Having bought my first mobile phone in the year 2004, I am very glad today that my first phone was a Nokia. In fact, the Nokia 1100 was quite the rage and I loved the form, build and the functionality that the phone offered. Since I was a student at the time, texting was cheap (free actually!) and the 1100 was built for that. I knew some guys who could type out several rows of text in a matter of seconds without the use of the T9 dictionary. And then there were a few of us who weren't that fast but used the T9 to ensure we spelled well.
Now to the focal point of this article - in the last seven years I have used several phones. I loved the 1100 so much that the only way I could part with it was when it was stolen from me in a crowded bus. Such was the popularity of the handset. My next was an even more basic Motorola C-130 that was just as good for texting as any other phone but what I found appealing was the solid build. I remember having dropped the phone accidentally a few times and it would just bounce off the floor in rebound like a ball of plastic. It was beautiful. Most of my friends had moved on to multimedia color phones that supported MMS and even had functions like a camera, a music player and a few others. Those devices were still a bit heavy and bulky so the pockets bulged awkwardly especially when wearing jeans. Some devices I speak of are the Nokia 6600, Sony Ericsson K750i etc. While the K750i was light and gorgeous, it was incredibly fragile and required reboot once too often. My next phone came a couple of years later - a Nokia 3120c. It was sleek, thin, yet solidly built, supported GPRS, had a 2mp camera and a music player. I used the device for over a year until I bought myself a lighter, eco-friendly Sony Ericsson Naite which looked and felt great on the palm of my hand. It wasn't until September 2010 that I began surveying and studying the mobile phone market. After 4 months of extensive study, I zeroed in on an Android powered device I presently own for over a year now - the HTC Desire. Without further adieu let's get into the guide.
Introduction
I read often in the papers that there is just a lot of variety now making it difficult to choose a phone. This is not true. The variety makes it all the more easier because now, there is a phone for every kind of user, person, and purpose and not one phone is a complete package. That's where this guide comes in and makes things simple. In the buyer's best interest, I have kept technicalities out and replaced this with functional language that everybody would understand. Geeks needn't be disappointed; I am certain that the geeks have already gone out and bought their phones - statistically more likely to be Android powered.
Basic Hassle-free Devices
The basic phone does two things really well - call and text; and that's pretty much all of the things these do. While the feature set is an absolute minimum, the advantages that these phones have are not advertised at all. These pocket rockets will go several days without the need for a recharge of battery and besides this staying power, these will also last long in terms of build. Depending on which of the two functions you use more - call or text, the only thing you'll replace in about 2 or 3 years of use will be the keypad. If the Nokia 1100 was still available, you probably wouldn't have had to change anything.
Platform Defining Phone: Nokia 1200, 1600 etc. Today there are many options in Samsung, LG, and Micromax if you're fine with cheap plastic and gaudy appearance. It is a little sad that Nokia has totally lost market to other players in a segment they monopolized for quite a few years.
Prices: While you could get one for below Rs. 1000, a better built one might cost as high as Rs. 2700
Who is it for? This one is interesting because from common observation you are sure to spot auto-drivers, truckers, shop-keepers, fruit-sellers, street vendors owning these; what you probably do not know is that businessmen in their fifties also prefer a simple device in this range rather than something complicated because they are not that tech savvy, they just want things done and stay connected. Other users include senior citizens, soldiers in the armed forces, and those working in greasy/dusty environments. These phones are the equivalent of a good pair of denims - tough as nails.
Aw Come On, Not that Basic!
Phones in this category do a bit more - usually two or three additional features ranging from a basic camera, a music player, radio, extra-loud speakers, Bluetooth, dual SIM support etc. This category emerged only in the Indian market because people want more for less and Bollywood music has many millions of fans. These phones work as perfect replacements for audio systems in auto-rickshaws, trucks, and taxis and why not? These are portable and a whole lot cheaper! This category draws in more buyers from the previously mentioned category since it offers a bit more complete package of features. It is essentially this segment that destroyed Nokia. The compromise of course is on battery staying power and cheaper build.
Platform Defining Phone: Samsung Guru, Anything from Micromax, Lava, Spice, G-Five, other local players
Prices: Rs. 2000 to Rs. 4000. Given the popularity of this segment, prices are really really competitive and offer a great variety of styles, form factors, colors etc.
