Perhaps the defining trait of a smartphone is its ability to load new applications. More than just a simple Java based game that you might download from the Internet, smartphone applications are capable of changing the basic way that a phone functions. You might be able to add push-email support to your phone (ala Blackberry), or add a keypad locking app that runs in the background. Most Java apps that run on non-smartphones only work while they are running on the phone's display. A smartphone allows its apps to become part of the phone itself, tying in to the rest of the data on the phone, and potentially connecting to data located elsewhere on the Internet or in your office.
The key to a smartphone is its Operating System, or OS. The OS determines what programs you will be able to run on your phone, what core suite of services are available on the device, and what the user interface (UI) that the phone uses looks and feels like.
There are 3 main operating systems available for smartphones: Symbian OS, PalmOS, and Windows Mobile. Symbian OS devices come in a variety of flavors that each have their own application offerings. PalmOS devices are fully compatible with each other and the many PalmOS PDAs on the market, meaning a wealth of existing applications. Windows Mobile devices traditionally have come in Smartphone OS and Pocket PC flavors, but Microsoft is now starting to merge the two device lines. There are many more Pocket PC apps available than Smartphone OS devices because of the large line of Pocket PC PDAs.
The key to a smartphone is its Operating System, or OS. The OS determines what programs you will be able to run on your phone, what core suite of services are available on the device, and what the user interface (UI) that the phone uses looks and feels like.
There are 3 main operating systems available for smartphones: Symbian OS, PalmOS, and Windows Mobile. Symbian OS devices come in a variety of flavors that each have their own application offerings. PalmOS devices are fully compatible with each other and the many PalmOS PDAs on the market, meaning a wealth of existing applications. Windows Mobile devices traditionally have come in Smartphone OS and Pocket PC flavors, but Microsoft is now starting to merge the two device lines. There are many more Pocket PC apps available than Smartphone OS devices because of the large line of Pocket PC PDAs.