Smart phone buying guide

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This story was printed from CNET Asia.
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Smart phone buying guide

By Reuben Lee and Juniper Foo
22/09/2006
URL: http://asia.cnet.com/buyingguides/smartphones/0,39061031,61953931,00.htm

Should I get a smart phone?
Smart phones offer the functions of a mobile phone and a PDA in one device, but they are not for everyone. Here's what you need to know before buying one.

6 steps to buying or upgrading to a smart phone
If you're planning to get a smart phone, check out our six-step friendly guide to shopping for one.

Buying smart phones for businesses
Smart phones can more than pay for themselves, if you have the right hardware and services for your business. Buy carefully and choose the right addons.

CNET's quick guide to 3G cell phone services
Even the most hard-core cell phone users can be confounded by 3G data services. But now that the networks have finally arrived, CNET editors are here to explain what it all means to you.

CNET's quick guide to handheld OS
Not all PDAs are created equal. Find out which one has the best OS for you.

6 accessories to smarten up your smart phone
There are loads of handheld accessories out there, but not all of them are necessary. We shortlist six which can help you get more out of your smart phone.

Should I get a smart phone?

	The Sony Ericsson P1i comes with an onboard 3.2-megapixel camera. (click for more info)

Smart phones offer the functions of a mobile phone and a PDA in one device, but they are not for everyone. Here's what you need to know before buying one.

What are they?
Smart phones essentially eliminate the need for two separate devices by combining cell phone and PDA functions in one unit. While prices have gone down slightly in recent months, they are are generally more expensive than standard handsets and you can expect to pay anywhere between S$500 to S$1,300 for a decent unit. Smart phones these days come in almost all the popular form factors, from the conventional handheld and candy-bar shape to sliders and clamshells. They are available in Symbian, Windows Mobile, Palm and Linux operating systems, each of which has unique characteristics (see below).

	Dopod's C500 features both a number pad and QWERTY keypad. (click for more info)

Smart phones should, however, not be confused with PDA-phones. They generally offer strong PDA-like features but are primarily still mobile phones. Data is entered either via a normal number pad or QWERTY keypad, though a handful of smart phones do offer touchscreen displays. Comparatively, smart phones also tend to be smaller in size than PDA-phones. On the other hand, PDA-phones offer full PDA functionalities and typically use touchscreen displays (as well as number and QWERTY keypads) for data entry. In most cases, PDA-phones sport larger displays (than smart phones) and are almost impossible to distinguish from a dedicated PDA.

Why do I want one?
They're most appropriate if you spend most of your time away from the office meeting and need to sync or have access to your e-mails, contacts and appointments. They also come packed with tons of useful features, including a speakerphone, a keyboard, Bluetooth, an infrared port and a camera. With increasingly more onboard multimedia features and cheaper flash memory cards, smart phones have become great companions for mobile entertainment, from picture and music playback to games and video.

	The Nokia E61i supports both 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity. (click for more info)

Can I live without it?
The average user can live with the more rudimentary contact features within their cell phones or continue to use a separate PDA if they've already purchased one. If you are looking at phones with more than just the standard PIM features, a smart phone's probably the way to go.

What else should I know?
Keep in mind that in addition to the expense and size off the device, if you go the smart phone route, you'll need a plan that can accommodate the extra data usage involved in sending e-mail and surfing the Web. All the major carriers should provide various data plans for mobile users. Also, if your smart phone supports Wi-Fi access, check to see if your carrier offers monthly Wi-Fi plans. Otherwise, you can take advantage of free Wi-Fi hot spots.

Operating systems

Windows Mobile 6
Pros: Mobile versions of Microsoft Office applications; seamless integration with Outlook; wide range of brands to choose from.
Cons: Steeper learning curve than Palm OS.
Major handset brands: HTC, O2, HP.

Palm OS
Pros: Easy to use; large pool of third-party applications.
Cons: No support for 3G; limited choice of devices.
Major handset brand: Palm.

Symbian
Pros: Lots of available devices; works well with Bluetooth and IrDA; tight mobile Java integration.
Cons: No uniform interface across different devices.
Major handset brands: Nokia, Sony Ericcson.

Linux
Pros: Easy to customize and relatively inexpensive.
Cons: Not as popular.
Major handset brand: Motorola.