Who is it for? It is actually easier to say who these aren't for. These are not for people who like peace and quiet and minimalist pleasures. These are for people who like to show others what they've been listening to - the usual cacophony from Bollywood that passes for music; and those who shuttle between state borders and require a local number aka Dual SIM.
Caution: These phones are selling in great numbers because these are affordable. Given that most of these are made in China, do please look for the SAR (specific absorption rate) values of such phones before you buy these. The limit imposed by regulatory bodies is 1.80 at the most so anything less than that is great. Lesser the better.
Demystifying the Great OS Confusion
So far there has been no talk of the operating systems that all phones have to use. Basic phones run on one of the two - Symbian and Java. While Java is mostly in the domain of Sony Ericsson, Symbian is more common. The phones described earlier are not meant for multitasking and do not attract users who like to use the Internet on-the-go so it really didn't matter what OS was in use. An OS, operating system in short, is the framework that lets the user access the device's hardware and software applications much like in the case of computers. Most of us use Microsoft Windows on our computers, some use Apple's Macintosh OS, even more rare are users of Linux. But on a mobile phone, things have got to be slightly different - concerns essentially are the absence of a mouse (replaced by touch screens), a full keyboard, and a large screen.
Here's where innovation, ease of use, features etc. take center stage. Much depends on what the end-user would like his or her device to do and how efficiently. So it becomes important to first decide what you'd like most to do with your phone. This next category of phones is highly user dependent and requires high end-user involvement. In many cases, these are like assets and do not get replaced quickly, at least not in one or two years.
Given the situation, here are some of the OSs that are doing the rounds - Android, iOS, Blackberry, Windows, Symbian, BADA listed in descending order of market-share as of December 2011. We will now see each of these OSs and then derive a verdict.
iOS
Apple has, throughout its life as an organization, dedicated itself to achieve fantastic heights in the area of aesthetics, materials, ease-of-use, and functionality. iOS naturally follows suit. The user interface is so clean that even children as young as five are able to navigate with ease and learn quickly. Further, for older users, there are millions of applications on the App Store for performing a myriad of functions. And since it is an Apple product, it syncs seamlessly with other Apple products. The iPhone hence is for people who want a phone that does everything seamlessly, looks good, and lasts long.
+ Seamless user interface, beautiful display, lots of applications, very high quality materials, high audio and video quality,
- Bluetooth inflexibility, cannot be customized, expensive, data sharing restrictions, call quality
A Mac fan will not go for any other product so the iOSs negatives mean nothing to him or her. In fact it is highly unlikely for a Mac fan to switch to anything else but an iPhone. For those of us who are new to the area of Internet enabled and multi-tasking smart-phones, there are a few things to consider. If you are willing to ignore the data sharing restrictions and if money isn't your biggest problem, the iPhone will suit you well and you will definitely enjoy the experience that only Apple can give.
At this point I find it necessary to talk about battery staying power. Smart-phones are not go-to devices if you are on a long hiking trip, or if you happen to be some sort of an adventure-enthusiast. These are not made to brave any form of extremes. The battery at best will last one full day when the device is sparingly used. Though the Motorola Defy does resist moisture, dust, shock, etc. the battery will die on you in 24 hours. This has become the accepted norm with regard to smart-phones.
Blackberry
Research in Motion's Blackberry devices were the first to enter the smart-phone field and these meant business from day one. Blackberry was synonymous with productivity and these fare brilliantly if all you need is uninterrupted connectivity, on-the-go emails, stock market updates, news, and whatever your business needs. How do they do it? Well, RIM has its own servers that all Blackberry devices link up to ensuring secure and fast connectivity. In the smart-phones category, these are work-horses with high utility and adequate staying power. The facility to connect to Microsoft Exchange for official emails makes these devices an easy first preference for young businessmen, today's executives, and freelance journalists alike.
PROs: No-nonsense utility, great connectivity, best QWERTY keypads, build quality, productivity applications, Exchange support,
CONs: Expensive, too many variants to choose from, works better with buttons than with touch-screen, not many applications
These are not the kind of phones that can entertain, so don't expect great music quality and these are not meant to be used for video games either. Blackberry devices are strictly business smart-phones and these deliver effectively.
