Which Smartphone Would James Bond Use?
Cell Phone-PDA Options for the Executive World Traveler
By FDB Editorial Staff
Your life is the definition of fast-paced: You continually find yourself at critical meetings in exotic places, you’re faced with urgent deadlines, you’re constantly in touch with your associates back home in the midst of your remote adventures, and you rely on sexy, cutting-edge gadgets for your very survival. If this is true, you’re either a 007 or a world-traveling executive, and in either case, you require only the most exquisite and sophisticated of mobile devices.
What You Need
Alas, not every cell phone-PDA is a world phone. You could have a sleek, chic-looking smartphone with the latest bells and whistles—multimedia features, Bluetooth, integrated Wi-Fi, G3, etc.—but it will nevertheless prove to be unusable in a number of countries unless it meets the following requirements:
- It must use GSM
Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) is the international technology of choice, used by cell phone providers in over 200 countries. GSM is the standard in Europe and is also predominant in Canada, Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as large areas of Asia and the Middle East.
- In general, its provider has to be Cingular or T-Mobile
At the time of this writing (May 8, 2007), these are the only two U.S. companies that operate GSM networks. Nota bene: Verizon and Sprint will be releasing the RIM Blackberry 8830 World Edition (a dual CDMA and GSM phone) in late May and July 2007, respectively. The vast majority of international phones, however, continue to have service through T-Mobile or Cingular.
- It must be a tri-band or quad-band device
GSM cell phone networks in different parts of the world function at distinct frequencies of radio waves. In Europe, for example, 900 MHz and 1800 MHz are the norm, whereas in the United States, 850 MHz and 1900 MHz are typically used. To maximize your international coverage, you should ideally have a quad-band phone (850/900/1800/1900)—though a tri-band one (850/1800/1900) will also work in most places abroad and at home.
What You Want
Power business users crave world phones with a wide array of PDA capabilities to make their hectic lives easier and keep them connected while abroad. The perfect smartphone for international travel would have a nice, wide, high res screen without being bulky and cumbersome. It would be light, compact, and contoured while sporting a full QWERTY keyboard, with keys that are soft and rubbery rather than slippery. Integrated GPS would be useful, especially for navigating foreign cities. Bluetooth 2.0 would link the phone to other devices, such as a laptop. The ultimate smartphone would also feature integrated Wi-Fi as well as EDGE or, better yet, G3 for smooth, swift data transmission and Internet access. It would include multimedia players for audio and video clips, though it probably wouldn’t have a camera (because many businesses don’t allow cameras in their board rooms). Finally, solid call quality, VoIP support, speed dial, speakerphone, push email capabilities, push-to-talk service, and an extra-long talk-time battery life would enhance communication and complete the perfect phone. It would be a device worthy of high-powered executives who are frequent international travelers--the James Bonds of the corporate world.
Does such a phone exist? Let’s take a look at some candidates among the most recent models of GSM cell phone-PDAs.
Current Picks
A PC World article dated March 13, 2007 lists the “Top 10 Cell Phone-PDAs” on the market: http://www.pcworld.com/printable/article/id,125397/printable.html. Their rankings and ratings (last updated April 11, 2007) are based on hands-on testing by product experts as well as formal lab testing. We selected products from their list that qualify as world phones suitable for power business users. These models also received CNET’s seal of approval, earning a score of 7.0 or higher out of 10 (“very good” to “excellent”).
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Nokia E62 (Cingular) |
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The E62 is a quad-band GSM, candy-bar phone with a large (2.8-inch), vibrant, sharp screen, a roomy QWERTY keyboard, and a slim profile. As a business-centric device, it doesn’t have a camera. It includes an MP3 player, and its email capabilities are robust. This Symbian-based phone offers a host of wireless options, including Bluetooth, 3G technology (UMTS/WCDMA), and infrared. It also features a speakerphone and supports VoIP calls. Price: $200. |
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Nokia E70 (Cingular) |
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Unlike the E62, the E70 is equipped with a camera (2 megapixels). It has a clamshell design with a 2.2-inch display and a unique, fold-out, full QWERTY keyboard. Most of the keys and controls are easy to press, but the joystick under the screen is a bit difficult to use. This tri-band Symbian smartphone offers integrated Bluetooth 1.2, Wi-Fi, and EDGE, though it lacks 3G support.
Price: $450. |
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Samsung Blackjack (Cingular) |
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This quad-band smartphone has a full QWERTY keyboard; a bright, sharp, 2.25-inch screen; a candy-bar design; and a compact body—in fact, it’s lighter and thinner than the Motorola Q. It features push email capabilities and Bluetooth 2.0. The OS it supports is Windows Mobile. Although it lacks integrated Wi-Fi, it is 3G-enabled (UMTS/HSPDA). The call quality is good. Additionally, this phone comes with support for the carrier’s video and music services: Its streaming is as impressive as its sleek design.
Price: $300. |
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T-Mobile Dash, aka HTC Excalibur |
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Known as the “Motorola Q killer,” the T-Mobile Dash is a quad-band smartphone with integrated Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0, EDGE support, multimedia functions, and push email capabilities. It features a vibrant, 2.4-inch screen, a 1.3-megapixel camera, and a contoured body with curved edges. The picture quality isn’t stellar, and the camera interface is confusing, but the phone has good call quality and a long talk-time battery life.
Price: $250. |
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RIM BlackBerry 8700g (T-Mobile) |
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This business-centric, quad-band phone lacks a camera, but it boasts an Intel processor, a full QWERTY keyboard, a 2.5-inch display, a speakerphone, and Bluetooth 2.0. It has EDGE support rather than 3G. Like other BlackBerries, it demonstrates fantastic email and messaging capabilities: easy email setup, push technology, and support for popular instant-messaging clients. The keyboard is a bit slippery, however. Overall, the 8700g is considered a consumer-friendly Blackberry. |
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RIM BlackBerry 8800 (Cingular) |
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This quad-band, camera-less enterprise tool offers push-to-talk capabilities, music and video players, Bluetooth, push email, and integrated GPS. On the other hand, it is lacking integrated Wi-Fi and, surprisingly, it’s not on Cingular’s 3G network. It’s slightly wide and bulky, heavier than comparable phones, but its multimedia functions and email capabilities are impressive.
Price: $350. |
Upcoming Products
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RIM BlackBerry 8830 (Verizon, Sprint) |
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A dual-mode CDMA/GSM smartphone, the BlackBerry 8830 provides seamless international roaming. Because it is EV-DO capable, it yields fast data transfer speeds. It has integrated Bluetooth as well as push email capabilities. Pricing for Verizon starts at $300; the Sprint version’s pricing will be published closer to the July 2007 launch date.
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RIM BlackBerry 8820
There is much mystery and speculation surrounding the BlackBerry 8820, but we do know that it will be Wi-Fi enabled and have push-to-talk capabilities, as well as a full QWERTY keyboard, a 2.4-inch display, multimedia players, Bluetooth 2.0, and a speakerphone. This phone is slated to be released in the third quarter of 2007.