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David Pogue: "Smartphone Is Too Limited...It's An App Phone"

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Geisrud
11/05/09

In reply to David Pogue: "Smartphone Is Too Limited...It's An App Phone"
If we need to have a new name, then I suggest an old one. PDA. The acronym is familiar, meaningful, and not awkward.

Then again, just because Pogue says we need a new name for a cell phone, doesn't mean we do. #appphone
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Kerensky97
11/05/09

@Geisrud: I agree.

In the Windows Mobile community "smartphone" was used to refer to the more limited non-touchscreen version of the OS found in clamshell style phones. The version with full capabilities was either just "Windows Mobile Pocket PC" or "Windows Mobile PDA".

Let's face it, PDA's (or Pocket PCs) have been doing all these advanced capabilities long before phones did. All they did was add a phone to the list of features on the PDA.

We don't have smartphones, we have PDA phones. #appphone
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Geisrud
11/05/09

@Kerensky97: The PDA acronym can also be "rebranded". Change the meaning from Personal to Phone Digital Assistant.

Still, at the end of the day, I'm going to call it my cell phone, or just "phone". That's what I do most with it; even if I use it for other reasons, that's the single reason I have it in my pocket every day. I.e., if my *pocket electronic device* couldn't make calls, I wouldn't carry it or anything else. #appphone
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Brian Richards
11/05/09

In reply to David Pogue: "Smartphone Is Too Limited...It's An App Phone"
This is idiotic. A smartphone has always been a phone you could install applications on. It's a basic requirement for a smartphone, IMO. I've had the ability to install apps on my phone for most of this decade. It's nothing new. This is another great example of tech media acting as if Apple invented something that already existed. As if apps on phones started with the iphone. #appphone
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Ninety-9
11/05/09

In reply to David Pogue: "Smartphone Is Too Limited...It's An App Phone"
You know, I think "Laptop" is too limiting of a name. The name isn't descriptive enough to let people know the laptop is also capable of sitting on a desk or table, or really any surface in general. #appphone
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Brazell
11/05/09

In reply to David Pogue: "Smartphone Is Too Limited...It's An App Phone"
David Pogue is a stupid name. I rename you David Stupid. #appphone
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InfoMofo
11/05/09

In reply to David Pogue: "Smartphone Is Too Limited...It's An App Phone"
From my perspective, it's a "phone". If your phone doesn't check e-mail and play Peggle, I'm not talking to you anyway. #appphone
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ManiacFive
11/05/09

In reply to David Pogue: "Smartphone Is Too Limited...It's An App Phone"
A couple of years ago there was an ARG called Perplexcity, the characters in that game had devices which did everything, phone, email, payment, access to the grand central database, games, music, monitoring life signs etc. They were called Keys. At the time I remember thinking just how cool that sounded, a device that literally did everything!

I dunno, but i think that kinda appropriate for modern day smartphones. Its how I think of my iPhone, its key to virtually every thing i do now. #appphone
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Devryn
11/05/09

In reply to David Pogue: "Smartphone Is Too Limited...It's An App Phone"
Seriously...Aren't phones now just doing what the UMPC's could never get off the ground? Let's call them PCP's (PC Phones). That should give the Apple die-hards a heart attack. :)

What about CONPhones (Connected Phones)? COMPPhones (Computer Phones). LPCPs (Light PC Phones) #appphone
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Devryn
11/05/09

@Devryn: Another thought...You already have "Crackberries," so PCPs should fit right in with that. :P I AM INVINCIBLE! #appphone
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Rubens Santos
11/05/09

In reply to David Pogue: "Smartphone Is Too Limited...It's An App Phone"
Hand Cell Computer, or just Hand Computer - HC #appphone
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valkilmerisawful
11/05/09

@Rubens Santos: And since it does work for you, or "jobs" if you will, we can call it a "hand jobber". #appphone
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i.aint.thick
11/05/09

In reply to David Pogue: "Smartphone Is Too Limited...It's An App Phone"
i wish you all would stop calling things iphone-like for little to know reason. i mean, if iphones were actually the first so-called smartphones, fine, but they weren't. also, giz seems to like calling anything with a touchscreen iphone-like.
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Rosa Golijan
11/05/09

@i.aint.thick: Actually "iPhone-like" came from Pogue's article. #appphone
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Slugicide
11/05/09

@Rosa Golijan:

If you were quoting him you should have used quotes. No? #appphone
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Rosa Golijan
11/05/09

@Slugicide: Yes, I should've. Fixed now. Thank you. #appphone
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Pope John Peeps II
11/05/09

In reply to David Pogue: "Smartphone Is Too Limited...It's An App Phone"
Let's all just be honest about this, eh?

