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Competition is heating up in the cell phone industry to offer Smartphones that appeal to a wider base of consumers. This huge wave of new products and features means selecting a phone will no longer be a simple task. Since cell phones are our most highly utilized electronic gadget these days, it's a good idea to know your options.
What's a Smartphone?
By now most people are familiar with the concept of combining a phone with calendar, contacts, and Internet access. But let's look at the history of how these highly capable devices came about. Back in the mid-'90s, Palm succeeded in creating a popular PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) called the Palm Pilot. As its name implies, it was a compact handheld device with a touchscreen and hand writing recognition that held your contacts, calendar, tasks, and many other types of information. The Palm Pilot was a significant step in mobilizing data and was widely adopted by business users. As cell phones advanced with improved user interface and could easily hold contact information, it became obvious that combining a PDA and a phone is the natural next step; later to be called a Smartphone. In the early parts of this decade, a Canadian company called Research In Motion (RIM) became the dominant player in Smartphones for business users with its BlackBerry device. Palm and others followed suit, making similar devices to penetrate the business market and the tech-savvy portion of consumers. But it wasn't until Apple's introduction of the iPhone two years ago that consumers were the key target for a Smartphone. Since then Apple has gained a respectable share of the consumer phone market, which has others scrambling to gain and maintain their share. There are now several players in this space, including the well-knowns: Apple, BlackBerry (RIM), Motorola, Nokia, Palm and Samsung; and the not-so-well-knowns: HTC, Pantech, and others. To add to the confusion, Google has come up with its special operating system for Smartphones, called Android, which will be offered by several phone manufacturers.
What to Look For
As we mentioned earlier, there are many companies, and many features to choose from when it comes to a Smartphone. But the first thing to ask is “Do I even need a Smartphone?” It's much easier to justify using these devices for business users, but there are many users that'll do just fine with a less integrated device and don't need to access the Internet or to have their entire phone directory at their reach at all times. For the latter group, it may very well make sense to stick with a more simple phone, which will also save you about $30-$50 in monthly data plan charges. If you've decided that you need a Smartphone, then consider these points before going out and signing a contract.
First and foremost, decide if the phone is compatible with your work and lifestyle. For example, is the phone too bulky or too small? Is the keyboard the right size for your fingers? Do you do a lot of texting while on the road and need a real keyboard instead of a touchscreen? Is the battery life on one charge enough for your typical days?
Just as important is your transition to the new phone and how it works with the rest of your existing data and systems. Would its e-mail capabilities work with your personal or business e-mail system (more on this later)? What additional software may you need to make that work (mainly for businesses)? How easily can you import your existing contacts from your computer or online account into the phone?
Working with your existing e-mail account could be one of the trickiest parts of your decision. For example, in case of the BlackBerry, if you want outgoing e-mails to go out of your existing e-mail account, you'd have to install a server software, which means only larger companies can afford to do this. Otherwise you're forced to use a new BlackBerry e-mail address, which will confuse your recipients and make managing your e-mails more difficult. That's mainly why the BlackBerry is more suitable for corporate users.
Given the mobile phone market is becoming more competitive than ever, it's also important to pay attention to the long term viability of the carrier and the phone manufacturer. For example, Palm just introduced a very sleek and full-featured phone called the Pre, which is only being offered through Sprint for now. Although Palm was a leader in PDAs and Smartphones, it's been struggling to maintain its market position after the iPhone's introduction. The Pre is a last ditch attempt to save that market share, but it may prove to be too little too late for Palm. Betting on Palm and Sprint to be successful in the long term may prove to be a be a risky proposition.
Last but not least, one of the biggest differentiators of Smartphones has become their ability to support additional applications (or apps) for download once you own the phone. The iPhone is by far the leader in this arena with its large selection of apps, but all other key players like Palm, BlackBerry, and Nokia are also gathering enough critical mass for useful apps.
These are only a few key points about choosing a Smartphone, but should arm you with enough knowledge to know what to look for. Happy hunting!
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