While all smartphones can perform PDA functions like organizing and scheduling, as well personal computing functions like Web browsing and email, no two smartphones are alike. Whether you're in the market for a new smartphone or are just interested in the latest technologies that smartphone manufacturers have to offer, reviewing the features of different smartphone models can prove beneficial.
Interface
Interfaces are the physical components that allow you to interact with smartphone software. One of the most common types of interface that smartphones rely on is the touch screen, or touch-sensitive display. A touch-screen smartphone allows you to scroll between menus by dragging a finger across the screen. You can select icons and options by tapping on the screen and -- with some smartphones, like the iPhone -- you can zoom in on objects by pinching the screen. Examples of touch-screen smart phones include the iPhone 4 and 3GS, the Samsung Focus and the Droid Incredible. Another type of smartphone interface is the full QWERTY keyboard, which has the same key configuration as a typewriter/computer keyboard. A common example of a smartphone with this type of interface is the BlackBerry Torch 9800. Other smartphones, like the Droid Pro, feature both touch-screen and QWERTY interfaces.
Screen Size
A larger screen size can accommodate larger on-screen icons and text with a smartphone, making it easier for you to see the options that you're selecting from. Examples of smartphones with especially large screens include the Droid X and the HTC EVO 4G, both of which have 4.3-inch screens. Screen size is a measurement of the diagonal distance between the bottom corner of a screen and an upper, opposite corner. Other screen sizes for smartphones include 4.0 inches, 3.8 inches, 3.5 inches and 3.1 inches. Examples of smartphones that have these screen sizes are, respectively, the Motorola Atrix, the T-Mobile MyTouch 4G, the iPhone 4 and the Droid Pro.
Display Resolution
In terms of the overall picture quality that a smartphone provides when displaying images or video, display resolution is a better performance-indicator than screen size. Resolution refers to the amount of pixels, or tiny squares of illumination, that a screen combines to form coherent imagery. Some of the highest-resolution smartphones include the iPhone 4 and the Droid X. While the former has a resolution of 960 pixels by 640 pixels, which equals 614,400 total pixels, the latter has a resolution of 480 pixels by 854 pixels, which equals 409,920 total pixels. One of the most common display resolutions for a smartphone is 480 by 800 pixels and is a resolution that -- as examples -- the HTC Thunderbolt, MyTouch 4G, Samsung Galaxy S, HTC EVO 4G and Droid Incredible all share.
Connectivity
All smartphones are able to connect to wireless networks. These include wireless local area networks, which provide wireless Internet access, and personal areas networks, which allow smartphones to communicate with Bluetooth devices. As of 2011, one of the key distinguishing connectivity characteristics of a smartphone is whether it supports 3G or 4G technology. Both technologies allow for Internet connectivity using cellular transmissions. Of the two, 4G is the more advanced, providing faster transmissions rates. Examples of 4G smartphones include the HTC ThunderBolt, Motorola Atrix 4G, HTC EVO 4 and MyTouch 4G.
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