6 steps to buying or upgrading to a smart phone

	Sony Ericsson's M600i is possibly one of the world's slimmest business UMTS device. (Click for more information)

Do you need a smart phone or a PDA-phone? Smart phones are typically cell phones with strong organizer functions in one unit. They're most appropriate if you spend most of your time away from the office and need to sync or have access to your email and appointments. Though they're typically larger and more expensive than standard handsets, often costing upward of S$700, they eliminate the need for two separate devices. PDA-phones, on the hand, are PDAs with phone functions. They are available in Palm, Symbian, Windows Mobile, Linux and BlackBerry operating systems, each of which has unique characteristics. (Check out our quick guide on handheld OS.)
Find a smart phone you like. If you've decided that a smart phone is the way to go, you can find a handset that combines the most suitable features and style for you at our Mobile Phones channel. Or if you fancy a PDA-phone, check out what's available in the market right here.
See which models your carrier is offering with a rebate. Signing a contract often entitles you to rebates and discounts for phones--find out which ones they are. If you're a current customer, call your provider to see if you're eligible for any deals if you get a new model or if you can trade-in an older model for a new one. If the selling price is close to the trade-in price, all the better.

The Nokia E61 offers both 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity.
(Click for more information)
Check third-party retailers. You also can buy phones from general electronics stores or online stores not affiliated with any carriers. Not only may prices be different, but you could find alternative models not directly sold by a network operator. Just be sure to check if your carrier will support it. Finally, try to avoid buying export sets. If you do not see a label that indicates compatibility with local operators, when it comes to selling, dealers are likely not to accept it or will offer a much lower trade-in value.
Alternatively, suss out the classifieds or second-hand stores. The problem with buying second-hand phones is caveat emptor, buyer beware. So do check if the store offers refunds as sometimes some phones may have hidden problems that are not apparent until you've bought and brought it home. If you've taken the necessary precaution, and if the price of the second-hand smart phone is within your budget and in good condition, it might be worth considering. Ask also if there is still a valid warranty attached. As for online classifieds, you are more likely to find offers of brand new sets still sealed in their boxes. It's also likelier that classified sellers are enthusiasts who've bought the phone for fun and then sell it off while still new.
Choose a plan that suits your smart phone lifestyle. Keep in mind that if you go the smart phone route, you'll need a plan (3G or GPRS) that can accommodate the extra data required for sending email and surfing the Web. Some carriers offer data plans that provide a monthly allowance of megabyte usage, while others charge a flat fee for unlimited usage. Also, if your smart phone supports Wi-Fi access, check to see if your network operator offers monthly Wi-Fi plans.

Buying smart phones for businesses

With a smart phone, you can do a lot more than make calls. The best of them let you access emails, browse the Web at high speed, run business software, and keep your projects, contacts, and calendar nearby at all times.

But does spending as much as S$700 on a device that combines a PDA, a cell phone and Internet functionality help your bottom line? Here's how to make sure.

Outfit only mobile employees
If employees spend most of the day in the office, it may not make sense to spring for smart phones. However, if you're thinking about buying PDAs anyway, it probably does make sense to get smart phones so that everyone can have just one device.

Calculate the cost-benefit ratio
Say you want to give smart phones to five employees. That's at least S$3,500 for equipment that will last maybe two years, plus data plans and insurance that can cost about S$600 per month total. Calculate whether you will be able to recoup those costs. Donovan Andrews, president of Performance Bridge Advertising in New York, said he recently won a bid because he was able to edit Microsoft Office documents while on the way to the airport and email them back to a partner.

Get the right model
Will workers need to read or edit office documents? Do you want to talk on the phone while doing so? How much battery life do you need? What kind of Internet access is necessary (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and so on)? Do you travel internationally and need to handle different countries' standards (triband or quadband phones)? For tips on choosing the right smart phone, check out our buyer's guide.

Get the right addons
Do you need an extra memory card? How much memory? A wireless keyboard for typing documents? Extra SIM cards for traveling overseas and logging on to international networks? A belt clip that won't let you lose the device? A special headphone or mouthpiece?

Get insurance
If you don't, be prepared to buy new devices when the ones you've bought inevitably get lost, stolen, crushed, dropped in the bathtub, kicked down a sewer, or run over by a truck--all things we've seen happen.

Get the right software
You may need third-party options such as Good Mobile Messaging software to synchronize in real time with your Outlook e-mail and calendar. You can find applications for construction, travel, project management, and more on third-party Web sites such as Handango.com. Agents working with Coldwell Banker real estate manager Richard Nesbitt in San Diego, California, run an MLS (Multiple Listing Service) application on their Treo 650 smart phones. "One can be out showing property to a client, drive by a house, say 'Whoa, what's that?' and we can look it up right away," said Nesbitt. That software, plus the ability to handle emailed customer inquiries and research new properties on the fly, all lead to more closed sales.

