Business Tech
Smartphones
Benefits of a Wifi Smartphone
Aug 20th
Over the last decade, there has been an enormous shift in technology in terms of gadgetry. Cellular phones have experienced a remarkable evolution. Starting from a simple gadget that was used for calling and texting, it has now evolved into a phone with built-in wifi. With a wifi phone, the basic features remain, but a whole new arena of communication and connectivity is revealed as well.
Business travelers have become accustomed to carrying a full bag of electronic gadgets on the road. Now, with the new wifi smartphones, your load can be considerably lightened. Many of the functions that you could perform only with a laptop can now be accomplished with a single device. They have evolved beyond even the personal digital assistant into a full-fledged productivity tool. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of these devices.
Many wifi smartphones can make voice calls over the wireless network. This can be especially handy when you are somewhere that has spotty cell coverage but available wifi. This feature is not available on every phone yet, but it’s expanding rapidly.
All wifi smartphones allow you to send text messages via wireless. Again, this could mean the difference between receiving an important text or being out of touch if you find yourself off the beaten path. You can also count on being able to send and receive emails without having to worry about your data connection or incurring possible data roaming charges.
Web browsing is where the wifi smartphone really shines. It allows you to connect to or surf the Internet at your own convenience. Web browsing at 3G is barely acceptable, but is absolutely painful at any slower connection. But on a wifi connection, your browsing speed is limited only by your device.
Using a wifi smartphone ensures you’ll have the freedom of downloading documents, music or even videos without having to worry about data usage charges.
Stay in constant, real-time communication with all of your business or personal contacts with instant messaging.
After the meetings are over-or even between meetings-you can entertain yourself with videos, music and games from the internet.
A wifi smartphone can free you from the necessity of booting up your laptop anytime you want to move beyond voice communication. And you can stop worrying about your carrier’s coverage as long as you can find a wireless connection. With the continued expansion of wifi access points across the country, your connectivity can only improve.
The Blackberry Storm for Business
Apr 6th
Business today lives and dies by the smartphone. And nothing says business in a smartphone like the Blackberry name. Although some might see the company’s phones as less edgy than some other brands, they consistently provide value to the digital marketing professional.
The Blackberry Storm smartphone is the company’s first venture into the “touchscreen” market. It also includes some new, advanced features for its brand. The battery has a much longer life, which can make the difference between just starting a conversation and closing the deal. The camera comes with 3.2 megapixel resolution for surprisingly clear photos and video clips. The Storm also includes the ability to load and watch movies and listen to music files, which could make solitary nights or long layovers a little more bearable.
The Storm is not without a few dark clouds, though. For one, there’s the bulky size. Unlike the slimmer iPhone, the Blackberry Storm has a bigger handset to accommodate its extended-life battery. You won’t have to charge it as frequently as the older models, but you won’t be able to simply slide it into your pocket and forget about it. There’s also a bit of a learning curve with the touchscreen operation. You need to press down a little harder on the screen than you would with an iPhone. The Storm does not allow you to move pages by spreading two fingers, but it does let you hover your finger over the screen and drop cursors elsewhere.
What’s the bottom line? The Blackberry Storm is a good choice if you love the Blackberry brand but want an upgrade. There are several more features in the Storm than in the older models; a longer battery life, and a good camera. If you hate having to press down on tiny keypad buttons, then give the Blackberry Storm a try and see if it is a better fit for your life and business.
Nokia N97 Provides Smartphone Features at a Budget Price
Mar 25th
We all know that sometimes your business bottom line doesn’t quite cover your business needs. This can often be the case when it comes to buying the tech you need to get the job done. If you’re looking for a smartphone that doesn’t send your accountant into a fit, then you should take a look at the Nokia N97. This older model phone is still available on eBay and other outlets can could be just what you need for staying connected on the road.
The Nokia N97 is a small, touchscreen phone that was released in June of 2009. It works on the 3G network, but can also connect to a WiFi network for even faster speeds. It includes standard smartphone features like Bluetooth connectivity and a camera (including video). You can connect it to your computer to equip it with even more apps and files.
The 5-megapixel camera is able to capture reality with excellent sharpness and detail. Like the iPhone, the Nokia N97 contains a motion sensor so you can tilt it around and change to a landscape view. It also contains 32 gigabytes of memory, which is perfect for storing presentations, proposals and other documents. Another beneficial feature of this smartphone is that it has a slide-out keypad. You can choose to use the touchscreen to type, or you can pull out the keyboard and use that.
One disadvantage of the Nokia N97 is the slightly thicker size. It is about as heavy and thick as a Blackberry phone. This provides a better grip for people with bigger hands or fingers, but it can feel bulky in your pocket. It also has a “double-tap” feature that requires you to tap twice to choose a selection. This is supposed to minimize mistakes when tapping, but it can be annoying if you want a quick-response screen. Also, you must lock and unlock the screen by pressing one of the hardware buttons. You cannot use the phone entirely by the touchscreen, which may be bothersome for some people.
The Nokia N97 is a decent smartphone for the price and features. It has a dual keyboard for extra choice, a high-pixel video camera, and plenty of memory for games and documents. So if your business calls for a smartphone but you haven’t closed that big deal yet, pick up the Nokia N97.