Glossary

1. Advanced Mobile Service (AMPS)

AMPS is the analog mobile phone system by Bell Labs. This system was introduced in 1983 in the U.S. and Australia in 1987. Today carriers in the U.S. are no longer obligated to support AMPS and most companies except Nextel have discontinued the service permanently.

2. Air Interface

A radio based communication link between the mobile station and the base station. Access modes include but are not limited to AMPS, TDMA, CDMA GSM and IDEN.

3. Air Time

Related to talk time, it is the amount of time spent with an open connection on the mobile device. A majority of providers use this as a basis for billing.

4. Analog

Method of conveying information based on variations in electrical current and amplitude over a discrete period of time. AM (Amplitude Modulation) and FM(Frequency Modulation) are two common analog examples. AMPS and FDMA services are analog systems that are quickly becoming obsolete due to inefficiency of signal transmission, security and quality issues.

5. Android

Google’s Smartphone Operating System unveiled in 2008. The Android is a Linux based, that, because of the open source functionality will be flexible, expandable and will attract 3rd party developers to create a myriad of applications. HTC released the G1 in October of 2008 to be the first manufacturer to create a handheld specifically for the Android operating system.

6. Antenna

Component of a cell phone designed to aid in the transmission and reception of radio waves. They can be retractable, built in, or fixed length. Most modern cell phones have internal antennas that require no attention.

7. Base Station

Synonymous with “cell site” or “cell tower”, which is where a site where antennas and electronic communications equipment are placed to generate a cell or part of a mobile phone network.

8. Basic Trading Area (BTA)

A geographical region defined by Rand McNally and later adopted by the FCC for licensing of Personal Communications Services and other wireless services. A BTA contains adjacent counties that are associated by businesses and commuting patterns. There are currently 493 BTAs in the U.S.

9. Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a short range wireless protocol utilized in creating PANs or Personal Area Networks between devices mobile and fixed. Bluetooth was designed with the idea that a person will be able to connect multiple devices together without the problems associated with synchronization. Tethering uses a Bluetooth connection to give your PDA or Laptop high speed access. As Bluetooth becomes more widely used we are noticing the technology integrated into cars as well as Bluetooth enabled computer peripherals. The Bluetooth protocol is broken up into different types of profiles with specific functionality. As far as the majority of mobile phones go they are Headset (HSP), and Hand free (HFP) profiles which are typically used for headsets, cradles and the like. There is also (OBEX) or Object Exchange profiles that enable data file transfers (OPP) of contacts and events, (DUN) are used for the formally mentioned tethering. Finally there is (BPP) to connect printers and keyboards (HID) and finally stereo (A2DP and ACRC). There are two classes of Bluetooth phone. Class 2 is the most prominent and has a range of up to 30 feet. Class 1 is rare but has a range of up to 300 feet.

10. Femtocell

Originally known as an Access Point Base Station, a femtocell is a scaled down cellular base station designed to be used in residential or small business environments. The femtocell connects to the service provider’s network through a broadband connection. A femtocell gives service providers extended coverage indoors. UMTS is an example of a femtocell containing Node B, RNC and GSN with Ethernet for backhaul. The concept is applicable to all standards including GSM, CDMA2000, TD-SCDMA, and WiMax solutions.

11. LiIon

Stands for Lithium Ion. A type of rechargeable battery used in wireless communication devices in which a lithium ion moves from the anode and cathode. The Lithium Ion battery has an excellent energy to weight ratio making it perfect for wireless devices. NiCd and MiMH batteries are inferior to the Lithium version, however there is a superior battery on the market. Please See LiPolymer.

12. LiPolymer

Stands for Lithium Polymer. Rechargeable batteries derived from the Lithium Ion Batteries. The difference between the two is that the lithium-salt electrolyte is kept in a solvent form in the original lithium ion battery but is held in a composite polymer like polyethylene oxide or polyacrylonitrile. The Lithium polymer battery is superior to the lithium ion battery due to its’ low manufacturing costs as well as its strong constitution makes it more resistant to physical damage.

13. Lithium Ion

A type of rechargeable battery used in wireless communication devices in which a lithium ion moves from the anode and cathode. The Lithium Ion battery has an excellent energy to weight ratio making it perfect for wireless devices. NiCd and MiMH batteries are inferior to the Lithium version, however there is a superior battery on the market. Please See LiPolymer.

14. Lithium Polymer

Rechargeable batteries derived from the Lithium Ion Batteries. The difference between the two is that the lithium-salt electrolyte is kept in a solvent form in the original lithium ion battery but is held in a composite polymer like polyethylene oxide or polyacrylonitrile. The Lithium polymer battery is superior to the lithium ion battery due to its’ low manufacturing costs as well as its strong constitution makes it more resistant to physical damage.

15. Live TV

The ability to view live broadcasts of television shows through certain providers. There are providers that offer different viewing packages. This is made possible as displays are produced with higher resolution and faster wireless data networks become available.

16. MB

Megabyte is an ambiguous term having different meanings based on what it is referencing. If the unit of measurement refers to storage capacity of flash, hard drives, DVDs, etc: 1MB=1,000,000 bytes or 1000^2 bytes or 10^6. bytes If the unit of measurement refers to computer memory: 1MB=1,048,576 bytes or 1024^2 bytes or 2^20. bytes By the end of 2007 standards and government authorities require the megabyte to represented by 1000^2 while the new mebibyte would represent 1024^2.

