Smart Phone Technology

Unfortunately the Smartphone Interest Group has closed.

The club would like to thank John Shiel for his efforts in running the group.

Here are a list of the presentations John has run.

Meeting 1 : Meeting 2 : Meeting 3 : Meeting 4 : Meeting 5 :

Meeting 4 contains some great information on how the iPad works.

August meeting

Some phones allow keyboard data entry as well as plug into an external screen or data projector, and we will focus on these at the next meeting. Also, is the iPhone4 the "killer" smartphone, and can you use an external keyboard or is there a better keyboard version coming?

If the user interface piece of the puzzle is solved, and the processor is fast enough and the device has many of the capabilities of the iPhone4, then we are well on the way to having the one phone to replace various devices.

These incude a HD video recorder, 5Mpx digital camera with GPS tagging to locate your photos on the map, street directory for the world, traffic reports, road speed by colour (google maps), location-based services (nearest restaurant, service station etc.), a tom-tom, MP3 player, tape recorder, radio, calendar, reminders and alarms, occasionally-connected computer applications where the user keeps working and the connection is transparently managed when the strength is appropriate (eg. sms, internet, email, editor for Office docs), sharing a folder of files the phone can open with a PC eg. "drop-box", voice recogition for dialling, and a presentation device that plugs into a data projector.

Although not all phones have many of these features which are found on the iPhone4 and Nokia 6710Navigator, we will explore smartphones with the ease of user input and the ability to type on a keyboard."

Last month we looked at the iPad closely, how it works, and how Apple had taken over a chip manufacturer to develop its own 1 GHz chip to power it and the iPhone. There were other similarities eg. they run the same operating system, and both have excellent screens. Since then the iPhone4 has been released locally, and the dealer can even change the battery!

We looked at how PC's and other devices can be used in Wi-Fi mode to reduce your mobile phone bills with skype, and talked about the value of buyng the 3G and Wi-Fi version of the iPad, or just a Wi-Fi version with a portable Wi-Fi router that can share several connections with your notebook and a mobile broadband USB stick.

We compared 3 of the latest smartphones, and looked at applications and items available for download, concentrating on the Apple Store due to its diversity and many free applications. Smartphones have almost reached the stage of replacing your PC or notebook.

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Why Buy a Smartphone?

As a busy person, you know the importance of staying a step ahead of your clients and your family. You probably know the feeling of being tied to your desk or home so as not to miss that important email or phone call and to maintain convenient access to essential data-proposals, schedules, contact information, business news or the stock market. However, thousands have newfound freedom using PDA-style smartphones designed for business (and fun). Today's smartphone traces its roots back to the personal digital assistant or PDA. Originally used as businessperson's right hand to track important client information, project statuses, and task lists, smartphones have evolved into an everyman's (and woman's) tool.

Smartphones are much more than just cell phones; they provide instant access to the web. Whether you're researching news to predict the stock market or looking for the perfect golf course on the weekend, you'll find it on the net.

Many smartphones allow you to sync with your desktop computer. This means you can store, view and work on documents directly on your handheld. You can also receive and respond to emails as they arrive in your inbox on your home computer with real-time push email.

Smartphones can also serve as multimedia devices, so your entertainment goes with you. They can store and display pictures and videos of friends and family and even entire feature-length movies. Most smartphones take pictures and capture video, but the most common multimedia function is the ability to play MP3s - sit back, relax, and enjoy your favorite tunes while traveling or during breaks. Read more about their latest selection... Source: TopTenREVIEWS™