Best smartphone for a business with about 13 employees?

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archcommus

Diamond Member
Sep 14, 2003
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I got this assignment in my communications class to write a memo report for an employer to suggest the best and most cost effective phone for his 13 employees. The phone needs to do email, web browsing, and photos. He is "interested" in the iPhone and Macs in general but is not requiring that and in the end just wants the most cost effective and appropriate solution.

What would you suggest? I am going to write the actual memo in class next week.
 
F

Farbio

Diamond Member
Apr 9, 2000
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well the iphone looks very promising, but i think its a bit early to be calling it a completely revolution...wait until its actually out and working...

that said, the treo 700 is quite effective at being a good phone, good email and decent browsing, pics are pretty good as long as u don't want anything more than 640x480 or so. that said, it does have its limitations - it is still only a phone and its web browsing isn't that great w/ the included blazer (which is anything but) and i've yet to find anything much better for it unfortunately
 
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imported_Mike

Lifer
Dec 4, 2002
18,211
1
0
Why would the employer even suggest the iPhone. The iPhone is not cost effective from a business standpoint at all.

Im a fan of my new HP HW6515, but I don't think that is very cost effective either. Depending on what type of business it is, the HW does have built-in GPS though.

Maybe Palm has worked out the bugs in the Treo, but after my 650...I will stay away from Palm for awhile.

I would say the Nokia E62 or maybe the new Samsung I607.
 
preslove

preslove

Lifer
Sep 10, 2003
16,754
64
91
Only a moron would even be "interested" in the iPhone for business customers. It's extremely expensive, has no qwerty keyboard, making it almost useless for email. It's a consumer product, nothing more.

I would look into the blackjack. It's cheaper than most smartphones, has a full qwerty keyboard, has windows mobile.
 
L

loup garou

Lifer
Feb 17, 2000
35,132
1
81
Depends on what sort of mailserver they use, if it's on or offsite, and who their wireless provider is.
 
K

kevnich2

Platinum Member
Apr 10, 2004
2,465
8
76
Stay away from the iphone. From a business perspective, it makes no sense. It's not a business phone at all. It's more of a consumer glitsy type phone if anything else. I'd say the best bet is either the blackjack if they have GSM (Cingular, Tmobile) or the Moto Q if they have CDMA (Verizon, Sprint). I have a treo and a Moto Q (had the Q for about two weeks now). If you've never used Windows Mobile, there is a small learning curve but that's unavoidable. My biggest problem was going from a full pocket pc to just a smartphone edition of windows mobile. There is a drastic difference but most of the issues I've worked out. It's very light & slim, super fast web browsing and email as well.
 
A

archcommus

Diamond Member
Sep 14, 2003
8,115
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Originally posted by: loup garou
Depends on what sort of mailserver they use, if it's on or offsite, and who their wireless provider is.
Click to expand...
They will be getting a new carrier, as well, so any provider is okay.

So far Blackjack seems to be the most popular recommendation.
 
L

loup garou

Lifer
Feb 17, 2000
35,132
1
81
Originally posted by: archcommus
Originally posted by: loup garou
Depends on what sort of mailserver they use, if it's on or offsite, and who their wireless provider is.
Click to expand...
They will be getting a new carrier, as well, so any provider is okay.

So far Blackjack seems to be the most popular recommendation.
Click to expand...
So, do they have an onsite mailserver? Or outsourced? Is it an Exchange server? Domino? Other? I think that is the most important factor in the decision.

EDIT: Sorry, forgot this is an assignment, so that may be an unknown...;)
 
ElFenix

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
102,389
8,547
126
Originally posted by: preslove
Only a moron would even be "interested" in the iPhone for business customers. It's extremely expensive, has no qwerty keyboard, making it almost useless for email. It's a consumer product, nothing more.

I would look into the blackjack. It's cheaper than most smartphones, has a full qwerty keyboard, has windows mobile.
Click to expand...

iirc, it'll generate a qwerty keyboard when necessary.
 
A

archcommus

Diamond Member
Sep 14, 2003
8,115
0
76
Originally posted by: loup garou
Originally posted by: archcommus
Originally posted by: loup garou
Depends on what sort of mailserver they use, if it's on or offsite, and who their wireless provider is.
Click to expand...
They will be getting a new carrier, as well, so any provider is okay.

