20 Questions and Answers You Should Know About the Mobile World

The terms used in technology are often complicated. Also when we talk about a mobile or smartphone. Most manufacturers use a large number of technical concepts to describe their products. Perhaps for specialized media and users they are common terms, but the same is not the case with users. Do we really know what the large number of names that we see in the characteristics of a mobile mean?

To help us and, above all, to know what is the best, we have prepared a list with 20 questions and answers about the world of mobile. We have focused on the terms used when we talk about the characteristics of a terminal. This way we will better understand what we should look for in a mobile, whenever our clear budget allows it. We started!

What kind of screen is better?

The answer to this question is complicated. Moreover, it may not have a clear answer, because it depends on the tastes of each user. Just a few days ago we reviewed in depth the differences between an IPS, AMOLED or Super AMOLED mobile screen. As we discussed in this article, current mobiles use two types of panel: IPS or some variant of OLED panels (AMOLED or Super AMOLED).

What are the differences? Synthesizing a lot we could say that:

• IPS panels have better color reproduction, greater sharpness, and a better viewing angle.
• The AMOLED or Super AMOLED panels are thinner, allowing a deep blacks have a higher contrast and consume less energy.

As a curious fact, the best screen on the market according to experts is the Samsung Galaxy S8. That is, a Super AMOLED panel. However, this title does not achieve it only for its panel.

What is the best resolution?

Although the scheme that you have in the upper part applies more to televisions, it helps us to clearly see the issue of screen resolution. Resolution is the number of pixels displayed on the screen. The higher the resolution, the sharper the images.

What resolutions can we find on a mobile? These are the most common:

• HD or 720p: This term refers to the resolution of 1,280 x 720 pixels. It is the most used in low or mid-range terminals. But also in some higher-priced ones, like the Sony Xperia XA1.
• Full HD or 1080p: in this case we are before a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels. It is the most used in mid-range and high-end mobiles, such as the ZTE Blade V8 or the Huawei P10.
• Quad HD: This term refers to a resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 pixels. It is the intermediate step between Full HD and 4K. It is the resolution that we find in top terminals, such as the Huawei P10 Plus or the Samsung Galaxy S7.
• Quad HD +: this term has been used by some manufacturers to name their new displays. It does not actually mark a specific resolution, but an evolution of Quad HD resolution that is determined by the aspect ratio of the screen. We see it for example in the Samsung Galaxy S8 +, with a resolution of 2,960 x 1,440 pixels. But also in the LG G6, with a resolution of 2,880 x 1,440 pixels.
• 4K - The term 4K refers to a resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 pixels. It is a resolution that has not yet reached massively on mobile phones. The Sony Xperia XZ Premium has been the first mobile to include a screen with this resolution.

As we said, at a general level, the more resolution the better. But of course, here we must take other things into account. For example, a screen with 4K resolution will use much more energy than one with Full HD resolution. Also, do you really notice the change from Quad HD to 4K on a 5-6 inch screen? We think not.

What is screen density?

When we talk about the screen of a mobile we always mention the type of panel, the size and the pixel density. But do we really know what pixel density is? This value expresses the number of pixels that an inch of screen has. We will see it expressed with the acronym ppp (pixels per inch) or ppi ( pixels per inch ).

Screen density is defined by size and resolution. Thus, a 5-inch screen with Full HD resolution will have a density of around 440 dpi. However, if we maintain a Full HD resolution but increase to a diagonal of 5.5 inches, the density will drop to 400 dpi.

How does this affect the use of the screen? At higher pixel density we will have sharper images and better defined edges.

What material are mobiles made of?

A few years ago all mobiles were made of some kind of plastic, more or less resistant. This made it possible to create mobiles with removable back covers. But of course, we did not have the feeling of having a well-built product in hand.

However, the passage of time has led to almost all manufacturers using aluminum for the body of their devices. Luckily for us consumers, even input terminals are turning to this stuff. As is logical, within the aluminum there will be different qualities and levels of resistance.

In addition, some manufacturers coat the aluminum with layers of a special paint that give the terminal a strange feel. This is what happens, for example, with the Huawei P10. We know it has a metallic finish, but when you pick it up it feels 'different'.