I don't think it is fair to judge RIM on the basis of a singular incident like the recent connectivity outage. Given the scale of the outage, they were able to restore normalcy rather quickly. Blackberry devices are safe bets for people of business who are on-the-go most of the time.
Symbian
Nokia began to get very arrogant with its Symbian when smart-phones started emerging. The arrogance didn't decline even when Nokia's market-share turned abysmal. More and more users liked Apple/Blackberry/Android interfaces largely because Symbian was painfully slow, lacked any kind of appeal, and was nowhere when it came to mobile gaming. What ruined Symbian further was the resistive type touch-screens which required users to gently depress the screen to generate a response; while all other manufacturers were already making capacitive type screens affordable. Nokia came up with a dozen different variants of the Symbian - namely Symbian^3, Anna, etc. When the N8 made debut, it was regarded as very expensive and not very functional. The interface was unattractive and was devoid of zing. However, Symbian did have some advantages.
PROs: Battery life, E-series phones' productivity, build quality, price
CONs: Tech appeal, Sluggish and boring interface, Very few apps and resources
The E-Series phones are worth a look since these make optimum use of the Symbian. These are fairly user-friendly, functional, solidly built and are mostly keypad based. If you liked the Symbian interface from the Xpress Music category of Nokia phones, you might be really pleased with the E-series phones. You should be willing to sacrifice speed, gaming, etc. however.
Windows
Given that most of the world's desktops and laptops run Windows, that it is user friendly is taken for granted and rightfully so. Most Windows phones are running either Windows 7 or the 7.5 (aka Mango). Those who presently own a W7 probably are in woe of the fact that they can't copy-paste text etc ; the only downside of W7. The W7.5 however overcomes this and a lot more with a slicker interface and better performance (even going to great lengths in dictating terms to manufacturers with regard to hardware setup). This move has in fact helped in making Windows phones consistent no matter which manufacturer's handset you choose to buy. A good example is the new Nokia Lumia 800 on which all hopes of Nokia's future are now pinned. The device otherwise is no different in terms of functionality with other Windows running phones.
PROs: Microsoft support, seamless functionality for all things really useful, reliability
CONs: Expensive, App store not as popular as that of Apple's or Google's
At this time, I deem it necessary to mention that since most computers run Windows, we all do know how vulnerable Windows is to virus and malware attacks. Considering the smartphone market is still new, virus makers are taking their time. Few cases have been reported but nothing very serious. Time however, will tell.
Android
If there's one OS that has taken the smartphone world by storm, it's the one from Google. Recently reported to be activating 700000 devices daily, Android enjoys almost 60% market share. Google, true to its policy regarding services, basically distributes the OS free of cost. It is not surprising at all that manufacturers big and small absolutely love it. And what's more? It is open-source so there is no limit to how much it can be customized. No two manufacturers' Android handsets look, work the same. The applications market has well over a million apps so users are not complaining. Since it offers customization at code level, many geeks have taken to it and have uploaded custom ROMs for others to use. For this of course, one would have to 'root' the device - which in layman terms essentially means that it gives the user administrative rights to the device to be able to tweak around. Being an Android user myself, and having seen other interfaces I should point out the PROs and CONs.
PROs: Intuitive functionality, highly customizable, very flexible, price, millions of apps
CONs: Not as seamless as Apple's iOS, Slightly steep learning curve
There is however, a bigger disadvantage, one that deals with the price. Some manufacturers (Micromax etc.) have priced their Android sets very cheap but at the cost of performance. For this reason, it doesn't make sense to buy an Android device priced below Rs. 10000, at least not as of today.
Choosing A Device
If you have decided to take the smartphone plunge, it is necessary that you also decide what exactly you expect your phone to do. For a no-hassle email/texting/calling function any of these devices namely - Blackberry, Nokia (E-series), Windows, Android, iPhone will do depending on how much you are willing to spend.
For the geeks - Android is recommended. Typically a high end one with at least 1 GHz of processing capabilities
For people in creative fields like Art/Photography/Graphic arts/Music etc - iPhone recommended. Apple has applications that have revolutionized multimedia experience period.
