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Know your phone: 8 peculiar cell phone and smartphone facts you probably were not aware of

Know your phone: 8 peculiar cell phone and smartphone facts you probably were not aware of

Posted: 01 Apr 2014, 06:00, by Nick T.

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Know your phone: 8 peculiar cell phone and smartphone facts you probably were not aware of

So, you think you're an expert on smartphones, eh? Think you're a cellular guru and that you know every bit of peculiar information there is to know about them? Then prove it! We've put together a bunch little-known cell phone facts, and we'd bet that you weren't aware of most of them. How many of these you knew were true? Let us know down in the comments!

UPDATE: Hope you liked our April Fools joke, guys! For those who didn't figure this out already, the statements below are all made up.

8 Peculiar cell phone and smartphone facts

Engineering masterpieces

Everybody seems to have one

Emergency charging

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+ 5 images

8 Peculiar cell phone and smartphone facts

Modern smartphones are built of hundreds of precisely selected components, all of which are fine-tuned for compatibility, allowing them to work in perfect unison. It is estimated that in every handset there should be enough parts to make two fully functional cellular mobile phones.

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8 Peculiar cell phone and smartphone facts

1. Engineering masterpieces

2. Everybody seems to have one

Smartphones are at the peak of their popularity and their number is expected to grow even further. It is estimated that over 14.2 billion people worldwide now own a smartphone - up by 17% from this time last year. Communication over cellular phones is done in over 1823 languages and across more than 570 countries.

3. Emergency charging

Low on charge? Worry not! The newest smartphones have their accelerometers and gyroscopic sensors wired directly to their power management system. Shaking a smartphone for 45 seconds generates enough kinetic energy to provide about 10 more minutes of stand-by time.

4. Calls in a low-signal area

The distance of a cell phone from a cellular tower has a direct effect on its call quality. The further you are from one, the louder you should speak so that the tower can "hear" you while handling the conversation.

5. A phone is heavier when it is charged

A phone's weight is one of the many items listed in its specs sheet. The figure is not constant, however. Phones weigh more when their batteries are fully charged. This is known as the Leyden Jar effect and can be easily felt with most smartphones as their batteries are capable of storing way more charge than a basic phone's cell. The ocean tides have an effect on phones' weight as well.

6. How oleophobic coating is made

A special coating on the screens of most smartphones prevents fingerprints from sticking to its glass surface. It is made of animal fat very similar to the kind that aquatic birds use to keep their feathers dry.

7. The mysterious message

It is estimated that one in every 10000 iPhones has the word "Help!" written on the inner side of its casing. The reasons behind this phenomenon are still unknown.

8. Your great grand-daddy had a phone too

The decade marked by the Great Depression saw the most significant increase of basic cellular phones ownership. Their rise to fame was due to their low cost, high reliability, and excellent battery life.

39 Comments

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posted on 01 Apr 2014, 06:07 30

1. MobileGuru (Posts: 82; Member since: 18 Jan 2014)

7. Foxconn workers probably did that.

posted on 01 Apr 2014, 06:11 2

4. brrunopt (Posts: 742; Member since: 15 Aug 2013)

+100000000

posted on 01 Apr 2014, 06:30 10

11. tech2 (Posts: 3487; Member since: 26 Oct 2012)

2. World population 14.2 billion now own a smartphone ....
.....more than 530 countries

Way to keep it subtle, PA -.-

posted on 01 Apr 2014, 06:44 6

14. Sniggly (Posts: 7305; Member since: 05 Dec 2009)

Even with clues like that, I guarantee that there will be frackwits who still believe these "facts."

posted on 01 Apr 2014, 14:39 1

37. tadaa (Posts: 267; Member since: 18 Apr 2013)

well i'm a frackwit. i shook my phone for 45 seconds :D

posted on 01 Apr 2014, 07:29 4

19. Ashoaib (Posts: 3229; Member since: 15 Nov 2013)

14.20 billion is hell of a population

posted on 01 Apr 2014, 08:01 4

23. Aploine (Posts: 437; Member since: 24 Oct 2013)

Or the population of hell...

posted on 01 Apr 2014, 08:02 1

24. Aploine (Posts: 437; Member since: 24 Oct 2013)

That has been measured...

posted on 01 Apr 2014, 10:06

30. Ashoaib (Posts: 3229; Member since: 15 Nov 2013)

Yup! Under estimated lolz...

posted on 01 Apr 2014, 14:07

35. SuperMaoriBro (Posts: 533; Member since: 23 Jun 2012)

Especially when the world population as at 26 march 2014 was estimated at 7.15billion... April fools everyone :/

posted on 01 Apr 2014, 06:10 10

2. Duketytz (Posts: 534; Member since: 28 Nov 2013)

Nice one PA for this April Fool's Joke! Thought it was real for a moment

posted on 01 Apr 2014, 06:18 4

7. TylerGrunter (Posts: 1543; Member since: 16 Feb 2012)

I must admit I had to wait till I read the second one.

posted on 01 Apr 2014, 06:10

3. ara.armagedon (unregistered)

Oh its April! now I know why...

posted on 01 Apr 2014, 06:12 3

5. kanagadeepan (Posts: 981; Member since: 24 Jan 2012)

Please Stop trolling PA... We all know its April 1st now...

posted on 01 Apr 2014, 06:15 7

6. MrOCD (unregistered)

Wow I actually believed every bit of that until I looked at the comments and then realized that #8 was clearly photoshopped. -_-

posted on 01 Apr 2014, 06:20

8. sallmin (Posts: 2; Member since: 01 Apr 2014)

nr.2 14.2 billion people own a cellphone :P

posted on 01 Apr 2014, 06:21 1

9. johnbg92 (Posts: 5; Member since: 06 Feb 2011)

