Three Now Common Uses for Your Smartphone
Gadgets Channel / Bullz-Eye Home
When cell phones first became affordable for the average consumer, they had only one function: making phone calls. The reception wasn’t always great, but cell phones offered a convenience and novelty that few people could deny. Since then, cell phones have evolved significantly, allowing users to do everything from send text messages to paying bills online.
Reading and Sending Emails
Smartphones took a huge leap when engineers developed technology that allowed them to send and receive emails. This not only allowed users to send emails for work, but also influenced the future development of text messaging. Anyone with a recently developed smartphone will notice that their text messaging looks much more like email than the texts that they sent before the age of the iPhone and the Droid.
Paying Bills Online
Today’s smartphones make it easier for users to pay their bills. Internet connectivity makes this possible. Before phones could access the Internet, users had to call hotlines to pay their bills. Now they can use a website that saves their payment information and makes it easier to keep track of due dates. In many cases, users can even request emails or text messages that remind them to pay their bills.
The Rise of Smartphone Apps
Apps (short for applications) have risen to prominence in the smartphone industry. Software developers make apps that can do just about anything. Forgot where you parked your car? There’s an app for that. Want to find the name of a song playing on the radio or at a club? There’s an app for that, too. Some popular apps and their uses include:
- The 21st.com iPhone app lets you make payments, access your proof of insurance and even find stores, gas stations and other businesses near you.
- The Facebook app allows you to log on to Facebook, post comments and upload images.
- The Weather Channel app lets you check weather forecasts around the world.
- Google Earth app allows you to map locations anywhere from New York City to Antarctica.
- Bump app lets you share information (songs, documents, credit card payments) with other smartphone users just by bumping the two devices together.
Smartphones have eclipsed the original function of cell phones by integrating internet technology with mobile devices. That’s a social and professional boon that anyone can use.
What are some of your favorite ways to use your smartphone? What future developments would you like to see that would make your mobile device even more useful?
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