SMARTPHONES; extensions of our arms, a brief overview

Smartphones are basically mobile phones that can do more than just call or send text messages. Conceptualized by Theodore Paraskevakos in the early 1970s (a Greek inventor and businessman), this gadget started its mass adoption in Japan around 2003, while it wasn’t until the release of the “BlackBerry” devices in 2003 which really started the smartphone craze in the US. Nowadays almost everybody has a smartphone or two in their possession doing almost entirely everything for their users.


 The variety of these smartphones revolves from the following main factors;

• Actual phone size; height, width. Length & even weight
• Screen size & design
• Resolution of installed cameras & its media players
• Battery life & other device functionalities
• Operating systems and even its ability to store applications as well as connectivity speeds. 

 A recent article is made available online on the “Top 20 Mobile Phones/Smartphones in the World Today” claims these 3 to be of the upper ranks;

1. Samsung Galaxy S6
2. iPhone 6
3. HTC One M9

 All of these features promise users to be able to do more with their simple phone! Giving its user mobility and the ability to multi-task; a quality usually considered as an edge in this fast-paced, ever-changing economy. Creating the idea that One who is ALWAYS ON TOP of EVERYTHING – ALWAYS STAYS on TOP. Not to mention the promise of “staying connected” updated with the latest information/trends in the world today. Your family & friends can stay updated and connected with you wherever you go and whatever it is you do, anytime.

 Recent studies show that since its sudden boom in the market, these smartphones have done more than just getting you connected and be “on top” of almost everything. These gadgets have been linked with 25% of car-related accidents in the US as well as the rising risk of child accidents. This is still different however on various studies showing increased health-risks associated to smartphone users – all these cases are traced on how much the users spend more time with their gadgets than either with what they’re doing or with their focus on the things around them.

 On the other hand, these smartphones are also trying to redeem themselves from those news with the releases of helpful applications that could really (and I mean really) “save lives”. These applications range from apps that help monitor your health condition (making those bulky clinical testing machines a bit more compact and made into a “carry-on”), over to apps that not only entertain you and save you from boredom while “waiting” in long queues but apps that can be lifesavers during emergencies!

 Aside from the noted GPS apps, there’s also QuakeShare that not only helps alert its users of the tremor the very second it happens but could also help rescuers to pinpoint the last location recorded of its users, aiming to help with its search & rescue operations.