Most of us are familiar now with cell phones. They’ve been around long enough and we’ve struggled with each new upgrade enough that they no longer mystify and exasperate the average user. So then along comes the smartphone. These go beyond what the typical cell phone can do and often act like computers. In fact, there is not one definition of a smartphone. Some run complete operating-system software and have a standardized interface and platform. In other cases, the smartphone simply has some capabilities that the standard cell phone doesn’t have.

According to David Wood of Symbian, “Smart phones differ from ordinary mobile phones in two fundamental ways: how they are built and what they can do.” However, nowadays most smartphones use an identifiable operating system such as Windows and usually are able to accept applications such as data processing software. The applications are sometimes developed by the manufacturer of the smartphone or can be made available by a third-party software developer with no connection to the manufacturer.

Most have e-mail capability and a personal organizer. A miniature QWERTY keyboard can be added. Also, some have touchscreens and built-in cameras. Other potential add-ons are contact management software; navigation hardware and software; PDF-reading capability; software for music, browsing photos, and viewing video clips; internet browsers; or secure access to company mail.

IBM developed the first smartphone in 1992 and called it Simon. It was shown as a concept at a computer industry trade show in Las Vegas that year. BellSouth sold it to the public in 1993. In addition to standard cell-phone features, it had a calendar, address book, world clock, calculator, note pad, e-mail, send-and-receive fax, and games. A touchscreen was used on this innovative new phone for selecting phone numbers. Faxes and memos could be created with a stylus using a “predictive” keyboard. Today it would be considered a low-end smartphone.

Nokia got into the smartphone revolution in 1996. Theirs was a palmtop computer and was based on a PDA model by Hewlett Packard and Nokia’s best-selling phone. The Nokia 9210 had the first color screen and was the first true smartphone with an open operating system. The 9500 Communicator was Nokia’s first cameraphone and first WiFi phone. The latest E90 Communicator has GPS. All of these new Nokias are very expensive.

Research in Motion (RIM) began marketing the first BlackBerry in 2001. It was the first smartphone optimized for wireless e-mail use. It has been very popular.

The first wildly popular smartphones in the United States were the Treo marketed by Handsprings in 2002, which eventually was bought out by Palm. Microsoft also announced its Windows CE Pocket PC OS that same year as Microsoft Windows Powered Smartphone 2002.

Nokia’s N-Series of 3G smartphones were marketed in 2005 not as mobile phones but as multimedia computers.

Smartphones, the higher end of the camera phone market and having full e-mail support will account for about 10% of the camera phone market in 2008. One billion camera phones will be shipped this year.

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When you compare smartphones there are a variety of things to take into consideration, including functionality, user-friendliness, size, price, and more. A smartphone is a great tool and offers many benefits to the user, whether for professional use or personal. The key, however, is to find the one that meets your needs and wants, and does so for the best price possible.

If you are not all that familiar with smartphones, it may be helpful to understand just what they are all about. A smartphone is, in a nutshell, a cell phone and miniature computer all-in-one, that can fit in your pocket. Some of the best smart phones on the market today can virtually replace laptops for both business and personal use. So we are talking about an extremely powerful tool which can offer a great deal of convenience. As far as major brands go, some of the best smart phones available today can be found in brands like Blackberry, Apple, HTC, Nokia, Palm, Samsung etc. These companies and smartphones have established reputations for good quality, of course there are always exceptions.

With that in mind, here are four things to look for when you compare smartphones:

1. Functionality - Everybody likes to have tools, gadgets, equipment, etc. that have lots of functions. In fact, this is most likely the primary reason you want to get a smartphone and are comparing different ones. There are many different choices out there, but most of the newer ones offer cameras, music, videos, web browsing, file transferring, Wi-Fi, GPS, and a great deal more. And the very best smart phones can perform these functions faster than ever before. We are a "gotta have it now culture" and speed is important.

2. User Friendliness - Cool tools and functions are great, but if the smartphone is too complicated to use in a quick and easy manner, it may not be the right one for you. When you compare smartphones, ideally you are probably going to want one that makes it easy to access and use all the different tools available, and does it without any kind of glitches or problems. If it has a keyboard, you want it to one that is quick and easy to use. One thing to keep in mind, the smaller the keyboard the harder it will be to avoid typos. If it has a touchscreen, does the smartphone repond readily to the touch, or do you have to continuously push at the icon or use your stylus all the time? Things to consider. The layout of keyboard, touchscreen, D-pad, and other functional buttons is also important. the smaller the phones get, the more bunched together some of these buttons become, and this can make it easier to hit the wrong buttons, icon, etc. which can lead to frustrations and headaches.

3. Size - Size matters! This is especially true when it comes to things like computers, phones, and all sorts of electronic and digital gadgets. We want ever-increasing speed and power, but in an eve-decreasing package. So, when you compare smartphones size is important. Questions you might consider: Is it too bulky to easily carry in a pocket or handbag? How big is the display? How small is too small, i.e. some of the problems addressed in "user-friendliness." Small is good when it comes to smartphones, but you do not want it so small that it makes your experience something less than positive.

4. Price - Unfortunately, price is a big factor for most of us. Most smartphones, for what they have to offer, come with a relatively inexpensive price. The key when shopping for a smartphone isto figure out exactly what you need first. This includes tools, features, functions, and benefits. Then you need to decide what other features and functions you would like but are not necessities. Finally, do a little reasearch into specific phones, find a few fits, and then look for the best prices available (more on that later).

There you have it, four key things to look for when you compare smartphones. Of course there are other things to look at as well, including looks, materials, brand names, reputations, carriers, etc. But these four areas should give you a good feel for what you need, want, and are ultimately looking for.

Here is a short list of some of the best smart phones available right now:

RIM Blackberry Bold
Nokia E71
Samsung Omnia
Apple iPhone 3G
AT&T Tilt
HTC Touch Pro
Palm Centro

That is just a quick look at some of the top phones of 2008 from some of the various brands and carriers. There should be a good match somewhere on that list for just about anybody as you apply the principles above to compare smartphones.

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