Newbie Considering Smartphone, some questions for the pros!

[Bill Harrison]

Hey all. I am considering a smartphone purchase. I currently use a toshiba E800 vga PPC, and I enjoy it. Its a bit bulky though, and i would like to have anytime internet access available to me. I think a smartphone would provide this. I have cingular, so can go with the smt5600, which looks like about the best phone running.

My main question is this: how limited is a smartphone compared to a PPC? I would like to have access to several car programs (Blue book, etc), the ability to snap photos and email them while at an auction, take notes, and have gps.

My pocket pc does all this, without a persistant internet connection. I have considered getting a bluetooth phone, and just pairing it with the pocketpc for net access, but that would require 2 devices in my already packed pockets. How viable is a smartphone for me in this situation?

[Kris Kumar]

My main question is this: how limited is a smartphone compared to a PPC? I would like to have access to several car programs (Blue book, etc), the ability to snap photos and email them while at an auction, take notes, and have gps.

My pocket pc does all this, without a persistant internet connection. I have considered getting a bluetooth phone, and just pairing it with the pocketpc for net access, but that would require 2 devices in my already packed pockets. How viable is a smartphone for me in this situation?

First of all in the Smartphone arena, you got it right, SMT5600 is probably the best Smartphone.

However, from what you have mentioned as your requirements, its seems Smartphone may not work out for you because of the notes requirement.

Notes: Smartphone does not have touch screen, so inputing text is slow. Unless you buy a BT Keyboard (which adds bulk to your pocket). The other alternative is voice recording. But then if you plan on using text notes somewhere else, you will have to convert them somehow.

Photos: Yes, you can snap photos and email them out. The resolution is not great on the Smartphone. The MPx220 Smartphone has 1.2 Mega pixel camera but the photo quality is not up to mark (But then they are phones first and camera second or last).

GPS: Yes, the BT GPS does work. There are quite a few options. And if you have a BT GPS device, then the chances are that it will work with the Smartphone using the following applications: Microsoft Streets or Mapopolis. The flip side for the Smartphone based GPS is that the screen is small.

Application support: I am not familiar with the Blue Book application, so dont know if it is supported on Smartphone. Will have to check with the vendor.