"It is estimated that over 14.2 billion people worldwide now own a smartphone". The second half of those clearly must be living on a different planet...

posted on 01 Apr 2014, 06:25 2

10. johnbg92 (Posts: 5; Member since: 06 Feb 2011)

phones in the great depression picture... lol

posted on 01 Apr 2014, 06:31

12. StraightEdgeNexus (Posts: 3689; Member since: 14 Feb 2014)

SEN iFacePalm

posted on 01 Apr 2014, 06:34 1

13. Sniggly (Posts: 7305; Member since: 05 Dec 2009)

Huh. I always suspected number 7 to be true. Now I know that it is, due to this totally factual article that is not trying to fool us in any way whatsoever on this first day of April.

posted on 01 Apr 2014, 06:45 3

15. Killua (Posts: 270; Member since: 25 Nov 2013)

The emergency charging is pretty funny. You can exercise while doing that too, so it's a win-win. Just don't do that near your crotch.

posted on 01 Apr 2014, 07:54

20. Neo_Huang (Posts: 1067; Member since: 06 Dec 2013)

That actually worked for me one time. I was playing tennis while listening to music and my battery charged 5%. (Or maybe it was a glitch)

posted on 01 Apr 2014, 06:57

16. duartix (Posts: 311; Member since: 01 Apr 2014)

LOL.
Keep them coming!

posted on 01 Apr 2014, 07:03

17. itsdeepak4u2000 (Posts: 3718; Member since: 03 Nov 2012)

PA is trolling...... :P
Ban PA, I'm reporting you... :P

posted on 01 Apr 2014, 07:22 1

18. pwnarena (Posts: 1129; Member since: 15 Feb 2013)

i had to log in to argue that 14B+ cell phone owners until i realized what day today is.
charging by shaking? haha ... it may not really be impossible in the future.

posted on 01 Apr 2014, 07:56 1

21. ArtSim98 (Posts: 3535; Member since: 21 Dec 2012)

Wow that shake to charge is cool! I had no idea about that!

posted on 01 Apr 2014, 08:01 2

22. ArtSim98 (Posts: 3535; Member since: 21 Dec 2012)

Jeeez now I look like a fool I thought this was real lol

posted on 01 Apr 2014, 08:11 4

25. Sniggly (Posts: 7305; Member since: 05 Dec 2009)

Lol, at least you figured it out before someone had to point it out to you.

Happy April Fool's day, Art. :P

posted on 01 Apr 2014, 08:16 3

27. ArtSim98 (Posts: 3535; Member since: 21 Dec 2012)

Yeah lol Thanks!

posted on 01 Apr 2014, 08:19

28. Aploine (Posts: 437; Member since: 24 Oct 2013)

Best + Calls in a low-signal area "so that the tower can "hear" you" rolf

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Know your phone: 8 peculiar cell phone and smartphone facts you probably were not aware of

8 Peculiar cell phone and smartphone facts

8 Peculiar cell phone and smartphone facts

8 Peculiar cell phone and smartphone facts

1. Engineering masterpieces

2. Everybody seems to have one

3. Emergency charging

4. Calls in a low-signal area

5. A phone is heavier when it is charged

6. How oleophobic coating is made

7. The mysterious message

8. Your great grand-daddy had a phone too

39 Comments Options Close Follow › Following Show comments: default show moderated comments Display mode: Threaded Chronological Newest first Always view all comments Save

1. MobileGuru (Posts: 82; Member since: 18 Jan 2014)

4. brrunopt (Posts: 742; Member since: 15 Aug 2013)

11. tech2 (Posts: 3487; Member since: 26 Oct 2012)

14. Sniggly (Posts: 7305; Member since: 05 Dec 2009)

37. tadaa (Posts: 267; Member since: 18 Apr 2013)

19. Ashoaib (Posts: 3229; Member since: 15 Nov 2013)

23. Aploine (Posts: 437; Member since: 24 Oct 2013)

24. Aploine (Posts: 437; Member since: 24 Oct 2013)

30. Ashoaib (Posts: 3229; Member since: 15 Nov 2013)

35. SuperMaoriBro (Posts: 533; Member since: 23 Jun 2012)

2. Duketytz (Posts: 534; Member since: 28 Nov 2013)

7. TylerGrunter (Posts: 1543; Member since: 16 Feb 2012)

3. ara.armagedon (unregistered)

5. kanagadeepan (Posts: 981; Member since: 24 Jan 2012)

6. MrOCD (unregistered)

8. sallmin (Posts: 2; Member since: 01 Apr 2014)

9. johnbg92 (Posts: 5; Member since: 06 Feb 2011)

10. johnbg92 (Posts: 5; Member since: 06 Feb 2011)

12. StraightEdgeNexus (Posts: 3689; Member since: 14 Feb 2014)

13. Sniggly (Posts: 7305; Member since: 05 Dec 2009)

15. Killua (Posts: 270; Member since: 25 Nov 2013)

20. Neo_Huang (Posts: 1067; Member since: 06 Dec 2013)

16. duartix (Posts: 311; Member since: 01 Apr 2014)

17. itsdeepak4u2000 (Posts: 3718; Member since: 03 Nov 2012)

18. pwnarena (Posts: 1129; Member since: 15 Feb 2013)

21. ArtSim98 (Posts: 3535; Member since: 21 Dec 2012)

22. ArtSim98 (Posts: 3535; Member since: 21 Dec 2012)

25. Sniggly (Posts: 7305; Member since: 05 Dec 2009)

27. ArtSim98 (Posts: 3535; Member since: 21 Dec 2012)

28. Aploine (Posts: 437; Member since: 24 Oct 2013)

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