Guide to Smartphones

Compare platforms

Your smartphone's operating system determines which applications it can run. You must make sure that the operating system on your sphone is supported by a good selection of the programs you need.

I recommend: The Treo smartphones running Palm OS are supported by the widest range of applications -- more than 20,000, according to Palm. Windows Mobile has far fewer applications, but it boasts the tightest integration with Windows XP, carrying over its big brother's familiar look and feel and running "pocket" versions of core Microsoft programs. Windows Mobile runs on a range of phones from a variety of manufacturers (including Palm, which offers a choice of Palm OS or Windows Mobile on Treo), whereas only Palm makes Palm OS phones, and only BlackBerrys run BlackBerry. Speaking of BlackBerry, it's supported by a batch of third-party programs, but the BlackBerry's real strength is integration. The BlackBerry Enterprise Solution enables employees to access secure corporate data from their phones, which has given BlackBerry a strong presence in large corporations. (In addition to BlackBerrys, a handful of phones from other makers, including Palm, can integrate with a BlackBerry server.)

Will you Bluetooth?

In case you hadn't heard, Bluetooth is the next big thing. It's a short-range, password secured wireless networking scheme that enables you to use a wireless headset with your phone, or to transfer data wirelessly (and securely) between your phone and your PC. If you really want a smartphone, you'll probably want Bluetooth, if for no other reason than to transfer files to and from your PC. The alternatives are a USB cable or infrared connection, neither of which is as convenient as Bluetooth.

I recommend: To learn about all the different things you can do with Bluetooth, check out the MacDevCenter. To check out the Bluetooth accessories you may want to pair with your smartphone, visit the BlueShop. Take a quick tour of Bluetooth-enabled phones at LetsTalk.com.

What's handiest for the way you work?

If you have ever tried to text message from an ordinary digital phone, you know how slow and tedious it is to compose text that way -- you may have to press a key up to three times to type one character. If you will do a lot of text messaging or email, look for features that aid typing.

I recommend: The obvious solution, a QWERTY keyboard (a tiny keyboard that matches the layout of a standard PC keyboard), has grown more popular in the past year; here are reviews of good examples. Note that you don't use your fingers on these keyboards -- you press each key with your thumb, or with a tiny stylus, pen or any other pointy object. Handwriting recognition is another method, and it's supported on many smartphones. Some phones sporting only the standard cellphone keypad employ predictive software to speed typing by predicting the word before you finish typing it. BlackBerry models lacking a QWERTY keyboard include a predictive typing program called SureType. And for almost any smartphone, you can buy software that aids typing by displaying a keyboard image on-screen, which you touch with a stylus or thumb. Still, the growth in QWERTY devices suggests that most folks prefer QWERTY to other typing methods. Here's handy comparison of texting technologies so you can choose for yourself.

Need laptop Internet access in the field?

Any smartphone can browse the web. But through a USB tether or Bluetooth, your smartphone may be able to serve as a wireless modem (in place of a wireless modem card in the laptop), connecting your laptop anywhere, anytime, to the Internet via a national wireless carrier.

I recommend: PDAnet enables you to connect your Windows Mobile or Palm smartphone to your laptop for use as a wireless modem (through USB now, and soon by Bluetooth). Some BlackBerry models come ready to do this out of the box.

Compare carriers

Once you know the platform and major features you need, it's time to see what the carriers offer for phones and plans. Although you can sometimes buy your smartphone separately from choosing your wireless communications carrier, in practice you will probably get your smartphone from your existing cellphone carrier, or by switching to a new carrier. Doing so tends to get you big discounts on the equipment (if you play the game right) and gets you configured for your new service right out of the box. Note that making the most of a smartphone means you need both a phone plan (for calls) and a data plan (for Internet, email, etc.), and if you will use your phone as a wireless modem for your PC, a wireless Internet plan, as well.

I recommend: You know the big five. Here are their phones and plans: Sprint, Verizon, T-Mobile, Alltel, and Cingular. For each, you can narrow your options by such criteria as "Bluetooth," "QWERTY," or "PDA/Smartphone." After you pick a phone, the sites lead you to options for voice/data plans. You can also do multi-carrier shopping and comparisons at LetsTalk.com and at My Product Advisor.