These days, the line between what constitutes a plain old "cell phone" and a "smartphone" is becoming increasingly blurred. With each new generation of phone, more and more features and functions are being added, including e-mail, Web browsing, and increased media playback capability. Some may ask, "Why should I pay more for a ‘smartphone' when I can get ‘non-smartphone' that can basically do all the same stuff? Come to think of it, what's the difference between the two anyway?" This edition of Smartphone Insider will attempt to answer some of these questions and to define that slippery term "smartphone."

Defining of terms

A typical definition of a smartphone today is a device that combines the functionality of a PDA (or Pocket PC) with a phone. Smartphones usually run on a specific operating system (Windows Mobile, Palm OS, BlackBerry, etc.) and may include (but are not limited to):

• Personal organization software (contacts, appointments, etc.)
• Wireless functionality (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS)
• E-mail and Internet capability
• Ability to read business documents in different formats (PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)
• Media software for photos, music, and videos
• Touch screen or QWERTY keyboard for input
• Ability to add applications from third parties