Mobile IT Buyer's Guide: Choosing the Best Smartphone

The handheld device market is experiencing unprecedented growth, with a slew of new smartphones that are so powerful that they perform more like handheld computers than as mobile phones. But with so many choices, it can be hard to know how to narrow the list and select the best smartphone for your business. Here we offer a guide to doing just that.

When it comes to conducting business on the go, smartphones are becoming an increasingly popular supplement -- and often alternative -- to notebooks. In fact, a recent Gartner Research report predicted that by 2013, there will be more smartphones in use than PCs, making smartphones the most common type of Web access device.

Though there’s no standardized definition of what constitutes a smartphone, it’s generally understood to be a phone that also offers mobile Internet access and has the capability to handle tasks that are normally performed on a PC such as accessing e-mail, browsing the Web or viewing and editing documents. In a nutshell, it’s a pocket-sized computer.

Arming your employees with smartphones can give them a real productivity boost, but choosing a one isn’t quite as straightforward as deciding on a desktop or laptop. Read on to learn what factors you should consider before purchasing the best smartphones for your small business.

It’s About the Mobile Network

We’ll get into some phone particulars in a bit, but first, a caveat. New smartphones often generate much anticipation and fanfare, but it’s important to remember that unlike PCs, smartphones aren’t autonomous devices. Rather, they rely heavily on a carrier’s mobile network for connectivity and features. Bottom line -- you’re not just buying a phone, you’re buying a network. Before becoming too enamored with a particular smartphone model, you must first consider the coverage and costs of the carrier providing it.

Read the full story at SmallBusinessComputing:
A Guide to Small Business Smartphones