Statusphone #appphone
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SewerShark: LOOK BEHIND YOU, A THREE HEADED MONKEY!!!
11/05/09

@Pope John Peeps II: +1 #appphone
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Pope John Peeps II
11/05/09

@SewerShark: LOOK BEHIND YOU, A THREE HEADED MONKEY!!!: Thanks man. I keep giving gizmodo gold comments here, and rarely get recognized for my efforts. A little adulation is all I ask for. #appphone
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SewerShark: LOOK BEHIND YOU, A THREE HEADED MONKEY!!!
11/05/09

In reply to David Pogue: "Smartphone Is Too Limited...It's An App Phone"
What about SmartAssPhones? #appphone
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byron.ben
11/05/09

In reply to David Pogue: "Smartphone Is Too Limited...It's An App Phone"
Just because functionality changes, doesn't necessitate a name change. Most of our technology becomes more advanced and takes on new and wider roles. There is nothing about the phrase 'smartphone' that fails to capture what the Android or iPhonish phones do. If you need a differentiation go with 'smarterphone.'
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crackel
11/05/09

@byron.ben: I have a strong tendency to agree with you. Even though the face of the device has changed immensely and a name change seems to be appropriate, it is likely that it's not necessary. For example, the 'computer' and the 'automobile' and the 'internet' have gone under several revolutions and still remain intact in name. This is hardly evidence that a change is not necessary, but it reflects on society's unwillingness to care and tendency to keep it simple. It is, after all, still a phone. #appphone
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jordo37
11/05/09

@crackel: but the basic premise of those names are still relevant when dealing with their modern implementations. Automobiles still drive like cars (roughly), the internet is still used to connect computers (like the iPhone or your laptop) to other similar devices. Computers could be argued as having changed, since so much of what we do know is dependent on the internet that we mostly use our PCs as terminals, but that never caught on.

Smart phones have changed though. If you remember - @i.aint.think - Blackberries were originally email devices with no phone. When the phone was first integrated with the blackberry (like the 8700) it was terrible and people complained. Now, we have gotten to the point that our smartphones no longer serve a primary purpose as a calling device. The iPhone is not a great phone - the sound is less than stellar, calls are dropped frequently, voicemail is wonky - yet we don't care (as much) because the primary purpose of the device is now to connect to the internet - beyond checking email or calendars to include twitter, yelp, directions, bank information, weather, games, etc.

However, while I wish my iPhone had a moniker other than smartphone, I don't really think people will change. The smartphone is an evolutionary next step from phone to cellphone to smartphone and although the name is disingenuous for the functions of the device, it accurately portrays it's past and segment of the public conscious.
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crackel
11/06/09

@jordo37: are you telling me that computers have not changed since they were called computers? and the internet has not changed? I have to disagree with you. both have been through significant revolutions, where not only did their original features advance, but new ones became available. I think the key difference here is that no one expected a phone to become a small computer, while the internet's and pc's innovations were more like "oh, we kind of saw this coming." #appphone
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(Starman) Starman
11/05/09

In reply to David Pogue: "Smartphone Is Too Limited...It's An App Phone"

I say we call it COM. ;) #appphone
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Benguin
11/05/09

In reply to David Pogue: "Smartphone Is Too Limited...It's An App Phone"
I prefer to just call mine "master." #appphone
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Daniel Tuennessen
11/05/09

In reply to David Pogue: "Smartphone Is Too Limited...It's An App Phone"
the german word for it would be "eierlegende wollmilchsau" describing something that can do about everything...
"oviparous woolmilksow" would be a the word-by-word translation of that #appphone
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Benguin
11/05/09

@Daniel Tuennessen: I like the idea, but let's make it easier on everyone and just go with "überphone." #appphone
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