Do You Need a Smart Phone?

While the transition from an uncomplicated cell phone to a multipurpose smart phone might seem daunting, the rewards can be great.

R. Scott Cameron, president of Cameron Real Estate Services Inc. in Naples, says he was finally persuaded to go with a smart phone when Apple’s iPhone was launched. I believe he initially bought it because it was a cool gadget, but he soon found it to be an indispensable tool. In fact, he says the iPhone has completely changed the way he does business.

For those of you who haven’t already made the switch to a smart phone, I thought it might be helpful to go over some key considerations that might influence your decision.

First, a definition: A smart phone is, basically, the melding of a traditional cell phone’s capabilities with those of a PDA (personal digital assistant), which functions as a mini-computer.

What it can do: Store and retrieve contacts’ information, use e-mail, surf the Web (which is great when you need current stock quotes, weather or even travel information), and download documents directly to your phone.

GPS has been added to most smart phones, as has Bluetooth capability. If you have to talk on the phone while you are driving, the Bluetooth feature gets the phone out of your hand and allows the phone to synchronize to a Bluetooth headset or a Bluetooth-enabled car.

Picture mail is also an interesting feature of most smart phones. You can use it to send a picture of yourself playing golf to your office associates while they are working. A real estate agent might use it to send pictures of a prospective home to an out-of-town client.

Which model to choose: The new Motorola Q 9c, which almost sounds like a James Bond gadget, is my personal choice for a smart phone. This model was Sprint’s "latest and greatest" phone offering at the time that had all the features of my old Motorola Q but with a better battery life and operating system, so it didn’t freeze up.