Although the mobile phone has been widely used for several decades, smartphones are a more recent advance. They are mobile phones that offer not only the standard facilities such as voice and text communication, but also advanced computing and communication capability, including, for example, Internet access and geo-positioning systems. In comparison to earlier mobile phones, smartphones generally also have larger, higher resolution display screens. Most of the newer generation of smartphones also incorporate other features such as on-board personal management tools, high quality cameras and recording devices. Smartphones have now achieved such a pervasive presence in society that users find it easy to self-organise themselves across large geographical areas . Many have adopted a culture where they are 'always connected' to their peer groups, communities of practice and information . The mobile phone provides an essential 'any time, any place' portal into the entire world wide web of knowledge. Such continuous and pervasive social connectivity has important implications for society, and holds a lot of potential in particular for use in education, healthcare and medicine.