What was the Best New Smartphone in 2006?

[Rocco Augusto]

I think it is officially safe to say that 2006 was the year of the Smartphone. With so many great devices being released on so many networks, Windows Mobile honestly stole the show. Even Sprint jumped into the game with their recent release of the Motorola Q... which happened in 2007 but you still have to give them credit nonetheless! So to kick off 2007 right, everyone here at Smartphone Thoughts is dying to know, what was the best new Smartphone of 2006? :)

[dstrauss]

Hands down, the Samsung Blackjack. Not only is it the best feature packed smartphone on the market, the advertising blitz by Cingular and Samsung has raised public awareness of the Blackjack (and thus smartphone) to new heights. You wouldn't believe the number of folks who recognize my "phone from that cool magician ad" they saw on TV. If you let them play with it for even a few minutes - off they go to the nearest Cingular store.

Samsung blackjack, without a doubt.

[Tim Williamson]

Dash/S620 all the way baby!!! :)

Smaller than the Q, built-in WiFi, oh so nice rubberized case.

[Pete Paxton]

Dash-a-roonie baby!

[jfreiman]

Dash. The Blackjack does have a cool commercial but the Dash is a cool phone.

Now when can we expect a ROM update to fix all of it's problems???

[djdj]

T-Mobile Dash. Love it!

[Tim Williamson]

Dash. The Blackjack does have a cool commercial but the Dash is a cool phone.

Now when can we expect a ROM update to fix all of it's problems???

That's what I'm wondering... :?

Although, it's cool features outweigh it's bugs. ;)

[Rocco Augusto]

I'm going to have to go with both the Dash and the Blackjack. Reason being is both phones are incredibly tiny and brought QWERTY keyboards, Windows Mobile 5.0 and high speed data to the masses. While the Blackjack most likely has more recognition from the general public, the WiFi on the Dash brings in a wider user base of high speed data. If you live in a 3G area though, then the Blackjack is the phone of choice, hands down! ;)

[Pete Paxton]

If you live in a 3G area though, then the Blackjack is the phone of choice, hands down! ;)

Though I'm a dash lover, I have to agree with your statement

[Frequency]

I have a small portable device with a keyboard. It's called a tablet PC. The best smartPHONE is the SP5m. Email push, voice command, Bluetooth modem and it's an MP3 player. The candybar shape makes it easy to hold (it's not TOO thin) and convenient to clip on my belt. Am I the only one who's not gaga over minature pocket pcs? :?: :)

[Rocco Augusto]

SP5m is a great handset but it was released in 2005 so it doesnt fit into the best smartphone of 2006 category ;)

in fact, the SP5m/SDA is such a great phone, I still have one floating around my house that my girlfriend uses and if you watch the CES keynote from Bill Gates, you would see he is still rocking one as well ;)

[reydiodj]

I'll have to say the Dash as well - heck, it is what was T-Mo chose to replace the SDA.

[Mike Temporale]

There seems to be a lot of Dash votes here. :)

The Q was the first high speed QWERTY enabled Smartphone released last year. It was great for it's time, but it's fallen pretty quick and needs a radical update to stay hip.

For me, I think the best device has to be the BlackJack. It seems to be the most well rounded device - IMHO.

[onlydarksets]

I'm voting for the Q over the Blackjack or Dash.

Ev-DO
Better keyboard than BJ or Dash
miniSD (cheaper)
Bigger screen than BJ (not sure about Dash)
Not butt-ugly like Dash (sorry, folks, but it is)

With the MOL2 update, battery life is better than the BJ (not sure about Dash). I like the Wifi of the Dash, but Ev-DO is everywhere.

All that said, though, the Pearl is probably the best one out there.

[dean56]

I have three words for you: DASH DASH DASH

[Kris Kumar]

The Dash gets my vote - for being the most practical Smartphone. It lacks 3G but makes up for the 3G by having a good battery life. I don't care if my emails arrive any faster, EDGE doesn't make much difference to me compared to 3G. I do feel the pinch when browsing but I can manage. Poor battery life would drive me nuts.

BlackJack would be the second choice. The availability of 3G would have made me consider this device, but at this time for me I will getting a phone that has a feature I cannot use and also loose a feature that I need - battery life.

[sojourner753]

I think the StrTrk deserves a mention for those of use missing the flip phones when we converted to smartphones.

