Way back in the 1980s the cell phone was revolutionizing business and communication with its amazing ability to make calls no matter where you were. Since then, the world has changed a little bit and cell phones are looking a little bit different as well. Ok, so maybe they're more than just a little bit different-they're almost a completely different device! Now not only can you talk anywhere, but you can text and send a picture as well. However, cell phone innovation doesn't stop there but recently has gone even further to become so much more than a cell phone.



Introducing, the smartphone. It's a cell phone but with computer like capabilities. Talking and texting are a thing of the past for the smartphone which is busy listening to music and watching videos. The smartphone allows you to access the internet, send e-mails, works as a personal organizer, and drives your car. So maybe that last one is a bit of a stretch, but if the smartphone got together with your navigation system, who knows what could happen.

The first smartphone was created in 1992 by IBM and was dubbed "the Simon". Since then, there have been dozens of other smartphones following in Simon's footsteps. Generally the smartphone is thought to be a cell phone with advanced capabilities, often times working like a PC. However, it seems not everyone can agree on exactly what defines a smartphone and the definitions have changed over time. Some see a smartphone as simply a cell phone with some extra cool stuff added, but others say smartphones are only those phones with the capability to add applications.

Regardless of the definition, many smartphones have certain things in common. Most have e-mail capabilities, cameras, built in keyboards and/or a touch screen. These phones work as personal organizers and hold hundreds of contacts at a time. Most smartphones play music and videos and can read documents created in Microsoft Office as well as PDF files. But the most important feature in a smartphone is its unique ability to sync with your computer and its own programmable operating system.

Although there are now dozens of smartphones out there, here are examples of a few. These phones have all the same features as normal cell phones (such as voice dialing and cameras), but kick it up a notch with some added features.

1.) AT&T Tilt: offers a QWERTY keyboard (standard PC keyboard), tilting touch screen allowing for better visibility, wireless options, 3-megapixel camera, and AT&TMusic and Video

2.) Nokia N95: Adds high-speed 3G support, long battery life, 5-megapixel camera, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth options

3.) RIM BlackBerry Gold: Uses T-Mobile's HotSpot@Home services to find Wi-Fi virtually anywhere, QWERTY keyboard and 2-megapixel camera

4.) Motorola Q9m: QWERTY keyboard, runs Windows Mobile 6, Bluetooth capabilities, works with Verizon's V Cast Music Store

5.) Apple iPhone 3G: Has a touch screen, supports 3G networks, can add third-party applications, expanded e-mail, excellent for music and video

These are only some of the phone offering the smartphone capabilities, and some are becoming outdated quickly. Smartphones are improving at a rate so fast that it seems soon they will lose their smarts and just be a cell phone once again. Already most normal cell phones have cameras, originally a smartphone feature, so it may seem some smartphone are now simply "averagephones".

The big question now is who will be the new genius on the cell phone block? What will be the new features? It all makes you wonder what the next step will be with the mixing of computers and cell phones as the lines blur with smartphones' computer-like capabilities and programs such as Skype offering phone calls on your PC. I'll leave you to ponder that on your own as I have to go for now -my phone just received an e-mail and my computer is ringing.