Other manufacturers have chosen to coat the metal on the back with a glass finish. We have seen it in the Samsung Galaxy A5 2017, as well as in other high-end terminals. This finish gives it a more premium touch, but attracts fingerprints a lot and is generally less resistant.

Which processor should I choose?

If the first was a complicated question, this is even more so. There may be a more powerful processor than the others, but we will only notice this difference in the tests. The world of mobile processors is very complex, as we have many options. However, we are going to simplify to know what we can find.

• MediaTek processors: Many see them as a cheap alternative for low-end equipment. Although they have powerful processors, like the Helio X20, in general they tend to be below their rivals. We will recognize them because the models usually begin with the letters MT. For example, the ZTE Blade A610 Plus carries a MediaTek MT6750T processor.
• Qualcomm processors: They are the most widespread in the mobile world. You will have seen them as Snapdragon. In general, the higher the number, the more powerful the processor. For example, the Snapdragon 820 is more powerful than the Snapdragon 435.
• Samsung processors: Some brands, like Samsung, make their own processors. In the case of Koreans, they are called Exynos and we will only see them on their brand's mobiles. As with the other brands, there are more and less powerful.
• Huawei processors: The same goes for Huawei, which manufactures its own processors under the Kirin name. Generally, the higher the number, the higher the power. To give you an idea, the P10 has a Kirin 960 processor.
• Apple processors: How could it be otherwise, the apple company also manufactures its own chips. He names them as A followed by a number and sometimes a letter. For example, the iPhone 7 has the A10 processor.

And in general, these are the processors that we will find in mobile phones. There may be some that we have not named, such as Intel or Xiaomi, but they are very rare.

The more cores the processor has the better?

Whenever the media talk about the heart of a mobile we name the type of processor it incorporates and the number of cores of this. Also the speed at which these cores work. In general, mobile manufacturers love numbers. And many times we tend to think that the greater the number of something, the better characteristics. But this is not always the case.

It happens, for example, with the number of cores of the processors. The logical thing would be to think that an eight-core chip is better than a four-core. But in reality, it doesn't have to be that way. The number of cores does not make one processor more powerful than another.

Why? We do not want to go into an explanation so technical that nobody understands it. But, roughly speaking, this is because the cores don't all work at the same time. They are generally grouped four by four or two by two. This grouping allows you to activate one group or another depending on your needs. But not all of them are activated at once.

A good example of what we are discussing is Qualcomm's Snapdragon 820. A processor that with its four cores became one of the most powerful on the market. So the power of a processor is not directly associated with the number of cores it has.

The more RAM the better?

Another very common question. The quick answer is: not necessarily. The first thing to know is that RAM is the memory used by applications and the operating system to work.

In mobiles it is the same as in computers, there are several types of RAM. The most common are DDR3 for mid-range mobiles and DDR4 for high-end mobiles. The latter is more modern and faster. The problem is that mobile manufacturers do not usually indicate what type of memory the devices carry.

So, is it important that my new mobile has a lot of RAM? In general, from 3 GB a smartphone should work perfectly. The proof that having more RAM does not necessarily mean higher performance is in the iPhone 7. Apple's latest mobile has 2 GB of RAM. However, no one would say it's slow, right?

Are all storage memories the same?

The other type of memory used in smartphones is ROM. This is what we use to store data, that is, the internal storage memory. The answer to the question is no.

As with RAM, we have several types of ROM. The two most common (or we could almost say unique) in mobile phones are: eMMC and UFS.

The most common is the eMMC memory in its different versions. However, some years ago UFS arrived, the clear successor of eMMC memories. UFS improves available bandwidth, adds new security extensions, and better power management. It also allows simultaneous reading and writing.

The latest version of UFS is UFS 2.1, which improves read and write speed. Of course, the more modern the memory, the faster. However, again, few manufacturers report the type of ROM they include in their terminals.

What type of microSD card do I need for my mobile?

The last type of memory that we will see in a mobile is the one provided by the microSD card. It is a storage memory but, as you know, there are many types of microSD card.

Some time ago we discussed what type of microSD card we should choose for our mobile. Without going into too much detail, it would be best to look for a Class 10 SDXC card. They are not the only valid ones, of course, but they are the ones that will give us the best performance.

What is that mAh?

Whenever we talk about the characteristics of a mobile, the term mAh appears. What does it mean? It is milliamp hours. It is a term used to determine the electrical charge that a battery is capable of storing.