CNET's quick guide to 3G cell phone services

For the past few years, cellular carriers and handset manufacturers have talked a lot about third-generation (3G) services for mobile phones. Despite all the talk, however, the companies haven't done a particularly good job of explaining what it all means. To many customers, the real meaning of 3G has been lost among promises of video features and zippy data speeds--promises that are only now beginning to live up to reality. Yet the question still remains: What exactly is 3G?

Simply put, 3G cellular technology will bring wireless broadband data services to your mobile phone. Boasting speeds from 144Kbps (roughly three times faster than a 56K dial-up modem connection) to 2.4Mbps (close to cable-modem speed), 3G networks let you speed through Web pages, enjoy streaming music video, watch on-demand video programming, download and play 3D games, and videoconference with your fellow chatterers. While the interface is undoubtedly different on a cell phone, the experience of surfing, downloading, and streaming stands to be very close to that of a broadband connection on a computer.

	Cellular technology: a brief history See how it all started for cell phones

	Types of 3G Not all high-speed technologies are the same

	Handsets with 3G Show me the 3G-enabled phones out there

	3G glossary Decipher 3G's alphabet soup

Sound good? Well, yes, it does. To date, major cellular carriers have introduced 3G services, and a solid assortment of 3G-enabled handsets are now available from the various key vendors in the market.

Editors' note:

Some parts of this article have been modified from the original story.

Cellular technology: A brief history
Remember those telltale twisty antennas on the roofs of cars in the 1980s? Those cool customers on their car phones were using Advanced Mobile Phone Service, or AMPS. This first-generation analog network may have been cutting edge at the time, but it soon became notorious for its iffy call quality. Even worse, anyone with a police radio scanner can easily eavesdrop on AMPS calls, which travel through the air without any scrambling or encryption. AMPS still is available today on handsets from some phone vendors, but it is largely fading as a technology.

The evolution of 3G

	1980s	1990 to 1995	1995 to 2000	2000 to 2005
1G Analog: voice only	AMPS
2G Digital: voice and limited data (less than 20Kbps)		CDMA GSM
2.5G Data at dial-up speeds (30Kbps to 90Kbps)			GPRS 1xRTT	EDGE
3G DSL speeds (144Kbps to 2Mbps)				UMTS 1xEV-DO

The 1990s marked the arrival of two digital networks: CDMA, popular in the United States and a few other countries; and GSM, the dominant technology overseas. These second-generation (2G) networks spread voice calls across several wireless spectrums, making for more reliable connections that are much harder--though not impossible--for hackers to intercept. More importantly, CDMA and GSM networks are also capable of sending a sliver of data along with voice signals, making possible for such features as text messaging (SMS), caller ID, and conference calling.

Though the move to 2G was a great leap in terms of the technology, the splintering of the CDMA and GSM camps created a mess in some countries such as the US which had some carriers opting for GSM while others choosing CDMA. While each camp claims to have the advantage, the schism resulted in two competing networks with little incentive to create a unifying 3G standard. Conversely in Europe, 3G arrived much more quickly because all carriers were working off a government-mandated standard.

Of course, there were other factors working against 3G's adoption in some countries. Rolling out the new networks was very expensive, and customers had to be sold on the services. Furthermore, the move also involved technological constraints. Carriers had to bridge the gap between slow-as-molasses 2G service and zippy 3G with "2.5G" network enhancements. In operation a couple years now, 2.5G networks let you download ring tones, listen to short audio clips, send multimedia messages (MMS), or surf the Web, albeit slowly. These services include GPRS, which is capable of transmitting and receiving data at an average of about 30Kbps to 40Kbps, or a little slower than standard 56K dial-up service and EDGE, another GSM enhancement that manages about 90Kbps on an average day, or almost twice as fast as dial-up. On the CDMA side is 1xRTT, an early version of CDMA2000, which squeaks in about 60Kbps to 80Kbps. The next step, of course, is 3G and beyond. But some important differences remain.

Types of 3G
There are two main flavors of 3G: UMTS (Universal Mobile Telephone Service), which is being rolled out over existing GSM networks, and CDMA2000, which brings 3G speeds to CDMA networks; for a detailed explanation of terms, see the glossary. Both UMTS and CDMA2000--which has two high-speed offshoots, the data-only 1xEV-DO and the voice-plus-data 1xEV-DV--are already available in major cities with more expansion set for 2006. Speeds for both should be about DSL quality. We're also beginning to see discussions of 3.5G and 4G technologies such as HSDPA and WiMax, which should provide cable modem and gigabyte Ethernet speeds.

