Mobile Voter - Txt:Politic

Mobile Voter Glossary of Basic Mobile Terms

3G
3G is short for “Third Generation” and refers to a variety of services that bring high speed data access to the phone. Although definitions vary, mobile’s “First Generation” refers to the first analog voice-only mobile phones that came on the market in the late 80’s and 90’s. The “Second Generation” of devices were digital(and included the ability to send basic data for instance, text messaging or surfing stripped down, text heavy versions of websites using WAP). The “Third Generation” brings high speed data access (live streaming video, surfing the web at some facisimile of how you see it at your home or office), “always on” data access and improved voice quality.

There are several different 3G technology standards. The most prevalent is UMTS, which is based on WCDMA. (WCDMA and UMTS are often used interchangeably.) UMTS is the 3G technology of choice for most GSM carriers.

The other major standard is cdma2000, which is an evolution of CDMA 2G technology. There are several types of cdma2000, each offering different data rates and levels of compatibility with 2G CDMA.

Asynchronous
A way to send information at non-regular intervals. Information is sent as necessary, instead of synchronized with a time signal, as with Synchronous communication.

Backhaul
In wireless networks, the connection from an individual base station (tower) to the central network (backbone).

Typical backhaul connections are wired high-speed data connections (T1 line, etc.), but they can be wireless as well (using point-to-point microwave or WiMax, etc.)

BREW
BREW (Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless) is a solution developed by Qualcomm for downloading small applications and content to mobile phones. Found almost exclusively in CDMA phones.

The primary component lets users download and run small software applications on wireless devices, including phones. Such applications might include games, expense tracking software, or interactive map tools. This component of BREW competes with J2ME, a Java technology from Sun Microsystems. BREW and Java are generally not compatible.

The BREW subsystem on a phone can also manage graphics and ringtones.

The BREW solution also includes a server component which resides on the network. The BREW server manages the network side of BREW downloads, including billing, and can also serve and bill for non-BREW applications and content.

Carrier
A mobile phone operator. In the US the main carriers include Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, Cingular, Nextel.

CDMA (Code-Division Multiple Access)
CDMA is a digital wireless technology. It’s a general type of technology, implemented in many specific technologies. But the term "CDMA" is also commonly used to refer to one specific implementation: IS-95 - a mobile-phone technology that competes with technologies such as GSM.

CDMA is a "spread spectrum" technology, which means that it spreads the information contained in a particular signal of interest over a much greater bandwidth than the original signal.

Unlike many competing technologies, CDMA has no hard limit for the number of users who may share one base station (tower). Instead, with CDMA, additional users can connect until the base station determines that call quality would suffer behind a set limit.

CDMA systems have been in operation since 1995. CDMA networks operate in the 800 and 1900 MHz frequency bands with primary markets in the Americas and Asia. IS-95 CDMA systems are sometimes referred to as cdmaOne. The next evolutionary step for CDMA to 3G services is cdma2000.

Circuit Switching
A method of transmitting information (voice or data) through a system or network by establishing a persistent, dedicated connection ("circuit").

CSC
Common Short Codes. These are 5 digit numbers which allow the user to send a text message without entering an entire phone number.

EVDO
Part of a family of CDMA2000 1x digital wireless standards. 1xEV-DO is a "3G" CDMA standard. EV-DO stands for "EVolution, Data-Only".

In the US 1x-EVDO is primarily being marketed by Verizon as their new broadband service. EV-DO provides data rates over 10 times faster than 1xRTT, the previous data technology for CDMA networks.

Unlike other "1x" standards, EV-DO only addresses data - not voice. It requires a dedicated slice of spectrum, separate from voice networks using standards such as 1xRTT.

There are currently two main versions of 1xEV-DO: "Release 0" and "Release A".

Release 0 is the original version, and the first to be widely deployed. Release 0 offers data rates up to 2.4 mbps, averaging 300-600 kbps in the real world. This is much faster than the 50-80 kbps typically offered by 1xRTT technology. Release 0 data rates are identical to 1xEV-DV Release C.

Release A integrates most of the faster data technology from 1xEV-DV Release D, and improves latency. These enhancements allow features such a VoIP and video calling.

Although EV-DO does not include voice capability natively, Release A is fast enough to support VoIP technology at service levels equal or better to 1xRTT voice technology. This may be a future upgrade path for CDMA carriers if EV-DV development remains stalled.

1xEV-DO is based on a technology initially known as "HDR" (High Data Rate) or "HRPD" (High Rate Packet Data), developed by Qualcomm. The international standard is known as IS-856.

Firmware
Firmware is in-between "hardware" and "software" - hence the name "firmware".

