Episode 3, of this 4 part series, talked about a real use for "smartphones".

A company has developed a sensor that fits on an Asthma inhaler and records when and where the user used it, send that info to the "smartphone" which has a n app to transmit it to a data gathering point where that information is correlated to the local air quality to help determine why the need to use the inhaler. Apparently Louisville, Ky is the Asthma capitol of the USA.

Another app for the "smartphones" helps people, citizens, gather data on where mosquitoes are hatching. Barcelona, Spain has a city department that gathers this data and is the only city in the world that has one.

Interesting series.