Hello again, and welcome to Tech Terms: Part 4, Smartphone Edition. Most of us have a smartphone and we are on it 24/7, but you might not be aware of some of these terms being thrown around. Check these out for a more in-depth look, at a glance.
Peak
Did you know that there is a time of day that the network your smartphone uses is really busy? This time of day is known as a peak; usually between the hours of 7am and 11pm. This could mean a slower internet connection. So if you notice that your phone works better in the evening, it’s likely that fewer people are using the network.
Secondary Camera
Maybe you are an influencer or an avid social media poster, if so, you probably use your secondary camera often. This is the camera on your smartphone that is front-facing so you can see yourself before taking a self-portrait or “selfie”. It’s also the camera used for security. When unlocking your phone with your face, it’s using facial recognition technology.
The Gs: 3G, 4G, 5G…
Recently, you might have noticed that your cell phone is now using 5G. What exactly does that mean? Well “G” stands for “Generation”. And the 5 indicates that you are using the 5th Generation of mobile telephony. Each of the “Gs” is an upgrade from the last generation. Whether it’s higher bandwidth or better data transfer rates, 3G and up, means your speed and ability to download keeps getting better and faster.
We use smartphones all the time, but the reality is that they are impressive tiny computers that do a lot! I hope these terms shed a little more insight into your handheld device. They do a lot for us these days.
Photo by Daniel Romero on Unsplash