Smartphones! It’s estimated that nearly half of all Americans have ditched their standard, flip-style cellular phone for either an Android or iPhone. The reasons behind this figure are plentiful and include the smartphones increased capabilities and features, including touchscreens, the thousands of apps and on-the-go access to the internet, email and social networking.
Beyond Angry Birds and your GPS, there are several other undoubtedly useful features and apps available on most smartphones. Some require additional fees and periphery equipment, while others are completely free, and available on the Google or Apple app marketplace.
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Six Things Your Smartphones Can Do
Ditch the Digital Camera
You may have noticed more people are ditching their expensive digital cameras and instead capturing their family’s most treasured moments on their slim, sleek smartphones.
Many smartphones are equipped with a respectable 8 megapixel camera and enough memory to keep all your photos of Grandma’s 90th birthday or your kid’s first experience at the zoo, completely safe.
If you’re not keen on the idea of using so much of your smartphones ‘ memory, consider moving all of your photos to a Wi-Fi-enabled, portable wireless storage unit.
Catch Up a Little Reading
Digital eReader are becoming wildly popular and a great way for bibliophile to tote along all of their favorite novels. Instead of investing in one of the pricey, albeit hip, gadgets; discover the possibilities housed in your smartphones.
Several models come factory equipped with an eReader and downloads from Amazon (among others) allow you to enjoy your favorite novels without purchasing their brand’s tablets.
The price of newer fiction and a few perennial favorites is comparable to your local bookstore, but there are several classic novels that can be enjoyed all over again for free!
Remote Car Starter
Aside from death and taxes, life’s other unavoidable inevitability is locking your keys in the car. If this is a regular occurrence in your household, consider downloading a remote car starter app on your smartphones.
This technology is relatively new and you’ll need to purchase the hardware from a retailer, but installation isn’t overly difficult; this convenience will not only get you out of a jam, it will dazzle your friends and family.
Wireless Internet On Smartphones
You’ve taken the time and expense, to provide every square inch of your home with wireless internet connectivity. This is an amazing convenience, but this service may become obsolete in the next few years. This is because the majority of cellphone providers are giving their customers the option of turning their trusted smartphones into a Wi-Fi hot spot.
There is a service fee for this technology, but many devices are capable of supporting five to six devices, including your laptop or gaming system, at once. The biggest downfall of this technology occurs when the only Wi-Fi-enabled cellphone is away from the home and your partner wants to check his email, or the kids want to play online.
Scan and Store Documents
Your accountant has stressed the idea of saving every receipt; you make it a point to keep a through record of your checks and deposits. Unfortunately, the price of being thorough is paid with bulky shoe boxes filled with random slips of paper.
Instead, keep all of your receipts, checks, stubs and business cards neat and tidy by scanning the documents with your smartphones. The information is then stored on your phone, and placed into a wireless storage device.
Even if you don’t want to download this app, you can still take a quick picture of your friend’s business card, or the receipt from a breakfast meeting, for future posterity.
Staying Fit and On Track
Losing weight and maintaining a healthy diet, is a difficult prospect for many Americans. Take the guess-work out of counting calories by downloading any number of food tracker applications.
These apps allow you to input your present weight, activity level and provide you with the calorie intake limit each day. There are other apps that will monitor your heart rate or provide you a pedometer to record the number of steps you take each day.
Some Important Links You should know about Smartphones
- 6 Things You Didn’t Know About Your Smartphone
- Top 10 Smartphones of Year 2012
- Top 5 Smartphone Browser Apps 2012
Don’t be afraid to explore your wireless storage options; it’s a whole world you may have never imagined.
Technology never ceases to amaze me! It’s unreal the amount of things our cell phones can do these days. It’s more of a question of “what can’t they do?”, haha maybe make you dinner and do your laundry but they can pay your bills cos you can set that up on them as well. I’m sure in the future, maybe they will be able to make you dinner. One can hope at least!
That’s True.. One day smartphones will do the same what you said :)
I guess the “smartphone” earned it’s name. I still have yet to upgrade, unfortunately. Someday soon though!