Chris Smith is a pioneer in applying "coaching" principles to technology planning for small & medium-sized enterprises. He is the founder and owner of TeknoCoach™, a company which is committed to helping small businesses "make Technology their #1 employee".
If you haven't already been hooked by the "Smartphone" revolution, you may be looking for the right entry point. The first thing to consider is what benefits might be realized by moving into one of these devices.
1. Remote access to my calendar- Probably the #1 benefit immediately realized by a new Smartphone user is remote access to his/her calendar. If you're like most busy professionals and/or business owners, you do a pretty solid job of keeping your calendar on a PC (or you have an admin or office manager that keeps it for you). The problem is you're constantly having to use the line, "Let me check my calendar when I get back in the office" as you're visiting with your clients, suppliers, and partners. With the snazzy wireless syncing options available on most Smartphones, you'll have an up-to-date calendar in-hand whenever you need it.
2. Checking email on the road- For some Smartphone users, this capability is absolutely invaluable. Not only are you accessible via the phone, but you also can communicate via email from wherever you are without having to haul out your laptop and find a "hot spot". Others don't use this capability for a variety of reasons (e.g., keys are too small to type with, the screen's too small for reading that much text, or difficulty with attachments).
3. "Whiz-bang" mobile applications- There are tons of little niche applications that are very handy to have with you on-demand (e.g., customized cost calculators, quick-reference manuals, or mini-invoice builders).
If any or all of these benefits sound profitable, your next question is likely, "Which device should I get?" After all, there's lots of choices. Some are much cheaper than others. Some are much more popular than others. What's the difference and what are some of the major benefits of each device?
Check out an expanded version of this article (including some fairly extensive comparison tables).
- Related Articles
- Related Q&A
LG Viewty: Smart Phone of LG Mobiles
By: Jake Barrett | 30/12/2009In this world of communication, many of the international brands have designed various handsets with different functionality and features. To out-compete others, the renowned brand LG has introduced LG Viewty in the market which includes three different models such as, GC900 Viewty Smart, KU990 Viewty and KE990 Viewty.
Sony Ericsson Satio Idou Deals- Lucrative Way To Get Connected
By: Kevin Sturo | 30/12/2009Opt for the Sony Ericsson Satio Idou deals and benefited with many amazing free gifts and discount offers that will surely help you to enjoy cost-effective communication.
Mobile Phone Shop: Shop With Few Clicks
By: Robin Rich | 30/12/2009Mobile phones are the very essential part of our life now a days and this is very necessary to opt for the right mobile with the proper deal from the right mobile phone shop.
MINI On The Budget
By: Frances Seth | 30/12/2009The Alcatel OT-708 would definitely fit any customer profile. A phone that would definitely pull in the budget concious, the fashionable or just anybody searching for a high-quality device. The mobile phone's dedicated touch panel and interface is very easy to employ. The choice of widgets in a 2.4" TFT screen makes navigating menus and accessing application programs smooth and effortless.
Sony Ericsson K660i Deals- Lavish And Affordable Communication
By: Marc Kleban | 30/12/2009With the Sony Ericsson K660i deals you can easily stay connected with your friends and family without any hurdle and that too at very throw-away prices.
LG KP500 Cookie : Affordable Price and Ultimate Choice
By: Stephen George | 30/12/2009The LG KP500 Cookie is an amazing mobile phone that comes adorned with varied features which keep the users on the go at almost any point of time. The best part of this phone is that despite being adorned with a good number of updated features, it is available at an affordable price.
Samsung S8000 Jet : Add Power to your hands
By: Stephen George | 30/12/2009The Samsung S8000 Jet has been very much popular recently because of the features embellished with it. The gadget comes packed in a beautifully designed casing that suits to the test of almost everyone. It indeed is a well deserved gadget, at well deserved price.
The mobile phones – best gift of science and technology
By: Shefali Roy | 30/12/2009The modern age market is flooded up with great variety of amazing mobile phones. These gadget can create turmoil among the users.
Oh, What a Tangled "web" We Weave
By: Chris Smith (The TeknoCoach) | 08/08/2007 | Information TechnologyIn talking to business owners about their Tekno Plan one question keeps coming up... What should I do with my website? Most businesses have a website, but, to date, it simply represents something that they poured some money into awhile back and have since largely forgotten it. It's a box that's been checked on the got-to-have list (along with business cards and other key marketing material). So, what is the first step with this powerful, yet often underused business tool?
Tekno Solutions (instant Messaging)
By: Chris Smith (The TeknoCoach) | 08/08/2007 | Information TechnologyWhat does intra-office communication look like in your workplace? Are employees standing around waiting to speak to one another? Are there too many interruptions of important meetings, discussions, and phone calls? Or has communication become so impersonal that you're sending emails to the person who sits next to you to ask simple questions? There is a solution that helps streamline intra-office communication while maintaining active conversations... instant messaging.
Step Into your New "office"
By: Chris Smith (The TeknoCoach) | 08/08/2007 | SoftwareYou may be pondering the installation of Microsoft® Office products (Word, Excel®, Outlook®, and maybe PowerPoint®) or looking to upgrade to a more recent release of the Office suite. Although the Microsoft Office suite is excellent business productivity software, it's not cheap (you'll pay anywhere from 150 to 700 dollars per instance, unless you're getting some volume discounts through a reseller). There are alternatives for you to consider, and those alternatives have both pro's and con's.
Do I Need a Smarter Phone
By: Chris Smith (The TeknoCoach) | 06/08/2007 | Cell PhonesIf your cell phone works just fine and you're a little skeptical of all the hype around "Smartphones", you may be asking yourself, "Do I need a smarter phone?" If you have already been hooked by the "Smartphone" revolution, you may be looking for the right entry point. In either case, read on to find out more about these devices and how they're reshaping how we communicate with each other (and most importantly, how/when you should jump on the bandwagon).
The Vista for your Business
By: Chris Smith (The TeknoCoach) | 02/08/2007 | Computersvis-ta [vis-tuh] (n.) 1. a view or prospect, esp. one seen through a long, narrow avenue or passage, as between rows of trees or houses. 2. such an avenue or passage, esp. when formally planned. 3. a far-reaching mental view: vistas of the future. Certainly, one of the hot technology topics for 2007 is Windows Vista™. For business owners, the big question is, "When should I upgrade?"