17. Megabyte

18. Megapixel

A pixel is a picture element and represents the smallest piece of information of an image. Megapixel literally means 1 million pixels. This is a widely used form of measurement when describing the resolution of a digital camera or a display screen. An example of a 1 megapixel camera will have a resolution of ~ (1200x900). Megapixel images are overkill for current messaging applications on today’s mobile phones. Unless high resolution pictures are downloaded onto a computer, their full potential will never be realized in phone applications alone.

19. MicroUSB

MicroUSB is a standard connector used on may cell phones. The miniUSB connector is the adapter end that mates with the actual phone while the opposite end can be a standard USB connector used to mate with the computer, head phones or in some cases a power plug. The USB cord also carries a current and can, in some instances, be used to charge the phone. MicroUSB connectors are fast becoming the norm and taking the place of the large MiniUSB.

20. MiniUSB

MiniUSB is a standard connector used on may cell phones. The miniUSB connector is the adapter end that mates with the actual phone while the opposite end can be a standard USB connector used to mate with the computer, head phones or in some cases a power plug. The USB cord also carries a current and can, in some instances, be used to charge the phone. MiniUSB connectors are fading out and making way for the newer, smaller MicroUSB connectors are becoming the standard in the next generation of phones.

21. Resolution

Display resolution is the number of distinct pixels per dimension that can be or is displayed on a camera or screen. Not to be confused with size of the display, resolution is represented as the amount of pixels per inch displayed by columns and rows. A display with 240 columns and 320 rows of pixels has a 240 x 320 resolution which would be superior to a display with a 176 x 220 resolution. The more pixels in a given area = more picture or display clarity. Many types of camera resolutions have special acronyms such as VGA, QVGA, CIF, and QCIF.

22. Smartphone

A smartphone is a mobile phone offering advanced capabilities beyond a typical mobile phone, often with PC-like functionality.

23. Standby Time

The maximum duration a wireless device can remain charged, powered up and functional before the battery expires. Standby time is decreases each time the wireless device is in use (Talk Time) due to the high degree of energy draw while active. Standby time may be expressed in days due to the long time frame represented. Less power is drained from the battery during standby than talk time. Please see Talk Time.

24. Talk Time

The maximum duration a wireless device is able to be connected and in use whether for phone dialog or data transmission before the battery expires. Talk time is usually expressed in hours and minutes due to the time frame represented. Talk time is less than standby time due to the higher amount of energy drain on the battery for phone or data transmission. Please Standby Time.

25. TFT

Thin Film Transistor or TFT is a specific type of field effect transistor that is produced by combining an active semiconductor, a dielectric and metallic contacts over a substrate, usually glass. This type of LCD technology that is to become the norm in 2008 enhances image quality and response time. This type of display can be more expensive but is an available display available in many handsets.

26. USB

USB or Universal Serial Bus is a serial bus standard used to connect devices to desk or laptop computers. USB was designed to allow different types of peripherals in an attempt to â??Standardizeâ?? hardware and allowing integration without drivers and rebooting. In relation to mobile phones, it allows for quick file transfers, address, contact and address synchronization and battery charging. The end of the USB cable that connects to the phone is either a miniUSB or a microUSB. Different versions of the USB standard are available. USB 1.1 is the older slower version of the USB2.0 which is up to 40 times faster. Slated for 2009 or 2010 USB 3.0 should be available with transfer speeds of up to 600 Mb/s. Most USB sold for mobile phones come with specific drivers and software to expedite file transfers.

27. Video Streaming

Streaming Video actually refers to a method of audio and video playback. The stream is a flow of constant data that is received and presented to the end user by the provider. Data can be viewed and heard immediately as data is transferred negating the need to download the complete file download. This opens the door for live viewing in real time. Data connection speed is integral as data packets must be delivered uninterrupted to prevent discontinuous streams. In relation to mobile electronics, some carriers offer streaming services that must be paired with particular phones. Issues may occur when end user software (Viewers) and provider software formats are not compatible.

28. Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi- is a trade name for the wireless technology used in many mediums including mobile phones and PDAs. Wi-Fi covers IEEE 802.11 technologies: 802.11n, 802.11b, 802.11g and 802.11a. Wi-Fi provides wireless access to digital networks allowing users to share applications, peripherals, or access the internet. A handset enabled with Wi-Fi can access the internet through an access point or wireless router that is connected directly to the web. These access points or hot spots can be home networks, hotel/resort hot spots (Sometimes a fee is charged), universities or coffee shops. Wi-Fi has a higher data transfer speed than similar, popular cellular networks such as EV-DO, HSDPA, GPRS, and EDGE but with limitations to access diameter. Basically a typical router will have a range of 32m or 120 ft inside and 95m or 300ft outside. This range also varies based on which frequency band is used, 2.4 GHz Freq block has a better range than the 5 GHz block. Although range can be an issue, Wi-Fi can be a good feature in a phone if you have access to a hot spot and plan to download larger files.

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