Mobile Internet Devices and the Cloud

What Is Smartphone, and how will you define it?

The definition of the word “smartphone” depends on who you ask. A smartphone is actually a mobile device with advanced features. Current smartphones have more advanced features which can also be used as a personal computer. Many of the newer models come with custom operating systems and features that have a standardized GUI. Almost every Smartphone has advanced features like email, Internet access, instant messaging, and so on.

Operating Systems for Smartphones:

Many people think of a smartphone as a combination of a machine and a phone. The majority of smartphones run on a well-known and open-source operating system. This is a key feature that distinguishes smartphones from conventional cell phones, which can only run dedicated, proprietary apps. Let’s have a look at mobile devices and the software products that come with them in the following parts.

 Apple iPhone:

The Apple iPhone has a 3G link and runs on the Darwin operating system. Both Mac OS X and the iPhone OS are built around Darwin’s core components. SUSv3 and POSIX UNIX applications and utilities are compatible with Darwin. The iPhone boasts features including GPS mapping and support for business apps like Microsoft Exchange and the new App Store. It has a user-friendly interface with HTML email and a powerful web browser. The iPhone home screen is shown in Figure 9.1

Google:

Android is a Linux-based mobile computing interface and system software. It was created by Google at first and then by the Open Handset Alliance later on. Android is the world’s first fully functional, open, and free mobile app. To assist developers in getting started on novel apps, the Android Software Application is available.

Figure 9.1 The iPhone home screen.

Blackberry mobiles:

BlackBerry’s approach consists of smartphones that are compatible with a variety of applications. The BlackBerry is a wireless handheld computer first launched in 1999 as a two-way pager by Research In Motion (RIM), a Canadian company. Push email, mobile telephony, text messaging, internet faxing, web browsing, and other wireless information services were all provided by it.

Window Mobiles:

Windows Mobile is a small operating system that comes with a collection of popular mobile applications. The Microsoft Win32 API is used. Pocket PCs, tablets, portable media centers, and onboard computers for certain vehicles are among the devices running Windows Mobile. The appearance of Windows Mobile is intended to be close to that of Microsoft Windows on a desktop computer.

Ubuntu Mobile Internet Device (MID):

Ubuntu MID Edition is a handheld internet device-specific version of Ubuntu (MIDs). Ubuntu MID is a Linux distribution based on Ubuntu. The following are typical characteristics and features of MIDs.:

1.Usually a 4- to 7-inch touch screen in a small size/form factor

4. Keyboard (physical and/or virtual)
5. Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth, GPS, and WiMAX
6. Flash or disc storage of 2 to 8 GB
7. Memory: 256 to 512 MB (the more, the better)
8. Support for OpenGL 3D graphics
9. Headphones, microphone, USB, camera, headphone jack
10. User interface that can be customized (Flash or Cluster-based)