Your first smartphone should either be a Windows or an Android since these will be easy on the budget and will definitely fulfill your immediate expectations from a smartphone.
As a businessman on the move - Blackberry is recommended. iPhone/Windows/Android are all second to Blackberry when it comes to strictly business smartphones. With the array of devices available from Blackberry, choosing one may be difficult. If you are ever doubtful, just choose between touch-screen or buttons; 3G or not; Heavy or light etc.
I will greatly appreciate comments and feedback; corrections if I have made errors. I have put certain things in perspective for a new buyer or a confused buyer. This guide is certain not to appeal to geeks but to a wider audience.
Here's where innovation, ease of use, features etc. take center stage. Much depends on what the end-user would like his or her device to do and how efficiently. So it becomes important to first decide what you'd like most to do with your phone. This next category of phones is highly user dependent and requires high end-user involvement. In many cases, these are like assets and do not get replaced quickly, at least not in one or two years.
Given the situation, here are some of the OSs that are doing the rounds - Android, iOS, Blackberry, Windows, Symbian, BADA listed in descending order of market-share as of December 2011. We will now see each of these OSs and then derive a verdict.
iOS
Apple has, throughout its life as an organization, dedicated itself to achieve fantastic heights in the area of aesthetics, materials, ease-of-use, and functionality. iOS naturally follows suit. The user interface is so clean that even children as young as five are able to navigate with ease and learn quickly. Further, for older users, there are millions of applications on the App Store for performing a myriad of functions. And since it is an Apple product, it syncs seamlessly with other Apple products. The iPhone hence is for people who want a phone that does everything seamlessly, looks good, and lasts long.
+ Seamless user interface, beautiful display, lots of applications, very high quality materials, high audio and video quality,
- Bluetooth inflexibility, cannot be customized, expensive, data sharing restrictions, call quality
A Mac fan will not go for any other product so the iOSs negatives mean nothing to him or her. In fact it is highly unlikely for a Mac fan to switch to anything else but an iPhone. For those of us who are new to the area of Internet enabled and multi-tasking smart-phones, there are a few things to consider. If you are willing to ignore the data sharing restrictions and if money isn't your biggest problem, the iPhone will suit you well and you will definitely enjoy the experience that only Apple can give.
At this point I find it necessary to talk about battery staying power. Smart-phones are not go-to devices if you are on a long hiking trip, or if you happen to be some sort of an adventure-enthusiast. These are not made to brave any form of extremes. The battery at best will last one full day when the device is sparingly used. Though the Motorola Defy does resist moisture, dust, shock, etc. the battery will die on you in 24 hours. This has become the accepted norm with regard to smart-phones.
Blackberry
Research in Motion's Blackberry devices were the first to enter the smart-phone field and these meant business from day one. Blackberry was synonymous with productivity and these fare brilliantly if all you need is uninterrupted connectivity, on-the-go emails, stock market updates, news, and whatever your business needs. How do they do it? Well, RIM has its own servers that all Blackberry devices link up to ensuring secure and fast connectivity. In the smart-phones category, these are work-horses with high utility and adequate staying power. The facility to connect to Microsoft Exchange for official emails makes these devices an easy first preference for young businessmen, today's executives, and freelance journalists alike.
PROs: No-nonsense utility, great connectivity, best QWERTY keypads, build quality, productivity applications, Exchange support,
CONs: Expensive, too many variants to choose from, works better with buttons than with touch-screen, not many applications
These are not the kind of phones that can entertain, so don't expect great music quality and these are not meant to be used for video games either. Blackberry devices are strictly business smart-phones and these deliver effectively.
I don't think it is fair to judge RIM on the basis of a singular incident like the recent connectivity outage. Given the scale of the outage, they were able to restore normalcy rather quickly. Blackberry devices are safe bets for people of business who are on-the-go most of the time.
