Mobile terms explained

Buying a new cell phone can be an overwhelming endeavour with all the technology jargon to decipher. Smartphones have become powerful devices that can perform many more functions than a regular cell phone.

“There is no shortage of powerful, feature-packed smartphones on the market,” says Salim Jaichi, Rogers data guy. “It is important for consumers to understand the different technological features and capabilities that are available on mobile devices to make an informed decision.”

This glossary will bring you up-to-date on the latest technology terms:

LTE or Long Term Evolution, means speed – lots and lots of speed. LTE brings faster downloads and uploads to your mobile device. LTE means you can continue to do all the things you enjoy on your device, from streaming movies and music with virtually no delays or buffering.

Tethering: This refers to connecting your mobile phone to a laptop, via a USB cable or wireless Bluetooth technology, in order to access the Internet on your computer using your phone's data connection.

Personal hotspot: Many mobile devices – such as the iPhone 4S – let you create your own password-protected wireless network. You can connect a number of devices, such as a laptop, tablet or portable game system, and they can all get online as long as your smartphone is in range.

IM: Instant Messaging, using free programs like BlackBerry Messenger, LiveProfile, or Google Talk allows mobile phone users to communicate in real time by text chatting, group chatting and sharing media.

Apps: Apps, or applications, are pieces of software that run on your mobile device. It could be a game, productivity tools, navigation aids, social networking programs, and so on. Usually apps are downloaded directly to the device by wirelessly accessing an "app store" of some kind, such as Apple's App Store, BlackBerry World, Android Market, Windows Marketplace, and Nokia Ovi Store.

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