Technology Report - Why 'Lite' Smartphones Are So Popular

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From	I'm	Local	Rio	Safiyanto	about	and	cell	central
city	company	costly	dollars	he	insurance	look	majority	manufacturer	monthly
owners	people	phone	phones	smartphones	successful	technology	to

VOA Learning English, this is Technology. Twenty-three-year old Rio sells face masks for about 30 cents each in Jakarta, Indonesia. He earns enough money to own a phone that permits him to visit websites like Facebook Twitter, as well as finding game applications, or apps. Safiyanto says the average person in Indonesia has a phone. He likes having one because he can talk his family when he is away from home. And, is pleased that he can use it to listen music. Rio's phone has a keypad that makes it like a Blackberry. It is known as a feature or smartphone lite. That is because it is less and cannot do as many things as more advanced like the Apple iPhone. These devices make up the of cell phones sold around the world. They are in places like Indonesia, where some smartphones cost 700 or more. Although many lower-income users are new to , they are quickly learning to use the technology. Phone Nokia offers a service called Life Tools. For a payment, Nokia sends text messages to farmers. They tell weather conditions, crop prices, agricultural news and give advice. businessman Aldi Haryopratomo has developed a way for store to sell things from prepaid cellphone minutes to life through text messages. A company called Ruma developed the . It is working on a system that will inform about jobs in their area. Last year, the French Semiocast reported that Jakarta was the world's top tweeting , ahead of Tokyo and London. For VOA Learning English, Carolyn Presutti. (Adapted from a radio program broadcast 15Apr2013)

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