3G Third-Generation

3G enabled phones are capable of browsing the internet, receiving and sending email, live video streaming, and much more. High data speeds characterize this technology and turn your phone into a powerful tool for accessing online and mobile content. There are several different 3G technology standards. The most prevalent is UMTS, which is based on WCDMA. (WCDMA and UMTS are often used interchangeably.)

Alarm

Alarms can be set for specific times and dates or can sometimes be used as a reoccurring daily alarm. Alarms can also be set to be a reminder for appointments based on entries into the phone’s calendar.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth provides an easy way to wirelessly connect and exchange information between mobile phones and electronic devices like laptops, PCs, printers and digital cameras, wireless headsets; basically any device that bears the Bluetooth icon. Faster than infrared and more secure, Bluetooth is an essential feature for maximum mobile phone connectivity.

Calendar

Phone calendars allow you to enter event and appointment data. Some even allow you to set reminders that will alert you when your appointment time draws near.

Cellular

A radio phone system in which a network of transmitters links the mobile user to the public phone system. Each transmitter covers users in its own ‘cell’.

Desktop charger

Cradle for holding a phone upright while it is charging

Dual Band

Phones that can switch between two different bands of frequencies. All new phones in the Pakistan are now dual-band, capable of switching between GSM1800 and GSM900 frequencies. Useful for travelers allowing roaming on a greater number of networks across the world

EDGE (Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution )

A digital mobile phone technology which enhances 2G and 2.5G (a.k.a. GPRS (General Packet Radio Service)) networks. This technology also works in TDMA and GSM networks. EDGE (also known as EGPRS) is a superset to GPRS and can function on any network with GPRS deployed on it (provided the carrier implements the necessary upgrades). High-speed data applications such as video services and other multimedia benefit from EGPRS' increased data capacity.

EMS (Enhanced Messaging Service)

An EMS enabled mobile phone can send and receive messages that have special text formatting (such as bold or italic), animations, pictures, icons, sound effects and special ring tones. EMS messages that are sent to devices that do not support it will be displayed as SMS transmissions.

ESN (Electronic Serial Number)

Each cellular phone is assigned a unique ESN, which is automatically transmitted to the cellular tower station every time a cellular call is placed.

External Memory Card

A removable flash drive suitable for storing music, photos and other data. Memory cards come in a variety of memory sizes and allow for easy transfer of data between your phone and other electronic devices that accept memory cards. They also allow in most cases the ability to increase your phone's memory significantly. With today's phones ever-increasing capabilities for photos and music, an external memory card is essential.

GPRS (General Packet Radio Service)

A mobile phone data service available to users of GSM mobile phones. It is often described as "2.5G", that is, a technology between the second (2G) and third (3G) generations of mobile telephony. GPRS promises data speeds of up to 115 kbits and allows for relatively fast internet access.

GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications)

GSM is the most popular standard for mobile phones in the world used by over 1.5 billion people across more than 210 countries and territories. The ubiquity of the GSM standard makes international roaming very common between mobile phone operators, enabling subscribers to use their phones in many parts of the world. GSM differs significantly from its predecessors in that both signaling and speech channels are digital, which means that it is considered a second generation (2G) mobile phone system.

Handsfree

Allows users to talk and listen without holding the phone up to their ear via a microphone and speakers. Useful for conference calls and doing other tasks while talking on phone.

HSCSD (High Speed Circuit Switched Data)

Increases data speeds on GSM networks from 9.6 kbps up to 57.6 kbps.

IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity)

Basically, an electronic “signature” used on digital mobile phones giving each phone its own unique identity.

Infrared port (IrDA)

Infrared wireless technology uses a beam of light rather than radio signals to transmit information between mobile phones and other electronic devices like computers.

Java (J2ME) Java 2 Micro Edition

A feature that allows the device to run specially-written applications. Many mobile phone games and applications use this capability to run their programs. Many phones can download Java applications from the internet or via cable transfer from personal computers.

LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)

Electric currents are passed through a liquid crystal solution that lays between two panes of polarizing material. LCD displays are available in both color and black and white.

Li-Ion battery (Lithium-Ion battery)

Li-Ion batteries are lighter and have a longer life cycles than NiCd and NiMH batteries.

Li-Po battery (Lithium Polymer battery)

Lighter than Li-Ion batteries but with many of the same qualities, Li-Po batteries can also be molded into various shapes.

Mega Pixel

Phones with mega pixel cameras typically produce much better quality photos than VGA. The higher the number of mega pixels, the better the quality of photos. In some cases, camera phones with up to 2.0 mega pixels can produce photos as good as a standard digital camera.

Microdrive

A mini hard drive for portable electronic devices. Compared to compact flash cards, a microdrive gives slightly better transfer rates, is significantly cheaper and usually delivers better performance to smart phones with operating systems. However, microdrives are slightly more fragile than compact flash cards and tend to use more battery power to keep the disc spinning.

MMS (Multimedia Messaging System)

Transmits messages with various kinds of multimedia contents like images, audio clips, even short videos over networks using WAP (Wireless Application Protocol).

MP3

A popular digital audio encoding and lossy compression format designed to greatly reduce the amount of data required to represent audio, yet still sound like a faithful reproduction of the original uncompressed audio to most listeners. In popular usage, MP3 also refers to files of sound or music recordings stored in the MP3 format on computers.

OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode)

A type of display that is lighter, brighter, thinner and uses less energy than LCD displays.

Polyphonic Ringtones

Enhances sounds on your phone by producing multiple tones simultaneously.

Predictive Text Input

A very useful tool for writing any text message. Basically, after you type in one or two letters, the phone will “suggest” the word you are trying to spell based on letter combinations in its memory. Although it takes a bit of getting used to, it helps cut down drastically on time and character entries. Versions of Predictive Text Input include T9, iTAP and eZiText.

PTT Push-To-Talk

Two-way communication service that is similar to a "walkie talkie". Users do not need to dial a phone number if their contact is on the network, they simply need to “Push” a button to talk to them. However, PTT, unlike a normal mobile phone, can only communicate in one direction at a time. Both parties cannot hear each other at the same time.

SIM (Subscriber Identity Module)

The smart card used in digital phones that holds the user’s data and allows them to access the network. It can store personal information, contact names, SMS messages and more.
 

SMS (Short Message Service)

SMS is the most basic type of messaging service, enabling subscribers to send short text messages (usually about 160 characters) to and from mobile phones.

STN (Super Twisted Nematic)

A type of LCD display that uses less power than TFT technology but also has lower image quality and response.

T9

See “Predictive Text Input” above.