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Smartphone jargon explained

  • 16 November 2018
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Smartphone jargon explained
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Ever found yourself wondering what some smartphone jargon actually means? Well, here’s a list of common (and not-so-common) smartphone-related terms and acronyms along with easy-to-understand explanations.

3G


3G was introduced back in 1998 and gave phone users internet access at higher speeds - making downloading music and video much more accessible. It’s so good in fact, that loads of people still use it.

4G


It’s the current standard of internet speeds, capable of super-fast mobile speeds of up to 300Mbps. That’s pretty fast and is the reason you’re able to stream problem-free when you’re not connected to Wi-Fi.

5G


5G is the future, supposedly offering speeds hundreds of times faster than 4G. It could even make wired internet connections a thing of the past. No more crossed wires, just smooth wireless connectivity.

GPRS


If you’re on 2G, you might have noticed the letters ‘GPRS’ (General Packet Radio Service) appear in the top right of your screen. This is enhancing your connection’s capabilities - meaning your phone is ready to send and receive data as speedily as it can.

Mbps


Standing for ‘megabytes per second’, Mbps is all about internet speed. Here’s a little breakdown:

A bit is a digit of data with a value of 0 or 1. A string of 8 bits equals 1 byte. And, a megabyte is 1,048,576 bits. So, if your 4G is running at 300Mbps (we won’t do the maths), you’ve got access to some super speedy internet.

Bokeh


Bokeh or Portrait Mode blur the background of your photos. The out-of-focus areas not only boost your subject but also add a real professional touch. Wondering where the word came from? The Japanese word for blur is boke.

HDR


Love taking photos? Snap! And, if your phone’s camera has an HDR setting, you can capture photos with a high contrast between the lightest and darkest parts of the image.



MPs


Megapixels measure the quality of a phone’s camera. But it doesn’t mean the more megapixels your camera has, the better your photos will be. The amount of light a lens lets in plays a massive part in snapping the perfect shot.

Bezels


Bezels are found on the outside frame of your phone’s screen. This means the smaller the bezels, the more of that glorious edge-to-edge display will be fronting your phone.

AMOLED


AMOLED stands for the already catchy: Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode. AMOLED screens are a real step up from LCD screens. They’re sharper and put less of a strain on your battery. You can’t argue with that.

mAh


This stands for ‘Milli-Ampere-hour’ and is used to describe the total amount of energy a phone battery can store for a certain time, typically one hour. It’s simple, the higher the number before mAh, the longer the battery will last for that specific amount of time.

A-GPS


A-GPS stands for ‘Assisted Global Positioning System’. This means the mapping software you’re using assists you by speeding up the process of finding your location.



Dual-band


If a phone’s dual-band then it can switch between two different radio frequencies. This is very handy for when you’re using your phone in another country. Don’t worry - all new UK mobiles are dual-band.

Did we leave any common jargon terms off our list? Is there a feature your phone has that you just don’t understand? We’ll answer any questions you have in the comments below.

2 replies

Userlevel 8
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I see myself as technology savvy guy but I had no idea that a term such as "Bokeh" even exist, always learn something new 🙂
Userlevel 4
I didn't realise HDR meant it was changing the contrast, I thought it just mean High Definition. That Bokeh explanation is pretty good too.
Rebecca

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