Symbian
Nokia began to get very arrogant with its Symbian when smart-phones started emerging. The arrogance didn't decline even when Nokia's market-share turned abysmal. More and more users liked Apple/Blackberry/Android interfaces largely because Symbian was painfully slow, lacked any kind of appeal, and was nowhere when it came to mobile gaming. What ruined Symbian further was the resistive type touch-screens which required users to gently depress the screen to generate a response; while all other manufacturers were already making capacitive type screens affordable. Nokia came up with a dozen different variants of the Symbian - namely Symbian^3, Anna, etc. When the N8 made debut, it was regarded as very expensive and not very functional. The interface was unattractive and was devoid of zing. However, Symbian did have some advantages.
PROs: Battery life, E-series phones' productivity, build quality, price
CONs: Tech appeal, Sluggish and boring interface, Very few apps and resources
The E-Series phones are worth a look since these make optimum use of the Symbian. These are fairly user-friendly, functional, solidly built and are mostly keypad based. If you liked the Symbian interface from the Xpress Music category of Nokia phones, you might be really pleased with the E-series phones. You should be willing to sacrifice speed, gaming, etc. however.
Windows
Given that most of the world's desktops and laptops run Windows, that it is user friendly is taken for granted and rightfully so. Most Windows phones are running either Windows 7 or the 7.5 (aka Mango). Those who presently own a W7 probably are in woe of the fact that they can't copy-paste text etc ; the only downside of W7. The W7.5 however overcomes this and a lot more with a slicker interface and better performance (even going to great lengths in dictating terms to manufacturers with regard to hardware setup). This move has in fact helped in making Windows phones consistent no matter which manufacturer's handset you choose to buy. A good example is the new Nokia Lumia 800 on which all hopes of Nokia's future are now pinned. The device otherwise is no different in terms of functionality with other Windows running phones.
PROs: Microsoft support, seamless functionality for all things really useful, reliability
CONs: Expensive, App store not as popular as that of Apple's or Google's
At this time, I deem it necessary to mention that since most computers run Windows, we all do know how vulnerable Windows is to virus and malware attacks. Considering the smartphone market is still new, virus makers are taking their time. Few cases have been reported but nothing very serious. Time however, will tell.
Android
If there's one OS that has taken the smartphone world by storm, it's the one from Google. Recently reported to be activating 700000 devices daily, Android enjoys almost 60% market share. Google, true to its policy regarding services, basically distributes the OS free of cost. It is not surprising at all that manufacturers big and small absolutely love it. And what's more? It is open-source so there is no limit to how much it can be customized. No two manufacturers' Android handsets look, work the same. The applications market has well over a million apps so users are not complaining. Since it offers customization at code level, many geeks have taken to it and have uploaded custom ROMs for others to use. For this of course, one would have to 'root' the device - which in layman terms essentially means that it gives the user administrative rights to the device to be able to tweak around. Being an Android user myself, and having seen other interfaces I should point out the PROs and CONs.
PROs: Intuitive functionality, highly customizable, very flexible, price, millions of apps
CONs: Not as seamless as Apple's iOS, Slightly steep learning curve
There is however, a bigger disadvantage, one that deals with the price. Some manufacturers (Micromax etc.) have priced their Android sets very cheap but at the cost of performance. For this reason, it doesn't make sense to buy an Android device priced below Rs. 10000, at least not as of today.
Choosing A Device
If you have decided to take the smartphone plunge, it is necessary that you also decide what exactly you expect your phone to do. For a no-hassle email/texting/calling function any of these devices namely - Blackberry, Nokia (E-series), Windows, Android, iPhone will do depending on how much you are willing to spend.
For the geeks - Android is recommended. Typically a high end one with at least 1 GHz of processing capabilities
For people in creative fields like Art/Photography/Graphic arts/Music etc - iPhone recommended. Apple has applications that have revolutionized multimedia experience period.
Your first smartphone should either be a Windows or an Android since these will be easy on the budget and will definitely fulfill your immediate expectations from a smartphone.
As a businessman on the move - Blackberry is recommended. iPhone/Windows/Android are all second to Blackberry when it comes to strictly business smartphones. With the array of devices available from Blackberry, choosing one may be difficult. If you are ever doubtful, just choose between touch-screen or buttons; 3G or not; Heavy or light etc.
I will greatly appreciate comments and feedback; corrections if I have made errors. I have put certain things in perspective for a new buyer or a confused buyer. This guide is certain not to appeal to geeks but to a wider audience.