Of course, you'll need a 3G-capable phone to use one of the new high-speed networks. After a slow start, a wide assortment of 3G handsets is now available from the carriers. All the mobiles offer support for the new 3G networks, and they come in a variety of styles, from stylish and trendy--such as the Samsung SGH-Z540--to simple and functional, as in the Nokia 6233. For a complete list of phones, see the next page for all new 3G cell phone reviews.

Laptop users also can take advantage of 3G networks for on-the-go broadband without a Wi-Fi network; all you need is a carrier-supplied PC Card.

Services and speeds

	1G	2G	2.5G
Technology	AMPS	GSM CDMA iDen	GPRS 1xRTT EDGE
Speeds	n/a	Less than 20Kbps	30Kbps to 90Kbps
Features	Analog (voice only)	Voice; SMS; conference calls; caller ID; push to talk	MMS; images; Web browsing; short audio/video clips; games, applications, and ring tone downloads

	3G	3.5G	4G and beyond
Technology	UMTS 1xEV-DO	HSDPA (upgrade for UMTS) 1xEV-DV	WiMax*
Speeds	144Kbps to 2Mbps	384Kbps to 14.4Mbps	100Mbps to 1Gbps
Features	Full-motion video; streaming music; 3D gaming; faster Web browsing	On-demand video; videoconferencing	High-quality streaming video; high-quality videoconferencing; Voice-over-IP telephony

*WiMax has been mentioned as a possible 4G technology, but no standards have been set.

CNET's quick guide to handheld OS

When shopping for a new PDA or smart phone, you probably weigh your decision based on factors such as the size of the device, its features, and its price. These are important considerations, to be sure, but more importantly, what about the operating system, the core software that runs these devices? Most users know the differences between Windows and Macintosh, but what about Palm and BlackBerry? Symbian and Windows Mobile? How do these handheld platforms compare, and should you use them as the basis of your buying decision?

After weeks of poking, prodding, and tapping on screens, we found the answers. We put the BlackBerry 4.1, Palm 5.4, Symbian 9.2, and Windows Mobile 5 operating systems through the wringer, checking their strengths and weakness in areas such as e-mail, multimedia, Microsoft Office compatibility, and ease of use. We looked at the number (and quality) of third-party applications, which can make the devices more like pocket computers than pocket organizers. And we delved into the core apps themselves to see which OS does the best job managing your contacts, calendars, and other critical info. Read on to see how they compare.

Palm
Ease of use and solid PIM apps have always been a hallmark of the Palm OS. See what else it has to offer.

Windows Mobile
Windows Mobile 5 offers more than just a stripped-down version of Microsoft's Office suite. Multimedia, anyone?

BlackBerry
Find out why BlackBerrys have earned the CrackBerry nickname and what the future holds for these devices.

Symbian
Though not as well known as the other OSs, Symbian brings solid productivity tools and versatility to the table.

Which OS is right for you?
Now that you have an overview of each OS, find out which one is best for you and check out some of our top product picks.

Palm

The Palm OS is currently in a state of flux. Its developer, PalmSource, was acquired last year by Japanese software maker Access, after spinning off from Palm a year earlier. Palm OS 6, code-named Cobalt, has been dead in the water since 2003 with not a single manufacturer, Palm itself included, releasing a device with the updated OS. All of Palm's latest models run a variant of Palm OS 5 (version 5.4, in most cases), which is now more than three years old. Fortunately, however, what was good then is good now. Save for a few multimedia shortcomings, the Palm OS is still a solid OS.

Ease of use
Simplicity has always been a hallmark of the Palm OS. Although version 5.4 packs more features than ever, it's arguably just as easy to operate as the first version. To run a program, tap its icon. To enter data, write onscreen using the character-recognition software or tap-type on the virtual keyboard. Everything about the OS seems logical, intuitive, and uncomplicated. We particularly admire the way the Palm OS manages applications. You never have to "exit" a program the way you do on a PC--you just switch to a different one. And unlike some operating systems (yes, we're looking at you, Windows Mobile), the Palm OS never gets bogged down by multiple memory-hogging apps running simultaneously.

	Palm Treo 650 (click for full review)

Core applications
Already solid when they debuted back in 1996, the Palm OS's core apps have only improved over the years. For instance, you can now attach a photo to a contact--a particularly wonderful feature for camera-equipped models such as the Palm Treo 650. The Tasks applet has added new buttons for quick sorting by date and category and lets you assign alarms to your tasks. In short, Palm's core apps continue to combine power and simplicity, and we still rank them tops among PDAs.

