Which Mobile Browsing Device

Smartphone or Pocket PC

What is the difference between a smartphone and a pocket PC?

Smartphone:
A smartphone does not have a touchscreen Applications are activated by tabbing to that icon or by using a built-in rollerball or other mouse type pointer moving device.

Pocket PC:
A pocket has a touchscreen for activating applications. It may also allow for tabbing and a rollerball for pointing.

It appears to be excepted that the major difference between these two devices is the touchscreen. Both devices may have a phone and even a camera built in. A pocket PC may not have either a phone or a camera but the line is being blurred by newer devices. Both devices may have the same type operating system. Windows Mobile, as an example, can operate on either a smartphone or a pocket PC.

Smartphones generally will not allow you to edit documents, excepts emails while pocket PCs usually allow some minor editing. Smartphones can have the same size screen as a pocket PC but generally are smaller for ease of carrying. (Smartphones are currently the major sellers, especially ones with small screens.) Pocket PCs usually have a larger screen, and a screen with more resolution and color depth. A pocket PC usually has more memory but again newer smartphones are trying to do the work of both.

As to accessories, pocket PCs appear to have third-party external keyboards more so than smartphones, although, again this is changing. Accessories like a normal size, docking keyboard is becoming more poplar with user of both devices simply because a keyboard makes creating and editing documents and emails easier.

Pocket PCs usually have USB connector or some means of connecting to your desktop PC but smartphones are now adding this feature so emails can be synched.

What does all this mean to you? Well, the first thing you need do is decide which device you want based on your intended use. Why carry a cellphone and a pocket PC if one device can do both? If you prefer a small device that is ease to carry, a smartphone may be your best choice. If you need to create, edit, and send documents, then a pocket PC may be best.

A good online resource is the Pocket PC & Smartphone magazine. It has reviews of the latest devices, the latest software and hardware.

Also, take a look at this web page. It show the approximate percentage of operating systems currently in use.

Think, study before you buy.