| With so many advocates screaming product benefits | | | | Pros: |
| so loudly, it's difficult to get an accurate, balanced look | | | | * Easy-to-use interface makes using a smart phone a |
| at what each of the smartphones on the market have | | | | breeze (if you've resisted purchasing one of these |
| to offer. | | | | versatile tools for your business for this long, the |
| We've taken a close look at three of the most popular | | | | iPhone can be a great way to get into the market). |
| ones that offer a myriad of features. We'll give you | | | | * The large screen and easy zooming capabilities |
| the pros and cons of each, so that you can make an | | | | make reading emails, documents and webpages much |
| informed choice (without all of the hype!). | | | | easier than on many other types of competitors' |
| We'll be discussing Google's new mobile phone, the | | | | phones. |
| Nexus One; BlackBerry's latest, the Storm2, and | | | | * Multimedia device: this is one of the big selling |
| Apple's iPhone 3GS. | | | | features for recreational users, but this also has a |
| The Nexus One, from Google | | | | number of applications for business users. Viewing |
| While BlackBerry and iPhone have been in the market | | | | news-based YouTube clips, or listening to audio |
| for a few years now, the Nexus One is brand new, | | | | podcasts is very easy with the 3GS. |
| and seems to be receiving the most hype in recent | | | | * Apple offers over 100,000 apps in their app store. |
| weeks. | | | | Think apps are just for recreational users? Think again, |
| Here's our balance of the pros and cons of the new | | | | as you can get apps for reading your favorite |
| kid on the block: | | | | newspapers or magazines, language applications if you |
| Pros: | | | | have to go on a business trip and need a |
| * The Nexus One sports a sleek design, and has one | | | | quick-reference guide to helpful phrases, and much |
| of the best-quality screens on the market. It has to | | | | more. |
| be seen to be believed! | | | | Cons: |
| * Many reviewers have commented on the immense | | | | * iPhone does not have a physical keyboard. While it |
| speed of the phone, citing it as one of the fastest on | | | | does allow the keyboard to be used in portrait or |
| the market today due to an extremely quick | | | | landscape -- allowing for flexibility that physical |
| processor -- a Qualcomm Snapdragon 1GHz | | | | keyboards don't - many users prefer the tactile nature |
| processors. Programs open quickly, and web scrolling | | | | of physical keyboards. |
| is very responsive. | | | | * 3GS does not offer the same level of security that |
| * A 5 megapixel built-in camera takes very | | | | the BlackBerry does at a business level. |
| impressive-quality photos, and can record up to 30 | | | | BlackBerry Storm2: |
| minutes of video. | | | | The BlackBerry Storm1 was positioned to be a |
| * Google Voice: a free Google service that allows | | | | competitor for the iPhone, and left many users wishing |
| voicemail access via email, customized voicemail | | | | for more. Now that the newer version, Storm2 has |
| boxes based on callers, and transcription of voicemail | | | | hit the market, BlackBerry fans are looking to have the |
| into email format. | | | | features they've longed for. |
| Cons: | | | | Pros: |
| * Many reviewers have commented on the keyboard, | | | | * The interface3 and processor is boasted to be much |
| and it is easily the most-heard complaint for this | | | | faster, addressing one of the biggest concerns about |
| phone. Reviewers note that it's difficult to type on, | | | | the first generation of the Storm. |
| and many wish for a physical keyboard. It should be | | | | * Redesigned look gives it a much sleeker first |
| noted that there is an application released that altars | | | | impression. |
| the keyboard to be more "iPhone-like" in function, which | | | | * Although there is no physical keyboard like the other |
| many reviewers prefer. It is called "Better Keyboard", | | | | BlackBerry cousins, it does offer "SurePress" |
| and is available in the Android Marketplace. | | | | technology, which takes the typing on screen concept |
| * Business users may feel left out with the lack of | | | | a bit closer to a physical keyboard, with the need to |
| Outlook syncing capabilities. | | | | press down on the screen to select a button. |
| * If apps are your thing, you may be disappointed by | | | | * Wi-Fi capabilities and larger memory are big |
| the Android offerings of 20,000 apps, as opposed to | | | | improvements over its predecessor. |
| Apple's more than 100,000.iPhone 3GS: | | | | Cons: |
| The iPhone has become a well-regarded phone with | | | | * The web browser is, by the accounts of almost all |
| consumers, however business-users have been | | | | reviewers, not on a par with the Apple iPhone (though |
| slower to adopt it, concerned that iPhone's benefits | | | | it has been improved from the first generation). |
| are more oriented towards recreation than business. | | | | * The absence of a physical keyboard may deter |
| We'll take a look at the pros and cons of the iPhone, | | | | some long-time avid users of this latest version of |
| as it relates to the business user. | | | | smart phone. |