ESL Podcast 647 - Using a Smartphone
to unbox - to take something out of its box for the first time; to open a new product
When you unbox the microwave, be sure to save the packaging so we can reuse it when we move.
smartphone - a cell phone that can access email and other information on the Internet
If we had a smartphone, we wouldn't need to stop to ask for directions while driving.
every (something) under the sun - having many different types of something; having a lot of something or all of something
This kitchen has every upgrade under the sun: stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, an eight-burner gas stove, and more!
feature - characteristic; something special that a product offers
This printer has a lot of features, including high-speed printing, wireless connections, and a built-in fax machine.
camera - a device used to take photographs
Do you need to buy film for your camera, or is it a digital camera?
video camera - a device used to record videos
They bring their video camera to all their kids' sports games and dance recitals.
videophone - a telephone that has a small screen that allows the callers to see each other while they are speaking
Sharon uses a videophone when she calls her grandchildren so that she can see how much they are growing and changing even though she lives far away.
GPS - global positioning system; technology that uses satellites to know exactly where a device or person is at all times
When they got lost in the woods, they were able to use the GPS on their cell phone to find the way back home.
touch-screen - a flat panel on an electronic device that can sense where one touches it, allowing the user to select things on the screen with one's finger
This is a touch-screen map, so if you want to zoom closer, just touch the part you're interested in with your finger.
keyboard - small keys marked with numbers, letters, and punctuation, used to enter information into a computer or other electronic device
Are you able to touch-type, or do you have to look at the keyboard?
intuitive - easy to understand; making sense to a person so that one does not need to read the instructions in order to use or do something
Graphic computer programs that use icons are more intuitive than computer programs where the user has to type commands in a programming language.
price tag - the sales price; how much something costs
We dreamed of buying a new home until we started looking at the price tags and realized we didn't have enough savings.
true enough - a phrase used to show that one agrees with what another person has said
This special milk is too expensive!
True enough, but it's better for your health.
SIM card - a subscriber identity module card; a small card that contains electronic information used for a telephone
If you store all your friends' phone numbers on a SIM card, you can just use that same SIM card when you get a new phone, and you won't have to enter all the numbers again.
Bluetooth compatible - able to work with the technology that allows devices to communicate with each other without wires, especially when referring to cell phones, headsets, and car radios
This car is Bluetooth compatible, so when your cell phone rings, a voice on your car's radio will announce who is calling you.
e-book reader - a small, portable electronic device that can download the text of books or newspapers from the Internet and display it on a screen
This e-book reader is great, because it's easier to carry than a big, heavy novel, but sometimes I miss the feeling of holding an actual book in my hands.
app - application; a program that can be installed on a smartphone or other electronic device to make it do something else
Our bank offers an app that lets customers check their account balance and pay bills on a smartphone.