Desktop compatibility
Palm OS PDAs offer two desktop-synchronization options: Outlook and Palm Desktop. The latter is a fairly robust information manager that has the advantage of being much more novice-friendly than Outlook. It also supplies the tools you need to copy photos and videos to your device, install new programs, and set up your e-mail.

Office compatibility
Though not an inherent part of the Palm OS, DataViz Documents To Go comes standard on nearly every Palm handheld (the sole exception being the Palm Z22)--so we'd be remiss if we didn't consider it. The program automatically syncs Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents between your Palm and your PC while keeping them in their native formats (meaning you can also instantly view documents received as e-mail attachments--no conversion required). You can edit Word documents and Excel spreadsheets and compose new ones, though PowerPoint files are read-only. The software also supports PDFs.

	Palm TX (click for full review)

E-mail
Palm's VersaMail program has the enviable ability to fetch e-mail over a variety of connections: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or even desktop synchronization, the latter relying on your PC's Internet connection for mail commerce. The applet itself is solid, supporting multiple POP3 and IMAP accounts, embedded images, and virtual private network (VPN) connections.

Multimedia
Although most Palm handhelds offer high-resolution screens and digital audio capabilities, the Palm OS isn't the multimedia juggernaut it could be. For instance, you need third-party software (NormSoft's Pocket Tunes Deluxe) to play DRM-protected songs, the kind you get from online music and subscription services. Palm bundles Pocket Tunes with some models, but the DRM-capable Deluxe version will cost you extra.

As for movies, Palm's Media applet can play them, but only MPEG-1 clips converted by Palm Desktop. For anything else, you'll need third-party software. In fact, to watch a DVD, you'll need two programs: a desktop converter and a handheld viewer. And if you want to play TV shows recorded on a Media Center or TiVo--something Windows Mobile devices can do fairly easily--you're pretty much out of luck.

Third-party apps
In terms of sheer volume, the Palm OS continues to have an edge when it comes to third-party software. Users can draw from more than 20,000 applications to extend the functionality of their handhelds--a number still unmatched by the Windows Mobile platform, though this is steadily changing. This isn't to say that software available for the Palm platform is better, only that there's more of it. And more software means more potential functionality.

Windows Mobile

Originally regarded as little more than Microsoft's answer to Palm, the Windows Mobile (formerly Pocket PC) operating system has come into its own. Last year's release of version 5 brought some much-needed improvements, including smarter mobile versions of Word and Excel, direct-push technology, and persistent storage.

Ease of use
Windows Mobile is the better contact manager, offering a lot more data fields than the Palm OS and an easier method of searching large lists. Tapping address-book-like tabs brings you to names starting with those letters. Even if you have 1,000 contacts, usually you can find the one you're looking for with just two or three taps. It's worth noting that all Windows Mobile devices let you record voice memos--a core function of the OS--while only some Palm OS models do. The Calendar function on Pocket PCs is on a par with Palm's app, but we just say the latter offers a superior to-do list, if only because it organizes everything more logically.

	HP iPaq hw6965 (click for full review)

Core applications
Over the years, Microsoft has made few changes to the Calendar, Contacts, Notes, and Tasks applets. They're capable programs that sync well with Outlook, but we wish Microsoft would gussy them up a bit; they're pretty stark. Windows Mobile 5 brought only one noteworthy improvement: You can now assign a photo (and ring tone, if you have a smart phone) to an individual contact.

Desktop compatibility
The Windows Mobile OS syncs with Microsoft Outlook and only Microsoft Outlook (though a third-party program called the Missing Sync allows for synchronization with Macintosh systems). The recently updated ActiveSync 4.1 utility makes this a seamless, nearly instantaneous affair--though Microsoft inexplicably removed a few desirable features, such as the option to sync via Wi-Fi.

	Dopod 838 Pro (click for full review)

Office compatibility
With the arrival of Windows Mobile 5, Microsoft finally added native file support to its Word and Excel applets. Translation: It's no longer necessary to convert desktop documents to the Mobile format--a process that stripped most of the formatting. As for the applets themselves, they've improved as well, with long-overdue features such as a spelling checker and support for embedded tables and images. And finally, there's a PowerPoint viewer called PowerPoint Mobile.

It still shocks us, however, that Microsoft offers no convenient way to synchronize Word and Excel documents with their desktop counterparts--unless you relocate everything to a special folder.

