What’s a Smart Phone?
With over 140 million sold every year around the world it is fairly certain that before too long you will be able to answer that question yourself!
A smartphone is a device which permits people to make mobile phone calls, while also possessing supplemental functionality that fundamentally are typically related to computers. However they represent more than just the fusion of cellular phone and personal digital assistant (PDA).
To better understand what a smartphone means a brief account of its progression might be useful. While the early cell phones evolved by getting smaller while at the same time more powerful, they also added functions. The initial phase toward mobile phones becoming smartphones was the introduction of the personal digital assistant (PDA). Just as cell phones main function PDAs, epitomized by the Palm Pilot, were designed to be used as personal and portable organizers, and little more. Personal digital assistants could store contact information, ‘to-do’ lists, and could synchronize with desktop computers. Over time personal digital assistants added wireless functionality and owners started emailing with them. Just as PDAs were incorporated into the mobile office environment, cell phones began sending and receiving e-mails. Personal digital assistants became more like communications devices, mobile phones gained computer-like features. The result was inevitable.
There is not a cell phone industry standard definition for what is a smartphone. However there are some typical functions among smartphones, including:
QWERTY Keyboard: By most definitions smartphones almost universally include a QWERTY keyboard. Meaning that the keys arearranged in the same manner as they are on typewriters and computer keyboards, rather than like a numeric keypad. Ironically the QWERTY Keyboard was originally developed in the 1800’s to slow down typing speed to keep typewriters from jamming. We’ve been struggling with that decision ever since, with little hope for change any time soon!
Another typical characteristic among smartphones is having an Operating System. In general, a smartphone will use an operating system that allows it to operate software programs much the same as a computer. The smartphone operating system is the most determining factor when trying to identify a smartphone. Some of the big names 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. When someone says” 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 have the identical features. It is important to identify the version, if attempting to check if the smartphone is compatible with third-party software programs 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 include some sort of software, as a contact manager for example , but a smartphone is going to have the ability to do many more things. Surf the web create and edit documents and spreadsheets, review files, download third-party software applications for various uses . The expansion of high speed data networks added to the addition of Wi-Fi, makes smartphones very useful.
Communications and Messaging: All mobile phone supports SMS text messaging, but smartphones use email. MMS multimedia message service extends SMS text messaging to include longer text, graphics, photos, audio clips, video clips and is becoming common too. Exchanging SMS messages, technically identified as Short Message System (SMS), but also acknowledged as “texting”, is a uncomplicated, effortless, and convenient way to communicate between cell phones. One facet of text messaging that makes it especially sensible for mobile software applications is that it utilizes mobile fixed identity, the phone number. Short Message Service (SMS) is a communication service component of the GSM mobile communication system. It utilizes uniform communications protocols that allow the exchange of short text messages between mobile devices.
A GPS locator isn’t unique to smartphones, however smartphones are taking advantage of this technology. Before long GPS will become almost as basic as the telephone, or more likely included with every phone handset. GPS can determine locations accurate to a matter of. In fact, incredibly with advanced forms of GPS it is possible to make measurements to better than a centimeter! It’s just like assigning every square meter on the globe its very own address. To track a mobile phone involves several main methods of determining smartphone position. GPS Global Positioning System-Satellites, Triangulation, and CellID. All these technologies transform mobile phones into mobile tracking devices.
An extremely impressive software program that assists parents and employers monitor cell phones and everyone to backup their communications data 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..