Smart Phones

The new name should probably be BrilliantPhones, especially this year with the introduction of the iPhone. SmartPhones with a camera and calendar and – imagine this – a phone! are almost outdated. Each manufacturer is rushing to add features while carriers compete on options and family plans. Then why do 80% of all cell phone users hate their phones? Bad shopping by the company IT person, a family member (never trust anyone under 20 to buy your phone) or even themselves.

When shopping for a Smartphone, the first decision to make is which operating system to use. There are three main systems currently but Symbian which has been the leader in Europe is gaining ground in the US. Apple OS could become a strong number four if their product lives up to its hype.

BlackBerry

• email focused
• can connect to corporate or web-based email server
• few 3rd party applications

Microsoft Windows Mobile

• includes mobile versions of Word, Excel, Outlook
• sync’s with PCs and Microsoft Exchange Servers
• lots of 3rd party applications especially GPS and Internet applications

Palm OS

• PIM (Personal Information Manager) focused
• lots of 3rd party applications including ACT! the leading contact management software

Apple OS X

• ultra-mini PC with a phone
• partnered with Google for web browsing, email, GPS
  touchscreen with QWERTY keyboard and icons

There are some proprietary Operating Systems, however, they offer fewer features and very few 3rd party applications. Beware!

Phones are generally tied to carrier but can be unlocked to change carriers. When buying your Smartphone, consider which carrier offers you the best coverage in your local area and the regions you travel in most often. Smartphones generally require a service contract so you are tied to a carrier for a considerable period of time. Often there is a trade off between a lower phone cost and a longer contract. Think before you sign!

Also look carefully at the contract and how it handles data time (web browsing, wireless email, etc.) and call time. Some carriers combine the two. Some charge separately. Some even separate text messaging from wireless email for two charges. Consider which type of data you’ll be using the most and which plan offers you the best price.

For me, the most exciting feature of the iPhone is the touch screen. Those little bitty keys on the Qwerty keyboard frustrate my over-40 eyes and chubby fingers. And we won’t even go into the acrylic nails fiascos! The iPhone touchscreen is made for fingers and promises to eliminate the Palm stylus and dependence on the little keys.

Pronounced kwer-tee, refers to the arrangement of keys on a standard English computer keyboard or typewriter. The name derives from the first six characters on the top alphabetic line of the keyboard.
The arrangement of characters on a QWERTY keyboard was designed in 1868 by Christopher Sholes, the inventor of the typewriter. According to popular myth, Sholes arranged the keys in their odd fashion to prevent jamming on mechanical typewriters by separating commonly used letter combinations.

Not only can you get directions but you can use your Smartphone to find a Chinese restaurant within 10 miles of you location. Your phone knows where you are. Special software lets you locate your friends. (They have to have the same phone and software.) Yes, I can see that Susan is at the Chinese restaurant so I can drop by and join her for lunch.

Why is Bluetooth important? For that matter, what is Bluetooth? Despite the funny name, it is a standardization of wireless connectivity. Any Bluetooth device can talk to any other Bluetooth device. I know that my Bluetooth ear bud will connect with my Bluetooth SmartPhone which will connect with my car Bluetooth system for hands-free operation. Bluetooth is a big step toward the wireless office.

Bluetooth refers to King Harald Bluetooth Gormson (910 – 986 AD). Maybe he had a dark tooth from an injury but the nickname probably came later. He united Denmark and Norway and turned them from paganism to Christianity. The Jelling stones are his monument to his parents and a symbol of the unification. The runes are used in Bluetooth’s logo.

Features Comparison	Blackberry 8703e	PalmOne Treo 700p	Motorola Q	iPhone
Operating System	Blackberry	Palm	Windows Mobile 5	Apple OS X
Street Price	$199	$349 +	$229.99	$499 / $599
Qwerty Keyboard	Yes	Yes	Yes	On Screen
Screen Size	2.1	2.7	2.4	3.5
Camera Option	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Internal Memory	36MB	32MB	64MB	4GB/8GB
Bluetooth	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Web Browser	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Continuous Talk Time	N/A	7:44 hours		5:00 hours

Finally, look at the 3rd party applications you need and decide which Smartphone will handle your needs best.

• Camera? (3+ megapixel versions are common now.)
• Documents to Go? (Read/edit Word, Excel or PowerPoint files.) Or use Windows Mobile which already has the software.
• MP3s? (Internal memory capacity and SD cards hold more songs.)
• Video? (Smaller graphics chips and SD cards allow you to capture or play video files.)
• PDF reader?
• Web browsing?
• 3D games?

What’s next? Smartphones that can switch between digital cellular networks and local area Wi-Fi and make the choice for you of the least expensive way to place your call. The technology is available but the debate continues on allowing calls during air flights. I’m certainly voting no on that! 10GB drives are a probability to hold more applications, MP3s, videos, … large files.

One word of caution. Smartphone technology is going to make a lot of changes in the next 12-24 months. When you buy your Smartphone, plan on buying a new and improved version soon.