Smartphones can be thought of as handheld computers that integrate mobile phone capabilities and allow users to install advanced applications. They provide mobile access to email, social media like Twitter, cloud storage services like Dropbox and Google Drive, allowing users to access files and work on documents from any internet connection. Different mobile operating systems like iOS and Android offer app stores with thousands of applications that can be used for business or personal purposes, expanding what smartphones can do. 3G and 4G connections allow high-speed internet access on smartphones for multimedia and networking on the go.