07-18-2008, 03:28 PM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 1
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Smartphone definition
Long time lurker... been reading this great site since the first day it appeared.
Way back when, when PocketPC OS first supported the phone feature with the added cellular modem in the PDA, a 'smartphone' was born.
A 'smartphone' was first designated as any cell phone that ran an alternative OS. At the time, an alternative OS meant that a separate Apps processor was needed to run the OS, as opposed to running the OS on the cellular modem chip, such as those from Qualcomm, TI, Nokia, etc.
Nowadays, cellular chips are so powerful, and have the proper software hooks, that you do not necessarily need a separate apps processor. But the major ingredient is still there - it runs an alternative OS.
So a smartphone is a Windows Mobile device, an iPhone, Blackberry, Palm, Symbian, Android, and all other flavors. A feature phone is a typical device from Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, AT&T that you are familiar with from Day 1 of the cell phone, and they still exist today.
It traditionally has nothing to do with how 'open' it is, how configurable, or how many third party apps exist. If people want to expand on the definition, than so be it.
I should note that there was a time when Microsoft had two OSs, Smartphone and PocketPC Phone (or something liek that). Smartphone was non-touch screen and meant for traditional small form factor phones, and Pocket Pc Phone was for PDAs. I guess this website knows about that since it maintains Smartphone Thoughts as well...
Out of curiosity, I just read the Wiki page on this topic - the debate continues over there as well. To me - VERY simple - alternative OS.
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