[Mike Temporale]

I think the StrTrk deserves a mention for those of use missing the flip phones when we converted to smartphones.

I was thinking about that too. But wasn't the StarTrek released at the end of 2005?

[macattack]

I think the StrTrk deserves a mention for those of use missing the flip phones when we converted to smartphones.

I was thinking about that too. But wasn't the StarTrek released at the end of 2005?

Maybe the StrTrk was released late in 2005, I'm not sure, but the Cingy 3125 was released later this year. It made significant improvements (mostly in firmware) to shake the horde of bugs out of the phone and make it truly useful. It's my daily driver, and the 3125 gets my vote.

[PantherShade]

I think the StrTrk deserves a mention for those of use missing the flip phones when we converted to smartphones.
The Cingular 3125 was released at the end of 2006, and it has my vote! :D

[Tony Rylow]

I have to vote with my newest device, the Dash.

[thegasguru]

The Dash gets my vote - for being the most practical Smartphone. It lacks 3G but makes up for the 3G by having a good battery life. I don't care if my emails arrive any faster, EDGE doesn't make much difference to me compared to 3G. I do feel the pinch when browsing but I can manage. Poor battery life would drive me nuts.

BlackJack would be the second choice. The availability of 3G would have made me consider this device, but at this time for me I will getting a phone that has a feature I cannot use and also loose a feature that I need - battery life.

Actually, your logic is the reason the Blackjack is the best. You can always turn off the 3G on the Blackjack to extend battery life if you want, and turn 3G back on to surf. With the Dash, you get no option for 3G at all! No way can a non-3G phone be better than a 3G...the speed difference is very noticeable when surfing.

And I don't buy WiFi as that great a feature - it sucks battery life like a mother, and once you leave work or home, finding free hotspots is more of a pain than it's worth. Having 3G available anywhere (esp when you're looking up directions on Windows Live in the car - AT A RED LIGHT :) tops any Wifi.

Granted, Cingular needs to roll out 3G in more locations, but that's coming. If you live in a non-3G area, I might buy that Dash and Blackjack are a toss up, but I still contend that you can only use WiFi by trolling around for hotspots, which just isn't that convenient for many people.

Finally, cmon: the Blackjack is just so much cooler looking than the Dash. We're comparing Halle Berry to the Queen Mum, for gosh sake!

[Hw6945]

I've only seen one post in this thread that alludes to this.

Beware the Smartphone - the lines are ablurring!

First, a definition:
Smartphone - a phone that is smart, ie, smart enough to do things other than call other phones and about the same size as a "just a phone" (ie, not a laptop!).

How about a device that is all of the above and is VERY, VERY smart?

Great music player.
Also plays movies ripped from DVD's.
Great eBook reader (supports several formats).
Bluetooth AND Wi-fi.
A real imbedded GPS that can be used out of the box for navigation (NavTeq) and general mapping (Streets and Trips) shows where you are on the map. Not just some GPS chip that the only good use other than for 911 is for "THEM" to know where you are.
Runs all the Microsoft and Windows software the others try to run (some better than others).
Ties into Outlook Contacts really tight. (ie, Voice Command)
Can use established 3rd party sync programs (ie, Intellisync, etc.) over ActiveStink.
Runs most 3rd party software (that I already own) from older devices, as is, out of the box. (Not so with some of the devices already mentioned in this thread - You know who you are.)
And many other SW developers have now upgraded already (other devices still can't run these programs - again, You know who you are.)
A touchscreen with phone buttons BIG enough anyone can hit.
A touchscreen!
A 416mh processor (that can be safely overclocked to 624!)
Oh, the list just goes on and on.

Have you guessed it yet??? (Hint - see my Avatar.)

Tada - the HP Hw69xx Super Smart Phone.

JMHO...
Ron...

[Pete Paxton]

We have wifi at work and I have it at home and there is no 3g option where I live so the Dash is the perfect device for me. With it's wifi power saving mode, it shuts off my wifi when I'm not using the phone so my battery life lasts a looooong time.

[Rocco Augusto]

First, a definition:
Smartphone - a phone that is smart, ie, smart enough to do things other than call other phones and about the same size as a "just a phone" (ie, not a laptop!).