E-mail

	O2 Xda Atom Exec (click for full review)

E-mail got a big boost with Windows Mobile 5 with the support of direct-push technology. Available through Microsoft's Messaging and Security Feature Pack, it allows you to receive messages in real time. Otherwise, the Outlook applet hasn't changed much, except for the name (Outlook Mobile was formerly known as Messaging). It can transact mail via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GSM- and GPRS-type connections, and desktop synchronization.

Multimedia
No other platform can touch Windows Mobile when it comes to multimedia. Right out of the box, it supports DRM-protected music (meaning you can play songs purchased or downloaded from various online services) and TV and movie recordings from Media Center PCs and TiVo boxes. Most recently, Sling Media launched SlingPlayer Mobile for the Windows Mobile operating system, letting you watch your own TV on your handheld.

Third-party apps
If there's a function you want your Windows Mobile PDA to perform, chances are good there's a program that can do it. Sites such as Handango and PocketGear are home to thousands of third-party applications--and some of the best games you'll find on any PDA platform. Among the more celebrated Windows Mobile titles are Age of Empires, Quake Mobile, and Myst for Pocket PC.

BlackBerry

Though things looked a bit shaky for a while, BlackBerry manufacturer Research in Motion finally settled its longstanding dispute with NTP and shipped new versions of its Enterprise Server software recently and, more importantly, software development kits (SDKs). And if we learned anything from the company's legal mess, it was how much people rely on these devices to stay in touch.

Ease of use
The darling of corporate America (and many areas of government) wouldn't be so adored universally if it were complicated. Although an interface driven entirely by a thumb wheel might seem awkward and slow, users invariably find it easy to learn and quick to operate. Admittedly, the lack of a stylus and a touch screen--staples of other PDAs--slows down certain operations (such as hitting a link in a Web page), but the beloved built-in keyboard accelerates others, such as composing e-mail. Ultimately, the BlackBerry interface may not be the most efficient, but it's certainly one of the easiest to use.

	BlackBerry 7130g (click for full review)

Core applications
The BlackBerry OS does a better job managing your contacts than managing your calendar. The Address Book applet offers all the amenities you'd expect, plus contact grouping and unsurpassed integration with the phone and messaging apps. To send someone an e-mail message, for instance, you simply highlight the person's name, press the click wheel, and then select E-mail Joe Smith. There's no need to open the contact's record and navigate extra menus.

The calendar on BlackBerrys is a bit unwieldy by comparison, perhaps due to the awkward process for navigating between different days and views. The Week view is particularly cumbersome, requiring serious "wheeling" to move the cursor from one day to the next. The Calendar applet itself is sufficiently capable, but suffers under the weight of the wheel-based interface.

RIM also supplies the obligatory memo pad and to-do list, along with an alarm clock, a calculator, a photo viewer, and a password manager--all functional but rudimentary applets.


Introduction Palm Windows Mobile		BlackBerry Symbian Which OS is right for you?

Desktop compatibility
Like a traditional PDA, a BlackBerry can synchronize with your PC, swapping data with Outlook or Lotus Notes; the bundled Intellisync utility makes this possible. Of course, the BlackBerry OS also affords robust wireless synchronization, meaning new appointments, contacts, memos, and tasks can be "pushed" from your office to your handheld (and back again), just like e-mail. That gives BlackBerrys a fairly major advantage over PDAs that rely on more traditional synchronization methods.

	BlackBerry 8700g (click for full review)

Office compatibility
Although the BlackBerry OS supports the big three Office apps--Word, Excel, and PowerPoint--it limits you to viewing documents only. You can't compose new ones or do any editing, which is surprising given the presence of a perfectly good thumb keyboard. As for PDFs, the OS can open them as well, but it strips most graphics and formatting in the process, leaving you with little more than text.

E-mail
Ever wonder about the origin of the "CrackBerry" nickname? In a word: e-mail. It's what the devices were born to do, so it should come as no surprise that they excel at it. Ironically, it's not the e-mail applet itself that's so addictive (though it deserves kudos for its streamlined efficiency), but rather the "push" method of e-mail delivery. Instead of having to be retrieved manually, new messages just appear like magic on the device. Although Palm and Microsoft have engineered similar systems for their smart phones, BlackBerry remains the undisputed e-mail champ.

