Smartphones What are they and what are they good for?

What is a “Smartphone”? No standard definition The definition changes with time as technology advances One definition: “A device that lets you make telephone calls, but also adds in features that you might find on a personal digital assistant or a computer.”

Unique Smartphone Features Advance Messaging: Sync and handle multiple accounts QWERTY Keyboard High Speed Web Access, i.e., 3G-4G High Level Operating System: Can run productivity applications May also have: GPS, Accelerometer, Digital Compass, Proximity Detector

What Can a Smartphone Do? Phone Service Text Messaging Still and Video Camera Music & Video Player Web Browsing Organizer, i.e., calendar & address book Run Applications

Smartphone Applications Apps are user-installed software You name it and “There is an App for that” Lots of Apps for Different OS: Operating SystemApps Available Palm500+ MS Windows Mobile800+ Blackberry3,000+ Google Android20,000+ iPhone OS100,000+

Smartphone Data Connectivity Data Connectivity is needed to: Access & Manage Accounts Browse the Web Provide Data Flow for Apps Fast Data Connectivity is Important! Wi-Fi (LAN/WAN) 3G & EDGE (2G) (Cell Phone Provider)

Phone Provider Network (2G vs. 3G Data Flow) Network TypeDownload Speed (Mbps) * 2G (EDGE) ** Home LAN with AT&T DSL “Pro” Plan = “Up to 3 Mbps” Wi-Fi (LAN) 2.3 ** (~1½-5x “3G) 4G (future) Up to 10x “3G” (or more) 3G (UMTS) (~5-10x “2G) * AT&T Network Speed at my home in Walnut Creek

% MaxAvail.Min.Max.Avg. AT&T56% Verizon59% Sprint77% T-Mobile62% NotDownload (kbps) VoiceData Speed How do Phone Carriers Compare in the East Bay? A comparison of the Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Alamo, Danville, & Concord Area Only

Top 5 Smartphones (cnet- 1/04/10) * 2 year contract commitment typically required PhoneService ProviderOSCost * Apple iPhone 3G S AT&TiPhone$ Motorola DroidVerizonAndroid$ HTC Touch Pro2Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon MS Windows $ RIM Blackberry Bold 9700 AT&T, T-MobileBlackberry $99.99 Palm PreSprintPalm$ Other top phones: Google Nexus, HTC MyTouch 3G

Smartphone Costs * With 2 Year Commitment AT&T Cost 3GS iPhone w/ 16G$199 * SMS= $0.20/Msg, MMS= $0.30/Msg Voice Plan $30-70/Mo. Text Plan (if desired) $5-20/Mo. 3G Unlimited Data Plan $30/Mo.

Smartphone Web Browsing

App Examples – Included Apps

Video App (included) YouTube, Movies, TV Shows, etc.

Purchasing Smartphone Apps Apps purchased via phone or online from App store, i.e., iTunes, VCast, etc. Many Apps are free Most Apps cost less than $5 Some Apps cost as much as $ Load as many Apps as memory allows Movies, Videos, TV Shows & Music may also be purchased from App Store

Now Some App Examples…

News/Sports Apps (free)

AroundMe (free)

Wikipanion (free)

Location Services Apps (free) Yelp Urban Spoon Local Eats

Bing Mobile (free)

DailyFinance (free)

Tom Tom GPS ($99.99)

Golfshot GPS ($29.99)

MotionX GPS (free/$2.99)

BMW F1 ($1.99)

PS Mobile (free)

RedLazer ($1.99)

MS Tag Reader (free)

AppBox ($0.99) 21 Mini Apps for $0.99

iAccounts ($4.99)

Personal Assistant ( free/$6.99 )

Dragon (free)

Shazam (free)

AAA Roadside (free)

TravelTracker ($7.99/$8.99)

Southwest Airlines (free)

Wi-Fi Finder (free)

iBART (free)

CardStar (free)

Grocery Gadget (free/$4.99)

Facebook (free)

Movies (free)

Streaming Music Apps Pandora (free)Wunder Radio ($6.99)

Augmented Reality (AR) Apps New creative type of App Augmentation of the real world with computer generated imagery Uses GPS, Accelerometer, Digital Compass inputs Point at something and AR can give info on what you are looking at

AR App Examples Urbanspoon (free)Wikitude (free)

Lets Review… Smartphone: “A device that lets you make telephone calls, but also adds in features that you might find on a personal digital assistant or a computer.” It can’t do everything a PDA or computer can do, i.e., run large/complex programs But it can do many things that they can’t because it is has microphone, camera, gps, accelerometer data inputs and it’s mobile (fits in your pocket or purse).

Smartphones of the Future Faster Processing Speed Better Still/Video Camera Capability Longer Battery Life Faster Internet Access, i.e., 4G Improved Virus Protection More Creative Applications Perhaps a blending of stand-alone cameras, GPS and/or netbooks

The End.... Area 2 Computer & Tech. Web Site:

March 2010 C&T Meeting “Gadget”: eReaders Looking for members with eReaders to bring them to the March meeting to demonstrate their Kindle, Nook, Reader, etc.