Smart Phone Buying Guide

Smarter Than a Fifth Grader

Smart phones are a hybrid of cell phones and personal data assistants (PDAs) that also include e-mail, Internet access, and the ability to sync with your home PC. Smart phones have larger screens than cell phones and most offer either an alphanumeric keyboard or a touch-sensitive screen. Smart phones also offer cameras (some up to 3 megapixels for higher digital picture quality), MP3 players, and multimedia support are now common as smart phone makers try to deliver the most functionality for the price.

Choosing a Smart Phone

First and foremost, you need to make phone calls, so choose a model that’s comfortable to use and offers good sound quality. You’ll need a service plan with a wireless provider to make the smart phone work, and some phones only work for certain providers. “Unlocked” models are available from third-party retailers, but not all functions may work properly on an unlocked smart phone.

The biggest benefit of a smart phone is the ability to send and receive e-mail, either through the Web, a dedicated server, or the IMAP or POP mail client you currently use. Not all smart phones support IMAP or POP access, so you’ll need to know which protocol your e-mail servers are using and choose a smart phone than can communicate with them.

E-mail means writing, and there’s two ways to go. One is an alphanumeric keyboard. The buttons on these are small and best suited for one-handed use. The other choice is a touch-sensitive screen and a stylus. These smart phones have handwriting recognition software that takes some practice to use. Both types of phones may include predictive text software that automatically completes words for you, and some smart phones will learn your vocabulary to reduce inaccurate predictions.

Added Smart Phone Functions

There are different methods for connecting a smart phone to your PC. Some include a cradle with a USB cable that recharges and connects while others simply use a USB connection. Wireless connectivity via infrared or Bluetooth is increasingly common for smart phones, but you’ll need a PC that supports this feature or a separate electronic key, called a dongle, to enable it.

Smart phones have their own operating systems (OS), and they come with software that allows them to work with your PC. The most commonly used OS is Windows Mobile, which supports common Windows applications, including reduced-feature versions of Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. All BlackBerry smart phones run on a proprietary OS, which supports some Windows software with additional downloads. Sony and Ericsson smart phones use the Symbian OS, which is built for greater ease in calling. Innovation giants Apple has designed its own OS, while Google is planning a new wireless OS of their own. Some Smart Phone models still support the Palm OS designed for touch-screen PDAs.

Choosing an OS is largely a matter of personal preference. Current smart phone operating systems work well with PC and Mac, so find an interface that you like and check to make sure that it supports software you consider essential.

Smart Phone Memory and Screens

Built-in memory keeps getting bigger. You can expect to find 20MB to 80MB out of the box on smart phones, along with the option to expand memory through an SD or MMC slot, allowing up to 2GB of storage. Some smart phones are rated for a maximum amount of storage, something you’ll want to check if you carry a lot of data or need a lot of applications.

Smart phone screens are larger than those on cell phones, and many work in both portrait and landscape modes, giving you a larger view of Web sites, multimedia files, and e-mails. TFT or film transistor screens are the most common, but they can be hard to use outdoors or in bright light. Newer transflective screens absorb bright light to keep the screen readable in all types of lighting.

Bands and Batteries

Some makers hail the quad-band functionality of their smart phones. Useful if you’re a globetrotter, unnecessary if you stay close to home. Smart phones send voice messages through the GSM network and use either the 3G or GPRS networks for Internet communications. The newer 3G network offers improvements in multimedia functions, making it ideal for music and video lovers.

Battery life in smart phones averages six hours across all models, with 3 hours at the low end and 13 hours at the high end. Talking consumes the most power, followed by writing and using media files.

Additional Costs

When comparing smart phone models, be sure to include the price of extra memory cards, Bluetooth connectors or headsets, and car chargers, if they are not included. You’ll also need to consider the cost of a monthly service plan from a wireless provider. Always choose a plan that includes more minutes than you think you’ll use, as going over can lead to airtime charges of 10 cents a minute or more. An unlimited data transfer plan is also recommended for your smart phone.

Need to know more?

• Palm Infocenter
  http://www.palminfocenter.com
• News from Mobile Whack
  http://www.mobilewhack.com
• News and Reviews from Brighthand
  http://www.brighthand.com
• The Smartphone Show Blog
  http://smartphoneshow.wordpress.com/