Multimedia
Fully cognizant of the BlackBerry's reputation as a serious business tool, RIM has limited multimedia features on its devices. Although the latest models can play MP3s as ring tones, there's no media player to speak of--nor enough memory to hold more than a few tunes anyway. The same is true for videos, and the lack of a memory card slot means that even with third-party software, you'd be limited to very short clips. At least the OS includes a photo viewer, though you'll get a lot more mileage from one of the available third-party programs. Also, RIM has recently said that it plans to add multimedia features, such as music, video, and photography, to its future devices.

Third-party apps
Software developers haven't shown BlackBerrys the same love users have. We found only a few hundred third-party applications--a drop in the bucket compared with the thousands available for the Palm, Symbian, and Windows Mobile platforms. The essentials are there--a password manager, a Sudoku game, the popular RepliGo document viewer, and so on--and RIM promises plenty more to come thanks to new SDKs released in late 2005. But for now, the software pickings remain relatively slim.

Symbian

The Symbian OS appears primarily on cell phones and smart phones and offers a broad array of personal information management (PIM) features, including contact and calendar management and a robust library of third-party applications. Yet because the OS is usually tailored to individual hardware (in other words, it can look and act differently depending on the phone that's running it), there are only so many conclusions we can draw.

Ease of use
As we just mentioned, your experience with the Symbian OS depends on the phone. For example, on the keyboard-equipped Nokia 9300, we found the Symbian OS fairly easy to navigate, though it certainly wasn't as intuitive as, say, the Palm or Windows Mobile OS. On the candy bar-style Nokia 6680 phone, the interface struck us as downright confusing, and data entry was as painfully slow as you'd expect. Overall, we'd say Symbian has the steepest learning curve of all handheld operating system, but just how steep depends on the hardware.

	The Nokia E61 runs on Series 60 Symbian platform (click for full review)

Office compatibility
The Symbian OS incorporates full support for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents, though again the ability either to create and edit these documents or to just view them depends on your hardware.

E-mail
When it comes to messaging, Symbian is as versatile as any other platform, if not more so. Out of the box, it supports the usual POP3, IMAP4, and Webmail accounts. If you want something a little more robust, you can choose from several push e-mail solutions, including BlackBerry Connect and Visto. The OS also supports the Lotus Notes and Microsoft Exchange platforms for maximum compatibility in the corporate world.

	Sony Ericsson's M600i feature Symbian OS 9.1 (click for full review)

Multimedia
The Symbian OS is pretty adept at multimedia, with integrated support for audio and video playback and recording, though not all those capabilities are realized on the devices themselves. The Nokia 9300, for instance, comes with both an MP3 player and the mobile version of RealPlayer, which enables playback of RealAudio, RealVideo, and MP3 files. But it can capture neither audio nor video.

Third-party apps
A recent check of software site Handango revealed more than 5,500 third-party apps for the Symbian OS--not quite up to Palm and Windows Mobile levels, but far more than you'll find on other cell phone operating systems. That's another big point in Symbian's favor, especially if you're weighing it against other phones.

Which handheld OS is right for you?
Now you have a general overview of what each operating system has to offer, but you still may be asking yourself: Which OS is right for me? This will largely depend on what types of functionality are important to you. Palm and Windows Mobile handhelds offer mass appeal to general consumers and business users alike with their mix of productivity and entertainment features. For years, these two handheld operating systems have competed fiercely to woo handheld buyers, but now, they're nearly evenly matched in terms of the core applications: address book, calendar, to-do list, and memos. Palm still holds the advantage in PC synchronization as it works with both Apple and Windows-based computers right out of the box, and the OS benefits from a large library of third-party applications; however, Windows Mobile is by far, the champ of multimedia capabilities.

For e-mail fanatics, the BlackBerrys' combination of push technology and integrated QWERTY keyboards is hard to beat, and though they've generally been more business-centric devices, RIM has made a push to reach more customers with consumer-friendly models, such as the entire BlackBerry 7100 series. Still, for now, if you want any type of entertainment features, such as music or video playback, you won't find it on a BlackBerry. Finally, while Symbian might not be the most recognized OS among the group, it offers corporate users powerful productivity and security tools, and the versatility of the OS opens itself up to more general audiences. The only setback has been the limited number of Symbian-based smart phones available in the United States.

To further help you with your buying decision, we've rounded up some of our top product picks as well as upcoming models for each handheld OS. Check them out below.

Palm	Windows Mobile	BlackBerry	Symbian
Palm TX	O2 Xda Atom Exec	BlackBerry 7130g	Nokia E61
Palm Treo 650	Dopod 838 Pro	BlackBerry 8700g	Sony Ericsson M600i
Palm Tungsten E2	HP iPaq hw6965	BlackBerry 8700v	Nokia N80

6 accessories to smarten up your smart phone

After buying a smart phone, the next step, for most people, is to accessorize it. However, in a market flooded with handheld accessories these days, choosing the right ones can be daunting for some. Should you go for a classic leather pouch or opt for a transparent crystal case? How about keyboards? What are the advantages of using Bluetooth vs infrared? Are screen protectors necessary?

