Q 01/05

Which device, released in 1994, is retrospectively described as the first true smartphone?

A) The BlackBerry 850

B) The Nokia 9000 Communicator

C) The IBM Simon

D) The Palm Treo

Answer · why

C) The IBM Simon

The IBM Simon could send faxes and email, but a battery lasting about an hour and a steep price held sales to about 50,000.

Q 02/05

Which wireless technology found in smartphones is named after a 10th-century Danish king?

A) Wi-Fi

B) Bluetooth

C) Ultra-wideband

D) NFC

Answer · why

B) Bluetooth

Bluetooth began as a placeholder: Intel's Jim Kardach borrowed the name of King Harald Bluetooth, who united Denmark, because the tech would unite PCs...

Q 03/05

Which Motorola engineer made the first public call from a handheld cellphone, on a Manhattan street?

A) Martin Cooper

B) Frank Canova

C) Steve Wozniak

D) Joel Engel

Answer · why

A) Martin Cooper

Martin Cooper dialed his chief rival, Joel Engel at AT&T's Bell Labs, to tell him he was calling from a real handheld cellphone.

Q 04/05

Which 'brick' phone of the early 1980s was the first handheld cellphone sold to the public?

A) Nokia 3310

B) Motorola DynaTAC 8000X

C) Motorola Razr V3

D) Nokia 9000 Communicator

Answer · why

B) Motorola DynaTAC 8000X

The Motorola DynaTAC 8000X needed ten more years after the 1973 prototype call to clear technical and regulatory hurdles before it went on sale.

Q 05/05

Which iPhone's 'antennagate' reception problem led Apple to hand out free cases?

A) iPhone 3GS

B) iPhone 4

C) iPhone 5

D) iPhone 6 Plus

Answer · why

B) iPhone 4

The iPhone 4's steel rim doubled as its antenna, so gripping the lower-left corner could weaken the signal and drop calls.