Smartphony.net

By Samantha Goode

First, there was the standard land line phone system; then came the cell phone – a convenient little portable item that everyone adopted a “must have” attitude toward. Progress didn’t stop there, however. Now, we have the Smart Phone – the answer to the on-the-go lifestyle that demands immediate access to whatever electronic needs that we happen to have, in addition to the ability to phone our family and friends for a chat whenever the whim presents itself.

To be sure, Smart Phones are capable of extraordinary electronic feats, but convenience – especially that of the technological variety – always comes at a cost, and this one comes with quite a hefty one. The bottom line is that, if you plan to buy a Smart Phone, then plan on paying a visit to the loan officer of your local bank on the way to the store. These electronic marvels are designed to bring true computer capability right to the palm of your hand, but most people will have to put some serious thought into the type of financial commitment that they’ll have to make in order to become the proud owner of a brand new bouncing baby Smart Phone.

Pros and Cons of Owning a Smart Phone

Just like anything else, Smart Phones have their bright and dark sides and, depending upon how much you’re willing to compromise, they’ll either be a great investment for you, or not at all worth the money that you’ve invested.

Pros

For those who, until now, had been carrying around a mobile phone and PDA, this combines the two into one unit, without losing any of the capability of either format.

This is definitely a multi-media friendly device, offering the opportunity to enjoy both audio and video files – or both, if you prefer – without a lot of hoopla.

Cell phone software companies have taken quite kindly to the Smart Phone and are fully supportive of it when it comes to developing software that’s compatible with these units – especially those in the game and entertainment industries.

If accessories are your thing, then you’ll love the number of add-ons that you can purchase to go with your new Smart Phone – including those which utilize Bluetooth technology.

Cons

Unless you have very good vision, you might have trouble reading the screen on the Smart Phone – it’s smaller and the resolution isn’t as sharp as that of a Pocket PC.

Text messaging and other text-related capabilities are compromised as a result of the limited text-entry that’s intrinsic to these devices.

Unlike the Pocket PC, Smart Phones are missing some applications that are critical to some users. Among these are Microsoft products, such as Pocket Excel and Pocket Word.

You may be told that you’ll have nationwide coverage, but the reality is that coverage of that type only includes larger cities with higher populations. As a result, there’s quite a menu of non-service areas.

Smart Phone Features

Much like a mini-computer with telephone capability, these devices are often seen as handy little items for meeting most or all of the needs of those who are on the run, but want to have access to their PC and phone service, regardless of where they roam.

Cell phone service is certainly one of the major perks of the Smart Phone – complete with voice mail. Just as in the case of mainstream cell phone varieties, specific service plans can be purchased for these, depending upon your particular needs and preferences.

Internet connectivity is also an available Smart Phone feature, allowing you to retrieve wireless e-mail messages and gain access to search engines and other online goodies. Just pop open your flip phone and jump onto the web.

If you’re interested in games, the Smart Phone offers those, as well. A variety of computerized games can be played – either online or through special software – just as if you were using your home PC.

Office functions, such as certain Windows or other Microsoft programming, are also available, allowing you to create and store files for future use.

If you’re bored and have a bit of extra time on your hands, you can even gain access to online movies through the video feature that the Smart Phone has to offer. Or, if you prefer, you can listen to your favorite tunes as a result of the audio features.

Photography is also an option when you invest in a Smart Phone. Just as with the mainstream camera phones, these devices offer instant pictures that can be viewed on-screen immediately after they’re snapped. These units, however, are more than just cell phone cameras, so if you’re looking for something more, think “Smart Phone”.

Smart Phone Pricing

Although these have been compared to PDAs on a certain level, Smart Phones are definitely more sophisticated – and more compact. As compensation for these conveniences, however, you must be willing to pay a hefty price. Typically starting at about $600 and ranging into the thousands, Smart Phones may be all the rage, but if you’re planning to buy one simply for the novelty of it all, then you should save your money and stick with something a bit less progressive.

Keep in mind that additional costs will be incurred in order to establish phone service and gain internet connectivity. That equates to the price of the unit plus the additional charges for basic services and any special features that you choose to opt for – all of which can add up to an exorbitant amount of money.

The best way to keep down your expenses is to take the time and effort to do some online research before you make a commitment to buy a Smart Phone or specific service plan that you’ll need in order to fully utilize all of the features that it offers. By simply typing “smart phone comparison” into the keyword area of any major search engine, you’ll have cost and feature comparison information at your fingertips, which will help you to determine which one is right for you – if, indeed, any of them are. Is investing in a Smart Phone a wise decision? Only you can decide.

About the Author

Samantha Goode is a freelance technology writer who loves to provide tips to consumers shopping for smart phones, pda phone and blackberry pda.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

By Ian Tham

Is it better to have a separate mobile phone and a pda or is it better to have a device that combines the two together?

