Jinx has the right of it.
Smartphones are computers with custom screens and few (if any) standardized ports.
However, it is not very simple to program one with custom software (nor are they cheap).
Depending on what you wanted to do with the project you might be able to use a microcontroller. Programming those isn't something I would call "easy", but it is a fair sight easier than trying to load a custom OS onto a smartphone.
ETA:
two more products that you might want to look into:
http://arduino.cc - arduino is the one of the bigger players in this space, lots of software modules + lots of different hardware configurations. I'd be surprised if you couldn't find something that fits your needs.
http://beagleboard.org - these guys seem to be at the higher end of the market. Fewer physical options, but what they offer is more powerful (and more expensive). But they haven't been around as long, so their software libraries might be a smaller.
-Terry
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"so listen up boy, or pornography starring your mother will be the second worst thing to happen to you today"
TF2: Spy
Smartphones are computers with custom screens and few (if any) standardized ports.
However, it is not very simple to program one with custom software (nor are they cheap).
Depending on what you wanted to do with the project you might be able to use a microcontroller. Programming those isn't something I would call "easy", but it is a fair sight easier than trying to load a custom OS onto a smartphone.
ETA:
two more products that you might want to look into:
http://arduino.cc - arduino is the one of the bigger players in this space, lots of software modules + lots of different hardware configurations. I'd be surprised if you couldn't find something that fits your needs.
http://beagleboard.org - these guys seem to be at the higher end of the market. Fewer physical options, but what they offer is more powerful (and more expensive). But they haven't been around as long, so their software libraries might be a smaller.
-Terry
-----
"so listen up boy, or pornography starring your mother will be the second worst thing to happen to you today"
TF2: Spy