Billshrink have produced a handy little pricing guide to help you decide what phone will suit your budget not just your sense of style.Let’s say you have chosen your smartphone and you are waiting for it to be delivered. I would recommend working out what you want from your smartphone before it arrives and planning accordingly. For example, most (if not all) of the phones mentioned in this article will support the major email providers but will interact with the in lots of different ways.

Email and Contacts

Hotmail users can access their email on these devices but the closed nature of Microsoft’s email service only permits POP3 access meaning that when you check for email on one device, any new emails at that will (in most acccounts) be delivered to that one device only.

I found setting up a GoogleMail (Gmail) account helped me when I bought my smartphone. Gmail has an tool that can import your existing email accounts into your Google account whilst delivering any new emails sent to your old address into your Gmail inbox. As Googlemail allows you to activate IMAP, your emails will be accessible and downloadable from any device, whether it be your browser or your smartphone.

Your Google Account will also serve as a very useful tool to conglomerate all of your existing mobile contacts. If you old phone supports the exporting of your SIM contacts to a CSV file or similar, Google Contacts will allow you to upload the file and then sync your existing contacts over to your new phone. Both Android handsets and the Apple iPhone support the remote syncing of Google Contacts.

Then again, you may have your own email server and need to access your email on the move. All of the above handsets support POP3 access but you may incur the same problems as discussed above.

Apps

If you are going to own a smartphone, you are going to dabble with third party apps. Below are some of the best links to get a rundown of the best apps for a given smartphone:

iPhone Apps

·         uQuery – This site is the Google of App Store searching. Instead of using the unintuative iPhone search, uQuery will categorise apps, allow you to read reviews made by other uQuery users and sort by price, date and rating. Overall a very useful website.

·         Apple Web Apps – Until recently, Apple didnt have a useful way to view any of the apps on their store without browsing via iTunes or on the phone itself. Apple Web Apps is very similar to uQuery but is a little easier to navigate.

Android Apps

·         Android Market – The official website for the Android Market (duh!), you can browse the top paid and free apps available for your Android device.

·         AndroLib – AndroLib for me are the most comprehensive website when it comes to offering Android app reviews and information.

WebOS

·         AppsVu – This site provides and search engine to find the specific app you are looking for your Palm smartphone.

·         Palm Applications – The official Palm website showcases the very best apps for WebOS in a very neat and organised fashion.

Blackberry

·         Blackberry Appworld – The offical Blackberry application directory listing the top, newest and featured Blackberry apps.

Nokia

·         Ovi Store – The one place to find all apps compatible for all Nokia smartphones.

Accessories

All of the smartphones above have a huge range of official and unofficial accessories available to buy. Whilst I can’t recommend a list of accessories for each phone I would suggest investing in the following:

·         A Screen Protector – Most smartphones have scratch-resistant screens but it can’t hurt to add a small piece of vinyl or plastic to make sure you don’t tarnish it too much. Prices for these start low and go up dependant on whether you want military grade protection, I would suggest reading the reviews of a product before you commit to buy.

·         A Spare Charger – In most cases you will be able to grab a spare USB charger for a couple of pounds/dollars. It can be a potential lifesaver when you have drained your battery and are in need of a quick charge.

1.     A Decent Pair Of Headphones – If you own a smartphone, you are going to listen to music on it at some point. Don’t stick with the basic white buds your iPhone came with, invest in a high quality pair of headphones and do your music justice.

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3.     Switch OFF the Mobile Phone in Hospital and near medical equipment. Do not use the device where blasting is in progress.

4.     Keep the cell phone and its accessories away from children, as they could mistake it for a toy, and hurt themselves.

5.     Do not use the mobile phone at a refueling point. Don’t use near fuel or chemicals.

6.     Do not destroy or damage the battery. Do not throw it in fire. It can be dangerous and cause fire. Do not try to dismantle the battery. Dispose it off in an environmental safe method. Use only genuine battery.

7.     Never talk over mobile phone while driving. If required, stop your vehicle on the roadside to talk. Follow traffic rules.

8.     Switch OFF your mobile phone in an aircraft. Wireless devices can cause interference in aircraft.

9.     Never try to modify the smartphone. If required, carry it to authorized service center or to a professional. Use only genuine spare parts.

1.     Parts of a Mobile Cell Phone and Their Function

2.     Mobile Phone Problem and Solution

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·         Google Play app store (for Android)

·         Apple App store (For iPhone)

·         Windows Marketplace (For Window-Based Smartphones)

Blackberry App World