To help you make a more informed buying decision, we've rounded up six handy accessories for your smart phone as well as show you what you need to look for in each.

	Silicon case for the Moto Q from Brando Workshop (click for larger image)

Pouches and cases
Phones are supposed to be rugged devices that can withstand the occasional drop and spill. After all, you bring it wherever you go and, along the way, it takes a fair share of abuse from both the user and the elements. Unfortunately, most smart phones are not built this way. While most of them today come bundled with matching pouches and cases, the majority of these accessories hardly help to protect the device.

Therefore, do look out for pouches and cases which offer the best protection for your smart phone, in addition to aesthetics and functionality. Currently, silicon skins and crystal cases are the most popular, possibly because of their affordable prices, but these offer little protection against drops. Leather and metallic cases usually cost more and add to the weight of the device, particular the metal versions, but they do protect the device to some extent from knocks and drops.

Expect to pay: S$5 to S$10 (for silicon skins and crystal case); S$20 to S$80 (for leather and metal cases)

	The Memory Stick M2 and miniSD flash media (click for larger image)

Memory cards
As smart phones are fitted with more multimedia features such as higher-resolution cameras and onboard music/video players, the need for more memory in the device becomes a top priority among users. With most smart phones currently packing in no more than 256MB of onboard storage, the only solution for memory expansion is to buy flash media.

Expect to pay: S$35 (for a 1GB miniSD card) to S$70 (for a 1GB Memory Stick Duo card)

	Sony Ericsson's Bluetooth stereo headset, HBH-DS970 (click for larger image)

Bluetooth headsets
It's a given that most smart phones are generally bulkier than traditional handsets. If you're someone who finds it cumbersome to hold the phone for calls, or that it cramps your style, get a Bluetooth headset. Almost all the latest smart phones support Bluetooth, so connectivity should not be an issue. What's more, if your device supports the A2DP profile for stereo sound streaming, you can invest in a compatible wireless headset for music playback, too.

Expect to pay: S$80 to S$200

	ClearTouch screen protectors (click for larger image)

Screen protectors
The flat-panel screen is probably one of the most fragile and expensive-to-replace hardware component. However, like any portable gadget, the display on smart phones is often exposed to scratches and smudges. So besides getting a good case, a transparent screen filter is probably a good way to protect the display, especially if your unit comes with a touchscreen. Prices for such plastic filters can vary significantly in the market, depending on texture, transparency and brand. (Note: If you are not familiar with applying filters on the screen, you can usually approach the shop staff to do it for you.)

Expect to pay: S$8 to S$25

	Nokia's Bluetooth wireless keyboard, the SU-8W (click for larger image)

Portable keyboards
QWERTY keypads on smart phones are great for short messages and the occasional quick email replies. But if you plan to work on long documents or reply your emails regularly, nothing beats typing on a full-sized keyboard. It may sound like a hassle to lug along an extra device, but foldable portable keyboards these days are typically no larger than the size of a traditional PDA. So this shouldn't add too much to your traveling load.

There are two common types of foldable keyboards in the market today. The more affordable ones use infrared (IR) to communicate between the keyboard and smart phone, though line of sight is needed to ensure connectivity. Bluetooth ones, which are usually more expensive, do not need line of sight. It is, however, generally believed that while Bluetooth keyboards offer better typing response than their IR counterparts, the battery life is also said to be shorter.

Expect to pay: S$90 to S$250

	Portable battery pack from ZAP! (click for larger image)

External battery packs / extra batteries
This may seem a little drastic to some people but it can be really frustrating if your battery runs out in the middle of a crucial phone call or when you are about to reply an urgent email from an important client. Other than purchasing a second battery, the best alternative is to invest in an external battery pack which lets you charge your handheld battery while on-the-go. The best part is the same external charger can usually be used to juice up other portable devices as well, such as iPods, PSPs, mobile phones and digital cameras.

Expect to pay: S$70 to S$180, depending on battery capacity

Other accessories to consider:

USB charging cable--These come in handy especially if you are caught without your charging adapter.

Pen stylus--If you find the stylus bundled with your smart phone too tiny and uncomfortable to hold, there are others which are incorporated into pens for a better grip. You are less likely to lose them, too.