We could think then that the more mAh the more autonomy a terminal will have. However it is not always so. While it is true that it is better to have 4,000 mAh than 2,000 mAh, when the figures move in closer amounts this rule is not always fulfilled. Many times we have seen a 2,700 mAh smartphone outperform a 3,100 mAh smartphone.

That is, we can have a mobile with 3,000 mAh battery, which is a fairly good capacity, but if the operating system is not optimized or the panel and hardware consume a lot, the autonomy of the mobile will be bad. Therefore, not we should be carried away by the amount of mAh of battery. It is better to trust the tests in real use of the terminal.

With more megapixels, better photos?

When it comes to talking about a camera, this is the most common question. The answer is no. Not by having a camera on our mobile with more megapixels will we get better photos.

A few years ago mobile phones began to raise the megapixels of their cameras. Manufacturers went through a time when putting that their mobile had "gazillion" megapixels sold more. However, users realized that having more megapixels did not mean taking better photos.

Megapixels mark the size of the image that we can capture. If we are going to print the image on a billboard that occupies an entire building, we will need many megapixels. But in normal use of mobile photography it is not necessary to have 50 megapixels of resolution.

Thus, to get a good image, the sensor, the aperture or the image processing are much more important.

Does the sensor affect the quality of the photos?

As we said, mobile manufacturers have gone from including the highest number of megapixels to highlighting other aspects such as the size of the sensor or that of each pixel. We saw a clear proof with the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S7, which reduced the resolution of its camera from 16 to 12 megapixels.

The answer to the question we ask is yes. Roughly, the larger the sensor, the more light it will be able to capture, resulting in higher image quality. However, mobiles have a physical limitation of space that prevents the use of very large sensors.

Despite this, we should not obsess over which sensor to look for either. There are many types of sensors and manufacturers, so it is very difficult to control this aspect when we look for a mobile. Yes we can point out that Sony sensors are, perhaps, the most used in the industry. But, as we said, it is not something we should obsess over.

What is the opening?

When we analyze the photographic section of a camera we usually talk about the resolution (megapixels), the sensor, the pixel size and the aperture. The aperture of a photo camera indicates the brightness of the objective. It is represented as a f number and a smaller number, a greater opening.

A larger aperture (smaller f / number) will open the aperture wider and let more light through. And we already know that photography is light. The input of more or less light will help us achieve a better focus and higher quality photographs in low light conditions.

It is a very basic explanation, but it helps us understand why the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge camera is considered one of the best on the market. And it offers an impressive aperture f / 1.7. Of course, many other factors affect, as we have seen, but this is one of the most important.

Are there several types of USB?

So is. Surely in the last analysis of mobile phones that you have read you have come across the term USB-C or USB Type C. USB type C is the new USB standard, called to replace Types A and B. Its most striking characteristics is which is reversible. We will never spend two minutes to blindly connect the mobile charger.

Another feature that came along with USB-C is the USB 3.1 standard. This includes speeds of data exchange and energy transfer much higher than its predecessors. However, while they should, they don't always go hand in hand.

And it is that the type of connector is not the same as the USB version. Unfortunately, many manufacturers are including USB-C connectors with the USB 2.0 standard. That is, despite having a USB-C connector, they do not achieve the speeds of the USB 3.1 standard. For this reason, many times in the characteristics of mobile phones we see "USB 2.0 Type-C".

Another term that we can find when using the mobile is USB OTG. It is short for USB On-The-Go, a specification included in the USB 2.0 standard.

This function will allow us to connect almost any USB device to our mobile, as if we were connecting it to a computer. Obviously, the operating system will have to be prepared to receive these devices.

Why are there multiple versions of Bluetooth?

Bluetooth is a wireless technology designed to connect devices that are at a short distance. Like any other specification, the technology advances and multiple revisions of it end up being released.

The most common that we will find in mobile devices will be Bluetooth 4.0, 4.1 and 4.2. High-end terminals almost always include the latest version. However, some mid-range ones, like the ZTE Blade V8 Lite, may include an older version.

What are the differences? The Bluetooth 4.2 protocol is faster, has lower power consumption and is more secure. Will we have a problem if we opt for a mobile with an older Bluetooth version? Not.

What do the acronyms that appear with the WiFi connection mean?

