Introducing your child to a smartphone is an exciting experience, especially if that phone is from Troomi. Suddenly, your kid has a safe smartphone with the ability to call you if they have any trouble, and a plethora of interesting apps and games to peak their creative interest and encourage educational pursuits.
It can also be intimidating! Between the dangers of social media and issues of cyber security, there is a lot to think about when giving your kid their first phone. However, there’s a concept even more intimidating that you may not have thought about: vocabulary (duh duh duh!).
Don’t worry, I’m not going to give you a vocabulary quiz—this isn’t a seventh grade English class.
One of the most difficult parts of introducing a phone to your child is the seemingly endless bunch of new words they need to learn. As such, Troomi has put together a little glossary of important words that your kids should know when using their first smartphone.
Speaking of first smartphones, if you’re on the hunt for a smartphone designed specifically for kids, give Troomi a try! Our kidsmart, parent-approved devices are created with your children in mind. Our phones’ military grade security protects kiddos from all sorts of cyber attacks, and our KidSmart apps encourage creativity and education, while helping your child remain free from technology addiction. Click here to learn more!
Now, let’s get into the words!
Smartphone Glossary
Airplane mode – a setting on a smartphone that turns off wireless signals; for use on an airplane
Alarm clock – a clock that makes a sound at a certain time, usually to wake someone up
Android – an operating system used for smartphones and tablets
App – an abbreviation of application
Application – a program or piece of software on a smartphone
Audio jack – a socket for plugging in an audio source, like headphones
Bar – representations of a phone’s ability to connect to a network; the more bars, the better the connection
Battery – a container that creates electricity and powers mobile phones
Bluetooth – a form of connection between mobile phones, computers, and other electronic devices
Browser – a computer program that people use to surf the web
Call – a way of speaking to someone on the phone, voice to voice
Calculator – a machine or app that completes mathematic calculations
Calendar – an app that shows days, weeks, and months of a particular year
Camera – an app or device that takes pictures
Cell phone – a phone that uses cellular networks so you can take it anywhere
Download – to copy data from one computer system to another
Emoji – little images used to express ideas or emotions
Email – messages sent through the internet
Gigabyte – a unit of measurement for the size of digital information (1 gigabyte equals 1000 megabytes)
Google – a website that people use to search for information; also slang referring to searching for info online
Home Screen – the introductory visual interface on a device or computer program
Keyboard – a panel of keys that people use to type words and sentences
Kilobyte – a unit of measurement for digital information (1000 kilobytes is equal to 1 megabyte)
Livestream – a live transmission of an event over the internet
Lock code – a code that must be entered to access a mobile phone
Megabyte – a unit of measurement for the size of digital information (1000 megabytes is 1 gigabyte)
Messaging – to send a message to someone, usually by text
MMS – Multimedia Messaging Service; text messages that include media content
MP3 – a music file
MP4 – a video file
Network – a number of interconnected computers, machines, or operations
Night Mode – a type of display on a mobile phones that makes the screen darker; it’s better for your eyes at night
Notification – a small message that appears on your phone, letting you know new information
Pocket Dial – when you call someone accidentally
Ringtone – the sound that comes from your phone when you’re getting a call
Screen – the part of your phone that displays images and words
Selfie – a picture you take of yourself
Smartphone – a mobile phone with an advanced operating system that can use apps, play media, and surf the internet
SMS – Standard Messaging Service; your basic text messaging
Speaker – a machine that plays noise
Stream – a continuous download of data; typically referring to media
Swipe – moving your finger across a touchscreen
Text – a message sent from one phone to another
Theme – that way your phone’s home screen looks
Touchscreen – a screen that works by touching it
Troomi – the best first phone for kids! (we couldn’t resist)
Voicemail – a spoken message left by a caller when a phone call is not answered
Wi-Fi – the wireless technology used to connect computers and smartphones to the internet
Wireless – using radio waves to transmit a signal, rather than a physical cord
QR Code – an array of black and white squares that you can scan to access a website
Zoom – a video conferencing app
Zoom in – to adjust a camera so the picture looks closer
Zoom out – to adjust a camera so the picture looks smaller