Smartphone with a capital "S" would be in reference to devices running the Windows Mobile for Smartphone operating system. While the HW69XX is/are (a) great device(s), since it runs the Windows Mobile for Pocket PC OS it would be classified as Pocket PC. Personally I can't wait for Photon to come out since Microsoft has hinted towards combining the operating systems. :)

Looking back, I should have probably turned this post into a poll. There are so many different responses here that just surprised me. I am a little surprised that I haven't seen more votes for the Cingular 3125 as it is still a very hot seller at Cingular stores. I am not surprised however to see so many responses for the T-Mobile Dash as it brings high speed data to a much wider audience then the Samsung blackjack does and from what I hear, battery life is incredible :)

[Hw6945]

Hi Rocco,
You may call it a PDA phone - but I call it a Super Smart Phone. :lol:
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.. :twisted:
And as you mentioned with the Proton, etc, soon it's going to get real interesting.......
It'll be in one corner Razr, et al, vs Windows/Microsoft in the other corner.
The only different feature between Smart and PDA phones will be the touch (or not) screen.
Again, JMHO...
Ron...

[Kris Kumar]

We're comparing Halle Berry to the Queen Mum, for gosh sake!

:rotfl:

I do not use WiFi much, EDGE works just fine for me. But when I do use the WiFi, it has an awesome power saver mode.

[antvega]

After having used both the Dash and the Blackjack, I have to say the best smartphone I've used in a really really long time is/was the MTeoR. Granted it lacked the QWERTY but its slick lines, awesome speaker, excellent build quality and everything WinMo5 does, it really did it for me. The messenging program didnt flub my words or leave out letters or just ignore keytaps (ala the Blackjack) and it didnt creak or flex when held in my hand (ala the Dash) . I think what got me most was the call clarity and quality and the clarity and quality of the built in speaker. That thing was LOUD! I mean like maybe it was too damn loud.

But yeah thats my vote and im sticking to it. 3G is cool but Cingular is out of control with their 44.99 data plan. Even at 29.99 its too much. Tmo and the 5.99 Tzones plan all the way :D !!!

[Gavino1212]

The best smartPHONE is the SP5m. Email push, voice command, Bluetooth modem and it's an MP3 player.

If the SP5m is the SDA, then it's a pretty cool phone, but it greatly lacks in it's internal memory. However, the SP5m being an international release by HTC may differ slightly from the SDA as the Excaliber does from the Dash. And I don't remember the SDA having push email.

Until the Dash was released, I really liked the SDA. But the Dash is hands down #1 for me. Till I can get my hands on a Cavalier!!! :D

[Chorazin]

I absolutely love the Blackjack. So far this has been the best phone I've ever used!

[Mike Temporale]

And as you mentioned with the Proton, etc, soon it's going to get real interesting.......

Well, we have to get through Crossbow first. Photon is a long way out - but worth it IMHO.

[Luv2Skydive]

I have the Samsung Blackjack. I charge the battery all night, every night. The BlueTooth is NEVER on, and I have the power settings the lowest possible. I made phonecalls adding up to 58 minutes today and the phone alerted me to the low battery. I did nothing but talk on the phone for God's sake! If I'm away from home and the battery is low, it is not long until it is dead and I'm screwed. Unless I'm missing some setting somewhere, this phone is was a ripoff.

[Mike Temporale]

I have the Samsung Blackjack. I charge the battery all night, every night. The BlueTooth is NEVER on, and I have the power settings the lowest possible. I made phonecalls adding up to 58 minutes today and the phone alerted me to the low battery. I did nothing but talk on the phone for God's sake! If I'm away from home and the battery is low, it is not long until it is dead and I'm screwed. Unless I'm missing some setting somewhere, this phone is was a ripoff.

I guess you've never used the Q then, eh? :lol:

It could be something as simple as a 3rd party app that's running in the background. I talked on my phone for over 1.25 hours yesterday along with some game play for an hour or so. And I didn't have any issues with the battery running out mid day.

[Luv2Skydive]

I have the Samsung Blackjack. I charge the battery all night, every night. The BlueTooth is NEVER on, and I have the power settings the lowest possible. I made phonecalls adding up to 58 minutes today and the phone alerted me to the low battery. I did nothing but talk on the phone for God's sake! If I'm away from home and the battery is low, it is not long until it is dead and I'm screwed. Unless I'm missing some setting somewhere, this phone is was a ripoff.