In the mobile connectivity section, terms that can be confusing are often used. We have seen USB and Bluetooth. Another of the most common is WiFi, which is always accompanied by 802.11 b / g / n / ac. But what do those acronyms mean?

A few months ago we explained in depth what AC WiFi was and what advantages it brings. That same explanation is useful for mobile phones.

Roughly, the initials b / g / n / ac mark the standard used. The AC standard is the last, so it is the fastest. So the ideal is that our new mobile incorporates, if possible, 802.11ac WiFi.

Should I look at the mobile sound system?

Sound has always been secondary in the characteristics of a mobile. And it's funny, because smartphones have become the main music player for most of us. Even so, many of us do not usually pay too much attention to this section.

However, there are many manufacturers who do give it the importance it deserves. For example, ZTE has been highlighting the sound functions of its terminals for some years. Not surprisingly, the ZTE Axon 7 stands out above the average with its four audio chips, its DAC with Hi-Fi HD technology or its Dolby Atmos player.

So, answering the question we posed, if we usually listen to music with our mobile phone at all hours, the answer is yes. We should analyze which audio chip the mobile we are interested in has, if it has a DAC or if, for example, it is capable of playing HD audio.

What type of screen is more resistant?

We are now going to talk about the types of screen protection that a mobile can carry. Surely more than once you have read the term Gorilla Glass. This material is a glass chemically treated to improve its hardness. It is the favorite material of most manufacturers. It is manufactured by Corning and they are already on version 5 of the product.

On the other hand we have the Dragontrail. It is a glass manufactured by Asashi Glass Co., which they claim is up to 6 times harder than Gorilla Glass. It is widely used for televisions, but its use in mobile phones is not very widespread. The reason is that, apparently, fingerprints are very easily marked and it gets dirty quickly.

Even so, some manufacturers like BQ have decided to use it, applying an anti-fingerprint treatment. For example, the BQ Aquaris M5 carries Dragontrail glass.

Another that has sounded in recent months is Dinorex. It is a chemically toughened layer of glass that has touch sensors embedded in the material itself.

At the moment it has very little presence in the market, although some brands such as Meizu and again BQ have already opted for it. The screen of the new BQ Aquaris X is protected by this glass.

DLNA, Miracast, AirPlay, Chromecast. What do they mean?

These terms may not be as common as those discussed so far, but surely you have ever wondered what they mean. In reality, they are all the same. Or at least they seek a common goal, which is none other than to transmit multimedia content wirelessly using the wireless network.

Why would I want to do that? It is mainly used to view the content of the mobile or tablet on a television.

DLNA is the longest in the market. It is a multimedia transmission protocol that allows us to share audio and video between different supported devices. Its greatest advantage is that it is implemented in practically any device with a network connection.

Miracast is a point-to-point protocol created by the Wifi-Alliance. It serves the same purpose as DLNA, but directly connects the two devices to each other. Each company calls it one way. For example, Samsung's is called All Share.

Airplay is a multimedia streaming protocol developed by Apple. This allows us to transfer the audio and video from our iPhone or iPad to Apple TV. Of course, it is only compatible with apple computers.

Chromecast is the latest to hit the market and is developed by Google. As with the Airplay, a compatible device is required to pass the image and audio to the television. The main one is an HDMI stick that Google has developed, although it also works with any device with Android TV.

What types of Dual SIM are there?

We have left a less general question until the end, but one that may interest some users. Dual SIM mobiles are those that incorporate two SIM card slots. That is, on the same mobile we can carry the personal number and the work number, for example.

However, not all Dual SIM phones work the same. Therefore, we are going to explain what types of Dual SIM phones exist and how they work:

• Passive: passive Dual SIM mobiles, despite having two SIM cards, can only use one. The only advantage they provide is that they can switch between one SIM and another without turning off the device. But we repeat, they cannot be used simultaneously.
• Dual Standby: with this type of mobile we can carry the two active SIM cards at the same time. If we receive a call on both lines at the same time, one of them will be suspended. Another peculiarity is that we can only use one of the two cards for data.
• Dual Call: this last type allows you to receive and make calls through both cards at the same time. Still, only the data connection of one of the cards will work.

And here are the 20 questions and answers you should know about the mobile world. We hope we have helped you better understand all the terms that are used to describe the technical characteristics of a mobile.