As you know, our publication is now called Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine. We changed the name, in part, to reflect the burgeoning growth of mobile phones and Windows Mobile Smartphones. Once I started paying more attention to Smartphones, I initially got very confused. I am, after all, a computer guy, and as one I tend to scope out the specs, find a model that meets my needs, and buy it.
As you may already know, it's not that simple with mobile phones. You might read a glowing review of a phone and go online to buy it, only to discover that your wireless carrier does not support it. To add to the confusion, the same mobile phone may be offered by different carriers, with different product names. Finally, there's the jargon and acronyms associated with the different wireless networks. You've got GSM, GPRS, CDMA, EDGE, EVDO, 3G, and on and on—it's like speaking a foreign language!
I thought I'd help eliminate some of the confusion by pointing you to some online resources that help explain all of this and more. In addition, I want to suggest some "mobile portals" for you to visit. A major feature of phones and networks today is the ability to handle data—that is, access the Internet. A problem, of course, is that much of the Internet wasn't designed for the small screen of a Pocket PC or Smartphone. Fortunately, there are some great mobile portals and search engines that let you access much of the Internet on your device, reformatting pages "on the fly" to fit the small screen.
Phone Scoop thoroughly explains cellular networks.
Phone Scoop's intro to cellular networks
Let's begin by looking at a great resource on Phone Scoop. Their feature article titled "Primer: Intro To Cellular Networks" (http://www.phonescoop.com/articles/primer_intro) briefly tells the history of mobile phone networks and explains what all the gobbledygook means. Reading this was a revelation for me.
In clear and simple language, the article explains what a cellular network is. The Details and Brief History sections of the article explain the different generations of the various networks and all the terms such as GPRS and CDMA.
The article also talks about the exciting advent of high-speed data networks, known as 3G (third generation), which allow you to use bandwidth-hungry applications such as full-motion video streaming, video-conferencing, and full Internet access at speeds up to 2 megabits per second—all on your phone-enabled device.
Sorting out the various phone names
Also confusing to me was the fact that the same phone can have several different names, depending on the wireless carrier or vendor that offers it. For example, the Taiwan company HTC developed a device it calls the Universal. It is marketed as the i-Mate JasJar, the O2 XDA Executive, the T-Mobile MDA, the Qtek 9000, the Dopod 900, the Orange SPV M5000, and the Vodofone VPA IV.
GeekZone maintains a comprehensive directory of Windows Mobile devices.
The Geek Zone (http://www.geekzone.co.nz/smartdevices.asp) maintains a comprehensive directory of Windows Mobile devices and phones that may be even more useful. It gives the specs for all the devices. And you can sort it in a variety of ways—by distributor, by device type, or by manufacturer. So for example, if you're looking at the i-mate K-JAM, you'll see that it was manufactured by HTC with the product name "Wizard." Click on HTC Wizard and you get a list of all the companies that offer the HTC Wizard and the model name they give the device. This is especially helpful in finding out if your carrier offers an appealing new device that has captured your attention. (Note that the full list is 11 pages long, sorted alphabetically. I initially missed the small "next" link at the bottom of the page.)
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