A Smartphone is a gadget with functional combination’s of a cell phone and digital personal assistants. The essential communication, both voice and data needs are solved through a wide range of smart phones available in the market. Different professions have varying needs in terms of document processing and graphics which requires different applications that address the problems.

Business applications such as Ms Word, Excel and PowerPoint, e-mail access, web access, GPS and WIFI are some of the most important applications you should look out for in a smart phone. Downloading, powerful multimedia and too much texting are also very important features you need to consider. Make sure to check out what smart phone options your current service provider offers and compare it competing providers. You can compare services from Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Qwest and U.S Cellular among others.

The operating system is a very sensitive part you need to look out for in a smart phone. Compare history of efficiency and ability of different operating systems in processing necessary applications. The different operating systems for smart phones include Symbian OS WHICH RUNS MODELS FROM BenQ, Motorola, Samsung and Sony Erickson. Others are Palm OS, iphone OS, RIM Blackberry and Windows Mobile from Microsoft.

Smooth integration with business applications for business users is essential. Reviews have shown that Windows Mobile smart phones are the best in the market in terms of integration. Other applications like Bluetooth for headsets, QWERTY keyboards, and number pads, touch screens, in built storage, media card slots and lighting are very important. Though not very key, applications like speaker phones, digital camera, GPS and car charging systems are an added advantage.

Some of the models you should consider include Palm Treo, Blackberry, HTC, Nokia, T- Mobile Helio and iPhone 3G. These are very good for business applications and powerful multimedia. Windows mobile, Samsung Omnia, Saga, Touch Diamond and Epix are also worthy options when selecting.

The phone features a qwerty keyboard that is compact, yet incredibly easy to use. The casing of the phone is strong and sturdy. If you are the kind of user who has a tendency to be a bit rough with your phone, you can be sure the Nokia E71 can handle plenty of drops and falls. The operating system is Symbian, which is very easy to use, especially for those that just want a phone that can do what it promises, without lots of tweaking and problem solving. With Mail for Exchange, you can setup the phone to work with your business’ exchange server quite easily.

Add skype to the mix and you’ve got a fantastic communication device. A GPS receiver is built in, and through Nokia’s online Ovi store, you can download the excellent OviMaps program for free. Conversely, you can opt for Google Maps, but either way you’ve got a solid GPS in your pocket. The size of the phone is one of its greatest strengths. It’s dimensions are 114 x 57 x 10 mm, which means it can slip into your front pocket or handbag without any inconvenience. This phone scores major points with those who don’t want to carry a big paperweight around with them all the time.

The Nokia E71 doesn’t have a touchscreen, but for many people this isn’t a problem. The fact is that touchscreens break easily, and that will not be a problem with an E71. The smartphone has plenty of memory, and a slot of a mini SD card. For some reason, Nokia included a 2.5 mm headphone jack, meaning normal headphones are not compatible. This certain can be an annoyance over time, though most likely not a deal breaker. The camera on the phone leaves a lot to be desired as well, even though it seems to work a lot better for filming short videos.

The Nokia E71 is a fantastic phone, especially for those who just want a phone that can do it all without the fuss. It is geared at business users and consistently performs well. While an iPhone may be a more trendy option, the Nokia E71 may be the more practical one.

Due to the Xperia’s various features, this phone is an optimal phone for both business and informal usage. First off, it comes with impressive hardware features that other phones would have a hard time competing with. It also has an accelerometer sensor that offers various options including a proximity sensor and auto rotation. The QWERTY keyboard is a feature that makes this phone a good one for texting, and the touch screen can be used to read documents on.

The phone also is great for its connection, allowing the owner to transfer their information extremely quickly. You do not have to worry about scratching your phone since the touch screen itself is made with a scratch resistant surface. The resolution of the screen is also great for a user who wants to take pictures and videos. The Xperia’s camera is an 8.1 megapixel camera which features auto and touch focus, Geo tagging, smile detection, image stabilization and LED flash, while the video recorder records at 30 frames per second. The phone is also capable of playing MP3s, has Bluetooth technology and USB connections.

One of the cons of this phone is that although you can find 3G deals, the phone can still be somewhat pricey. The biggest issue is that battery of the Xperia does not have an extremely long life before it needs to get charged again. There have also been complaints that the data connection is not the best and that the apps need to be improved, and so do the prices of the music you can buy for it. Finally, the in call volume of the Xperia could be made a little bit louder.

If you choose to buy this phone, there are a number of different 3G deals that you can take advantage of to save you money. The best way to find them is to search on the internet. You can find some websites that can offer a very reasonable price for a new Xperia phone, such as Amazon.com, and Buy.com. However, unless you go to a store and buy the phone, you will need to set up your plan and might not get as good of a deal. In this case, T-mobile will give you the phone for free if you sign a contract for a new plan.

The keys are small but easy to use with few mistakes after some practice. The touch which seems cool is very faulty. Many times you can’t even use the screen! which makes the phone useless since you need the screen in order to do anything.

The phone is durable, I’ve dropped mine several times resulting in just a few scratches. The battery wares down fast if you average 100-200 texts a day, expect the life of your phone to be an hour or two. When the touch screen actually works it’s very sensitive, expect some pocket calls.

Texting with the key board is sometimes difficult because the phone will randomly reset where the cursor is, making it very annoying and time consuming to text. When you’re in the middle of a call your ear will sometimes press the screen and hang it up. The speaker phone option isn’t very clear hard to understand. Charging the phone only takes and hour or two of course you’ll need to charge it a lot. My own Samsung Glyde has survived being dropped and fully submerged in a puddle, after 3 days of rice.

The phone will sometimes randomly turn on, which isn’t good if you’re a high-school student or at the movies. Some games wont work so be careful what ones you buy. The camera built into the phone is decent, but you’ll be getting blurry pixelized videos which last only 30 seconds.

If you’re considering getting a Samsung Glyde save your money for something better! Over all I rate the Glyde as a 2.5 on a 1-5 scale.