Looking for a word to replace smartphone

English translation: software-enabled mobile telephone

22:49 Nov 8, 2013
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Telecom(munications) / Patent litigation
English term or phrase: Looking for a word to replace smartphone
The word smartphone does not sound good if repeatedly used. The word phone is used a lot in US English in this sense but is probably inappropriate for this here brief in a patent dispute (i.e. in patent litigation).

What else could I use?

As a first step, a user utilizes their ***phone*** to buy an electronic cinema ticket.
Sebastian Witte
Germany
Local time: 06:47
Selected answer:software-enabled mobile telephone
Explanation:
software-enabled cellphone is also used, with cellphone being much more US-specific; portable device is not descriptive enough as many portable devices don't offer cellular telephone service.

smartphone would not be a bad idea to use as Tony suggested, also, but if you must have an alternative, *the crucial element that makes a device "smart" is the ability to download and utilize software* on the phone... there are mobile phones that get internet access but these are not necessarily smartphones per se, they are WAP devices (using web access protocol and not html)
Selected response from:

John Alphonse (X)
United States
Grading comment
It in the end (see discussion entry) transpired that what is meant is a "WAP-enabled cell phone or better". So it does not necessarily have to be a smartphone where one gets to surf the Internet at a pretty decent speed. Sorry for the confusion. My bad. I will, BTW, not use "software-enabled mobile telephone" as it's too long for repeated use. I will choose between "WAP device or better" and cell phone, once pointing out that the latter has to be at least WAP-enabled.
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +4software-enabled mobile telephone
John Alphonse (X)
3 +1smartphone
Tony M
3portable device
Adrian Liszewski


Discussion entries: 8





  

Answers


18 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
looking for a word to replace smartphone
portable device


Explanation:
I mean to include following in the text: "above-mentioned portable device", or "the portable device in question" or "portable device as defined in section xxx" or something similar, you may also use "device" only.

Adrian Liszewski
Poland
Local time: 06:47
Does not meet criteria
Works in field
Native speaker of: Polish
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38 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
looking for a word to replace smartphone
smartphone


Explanation:
I don't see how you can: according to your German translation, you have to keep the 'smart' bit in order to accurately describe what it is. Actually, does the mere fact it has Internet connectivity actually make it a smartphone? My Nokia does, but I wouldn't consider it a 'smart' phone (not tactile or anything) — well, at least, the OWNER isn't very smart!

Tony M
France
Local time: 06:47
Meets criteria
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 24

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  David Moore (X): I see no justification for abandoning what it's called...
13 hrs
  -> Thanks, David! Though in the light of later context, this is probably no longer the right solution here :-(
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
looking for a word to replace smartphone
software-enabled mobile telephone


Explanation:
software-enabled cellphone is also used, with cellphone being much more US-specific; portable device is not descriptive enough as many portable devices don't offer cellular telephone service.

smartphone would not be a bad idea to use as Tony suggested, also, but if you must have an alternative, *the crucial element that makes a device "smart" is the ability to download and utilize software* on the phone... there are mobile phones that get internet access but these are not necessarily smartphones per se, they are WAP devices (using web access protocol and not html)

John Alphonse (X)
United States
Meets criteria
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 3
Grading comment
It in the end (see discussion entry) transpired that what is meant is a "WAP-enabled cell phone or better". So it does not necessarily have to be a smartphone where one gets to surf the Internet at a pretty decent speed. Sorry for the confusion. My bad. I will, BTW, not use "software-enabled mobile telephone" as it's too long for repeated use. I will choose between "WAP device or better" and cell phone, once pointing out that the latter has to be at least WAP-enabled.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  BrigitteHilgner
1 hr
  -> thank you

agree  Inge Luus: or also telephony device at the end? Considering its a patent, mention of device might be good.
1 hr
  -> thanks

agree  Thayenga: With Inge. :)
6 hrs
  -> thank you

agree  Ashutosh Mitra
9 hrs
  -> many thanks
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