September 11th, 2009
Friday Fun: Your Top 10(ish) alternatives to "smartphones"
This morning, I posted an entry about the evolution of smartphones - with the news hook being the arrival of the new Motorola Cliq, powered by Google Android. In that post, I noted that the “phone” feature on the device was secondary to other apps - notably e-mail and social networking. It stands to reason then that these devices should no longer be referred to as smart”phones,” right? But what to call them?
Many of you chimed in on the talkbacks but I was surprised by how many of you sent e-mails directly to me with your own suggestions. Some were kind of catchy. Others, of course, were kind of silly.
Here is the Top 10(ish) list of alternatives names for the new app-driven smartphones, as submitted by BTL readers:
Personal Communication Device (PCD) or Intelligent Communication Device (ICD)
Handbooks - First there were notebooks, then netbooks. Now come handbooks.
“Handys” - short for handhelds. It’s a term already in use in parts of Europe
A mid-23rd-century tricorder from Star Trek. (Credit: Wikipedia)
Portcom or Pocom, short for “portable computer.” Also, Pepocom, short for “personal portable computer”
Tricorder - someone was bound to mention it.
TID - Tangible Information Device
PMD - Personal Mobile Devices
IMED - Integrated Media Device
Mobile - plain and simple, as in “Where did I set down my mobile?”
MC (Mobile computer) or HC (Handheld computer) - playing off PC, the personal computer
BOGS - B(andwidth) (H)ogs
OYIIPA (Oh Yes It Is a Phone Also)
Personal Digital Assistant, or PDA. If it sounds familiar, that’s because that was the category for the original Palm Pilot-like devices - before they incorporated phones into them.
PIM was suggested twice, once as an acronym for Pocket Information Manager, the other as an acronym for Personal Idiot Machine
And, of course, as long as we’re playing with acronyms, let us not for get the Tangible User Research Device. You can figure out the acronym.
Clearly, that Top 10 list had more than 10 - but it’s Friday fun so it’s all good. Keep the great names rolling in.
Sam Diaz is a senior editor at ZDNet. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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