What is a "smartphone"?

[baggins]

Hey folks,

I visit pocketpcthoughts all the time, and I just dropped by here for the contests :wink: , hehe, but seriously... what exactly is a smartphone? I have no clue - I am a newbie, so sue me. But um, who are the makers, what networks support them, and what are their capabilities?

Thanks from a newbie!

[Skitals]

microsoft operating system for phones. I think all smartphones are currently GSM phones. You know how pocketpc is kinda a stripped down version of windows? Well smartphone is like a stripped down version of pocket pc. It does most of the same stuff.

[ppcsurfr]

What is a Smartphone.... well technically a smartphone is a mobile phone with an OS which can be enanced by the use of additional software.

There are Symbian powered smartphones like the ones that run on UIQ and Series 60... there are those that run on Microsoft's Windows OS called Smartphone 2002... which will be Windows Mobile for Smartphone soon...

Mabuhay! ~ Carlo

[Skitals]

What is a Smartphone.... well technically a smartphone is a mobile phone with an OS which can be enanced by the use of additional software.

There are Symbian powered smartphones like the ones that run on UIQ and Series 60... there are those that run on Microsoft's Windows OS called Smartphone 2002... which will be Windows Mobile for Smartphone soon...

Mabuhay! ~ Carlo

I think MS officially owns the term "Smartphone" now. While yes their are other "smartphones"... this site is dedicated to those running the microsoft operating system. In Jason's own words:

"It brings me great pleasure to launch this new site dedicated to the Microsoft Windows Mobile Smartphone platform."

Peace

[Skitals]

ppcsurfr, actually, maybe I should mess with you. You are the number 1 poster and have over 12% of all the forums posts. lol :P

[baggins]

So how is the ease of use compared to pocket pc's? I suppose the only text-entering option is some time of multi tap system on the keypad?

[spg]

So how is the ease of use compared to pocket pc's? I suppose the only text-entering option is some time of multi tap system on the keypad?
While I don't own one, from my understanding you are correct. The only form of input is the keypad. There are some uses of sound recording (this is after all a phone), but not for text input.

[spg]

Also, see this thread for more on text input - http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3721

[ppcsurfr]

ppcsurfr, actually, maybe I should mess with you. You are the number 1 poster and have over 12% of all the forums posts. lol :P

Hehehe... You noticed. :lol:

Mabuhay! ~ Carlo

[ppcsurfr]

I think MS officially owns the term "Smartphone" now. While yes their are other "smartphones"... this site is dedicated to those running the microsoft operating system. In Jason's own words:

"It brings me great pleasure to launch this new site dedicated to the Microsoft Windows Mobile Smartphone platform."

Peace

I'm not sure if Microsoft can own the name Smartphone... like until now... they still do not own te name Pocket PC... Although they own Windows Mobile now (if I'm not mistaken).

Mabuhay! ~ Carlo

[ppcsurfr]

So how is the ease of use compared to pocket pc's? I suppose the only text-entering option is some time of multi tap system on the keypad?

For the standard keypad, you can either use multi-tap or T9. If you own a soft keyboard... like the Eleksen one then you gwt full QWERTY access.

Mabuhay! ~ Carlo

[Skitals]

I'm not sure if Microsoft can own the name Smartphone... like until now... they still do not own te name Pocket PC... Although they own Windows Mobile now (if I'm not mistaken).

Mabuhay! ~ Carlo

Well I think that if Palm decided to create a cell phone operating system, and named it Palm Smartphone or something... microsoft would have a thing or two to say about it :D

[spg]

I'm not sure if Microsoft can own the name Smartphone... like until now... they still do not own te name Pocket PC... Although they own Windows Mobile now (if I'm not mistaken).

Mabuhay! ~ Carlo

Well I think that if Palm decided to create a cell phone operating system, and named it Palm Smartphone or something... microsoft would have a thing or two to say about it :D
Well, it depends. (Doesn't it always? :?) Microsoft owns the name "Windows powered Smartphone", so if Palm came up with something and called it "Palm OS Smartphone edition" Microsoft probably would not like it, but I'm not sure they could do anything about it. Of course it would ultimately be up to however a judge handling the case was feeling on a particular day. :)

[jenneth]

I'm not sure if Microsoft can own the name Smartphone... like until now... they still do not own te name Pocket PC... Although they own Windows Mobile now (if I'm not mistaken).

