A
Smartphone is a mobile device that is able to combine the functionality of a
Phone, a PDA (Personal Digital
Assistant) and a Computer. A Smartphone uses an advanced mobile operating
system to achieve this feat.
Some of
Smartphone’s operating system include
Symbian OS from Nokia, iphone OS from
Apple, Android from Google, BlackBerry Os from Research In Motion (RIM) and
Windows Phone from Microsoft
To make Smartphones
multitasking they are equipped with powerful micro-processors that also ensure
a smooth user experience. They also
offer users a wide range of functions that are improving with new software
update.
The demand
for Smartphones globally has increased over that of Personal Computers(PC) and
Laptop for obvious reasons which include:
§ The Smartphone is
able to perform the functions of a PC and Laptop.
§ The size of the
Smartphone makes it more convenient to carry about.
§ They can make telephone
calls which is what Phones were originally designed to do. Although internet calls can be made with PCs
and Laptops, this is not a very convenient way to engage in a telephone
conversation.
FEATURES OF
A SMARTPHONE
Some of the
features of a Smartphone include:
·
Smartphones have their own web browsers that let
you access the internet on the go. These work in the same way as the web
browser on your computer, so you can set favourites and often have multiple
pages open at the same time.
·
They have touchscreen user interface which makes typing faster
·
They can run third-party Applications
·
They have multi- media players to play music and videos
·
They can record music and videos
·
They have
cameras. A front facing
camera enables you to makes video calls using services such as Skype or Apple's
Facetime and also take Selfies.
·
They have motion sensor mechanism.
·
High Storage capability
·
MicroSD slot
·
Mapping
Services: All smartphones
come with their own mapping service and GPS receiver. This can help you plot
routes and many will even provide turn by turn voice navigation, just like
you’d get from a dedicated sat nav.
·
Cloud storage: Some premium
smartphones include free online storage (also called cloud storage) through
services such as Dropbox. Not only does this boost your available storage space
but it means that your photos and videos won't be lost if your phone is broken
or stolen. And because your files are stored online it's easy to share them
with your friends and family.
·
Wi-Fi: This
enables compatible devices to connect wirelessly to the internet either through
your home network or via a Wi-Fi hotspot. This is usually much faster than
connecting over a mobile network and won’t use up any data allowance you may
have on your mobile contract.
·
Bluetooth is a way of wirelessly connecting your
phones to other Bluetooth-compatible devices. It uses a short-range (1-10
metre) radio frequency, so the devices don't have to be in line of sight of
each other and can even be in other rooms. Bluetooth is mainly used for
hands-free devices such as Bluetooth headsets and hands-free kits, as well as
transferring files from a phone to a PC or vice versa.
·
DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) enables
you to share music, photo, and video files across a wireless connection. So for
example, you could connect your smartphone to your home Wi-Fi network, and
stream movies stored on the phone to your big screen TV.
·
NFC( Near Field Communication) lets you
wirelessly transmit data over very short distances. It’s a similar system to
Bluetooth, though NFC is much faster. Some smartphones come with NFC smart tags
that can be used to change the phone's set up. For example you could swipe the
tag in your car to switch on Bluetooth, enable GPS and launch the satnav app -
much quicker and easier than having to manually change all the settings.
But
its NFC’s potential for making contactless payments that is causing most
excitement and we’ve already seen the first phones that you can ‘swipe’ (like
an Oyster card on the London Underground) to pay for items.
·
QWERTY Keyboard:
By our definition, a smartphone includes a Qwerty keyboard. This means that the
keys are laid out in the same manner they would be on your computer
keyboard--not in alphabetical order on top of a numeric keypad, where you have
to tap the number 1 to enter an A, B, or C. The keyboard can be hardware
(physical keys that you type on) or software (on a touch screen), like you'll
find on the iPhone).
·
Challenges
of using a Smartphone
·
Battery Life: Battery Life of
Smartphones are generally shorter than their Non-Smartphone counterpart. This is due to the many applications it can
run at a time. The use of power Banks
has reduced some of the stress caused by shorter battery life.
·
Social: ability to
get information on the go and to connect the world at such a fast speed has resulted in increased social vices. The competition among youths to be the first
to have an update version of a Smartphone has also led to criminalities. Use of Smartphones at night can adversely
affect sleep cycles.
·
Medical: With the rise in
number of mobile medical apps in the market place, government regulatory
agencies raised concerns on the safety of the use of such applications. These
concerns were transformed into regulation initiatives worldwide with the aim of
safeguarding users from untrusted medical advice
·
Size: The size which is an
advantage can also be a disadvantage. It
can easily be misplaced or stolen. When your Smartphone gets into the wrong
hands, your personal security information can be compromised.
What
constitutes a Smartphone today may
change by next week, next month, or next year. While technology is improving at an alarming
rate, users of Smartphone and such other devices must take necessary
precautions to ensure that the disadvantages of this devices (like radiation
effect from prolong use) do not challenge their health and mental well being.
.
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