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I got to 'Ten years ago, the word "smartphone" didn't exist' and stopped. I know it's just a topic-establishing observation, but it's terribly incorrect.[0] If

• fr0sty 13y ago
  Linked article is just over 11 years old. Is the author's rounding of 11 years down to 10 that offensive?
  • discostrings 13y ago
    Actually, yes. It wouldn't mind if the term originated 11 years ago and the author stated it was coined 10 years ago. But the author claimed it was less than 10 years old, and the term was around for many years before 2002--I just found that article as a quick example for younger readers who might think the term "smartphone" developed as a generic word for "iPhone-like device"--it may seem crazy, but some people actually think this, and the article's opening supports that narrative. Inaccurate, unthoughtful statements like this lead us to forget history, and they especially do a disservice to articles contemplating developments in the near future. I think it's relevant to the article that "smartphone" was a part of tech and business life and news before it became a household term--these products see a lot of development and a niche user base before, suddenly, everyone has them. That nascent period, during which products' dangers can be considered and hopefully diminished, is essential.
  • tedunangst 13y ago
    How hard would it have been to pop over to Wikipedia and read that Ericsson used the term smartphone in 1997?