The term "smartphone" generically refers to a handheld device that combines mobile phone capability with advance data functionality. In that sense, any Windows Mobile device with a built in phone is a smartphone. However, in this magazine, we differentiate between Pocket PCs with built-in phones—which we'll call "Phone Edition devices"—and mobile phones based on Microsoft's Windows Mobile OS and software suite—which we call "Windows Mobile Smartphones" or simply "Smartphones" (with the initial "S" capitalized.
A Windows Mobile Smartphone is based on hardware specifications as well as an operating system and set of software applications developed by Microsoft. Smartphones look and function more like a mobile phone, but also have PDA capability. A Pocket PC Phone Edition device more closely resembles a PDA in the way it looks and functions. However, many of the recently released Phone Edition devices are about 80% smaller than traditional Pocket PCs and come with built-in QWERTY thumb keyboards.
Sprint's new PPC-6700 Phone Edition
Sprint's new i930 Smartphone
Current Smartphones are based on either the Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition software or the Windows Mobile 5.0 software. The 2003 Second Edition devices include improvements to Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player, "always on" data, native Bluetooth support, plus the .NET Compact Framework is built-in (important for many third-party applications).
Windows Mobile 5.0 also supports the development of devices with other screen resolutions. For example, the yet-to-be-released Motorola Moto Q Smartphone has a square 240x240 pixel display. In addition, 5.0 supports the integration of Wi-Fi into Smartphones and adds the ability to attach photos to your contacts. Improvements in the OS should speed up performance and increase battery life on Pocket PCs as well as Smartphones. 5.0 also adds the Pocket MSN application to the Smartphone, which will make it easier for users of MSN services to access Hotmail and text messaging. ActiveSync 4.1 allows 5.0 Smartphones to synchronize Mobile Favorites Web sites from their desktop PC. Finally, 5.0 Smartphones will have the latest Windows Media Player 10 Mobile built into them, allowing them to sync media content from a desktop PC equipped with Windows Media Player 10.
Phone first, PDA second
While the Windows Mobile Smartphone is based on the same operating system as the Pocket PC, the hardware specs and user interface of the device are tailored to support its primary use as a phone. A Smartphone is smaller than a Pocket PC and has a smaller display. It does not have a touch-screen, and comes with a standard 12-key phone keypad, which allows dialing with your thumb or finger. In addition to the keypad, the Smartphone has a five-way navigation button for program navigation and control. For Pocket PC owners, the look and feel of the user interface is familiar.
As with a traditional mobile phone, you can use the keypad to dial a number. But what really comes in handy is the Smartphone's ability to quickly search Contacts for a phone number and then to easily dial it. As on the keypad of your home phone, each number on the keypad has a group of 3-4 letters assigned to it (2 = a, b, c; 3 = d, e, f; etc.). Start keying in the name of a contact (first or last name) and the Contacts application displays a list of names that match the letter combination you have entered so far (again, first and last names; see Fig. 1). Entering even a couple of letters reduces the list to a reasonable size. Then you can use the navigation button to select and dial the desired contact's phone number. It's fast and easy.
Fig. 1: Start entering the name of a friend or associate and Contacts displays a list of the names (first and last) that match the letters that have been entered so far.
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