Choosing Your Next Windows Mobile Device

[ben2ong2]

Choosing Your Next Windows Mobile Device
by Tyson Greer
   
   

I made a list, checked it twice, and surveyed a couple of my colleagues about what features they thought would be nice. The Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 devices are rolling out andâ€"full of good cheerâ€"we're getting ready to buy by the end of the year.

The new devices, which have the latest updates to the mobile versions of Outlook loaded on them, are full of other rich features as well. One of my favorites is the mobile version of PowerPoint that comes with the Pocket PC versions. I can view and rehearse PowerPoint presentations while I'm out and about. And now I can make charts on my device with Excel Mobile!
Even though buying a new device is easier than buying a new house, I approach it the same way. I make my criteria list. I prioritize it. Then, I begin the horse-trading discussion (with myself). I've looked online at various comparison sites, and most do a pretty good job of sizing up the technical side:
   
   

    *
      Screen size:
      I'd love to have 480x640, 240x320 will do. I've lived with 176x220.
    *
      RAM:
      The barest minimum is 32 MB.
    *
      ROM:
      My preference is 128 MB.
    *
      Processor speed:
      For the T-Mobile Pocket PC Phone, I'd like 206 MHz. For a Sprint PPC 6700, 416 MHz.

   
   
In this article we'll focus on how easy the device is to useâ€"what it feels like and how it fits into your life.
   
   
Sam travels.
   
   

Sam, our chief research officer, wants a phone, camera, alarm clock, and personal digital assistant (PDA) in one package. Sam speaks about mobile productivity at trade conferences several times a year and needs a device that he can show to audiences to support his statements. For business meetings, he "walks the talk," taking notes or sending text messages when he needs just-in-time data. As for the alarm clock, "Sometimes, figuring out how to set the hotel clock is a real challenge, and you're not sure it will go off in the morning. So I always set my device to wake me up as well."
"And there's the coolness factor," Sam admits. "That can help me make a good impression on clients. I want a device that has the latest productivity innovations. Showing PowerPoints with Windows Mobile 5.0 is a good example." Yes, when he got his first device, he was sending text messages from a restaurant. Way cool.
   
   
Jill balances.
   
   

Jill, a market analyst and mother, works at home. Jill keeps her shopping list on her device and also knows how to sync her calendar from two machines. "I need to maintain a work/life balance. By remaining connected with a device I am able to steal moments of productivity; I can access a large database of contacts when I am on the go, or just use it to multi-task while I am at my desk."
   
      
   
Related Links
   
   

    * BullGuard Mobile Antivirus
    * F-Secure Mobile Anti-Virus
    * AirScanner Mobile Antivirus
    * Symantec AntiVirus for Handhelds
    * Trend Micro Mobile Security
    * Shop for devices

   
   
More Tips
   
   

    * Improve Your Device Security
    * 4 Ways to Stay Close to Your Customers
    * Six Degrees of Connection

   
   
See all tips
   
   
Tyson works anywhere.
   
   

I don't work all the time, but I like working anywhere I wish to be â€" in my office, at the local coffee shop, on an airplane, at the cabin, or with a client. And I don't like to tote a lot of stuff. Both Sam and I are holding out for the best Pocket PC Phone because I want Microsoft Word Mobile, Microsoft Excel Mobile, Microsoft PowerPoint Mobile, Microsoft Outlook Mobile, and MSN Instant Messenger in my pocket.
Here's our take on some of the features you can choose on Windows Mobile 5.0 devices:
   
   

    *
      QWERTY keyboard. I'm so done with tap-tap-tap-tap to get an "s" into an IM or e-mail message using a traditional phone keypad. Don't get me started about how difficult it is to type a strong password on it! It’s true, lots of folks around the world are great at one-handed input with T9, but I found I didn't have the patience to train the device to read my thoughts. Give me a classic QWERTY. I do prefer having the option of attaching a foldout keyboard, such as the slick Stowaway. Jill and Sam are both avid IM'ers.
    *
      Storage card formats. The kind of storage card the device accepts is one of the deciding factors for me: Memory Stick (MS), Secure Digital (SD), miniSD, SDIO, Compact Flash? So many cards; so many choices. I keep a little Minolta 5-megapixel camera tucked in my pocketbook. It takes both SD and Memory Stick storage cards but not miniSD, as my current Windows Mobile phone does. I want my new Windows Mobile device to be able to handle the same storage card format; then, as long as I buy Minolta-compatible cards, I can swap out media storage between devices, depending on what I need at the time.

      Word of caution: As I found out on a trip, it's not enough to just buy the right format of, say, a Memory Stick. Check the manufacturer's Web site to make sure devices can run the specific storage card model number. Not all Memory Sticks are the same.
    *
      Good battery life. Bells and whistles are fine, but if the battery can't keep the device humming for at least a day of moderate use, it's not playing my song. Long battery life is especially important to Jill. Her first mobile device had AA batteries, which, in a house with small children, were often in high demand.
    *
      High-speed wireless network. Speed matters. Our decision about whether to stay with our current service provider or switch to another provider depends more on which Windows Mobile 5.0 models they offer than whether they support EVDO, EDGE, UMTS, or HSDPA. The service just needs to be fast.
    *
      Wi-Fi. We need to use our devices wherever business takes us. When I went to Ireland last spring, I was glad I had insisted on buying a dual-band device. I could dash off a late night e-mail message from JFK airport in New York to my colleague Pam in Dublin about my arriving three hours ahead of schedule and then call her when I touched down at sunrise in Shannon to make sure she'd gotten the message. I'm also choosing a cellular service provider that makes it possible to use the device as a wireless modem for my laptop.
    *
      Screen. The typical 2.2-inch Smartphone screens are ok, but I much prefer the more generous Pocket PC Phone screens.
    *
      Camera. If we were real estate professionals or claims adjusters, a camera would be indispensable. For Jill and me, it's a "nice to have," rather than a necessity. Sam uses his camera to take phone photos on a trade show floor.
    *
      GPS. Starting this December, every service provider must be able to pinpoint the location of your device. Since they know where you are, you might as well know too. Not a deal-breaker, but nice to have.
    *
      Bluetooth. I'd like to be forever free of fumbling with tiny ear buds and forgo the spaghetti of cables. A Bluetooth headset would make walking and talking a lot more convenient. Beaming content and contacts back and forth is pretty nice, but I've gotten along just fine with infrared transfers. Hmmm. Bluetooth keyboards â€" that's got my attention.
    *
      Size matters â€" somewhat. My original Windows Mobile powered device was a Phenon, a nifty little knee-top device by LG that ran Microsoft Windows CE and early versions of Microsoft Office mobile applications. Twelve years ago, the 5X8-inch size was astounding. Now, I can have far more power in my hip pocket. I'll lean towards the smaller devices, but ease-of-use matters more.

   
   

There are many more fabulous features, but productivity is our passion. We don't need TV or movies on our mobile devices. Jill admits to wanting games, but for a very practical reason: "to hand off to the kids, to keep them quiet in a pinch."
The capabilities of the current Windows Mobile powered devices are awesome, but so far, none of the models I've seen make a decent cup of coffee. There's always next year