Smartphones vs Stupidphones

[LuvCuteBoys]

Wasn't sure what they were called... LOL.

How much more can you really do on a smartphone vs a regular phone? I don't understand what the Smartphones do that others don't... aside from cost more money on your monthly bill.

 

[golfgal]

Thanks for the chuckle!

Basically a Smartphone allows you to access the internet, receive emails, sync your home email with your phone email/calendar/contacts, etc. Depending on the carrier, having Smartphone access is about $30/month extra. You can have a phone with internet access for about $10/month.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

The main things are email and internet. you can do these things on some of the non smartphones but the interface is better on the smartphones (at least some of them )

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

I guess that's why I'm confused... my stupidphone does all of those things and my data plan is only $10/month. Jumping to a smartphone would change the data plan to $30/month.

I can't figure out what else I'm getting for that extra $240/year

Yes, I know. I should just go to the Verizon store.

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

Hmmmm.... so it's kind of like switching from dial-up internet to cable? Both do the same thing, but one is just better?

 

[golfgal]

I guess that's why I'm confused... my stupidphone does all of those things and my data plan is only $10/month. Jumping to a smartphone would change the data plan to $30/month.

I can't figure out what else I'm getting for that extra $240/year

Yes, I know. I should just go to the Verizon store.

I could be wrong, but is part of the Smartphone access the 3G access vs needing wi-fi available for a Stupidphone?

 

[PFlamingo]

I could be wrong, but is part of the Smartphone access the 3G access vs needing wi-fi available for a Stupidphone?

Not necessarily. I asked this same question when I upgraded my phone. Apparently a smartphone can access any website, the same way it would look on your computer. The others have more limited site access. Sounded good to me.

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

Not necessarily. I asked this same question when I upgraded my phone. Apparently a smartphone can access any website, the same way it would look on your computer. The others have more limited site access. Sounded good to me.

Okay, that makes sense... cuz I don't need wifi to use my stupidphone, but the internet pages don't look the same as they do on my computer. Hmmm.

I think I've coined a new term. LOL.

 

[tlbwriter]

Apparently a smartphone can access any website, the same way it would look on your computer.

Unless you have an iPhone and the website uses Flash...

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

Hmmmm.... so it's kind of like switching from dial-up internet to cable? Both do the same thing, but one is just better?

Yep, pretty much.

I had the $10 a month plan on my motorola razr but using the internet was a pain. I upgraded to a blackberry and checking my email and discussion boards was so much easier. I now have an android phone which is even better than my blackberry was.

It is like a mini computer in my pocket, I can even open up Microsoft Office documents and view them on the go.

 

[PFlamingo]

I think I've coined a new term. LOL.

Maybe, but think of the poor phone's self-esteem.

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

Haha... that's the fault of whoever coined "smartphone"

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

Not necessarily. I asked this same question when I upgraded my phone. Apparently a smartphone can access any website, the same way it would look on your computer. The others have more limited site access. Sounded good to me.

So does anyone know if this is what is considered "mobile broadband capable"? The one I'm looking at is NOT... but the reviews keep talking about how fast the internet is

 

[monkeybug]

My iphone does more than just access my e-mail and the internet (and the internet does look exactly like it does on my home computer...unless it's flash )
A lot of smart phones are also all about the apps. I can't even begin to list all the apps and what they do, but a few I can think of now are-

google maps (which uses gps, and functions similar to a car gps).

skype, with skype I can call overseas or even locally for MUCH less than what it would cost me in minutes. You can really reduce the number of minutes you use.

Red laser- scans barcodes on products and lets me know what they are selling for at nearby retailers.

Card star- stores all your club cards (safeway, petco, ect) on your phone and generates a barcode that can be scanned just like the actual card, so I don't have to worry about carrying around all those dang cards!

Face time- this only works if your talking to someone who also has an iphone 4, but it is awesome! Especially with my husband being in the military and away from home occasionally!

Around me- tells me what business are nearby, broken down into categories.

Bump- this allows you to bump your phone against another to transfer data between the two.

Pandora- great music app

Angry birds- very helpful while waiting in boring DMV lines!
Youtube- see above

There are millions more, one for just about everything you can imagine. From an app that works as a level, to an app that lets you unlock your car with your phone.

 

[okeydokey]

I love my Droid. It syncs my work calendar and work contacts. It is a GPS so I never get lost anymore. It even has a built in flashlight and compass, both of which I use. I love YELP, no matter where I go I can see where the nearest restaurant, store or gas station, along with user reviews. Pandora radio is great, and when the kids are bored we play with the magic 8 ball.

 

[tlbwriter]

I think I've coined a new term. LOL.

Believe it or not, they're actually called "dumb phones" by techie people.

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

And here I thought I was being so clever... rofl.

 

[ChrisFL]

IPhones, Android Phones and even Blackberry devices can do SO MANY more things than phone/web/email it's not even funny.

The Iphone App store has probably close to 300,000 Applications now.

These kinds of smartphones are becoming more like handheld laptops these days...with nearly the same amount of functionality.

A few really cool features I've seen recently:

One bank (Chase?) now allows you to take a picture of a check to automatically deposit it to your account

In St. Petersburg, FL, I just saw on the news today that you can use your smartphone to pay for a parking meter, it will even alert you if your time is about to run out!

Google estimated last month that there's 200,000 Android devices being activated DAILY! That's an insane number, and add that to the Apple and Blackberry ones...this smartphone business may quickly become revolutionary in the way we do things on a daily basis.

I've been doing a lot of research as I plan to start making my own Apps in a few months...this time really feels like the Internet, circa 1997-98, without the bubble burst, because the investment money isn't nearly as high, but a LOT of inviduals and small upstart companies are doing well.