I guess you've never used the Q then, eh? :lol:

It could be something as simple as a 3rd party app that's running in the background. I talked on my phone for over 1.25 hours yesterday along with some game play for an hour or so. And I didn't have any issues with the battery running out mid day.

So would that be everything in Task Manager that's running?

[Mike Temporale]

So would that be everything in Task Manager that's running?

Could be - but some apps don't show up in task manager. Depends on the app. Home screen plugins don't tend to show up and if they're not programed right, then they can eat a lot of power.

[Luv2Skydive]

So would that be everything in Task Manager that's running?

Could be - but some apps don't show up in task manager. Depends on the app. Home screen plugins don't tend to show up and if they're not programed right, then they can eat a lot of power.

So, is there somewhere I can read up on how to see what's running where? This is only the 2nd cell phone I've had and I have no idea how to do anything except talk, take pics/vids, play games, and surf the web. :D

[Mike Temporale]

For most of the apps that the average user should be concerned about, the Task Manager should be fine. If you're interested in more of the system processes you'll need to locate a 3rd party task manager that shows more. There are some out there, but I can't recall which one shows system process.

Some simple things can make a big difference when it comes to battery life - animation that always runs even when the application is not visible. Another thing to consider is the frequency at which you poll for new email. If it's 5 minutes, try turning it down to 15 or even 30 minutes, and you'll see a huge difference in battery life.

[Luv2Skydive]

I don't poll for e-mail at all so maybe I'll just get the new extended life battery. :x

[chrisjaffe]

...you'll need to locate a 3rd party task manager that shows more. There are some out there, but I can't recall which one shows system process...

Try SP Task Manager. It is by Binary's...

http://www.binarys.com/taskmanager_en.asp

There is a small conflict with WM5 regarding the native e-mail app but other than that it seems to work fine on on my WM5 3125.

Which gets my vote for the best SP - flip phone all the way. The others just don't fit in your pocket right no matter how thin they get...and I am not a belt clip guy.

JMHO

Chris

[dstrauss]

I have the Samsung Blackjack. I charge the battery all night, every night. The BlueTooth is NEVER on, and I have the power settings the lowest possible. I made phonecalls adding up to 58 minutes today and the phone alerted me to the low battery. I did nothing but talk on the phone for God's sake! If I'm away from home and the battery is low, it is not long until it is dead and I'm screwed. Unless I'm missing some setting somewhere, this phone is was a ripoff.

Are you in a fringe area between HSDPA and EDGE? If so, I'd turn off HSDPA until you need it. In my town, they haven't graced us with 3G yet, so after a day of 30-60 minutes of calls; push email all day long; PDA activities; and a little (<30 minutes) surfing per day I still have two bars left at night.

[Donza]

This seems to be the best phone Nokia doesn't want to sell. I never saw it advertised and only found it on the web by accident. I bought it unlocked and it is AWESOME!!

It does everthing a Blackberry can do but with a real keyboard (it opens up to a full QWERTY keyboard and the screen rotates horizontal). Plus it doesn't feel like a flimsy piece of ... well you get the idea. It's based on the Symbion S60 and is made just like the Nokia 6800 which I had and loved. It browses with a real web browser, the screen is sharp and easy to read (or you can zoom it in). Sound is great for either the phone or for playing music. Pick your favorite song and make it your ringtone - any mp3 works.

I had a Blackberry for 3 days and HATED IT and took it back - trying to type on those stupid keys made me insane. The E70 is cool, elegant looking, sturdy and does everything I ask it to do. Want to see animated radar - no problem. Want to track a flight on a realtime map - piece of cake. Has 65MB of memory and holds an SD card too. IM, email, text, plays music and comes with Nokia's awesome PC Suite so you can access, transfer and backup everything on your phone just by connecting it to your computer. Oh yeah and it will connect to your wireless home network too.

I may just keep this thing forever!!

[flash]

Blackjack.

It's what I got... looked at Dash and Q also. My poor i600 was just about worn out.

Close second for me is Q. It does its job well (as do the Dash and the Blackjack) but since it's successful in the marketplace, there are lots and lots of accessories for it.

Really though I selected the Blackjack for partly subjective reasons. I think the clear smartphone winner is the small QWERTY form factor.