft Outlook and with your social networking accounts such as Facebook.
? Instant messaging.
? Personal Information Management, including Calendar, Notebook and To-Do list.
? Integration with your laptop or desktop computer.
? Record and play audio and video files.
There are further exciting applications in development which will allow your smartphone to be even more useful. Near field communication technology is an example – it will allow your mobile to act as a wireless credit card at retail stores.
Main Features of ‘Smart’ Mobile Technology
Touchscreen Typing and Navigation
Touchscreen technology, which involves you tapping virtual keys instead of pressing actual buttons, is now the standard in smartphones. It is intuitive and lets your fingers fluidly navigate and type on the fly. Although some people initially find touchscreen oversensitive, most users soon find they don’t know how they ever got along without it. Smartphones have keyboards which range from full QWERTY (the standard layout for English-language computers) as with PC’s, to the traditional 12-key numeric format.
Operating System
As with a computer, an operating system (OS) is what drives the performance and capabilities of a smartphone. The main operating systems for these types of mobile devices are Blackberry, Microsoft Windows, Symbian and most recently Android and Apple’s Mac OS X for iPhones. Your choice of OS will define the applications and functionalities that your phone can accomplish, so be sure to clarify your user habits and make a note of features you most enjoy in a mobile when shopping around.
Internet & Email
Smartphones these days have built-in Wi-Fi and/or EDGE (Enhanced Data GSM Environment) connectivity, which facilitates faster web speeds than GPRS. They also deliver e-mails wirelessly to your handset and allow you to easily reply to them so that you’re never left out of the loop when away from your desk.
PC Synchronisation
All smartphones have their own software CD for installation on your PC so that they can conveniently tap into it for use when out and about. They do this by either using a cable connection (usually via a USB port) or wireless (Bluetooth or Wi-Fi). Some smartphones even have their own cradle to plug into your computer.
Memory
Considering the rapidly growing range of useful data available for smartphones these days such as applications, music and video clips, memory storage is crucial. Each manufacturer brand offers varying built-in internal memory capacity but they generally range from 20MB to 80MB – newer phones however such as the iPhone offer as much as 16GB. You can also buy external memory cards for extra storage in most smartphones.
Battery Life
Smartphones tend to use Lithium-Ion batteries which are fairly economical on energy. When it comes to their battery life however, this depends not only on manufacturer limits but also on your individual usage habits and the model’s operating system. Generally, you can expect an average talk time of about 5 hours, rising to a maximum of 13 hours. Standby time has an average of around 300 hours.
Conclusion
To answer the question: What is a smart phone? – the above guide information demonstrates in simple terms exactly why these mobile devices earn their clever reputation. All in all, smartphones are fast becoming the only way to go when it comes to performing a range of functions from any location you may find yourself in. From finding places of interest in the area you’re visiting to GPRS and staying up to date with your social media networks, these mobile computing stars are becoming an increasingly fun and useful necessity to our daily lives.
Tags: advanced applications, application performance, computer record, e mail, field communication, games internet, hybrid device, hybrid devices, internet browsing, mobile handsets, personal information management, rapid advancements, smart phone, social networking, streaming multimedia