Mabuhay! ~ Carlo

Well I think that if Palm decided to create a cell phone operating system, and named it Palm Smartphone or something... microsoft would have a thing or two to say about it :D
Well, it depends. (Doesn't it always? :?) Microsoft owns the name "Windows powered Smartphone", so if Palm came up with something and called it "Palm OS Smartphone edition" Microsoft probably would not like it, but I'm not sure they could do anything about it. Of course it would ultimately be up to however a judge handling the case was feeling on a particular day. :)

I don't ahink it has anything to do with how the judge is feeling ;) I'm not entirely familiar with how trademark law works in the US, but if the name is similiar enough to a registered trademark so es to cause confusion in the minds of consumers, then the trademark owner has an actionable claim - for eg see the case where Microsoft was challenging a Linux firm who were marketing an OS called lindows"

[spg]

I don't ahink it has anything to do with how the judge is feeling ;) I'm not entirely familiar with how trademark law works in the US, but if the name is similiar enough to a registered trademark so es to cause confusion in the minds of consumers, then the trademark owner has an actionable claim - for eg see the case where Microsoft was challenging a Linux firm who were marketing an OS called lindows"
I know, judges are very fair, just making a little joke. :)

Yes, that is true, although Microsoft did lose that battle. I think the same thing would end up happening if there were ever to be another "Smartphone" of some kind. Smartphone isn't a new name at all, and Microsoft certainly did not come up with it. So I still don't think they would actually be able to win a suit against someone in that situation. I'll be the first to admit though, I'm not an expert on the law by any means.

[jenneth]

I have no idea if Microsoft has a trademark on the term "Smartphone" or not. Anyone? The reason why Microsoft lost the case against Lindows was because they weren't able to prove that people would confuse "Lindows" with "Windows". Someone else incorporating the word "Smartphone" into their own product name (assuming that Microsoft has a trademark on it) would be an entirely different ball game.

[spg]

I have no idea if Microsoft has a trademark on the term "Smartphone" or not. Anyone? The reason why Microsoft lost the case against Lindows was because they weren't able to prove that people would confuse "Lindows" with "Windows". Someone else incorporating the word "Smartphone" into their own product name (assuming that Microsoft has a trademark on it) would be an entirely different ball game.
That is certainly true... a quick search of the US trademark database shows that they have a trademark on "Windows powered Smartphone". Not the word Smartphone specifically. Still... hard to judge, and who knows if it will even ever be an issue. Right now I'm just ready for them to get it widely available in the US, so people can get a chance to use this cool technology. 8)

[ppcsurfr]

Okay... something to clear up here...

Let's call the device a smartphone... with a lowercase "s"... then we are talking about a category of phones here... Use uppercase "S", then it becomes a name...

Mabuhay! ~ Carlo

[spg]

Okay... something to clear up here...

Let's call the device a smartphone... with a lowercase "s"... then we are talking about a category of phones here... Use uppercase "S", then it becomes a name...

Mabuhay! ~ Carlo
::Can just hear the conversations...:: "NO! Not Smartphone, smartphone!" :lol:

You do have a good point though...

[encece]

I was browsing over at the Brighthand forums and noticed that their relatively new smartphone forum has now changed.

There was one main category called smartphones and under it Orange SPV, Treo, Symbian, etc....

Now it is split up like this:
Smartphones
Microsoft Windows Powered Smartphones
Microsoft's Smartphone software
Palm Powered Smartphones
Symbian OS Powered Smartphones

I wonder if a greater power "suggested" the reorganization to clear up any confusion with the name...smartphone???

[TANKERx]

The concept of a 'smartphone' has been around for longer than Microsoft's discovery and alleged innovation :roll:

I agree with a previous poster who said that 'Microsoft Windows Powered Smartphone' is probably registerable, but not 'Smartphone' or 'smartphone'. I think it's a clever move of Microsoft's to hijack the word - but this should only apply to geeks because most normal people I talk to think of smart phones as phones that can do fancy stuff, and that includes phones that aren't that smart.