Simplify smart phone selection
Smart phone selection is getting complicated. Such new operating systems as Google’s Android now compete against traditional powerhouses like Symbian. In addition, there are expanding product lines and manufacturers, new carriers and a seemingly endless array of service plans.
Besides such smart phone standards as BlackBerry (e.g., Bold, Storm and Tour in addition to the Curve) and iPhone (plus the new iPhone 3GS), new models are proliferating. They include Palm Pre; HTC’s Snap, Nexus One and Droid ERIS; Samsung Exclaim and Moment; Motorola Cliq, Rival and Droid; Nokia N97; and LG LX370.
Think long and hard about what you want your phone to do. List out the must-have functions so that you can make an initial list of phones that will meet your needs. At this point, leave open decisions about price, carrier or plan (unless you’re already committed to a particular company).
Consider these steps:
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Establish and prioritize needed business uses. More advanced smart phones resemble condensed versions of laptop or desktop computers coupled with a cell phone, so your needs well may require substantial consideration. For initial vetting, contact primary carriers.
Is your primary need a robust email program? If so, BlackBerry may be your best bet. While many phones can handle email well if the user logs in, BlackBerry automatically delivers it. When a user clicks on the message icon, it shows everything that’s arrived.
What about web browsing? In contrast to BlackBerry’s email superiority, such models as the iPhone are a good, user-friendly choice when it comes to bringing up complete web pages. This can be very helpful for those searching regularly for news, company information and social media posts.
Do you need reliable document storage, appointment scheduling, data and multimedia editing? If so, do you need to sync up easily with Microsoft applications? What about text messaging needs? High-powered texting that includes graphics may best fall to the iPhone, HTC Touch or Nokia N Series.
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Assess acceptable operating systems. After initial carrier research, you can crosscheck and reinforce criteria based on the operating system. Among your operating system choices are Symbian (for LG, Motorola, Samsung, among others), Palm OS, iPhone OS, RIM BlackBerry, Microsoft’s Windows Mobile, and the new Google Android.
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Review and refine your choices. After initial cuts, check out individual phone reviews/comparisons. One good way to do this is to conduct search engine research.
A quick search brought up a variety of sites, including: http://reviews.cnet.com/best-smartphones/?tag=contentMain;contentBody;
http://cell-phones.toptenreviews.com/smartphones/;
http://dailycontributor.com/smartphone-comparison-chart/10313/; and
http://robschoice.com/top_picks/best_smartphone.aspx.
You also drill down further to get objective, more in-depth individual phone specs, features and benefits based on your list. Websites such as cnet.com and zdnet.com are possible places to start. Once you’ve gotten to this point, you’re ready to match a carrier to a short list of phone options to determine the most appropriate calling plans.
Then, you can be on your way—confident that you’ve made a well-thought-out choice instead of an impulse buy.
