Gone are the days when a cell phone was just about mobile communication. What the vast majority of people use these days is the smartphone! And there seem to be quite a few in the market, with each new model outdoing the last.
Why a Smartphone?
The smartphone was intially used a business cell phone, but has been adopted by people from all walks of life. It's all about having the power and capabilities of a desktop computer, while having the freedom to go places as you go about your daily activities. Wherever you are—waiting at an airport, travelling to a conference or using the restroom—your smartphone helps you access news, contact information, social media , applications and pretty much your entire life, all from your finger tips.
Most smartphones today come with a variety of pretty similar and yet distinctively high-end features. Choosing one over the other could merely be a matter of personal preference. The Blackberry RIM, Nokia E75 and Apple iPhone are regarded as leaders in their own right.
Features of the RIM Blackberry:
• Comfortable QWERTY keyboard for data entry.
• Easy-to-use interface.
• High-quality speakerphone.
• Pre-installed Blackberry Maps software.
• 2-megapixel camera, allowing you to geotag photos.
• Ability to operate on various global networks and wireless local area networks (WLANs).
• Mac and PC friendly applications, facilitating information exchange between your computer and wireless device.
• 1GB of internal memory.
The Cons:
• Questionable battery life
• Daunting price tag.
• Too many features with inadequate documentation for their support
• No predictive text capability, currency converter, handwriting recognition.
Features of the Apple iPhone (3 GS)
• Aesthetically appealing.
• 'Oleophobic', fingerprint-resistant surface.
• Sensitive multi-touch screen, which saves on keyboard space and allows for larger screen.
• 32 GB storage space.
• Plays YouTube movies
• 3 megapixel camera.
• "Tap to focus" feature permitting macro photos.
• Allows you to edit video clips on the phone.
• Voice Control app that works while making calls and also while playing music.
• Possibility of creating a 'Genius playlist' based on the track played.
• Various features designed for users with visual and/or hearing impairment.
The Cons
• Activating the phone on a network outside the USA could damage it.
• Users report issues with networking stability and call reception.
• Does not support Flash.
• Does not support many third-party applications unless you hack the phone.
• Battery is not customer-replaceable.
Features of the Nokia E75
• 3.2 megapixel camera with auto-focus, digital zoom, and LED flash.
• Regular numeric keypad as well as a slide-out QWERTY keyboard.
• Screen with superior readability.
• Battery with standby time of 264 hours.
• Customisable shortcut button on the right.
• Capable of being charged through the USB port.
• Can use up to 10 e-mail accounts on a single device.
• Supports Mail for Exchange and IBM Lotus Notes Traveller mail at no additional fee.
The Cons
• Is not as aesthetically pleasing as other smartphones.
• The loudspeaker is not loud enough.
• Opening the memory card slot is not easy.
• Finger impressions fall easily.
