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Mobile Computing Buyers' Guide

While we gave you a quick rundown in the December 2008 issue, we thought a more in-depth look at the choices out there might be helpful to you when you visit your local cell phone store. The move to smart phones by more than businesses is gaining steam as people realize there's a lot of great Web content they want access to all the time. And farmers are finding that having access to their e-mail in a more efficient manner has value too.

What follows is a look at several platforms and the providers on the market. You might be in the coverage area of a carrier we don't mention here, talk with them about what they offer and ask a few questions.

First, what type of Web-enabled network do they offer? The speed - the fastest is called 3G (for third generation) - is important if you get a lot of e-mail or you want good Web access.

Second, how durable are the smart phones they provide? I phone that flips up might not be right if you're carrying it in your pocket and trying to use it in diverse places. You'll want to try them out in the store if possible.

Third, check the guarantee. Most major providers have a 30-day clause (check this carefully) that allows you to return the phone and start over. You'll have to pay for the month's service, but you won't be on the hook for the super expensive cancellation fee.

What follows is a look at phones and options from different providers. This is not a comprehensive list, but geared toward offering insight into this buying decision.

Palm - the maker of the Treo smartphone started out making low-cost and efficient personal digital assistants. Eventually that led to a big pile of third-party software you could download. A lot of that software will run on the Web-enabled smart phone too. Visit www.palm.com.

Blackberry - a mainstay for a lot of business travelers, this all-in-one pocket computer has a lot of useful applications. And there are add-ons available too. Visit www.blackberry.com.

Windows Mobile - this is an operating system, from Microsoft. It used to be called Windows CE. There is add-on software and several smartphones use the system. Visit www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile.

Apple - the iPhone has taken the smartphone industry by storm. The device offers a lot of flexibility, and is a solid Web surfer. However, it's only available from AT&T and in a lot of rural America there is no AT&T. If you're already using an AT&T cell phone, you might look into this device. Visit www.apple.com/iphone.

Google/Android - right now only T-Mobile offers phones using this new operating system. HTC - which makes the Touch smart phone is the hardware maker here. There's a lot of excitement for this new platform (it does have Google in the name), but it's relatively new. If you're not into experimentation, then this may not be your best choice. You can learn more at www.t-mobile.com.

Samsung - this phone maker offers a wide range of smart phones in different designs (note, the author uses a Samsung Blackjack II). Each major carrier - Sprint, AT&T, Verizon, U.S. Cellular, and Altell - offers some model from the Samsung line. You can learn more about Samsung smart phones at www.samsungmobileusa.com.

If you have a favorite smart phone you like and you think other readers should know about, send an e-mail to  wvogt@farmprogress.com and we'll feature it here.