On the surface, it seems like a no brainer. Why bother with two devices when you can have one? It’s more convenient to carry one device wherever you go. You need more pockets and get weigh down with additional weight if you carry two separate devices.

Another cool thing is that you don’t need to juggle with two devices if you want to take down notes with someone on the phone line. All in one devices make it convenient to make a mobile call and take notes simultaneously. Just plug in the phone earpiece and then jot down notes easily on the hybrid device. If you have two separate devices, you need to hold the mobile phone between your shoulder and your neck while whipping out your pda to take down notes.

There’s also no need to search for your telephone number in the pda and then dial it on the mobile phone. It simply slows you down.

Finally, it’s complicated when you have to make changes or update contact information. You need to sync the phone with the pda. If you have a single device, all your data and information is found in one place and there’s no need for synchronization of the pda with mobile phone.

But on the other hand, separates makes more sense. Working on a spreadsheet with a smart phone will easily drain or wipe off your battery power in matter of minutes.

When your smart phone runs out of power, you are left with no mobile phone and no pda.

Secondly, a regular mobile phone is so much more affordable than those with pda functions. You can get a regular phone at zero cost provided you sign a contract with the mobile service provider. Compare that against smart phone which can cost at least an exorbitant USD 350 and go up to $ 800. Only a small minority can afford such expensive smart phones.

Thirdly, the design of the hybrid doesn’t serve its user very well. Most smart phones are very bulky and heavier than separates. You look silly and find it uncomfortable to hold it against your face to make a mobile call. Also, the small screen makes the smart phone/ pda phone difficult to view pictures and text. The small keypad of a smart phone or pda phone makes it difficult to input data.

The worst thing about a hybrid is that it ends up neither here or there. Instead of a mobile phone that takes great photos and videos ,you are faced with a smart phone that takes mediocre pictures and videos and run out of power if you try to work on spreadsheet. They have limited capability and serve only basic functions such as appointments, memo and contacts well. Indeed, if you want to edit MS Office documents, surf the web and run other applications, you will find a pda does a much better job than a smart phone.

The writer is the webmaster of Understanding Technology

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

By Susan Daniel

The new “smartphones” have a lot of really cool features. You can organize your life and keep in touch with friends and family all with one electronic device. Knowing all the features available can help make your decision on which one to buy much easier.

Mobile Phone – Gotta have this, even if it is just for emergencies.

Email – Stay in touch with the office even when waiting at the salon to get your nails done.

Messaging – During that boring meeting, you’re not really taking notes are you?

Web Access – Surf the Web anywhere, anytime. Very convenient when you are already out and want to find a good movie to go see.

MP3 Player – Carry your favorite tunes wherever you go.

Digital Camera – Always be ready for that perfect picture of a friend or child.

Organizer – Keep the names, addresses, and phone numbers of your friends and family right in your phone. Look up a number and dial it with the push of a button.

Speaker Phone and Conference Calling – Some smartphones have it all!

Calendar – Keep up with important appointments.

Tasks – Remember those many, many things that you need to do.

So depending on the smartphone you choose, you can stay as connected as you want, and it can help simplify your life.

Copyright © 2005 Susan Daniel and Debbie Overstreet

About Susan and Debbie: Susan and Debbie are internet marketers. You can review more articles and Web sites on smartphones and electronics by visiting http://www.electronicsmegamall.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

By Catherine Kenyeres

Smart phones are a combination of a cell phone and PDA functions all in one device and are much bigger and notably more expensive than regular handsets, generally costing in the neighborhood of $600. However, one won’t need to carry around two separate units.

Most individuals who would need a smart phone are people who are out of the office for long periods of time that require connectivity to e-mail and appointments. While the regular individual can get by with a basic cell phone or if you already have a separate PDA device and don’t wish to incur the additional expense of combining the two features into a smart phone.

If you are thinking about purchasing a smart phone, you will need to consider finding a cell phone plan that can provide the additional data for e-mail and for Internet browsing. For example, some cellular phone providers charge a flat fee for the megabyte usage while other cellular phone providers furnish a monthly allowance for megabyte usage. Finally, if your smart phone comes with Wi-Fi access, see if you cellular phone provider offers Wi-Fi plans.

Now you have the scoop. So what it really boils down to is the PDA functions. If you need to be connected to the internet and need email capability, it’s worth checking out. But for most of us, a regular cellular phone should meet our needs quite nicely.

Catherine Kenyeres is a free lance writer and publisher for Best-4u-Cell-Phones.com. Catherine provides the latest information, reviews and comparisons for her cell phone clients.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Welcome to the new smartphone and mobile phone weblog of Smartphony.net. Because it’s new there is not much here yet, but be assured that we will add interesting articles and news about Windows Mobile smartphones as fast as posible.