Palm Smartphone Article

The Smartphone Dilemma

Is it better to have a separate mobile phone and a pda or is it better to have a device that combines the two together?

On the surface, it seems like a no brainer. Why bother with two devices when you can have one? It's more convenient to carry one device wherever you go. You need more pockets and get weigh down with additional weight if you carry two separate devices.

Another cool thing is that you don't need to juggle with two devices if you want to take down notes with someone on the phone line. All in one devices make it convenient to make a mobile call and take notes simultaneously. Just plug in the phone earpiece and then jot down notes easily on the hybrid device. If you have two separate devices, you need to hold the mobile phone between your shoulder and your neck while whipping out your pda to take down notes.

There's also no need to search for your telephone number in the pda and then dial it on the mobile phone. It simply slows you down.

Finally, it's complicated when you have to make changes or update contact information. You need to sync the phone with the pda. If you have a single device, all your data and information is found in one place and there's no need for synchronization of the pda with mobile phone.

But on the other hand, separates makes more sense. Working on a spreadsheet with a smart phone will easily drain or wipe off your battery power in matter of minutes.

When your smart phone runs out of power, you are left with no mobile phone and no pda.

Secondly, a regular mobile phone is so much more affordable than those with pda functions. You can get a regular phone at zero cost provided you sign a contract with the mobile service provider. Compare that against smart phone which can cost at least an exorbitant USD 350 and go up to $ 800. Only a small minority can afford such expensive smart phones.

Thirdly, the design of the hybrid doesn't serve its user very well. Most smart phones are very bulky and heavier than separates. You look silly and find it uncomfortable to hold it against your face to make a mobile call. Also, the small screen makes the smart phone/ pda phone difficult to view pictures and text. The small keypad of a smart phone or pda phone makes it difficult to input data.

The worst thing about a hybrid is that it ends up neither here or there. Instead of a mobile phone that takes great photos and videos ,you are faced with a smart phone that takes mediocre pictures and videos and run out of power if you try to work on spreadsheet. They have limited capability and serve only basic functions such as appointments, memo and contacts well. Indeed, if you want to edit MS Office documents, surf the web and run other applications, you will find a pda does a much better job than a smart phone.