So far Blackjack seems to be the most popular recommendation.
Click to expand...
So, do they have an onsite mailserver? Or outsourced? Is it an Exchange server? Domino? Other? I think that is the most important factor in the decision.

EDIT: Sorry, forgot this is an assignment, so that may be an unknown...;)
Click to expand...
Haha yeah, assignment, so we know none of that. This is only an exercise in professional memo writing but I must be able to back up my pick with concrete reasons.

A PDA is probably too complex, so let's stick to smartphones. Simply a "phone" with email, web browsing, and photo capabilities. Want reliable, easy to use and learn, and cost effective.

So Blackjack so far it seems.
 
I

imported_Mike

Lifer
Dec 4, 2002
18,211
1
0
Originally posted by: ElFenix
Originally posted by: preslove
Only a moron would even be "interested" in the iPhone for business customers. It's extremely expensive, has no qwerty keyboard, making it almost useless for email. It's a consumer product, nothing more.

I would look into the blackjack. It's cheaper than most smartphones, has a full qwerty keyboard, has windows mobile.
Click to expand...

iirc, it'll generate a qwerty keyboard when necessary.
Click to expand...

Via touchscreen.....PAIN IN THE ASS for email and messaging.
 
I

imported_Mike

Lifer
Dec 4, 2002
18,211
1
0
Originally posted by: archcommus
Originally posted by: loup garou
Originally posted by: archcommus
Originally posted by: loup garou
Depends on what sort of mailserver they use, if it's on or offsite, and who their wireless provider is.
Click to expand...
They will be getting a new carrier, as well, so any provider is okay.

So far Blackjack seems to be the most popular recommendation.
Click to expand...
So, do they have an onsite mailserver? Or outsourced? Is it an Exchange server? Domino? Other? I think that is the most important factor in the decision.

EDIT: Sorry, forgot this is an assignment, so that may be an unknown...;)
Click to expand...
Haha yeah, assignment, so we know none of that. This is only an exercise in professional memo writing but I must be able to back up my pick with concrete reasons.

A PDA is probably too complex, so let's stick to smartphones. Simply a "phone" with email, web browsing, and photo capabilities. Want reliable, easy to use and learn, and cost effective.

So Blackjack so far it seems.
Click to expand...

Just rec. the i607. :thumbsup:
 
L

loup garou

Lifer
Feb 17, 2000
35,132
1
81
Originally posted by: archcommus
Originally posted by: loup garou
Originally posted by: archcommus
Originally posted by: loup garou
Depends on what sort of mailserver they use, if it's on or offsite, and who their wireless provider is.
Click to expand...
They will be getting a new carrier, as well, so any provider is okay.

So far Blackjack seems to be the most popular recommendation.
Click to expand...
So, do they have an onsite mailserver? Or outsourced? Is it an Exchange server? Domino? Other? I think that is the most important factor in the decision.

EDIT: Sorry, forgot this is an assignment, so that may be an unknown...;)
Click to expand...
Haha yeah, assignment, so we know none of that. This is only an exercise in professional memo writing but I must be able to back up my pick with concrete reasons.

A PDA is probably too complex, so let's stick to smartphones. Simply a "phone" with email, web browsing, and photo capabilities. Want reliable, easy to use and learn, and cost effective.

So Blackjack so far it seems.
Click to expand...
I think that taking into account the current mail server and its location should be mentioned in your memo. An onsite exchange server would be a sunk cost and would give you most of the benefits of a much more expensive Blackberry Enterprise Server and some other benefits the BES can't offer in conjunction with WinMo phones. If mail is hosted offsite, some providers offer smartphone plans for a nominal monthly fee, and of those, many offer Exchange ActiveSync services for free. If neither scenario is true, the device can still be used to send/receive mail on a schedule and USB sync other PIM data, browse the web, etc but with the relatively inexpensive option of adding an Exchange server (onsite or off) for push mail, total wireless sync, etc in the future (onsite or off).

Anyways, I go with the majority and say BlacJack FTW! ;)
 
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