| Term |
Definition or Expanded
Acronym |
Notes |
| bricked |
To render useless; to transform
a phone into a device with all the
functionality of a brick |
e.g. "I bricked my phone when I
tripped over the USB cable and pulled it
out while I was doing the flash
upgrade"
"Apple bricked my unlocked
iPhone when I installed the latest
ROM upgrade"
|
| ROM |
Read Only Memory |
The type of core memory used
to contain the operating system of
phones that is 'read only' when in normal
use. |
| GPRS |
General Packet radio
service |
really old wireless data
network used by GSM
providers |
| 2G,3G,4G |
2nd, 3rd and
4th generation systems |
generally used to define a major
leap in technology, and establish bragging
rights, as in "hey man, check out my new
4G phone". Also used to make disdainful
comments, as in "I can't believe he's still
using a 2G GPRS phone" |
| EDGE |
Enhanced Data rate for GSM
Evolution |
older 2G data network used by
GSM providers, e.g. iPhone |
| EVDO |
EVolution Data Optimized |
3rd generation (Revision
0) and 4th generation (Rev A)
wireless data network used by cellular
companies utilizing the CDMA
system |
| HDR |
High Data Rate |
old original term for
EVDO |
| UMTS |
Universal Mobile Telecommunications
System |
is a 3G wireless standard
designed to succeed the GSM
standard |
| HSDPA |
High-Speed Downlink Packet
Access |
the downlink (receiving) protocol
for UMTS |
| HSUPA |
High Speed Uplink Packet
Access |
the uplink (sending) protocol for
UMTS |
| 1X |
one times |
really old wireless data
network used by CDMA
providers |
| WiFi |
Wireless Fidelity |
a nonlicensed local area wireless
broadcast network, with a typical range of
300' without external antennas |
| WiMAX |
Worldwide Interoperability for
Microwave Access |
a
standards-based technology enabling the delivery of
last mile wireless broadband access as an
alternative to cable and DSL. It is a
telecommunications technology that provides
wireless data over long distances, using methods
such as point-to-point links or full mobile
cellular type access |
| GSM |
Global Standard for
Mobile |
the most ubiquitous cellphone
standard in the world, using TDMA
technology |
| CDMA |
Code Division Multiple
Access |
a 'spread spectrum' technology
whereby coded/decoded frequency hopping
techniques are employed as a method of
sharing the airwaves. Used mostly in Canada
and the US |
| TDMA |
Time Division Multiple
Access |
a method of sharing the airwaves by
sharing time slices of the same frequency,
such as those moments when you're not
actually talking - used by the GSM
system |
| SIM |
Subscriber Identification
Module |
transportable card used in GSM
phones to identify the account
holder |
| tether |
to connect |
used in this context as connecting a
PC to a data enabled phone and using the
phone as a modem to access the
internet with the PC |
| bandwidth |
an ambiguous term defined by the
context in which it is used |
in computing, a rate of data
transfer, measured in bits per second OR in
signal processing, a measure of the width of
a range of frequencies, measured in
hertz |
| bit |
the smallest unit of
data |
related to the core concept of
computing of sequential 0's and
1's |
| bps |
bits per second |
a measure of internet data
speed |
| Kbps |
Kilobits = one thousand bits per
second (x
1,000) |
a measure of internet data
speed |
| Mbps |
Megabits = one million bits per
second (x 1,000,000) |
a measure of internet data
speed |
| Gbps |
Gigabits = one thousand million bits
per second (x 1,000,000,000) |
a measure of internet data
speed |
| Bps |
bytes per second |
8 bits = 1 byte, but when examining
data rates, you have to allow for a few
'handshaking' control bits, so typically we
use 10x instead of 8x to convert between bps
and Bps |
Using
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