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The Geek Weekly: Work

The Best Smartphones for Business

From the Editors of The Geek Weekly

The sleek new smartphones are akin to a digital version of the do-it-all Swiss Army Knife. They not only place and receive phone calls, as every phone should, but also serve as efficient messaging solutions, Web surfers, RSS aggregators, GPS navigation devices, document viewers and digital cameras.

You might be ready to ditch your current cell phone, but picking the right smartphone for your business takes some smarts. Here are some tips on selecting the right phone for your needs and a handful of recommended products worth considering:

Application requirements
The first step in deciding which cell phone to buy is to figure out which applications are most important to you and your company, says Michael Gartenberg, vice president and research director at New York City-based Jupiter Research. “For example, there are five main smartphone platforms: iPhone, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, Nokia Series 60 and Palm OS. So you need to research the strengths and application support for each of these.”

Gartenberg says a business phone must also fit into the company’s infrastructure. “Do you need the phone to work with Lotus Notes or Microsoft Exchange, or have the ability to work with email attachments, such as [Microsoft] Office documents?” asks Gartenberg.

Carmi Levy, senior vice president of strategic consulting at AR Communications Inc. in Toronto, advises prioritizing functions. “If you want to write and edit Word documents on the go, then perhaps a Windows Mobile device would be preferable. If robust email is important to you, the BlackBerry might be best. If you want built-in Wi-Fi and a solid multimedia device, maybe the iPhone is worth it to you,” says Levy. Battery life is also a consideration for the road warrior.

Keypad considerations
If you rely on mobile email composition or word processing, be sure to invest in a QWERTY-based keyboard. “There’s only so much work you can do with a standard alphanumeric keypad,” says Levy. “You’ll likely need something more efficient to handle data input. A standard phone is fine for home use but not for a mobile worker.”

And make sure to consider the type of keyboard as well, says Gartenberg. It’s really a matter of personal preference. “Some swear by a tactile keyboard like a BlackBerry, while others like a soft keyboard a la the iPhone,” Gartenberg says. “The key is to try out the phone first to see if it’s comfortable for you.”

Location factors
Finally, where you live, where you’re working and which carrier you use will also dictate what phone you buy, says Gartenberg. Some carriers offer a different phone selection, for example, plus those who travel often to, say, Europe, might choose a GSM-based phone that will work overseas, compared to a North American-centric CDMA-based phone.

Good picks for business needs
These phones are top picks for road warrior professionals who use phones for work:

The BlackBerry Curve is the lightest and smallest QWERTY-based BlackBerry on the market. This quad-band world phone, which works in more than 200 countries, features a built-in 2-megapixel digital camera, GPS navigation and a media player for all your music, photos and videos. And of course, the BlackBerry is best-known for reliable and fast “push mail,” so messages are delivered as soon as they arrive in your inbox.

The MOTO Q 9h smartphone is a thin QWERTY-based smartphone that takes advantage of fast 3G (HSDPA) connectivity for broadband-like speeds in your pocket. The Windows Mobile-powered device supports smooth Microsoft Office synchronization, including document creation, viewing and editing, and is ideal for entertainment purposes with its 3.5mm-sized headphone jack, Bluetooth Stereo for wireless headphones and microSD memory card expansion.

Similar to the iPhone, the LG Voyager sports a high-resolution touch screen on its surface (but with tactile feedback when you press the soft keys). However, if you prefer to type a lengthy email or instant message with real buttons, the handset opens up like a book to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard (and second screen) inside. Although the Voyager doesn’t have the iPhone’s built-in Wi-Fi, it does sport a high-speed 3G connection (HSDPA).

Above all else, don't be tempted by the brag factor when you make your selection. Of course, it's fun if you own the latest and greatest conversation piece (read: iPhone), but if it'll take longer to type a lengthy email using a soft keyboard than using a BlackBerry's QWERTY buttons, you're likely to regret choosing fashion over function.

Marc Saltzman is a freelance journalist and author based in Toronto, Canada. He specializes in consumer and SMB tech topics, including Internet trends, computers, mobility, electronic gadgets and video games.