Hardware is any part of the phone that is physical and cannot be changed unless it is physically replaced. For example, Verizon phones are CDMA, while VoiceStream phones are GSM. The two systems are incompatible. The Verizon phone contains a CDMA chip that was designed specifically to deal with CDMA. It's permanently wired to be CDMA, and could never be upgraded to GSM.

Software, meanwhile, refers to things that *can* be changed. In a computer, you can load new software whenever you want. You can even load a whole new operating system. The software is stored in memory chips while in use. As soon as the computer is turned off, whatever was in the memory chips is gone, but a copy is saved on the hard disk.

Phones also need to store different types of non-permanent things, such as an operating system, roaming instructions, and your phone book. But there's no room for a disk of any kind, and it wouldn't be good if your phone lost its operating system (and thus became useless) every time you turned it off.

Which is where firmware comes in. Firmware uses special memory chips that can hold information even when the phone is turned off and battery-less. It's sort of like hardware, because it acts just like a permanently-wired chip, but it's also like software because it can be changed at any time.

So firmware is technically how your phone stores its phone book – it is also how your phone stores the roaming instructions (PRL) or operating system.

You can have your PRL updated and your phone will be able to roam in new areas. Sometimes operating system updates are available that fix bugs in the way the phone works.

Flash Mob
A gathering of people organized spontaneously via txt messaging, the internet or other mobile communication.

Form Factor
Mobile phones come in several different physical styles (form factors). While manufacturers are continually coming up with new types of designs, there are several common categories used on this site to describe form factors:

Bar: (AKA candy-bar or block) This is the most basic style. The entire phone is one solid monolith, with no moving parts aside from the buttons and possibly antenna. To prevent keys from being pressed accidentally while the phone is in a pocket, etc., a "key guard" feature is usually provided, requiring a special key combination to "unlock" the keys.

Clamshell: This type of phone is made of two halves connected by a hinge. The phone folds closed when not in use. The top half usually contains the speaker and display with the bottom half containing the keypad.

Flip: This type of phone is a cross between the Bar and Clamshell types. Most of the components of the phone are in one part, but a thin "flip" part covers the keypad and/or display when not in use. The flip may be all-plastic, or it may contain one or two minor components such as a speaker or secondary keys.

Slide: This type is usually designed similarly to a clamshell, with a large main display and speaker in one half, and the keypad and battery in the other half. But the two halves slide open instead of using a hinge. Slide designs allow the main display to be seen when closed, and are generally easier to open and close one-handed.

Java (J2ME)
J2ME (Java 2 Micro Edition) is a language that allows a device to run small, user-installable software applications written especially for mobile devices such as phones.

J2ME applications can provide specific functions such as a tip calulator, they can be games, or they can be custom-written corporate applications. They can be Internet-enabled, so that, for example, a J2ME game might let you play someone else in real time over the Internet. They can be created by anyone - not just the phone manufacturer or your carrier.

You can download new applications to your phone at any time. Most phones allow you to download new applications directly to your phone using the Wireless Internet feature.

Keitai
(pronounced k-tie) The Japanese term for "mobile phone". The term has achieved cultural significance in Japan, especially among youth, as a way to describe not only the phones and corresponding services, but the entire culture of users and their habits. Exhaustive analysis of Keitai culture can be found on the Wikipedia entry on Japanese mobile phone culture and our pal Xeni Jardin's excellent Wired News article on How Mobile Phones Conquered Japan.

MMS
Multimedia Messaging Service. MMS’s are like text messages (SMS) but include images, video or audio.

MVNO
Mobile Virtual Network Operator. A company, such as Virgin Mobile, that does not actually own spectrum or the infrastructure of an actual carrier –MVNO’s provide the marketing and front end of a mobile service while partnering with an established carrier to provide the backend.

Polyphonic Ringtones
Polyphonic ringtones can create multiple notes simultaneously. This produces a more natural and realistic sound for melodies in that it can include melodies. Most polyphonic ringers can also simulate the sound of various instruments, instead of just tones. Different phones support a different number of simultaneous instruments (chords) - anywhere from 4 to 40 or more.

Ringback Tone
Ringback is the ringing sound you hear from your phone when you call someone else. Ringback tones are now offered by many carriers to compliment their booming downloadable ringtone business. For a small fee, users can download a song or sound effect that callers will hear whenever they dial the users number.

SPAM
Unsolicited email or SMS messages.

SMS
This is a method of sending short, 160 character messages between mobile phones. Extremely popular among youth, particularly in Asia and Europe. In the UK, for example 80% of all high school age kids send at least one text message a week.

VoIP
(Voice over Internet Protocol)
A technology for transmitting ordinary telephone calls over packet-switched data networks, ie the internet. Also called IP telephony.

WAP
Wireless Application Protocol. An mobile phone language which allows mobile phone users to surf a stripped down, text heavy version of the web. This was what your phone was running 2 years ago.