Thinking about getting a new smart phone this holiday? In this article, we will explore how to evaluate your personal and business needs, compare carriers, and even evaluate the pros and cons of specific products to ensure that you make the right decision.
The holiday season is here, and smart phones seem to be topping everyone's lists. In our world of constant connectivity, the ability to have a phone and access to email in one device seems like a dream come true—and the marketing gurus know it. Not unlike the makers of children's toys, wireless phone companies pour money into print and television advertising in anticipation of the holiday season, and their messages can be quite effective and entertaining. There's no question—these companies are definitely clued in to their customer base. But are you, as a potential customer, as informed as you should be before stepping in the store?
The Latest is Not Always the Greatest
Let's just get this out of the way. The Apple iPhone is not ready for business. It isn't even ready for the high-volume caller. And since countless reviews have been published in the wake of its launch saying the same thing, these statements are no longer even disputed.
The iPhone's iPod and Internet capabilities are many, and the touch sensitive interface technology the product employs is amazing, but the product does not interface well with business email. For example, with the iPhone, if you want to synchronize wirelessly with your company's internal email server, the security settings on the server must be less restrictive. Needless to say, this creates headaches for your information technology support staff—the group charged with protecting your organization from outside security threats.
Even if you aren't interested in its email functionality, the iPhone is not performing well as a phone. Reviews state that the call quality is poor and that there are too many keystrokes required to access everyday functions. But stay tuned: Their next-generation product will be ready for business.
What product is ready to meet your needs if it isn't the latest hot item? To find out, you first need to research carriers, because your carrier choice will dictate your product selection.
Considering Carriers
First, investigate your carrier plan options and the reputations, benefits and drawbacks of these carriers. In Washington, D.C. and the surrounding areas, there are four carrier options—AT&T (formerly Cingular), Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint Nextel. Each carrier operates on a different network, with different technologies, and has phones designed specifically for those technologies.
Optimal Networks engineers have traveled all over the D.C. area with a variety of company-provided and personal cell phones, the following is what they have found to be true. In general, Verizon has stronger signals all over the D.C. area, and even works on the Metro; so, if you travel for business locally or domestically, you'll want to consider Verizon. AT&T, on the other hand, allows you to talk internationally without changing phones; so if your occupation requires global travel, you should consider AT&T. In addition, AT&T has a better customer service reputation than Verizon, and these days, that can mean a lot. T-Mobile provides the same benefits as AT&T, but has more limited coverage. ,Finally, Sprint Nextel is the carrier to consider if you require a push-to-talk feature on your phone.
Phone Functionality
Many carriers, many products, many bells and whistles. So, the first question you need to ask yourself is: Do I want to be able to check email on my phone? Although your knee-jerk reaction may be to say ìyes,î it is important to consider the types of emails you receive. If your emails require a detailed response, receiving emails on your phone is probably not for you. On the other hand, if your emails keep you in the loop about critical matters and typically require only short responses, this could be a beneficial function. Next, examine if you have a true business need for this function. For example, if you have a laptop with you at all times, it probably isn't as necessary to duplicate the email function on a phone.
Seeing (and Researching) is Believing
Now that you've selected a carrier and determined what you want from your phone, it's time to go shopping. Visit a store run by the carrier you have chosen to select a phone that works for you. While browsing, keep in mind:
- A name-brand phone will help ensure quality.
- Good sound quality and reception are essential; these features are a function of the phone's internal antenna, and all internal antennae work differently, so ask questions.
- Consider your options when it comes to extra features; decide whether you need or want camera, video or Bluetooth capabilities, and select phones that have those elements.
Once you've selected a few phones that meet your needs, you can read reviews about them at www.phonescoop.com and www.mobileburn.com.
Email Considerations
If your company already has a standard platform—like BlackBerry, Microsoft-compatible Smartphone or a Palm Treo—then you would be best served by conforming to that standard. All of the platforms have advantages and disadvantages, but the key issue is compatibility with your colleagues throughout the company. So, if you are looking to establish a platform standard for your organization, you have two options:
- BlackBerry is an extremely reliable platform—it is straightforward to install and administer, and works with most major corporations' e-mail systems, such as Microsoft Outlook/Exchange and Lotus Notes. In addition, the BlackBerry has been around for a long time, so there are very few bugs left to work out. But it is expensive. A BlackBerry data plan can run $40ñ$50 per month, as compared to other platform plans that run around $30 per month. Plus, if you have more than a handful of BlackBerry users in your corporation, you will need to set up a server dedicated solely to synchronizing your group's BlackBerrys with your company's e-mail system; this server can cost $5,000ñ$10,000.
- Microsoft—If you have a Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 or higher, you automatically own an email synchronization platform that is supported by many cell phones. This includes most Palm Treo devices and most of the phones running Microsoft's Mobile operating system, like the Samsung BlackJack. In fact, even some of the non-Microsoft operating system phones have clients that will work with the Microsoft email synchronization protocol.
The Microsoft option is cheaper, but is more difficult to set up. Both are fast and wireless, so it really just depends on your organization's preference (and budget).
Last Word
The market is flooded with smart phones—especially this time of year. Be a savvy consumer this holiday season; by determining which product will best meet your business and personal needs, and doing your research and some comparative shopping, you'll confidently purchase the product that suits your lifestyle.
Is there a new technology that you would like to learn more about? Have a technological question that you think others might have as well? We want to hear from you. Email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and tell us. Your topic may be covered in an upcoming issue of Optimal Impact!
| REALITY CHECK As a husband, father, president of Optimal Networks, and involved member of the community, I'm busy — I need to keep track of my company, my family and my activities. A year ago, I purchased a Palm Treo to help me manage my life. Two weeks later, I returned it. It was bulky and wouldn't fit into my pocket; the phone was unreliable, and the camera was terrible. Discouraged, I decided that with an email and phone hybrid, you lose features and quality, and I returned to a phone-only model. Then, I went through the process I'm urging others to go through here, and determined that I truly did want and need a phone that could provide me with email at my hip. Simultaneously, BlackBerry came out with the Curve. It fit into my pocket, had great cell phone quality, a decent camera, and I could fully integrate it with my email and contacts. Although it has increased my productivity, I have found that I need to be careful that it does not become addictive. Part of this, for me, is adjusting the notification settings so that it doesn't vibrate (or even flash a light) every time I receive an email. From a product standpoint, I am very satisfied; from a personal perspective, it's one more thing I need to consider in maintaining a healthy work-life balance — but that's a whole other issue of Optimal Impact, coming soon. |
0 Comments