Smartphones are common these days.  These are the PDA phone devices and mini-computers put into one device.  If you are considering a smart phone device, there a few major considerations that you should keep in mind.  As devices segment into smaller and smaller niches for consumers, smartphones are no different in their form and function targeting a specific user type.

In general, all the smartphones will have the basic PDA capabilities and synchronization with Microsoft Outlook and other major calendar/email applications.  This provides a large advantage for smarphones over regular phones in providing data integrity, security, and accuracy between your mobile information and information on your computer.

The major killer application for smartphones is email and soon to be instant messaging (texting is much less rich (no presence) and often requires separate plans or more expensive plans to have it included).  Electronic communications is one of the largest reasons to get a smartphone.  This basically allows you to turn unproductive time into productive time.  This is the moto for Research in Motion and their abundant profits.  

Practically, having information and email at your fingertips, anywhere you go is a huge time and money saver.  You can pull up Google or Yahoo Maps and not get lost (save time and money).  You can respond to emails while running errands (do work while getting life activities done).  You can read the news and get research from the Internet wherever you are (you can get product reviews before you purchase offline).

When you go to buy a device, you will be faced with many different form factors.  This is one of the most important decisions.  How you interact with technology and use it will be the largest determinate in ensuring a happy experience. 

Here are some major form factor considerations.

1.  Do I want a touch screen?  Many people find  this very helpful and prefer Microsoft Smartphones or Palm Smartphones.  The iPhone from Apple has a very innovative design if you don’t like keyboards. 

2.  Full keyboard , abbreviated keyboard, or no keyboard?  For me, a keyboard is essential to the way I use technology.  This decision on your part will narrow the choices quickly.  I want to feel the keys as I drive and dial more than I like.  I use a Blackberry 8830 myself and the full QWERTY keyboard allows me to type responses and compose emails quickly.  The abbreviated keyboard of the Blackberry Pearl, which I’ve also used, works great for me, also.  The SureType software Blackberry uses does a good job in interpreting typing so you don’t have to press keys two times to get what you want.  It does require more coordination for typing but as a regular phone, the keypad will be very easy to use and has few competitors.  I’ve tested the typing on the IPhone and it’s no where nearly as fast for typing and much less forgiving on hitting the wrong letters (though the software corrects for many common mistakes). 

3.  How big a screen do I need?  Smartphones are larger depending on the physical characteristics on the unit.  The screen is the largest cost of the smartphone.  Some people prefer larger screens for Internet surfing or multimedia TV/movies on their device.  Many women prefer a sleek smaller unit to fit in their purse and be more portable.  Style is a function for many people.   

4.  Do I need a camera?  Cameras are almost standard in all phones that ship.  However, you may be in a profession or go to areas that prevent camera use (legal areas, sensitive information areas, gym locker rooms, construction sites).  If you use your phone frequently in these places and are barred from having a camera phone, this will narrow your choices quickly.      

5.  How do I want the device to feel?  Come and test it out.  Some are more sturdy, some have sliding keyboards, and some are all touch screen.   

Once you answer these four questions above, you should have a narrow list of units that will meet your requirement.  Software is the next critiria to find the perfect unit for you.

1.  What applications do I need to run?  Certain business applications work on certain phones.  If your company has standardized on Blackberry, it makes much more sense to buy a Blackberry unit.  Most larger companies have standardized on Microsoft, Blackberry, or Good Technology (Motorola).  This software will allow you to wireless synchronize email, calendars, applications, and contacts instantaneously.  This is great for busy people who have others schedule appointments for them.  At anytime, the status of appoints can be known to the organization and yourself so you can allow people to book you into meetings or sales calls without having to call you, ask, and research the calendar (a great time saver).  The other important reason to use what your company uses is that there are plenty of user experts all around you.  These co-workers can help you with problems quickly, so you have additional support at work as well as from the carrier.     

2.  How stable a smartphone do I need?  Smartphone phones crash and freeze up.  It’s a common problem of trying to do many things in a small compact device and having product cycles every 6-12 months with new stuff all the time.  From our experiences as a Sprint Service center, Blackberry devices are the most stable smartphone, followed by Palm, and then followed by Microsoft smartphones.  I have to admit that part of these problems are due to user errors.  Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.0 on the Mogul will lock the screen to save power and you need to press the button and then unlock the touch screen.  Does the phone ”freeze,”  yes, but it was designed to work that way to save battery life.  A quick read of the owners manual will reveal this.  

3.  Intuitive user interface?  Palm is the most intuitive user interface and provides the most means of interacting with the software (keyboard, touch screen, stylus, 5 way navigation keys).  Blackberry and Microsoft require a little more work from the user, but nothing four hours of playing with the device and a user CD can’t solve.  

4.  Do I want GPS Navigation ready on the device?  Navigation and location based services is the second most requested function for mobile devices.  GPS Navigation on smartphones are equivalent in almost every aspect to onboard car systems.  The advantage of this is the portability to use it anywhere you are and in different cars.  If you get picked up by your friend and they don’t have a navigation system, you can let them use your phone to navigate with.  If you travel to another city, you won’t get lost.  Not all phones ship with a GPS chip enabled or embedded on the phones.  Sprint Blackberries come with this standard and the data plans include navigation for free (its a very competitve deal).

5.  Do I want to be able to run and view multimedia and TV?  Microsoft and Palm devices clearly lead in this area and can play many multimedia formats on the device.  Microsoft’s media player is very good and accepts many different video formats.  The video on the new HTC Touch device is very high quality.                              

6.  How fast a device do I want?  This depends on your carrier.  At this time, Sprint has the largest Rev A. (version 2.0x of high speed network) footprint and  is the only carrier that has annouced and is rolling out WiMax services.  Verizon uses the equivalent technology but no WiMax plans announced.  Most phones are only version 1.0x but this is still 2.0x-5.0x faster than AT&T and T-Mobile.  Lastly, T-Mobile and AT&T are only beginning to roll out extensively their highspeed (2.0x high speed network).  If you want your device to render pictures and images quickly, search websites fast, get GPS directions, trade stocks, and use your phone as a high speed modem for your computer, you will experience a dramatic difference in using a Sprint handset versus an AT&T or T-Mobile handset in the USA.        

The last criteria for your guide to buying is price.  Verizon and AT&T generally charge premiums for data service.  Sprint has the best unlimited highspeed data plans at $15 per month. 

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