What is a Smartphone?
What is a Smart Phone?
With over 140 million sold every year around the world it is fairly certain that soon you will be able to answer that question yourself!
A smartphone is a device which lets someone to make mobile phone calls, while providing additional functionality which basically are normally related to computers. However smartphones represent more than just the union of cell phone and personal digital assistant (PDA).
To better understand what a smartphone means a brief history of its progression might be useful. While the early mobile phones evolved by getting smaller while simultaneously becoming more powerful, they also added what they could do. The first point toward cellular phones becoming smartphones was the development of the personal digital assistant (PDA). Just as cell phones main purpose personal digital assistants, typified by the Palm Pilot, were developed to be used as personal and portable organizers, and little more. Personal digital assistants stored contact info, ‘to-do’ lists, and could synchronize with desktop computers. Over time PDAs added wireless capabilties and users began emailing with them. Just as PDAs were integrated into the mobile office environment, cell phones started sending and receiving e-mails. Personal digital assistants became more like communications devices, mobile phones gained computer-like features. The result is the smartphone.
There is not a mobile phone industry standard definition for what is a smartphone. But there are some common characteristics among smartphones, including:
QWERTY Keyboard: By most definitions smartphones usually include a QWERTY keyboard. Meaning that the keys arearranged in the same manner as they would be on typewriters and computer keyboards, not like a numeric keypad. Ironically the QWERTY Keyboard was originally designed in the 1800’s to slow down typists to prevent typewriters from jamming. We’ve been struggling with that decision ever since, with little hope for change in the near future!
An additional typical function among smartphones includes having an Operating System. Generally speaking, a smartphone will use an operating system that allows it to control software applications much the same as a computer. The smartphone operating system is the most determining factor when identifying a smartphone. Some of the leading hardware manufacturers use their own proprietary system which is exclusive to their brand – BlackBerry and Apple iPhone. Other operating systems are licensed to handset manufacturers, Android, Windows Mobile, Symbian operating systems are used by a wide range of handset brands. If you say” I have a BlackBerry”, then they have a BlackBerry operating system. If someone says I have an HTC or a Samsung, it might have Android, Windows Mobile or even a Symbian operating system. However not all BlackBerry operating systems support the same features. It is critical to identify the version, if attempting to check if the smartphone is compatible with third-party software applications such as Parental Monitoring, Employee Monitoring and Information Backup software from PhoneBeagle for BlackBerry and Android .
Software and Web Access: Just about every brand of mobile phones offer some sort of software, for managing contacts for example , however a smartphone will have the ability to do a lot more. Surf the internet create and edit documents and spreadsheets, review files, download third-party software applications for various uses . The expansion of high speed data networks combined with the addition of Wi-Fi, makes smartphones very useful.
Communications and Messaging: All cell phone includes SMS text messaging, but smartphones can handle email. MMS multimedia message service extends SMS text messaging to include longer text, graphics, photos, audio clips, video clips and is becoming common too. Sending SMS text messages, technically defined as Short Message System (SMS), but more commonly acknowledged as “texting”, is a uncomplicated, effortless, and handy method to communicate between mobile phones. One aspect of text messaging that makes it especially useful for mobile software applications is that it utilizes mobile phone fixed identity, the phone number. SMS text messaging is the most commonly used data application on earth, boasting about 2.4 billion active users, or almost 75% of all cellular phone subscribers.
While having GPS location tracking isn’t unique to smartphones, however they are making more use of this technology. Before long GPS will become almost as common as the telephone, or more likely included with every cell phone. GPS can determine positions accurate to a matter of. In fact, incredibly with advanced equipment it is possible to make measurements to better than a centimeter! It’s just like giving every square meter on earth a unique address. These systems can be viewed as Network Based, Handset Based or a Hybrid approach. GPS location is Handset based as it needs software programs installed on the smartphone along with GPS hardware. Triangulation and CellID are Network Based as they use the equipment and data from the cellular provider. Hybrid systems combine techniques to make best use of available information and to make position mobile phone tracking faster.
An extremely impressive software program that helps parents and employers monitor cell phones and everyone to backup their communications information including GPS location, SMS text messages, MMS messages and phone event/call logs is Phone Beagle.
Mobile Monitoring software for BlackBerrys and Androids from Phone Beagle..
