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Moving on up: Smartphones for first-time users

Bonnie Cha
Bonnie Cha, Senior Associate Editor
Updated August 01, 2008
Finally, all that hard work is paying off--you're moving up the corporate ladder, but with that comes more responsibilities and obligations. A typical workday could have you dashing from status meetings to client visits and back to your desk. And while a PDA and a cell phone might do a nice job of keeping you on track and connected to the office, wouldn't it be great not to have to carry both around? The solution may be a smartphone. If you've been hesitant to graduate to a smartphone because it seems too advanced or excessive, think again. These smartphones are good starters, offering ease of use and the essential tools for messaging, voice calls, and productivity. Read our reviews to see if one is right for you.

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Product name Samsung BlackJack II - black (AT&T)
Samsung BlackJack II - black (AT&T)  
T-Mobile Shadow (copper)
T-Mobile Shadow (copper)  
Apple iPhone 3G (16GB, black)
Apple iPhone 3G (16GB, black)  
RIM BlackBerry Pearl 8130 - dark purple (Sprint)
RIM BlackBerry Pearl 8130 - dark purple (Sprint)  
T-Mobile Sidekick
T-Mobile Sidekick  
Palm Centro - cobalt blue (Verizon Wireless)
Palm Centro - cobalt blue (Verizon Wireless)  







Review date December 06, 2007   October 28, 2007   July 11, 2008   December 17, 2007   July 29, 2008   June 16, 2008  







CNET editors' rating 7.3 out of 10 7.3
Very good
7.0 out of 10 7.0
Very good
8.3 out of 10 8.3
Excellent
8.0 out of 10 8.0
Excellent
7.7 out of 10 7.7
Very good
7.0 out of 10 7.0
Very good







Users' rating 6.6 out of 10 6.6
Good
7.4 out of 10 7.4
Very good
6.8 out of 10 6.8
Good
7.7 out of 10 7.7
Very good
8.3 out of 10 8.3
Excellent
7.1 out of 10 7.1
Very good







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Review summary Although the Samsung BlackJack II doesn't bring any revolutionary upgrades, there are a number of welcome additions, including GPS and better performance, to make it a worthy successor and a good-value smartphone. For the young professionals who have outgrown their cell phone but aren't quite ready for a business-centric device, the T-Mobile Shadow offers a nice compromise, as the entry-level smartphone brings the capabilities of a Windows Mobile smartphone into a fresh and affordable package. The iPhone 3G delivers on its promises by adding critical features and sharper call quality. The iTunes App Store is pretty amazing, and the 3G support is more than welcome. Critical features still are missing, and the battery depletes quickly under heavy use, but the iPhone 3G is a big improvement over the original model. The RIM BlackBerry Pearl 8130 improves on an already-impressive smartphone with the addition of GPS, video recording, and 3G support. With the new features, extra level of customization, and affordable price tag, the T-Mobile Sidekick is a good choice for the carrier's younger customers looking for an all-in-one communication device. Despite some minor shortcomings, the Palm Centro offers Verizon Wireless customers an easy-to-use, affordable, and solid performing smartphone that's perfect for the first-time buyer or anyone on a budget.







Product series See all products in this series See all products in this series See all products in this series      







My Products
Basic Specs
Service Provider ATT T-Mobile ATT Sprint Nextel T-Mobile Verizon Wireless







Cellular technology GSM GSM WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM CDMA GSM Info unavailable







Band / mode GSM 850/900/1800/1900 GSM 850/900/1800/1900 (Quadband) WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM 850/900/1800/1900 CDMA 800/1900 GSM 850/900/1800/1900 (Quadband) Info unavailable







Wireless Interface Bluetooth , WiFi Bluetooth IEEE 802.11b , IEEE 802.11g , Bluetooth 2.0 EDR Bluetooth Bluetooth (A2DP) Info unavailable







OS provided Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.0 Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.0 Apple MacOS X Info unavailable Info unavailable Palm OS 5.4.9







Input device type Keyboard , Jog wheel Keypad Touch-screen Info unavailable Keyboard Keyboard , Touch-screen , 5-way navigation button







Wireless connectivity Bluetooth 2.0 IEEE 802.11 , Bluetooth 2.0 EDR Bluetooth 2.0 Info unavailable Bluetooth Bluetooth







Color support 16-bit (64K colors) 16-bit (64K colors) 32-bit (128K colors) Info unavailable Info unavailable 16-bit (64K colors)







Talk time Info unavailable Up to 300 min Up to 600 min Info unavailable Up to 300 min Up to 210 min







Weight Info unavailable 5.3 oz 4.7 oz 0.2 lbs 4.5 oz 4.2 oz







RAM installed size Info unavailable 64 MB Info unavailable Info unavailable Info unavailable Info unavailable







Clock speed Info unavailable 200 MHz Info unavailable Info unavailable Info unavailable 312 MHz







Height Info unavailable 4.1 in 4.6 in 4.2 in 4.7 in 4.2 in







Packaged contents Info unavailable Carrying case , Hands-free headset Info unavailable Info unavailable Info unavailable Info unavailable







Service & support details type Info unavailable Info unavailable 1-year warranty Info unavailable Info unavailable Info unavailable







Built-in devices Info unavailable Info unavailable Camera Info unavailable Camera , Digital player Camera , Digital player







Product name Samsung BlackJack II - black (AT&T)   T-Mobile Shadow (copper)   Apple iPhone 3G (16GB, black)   RIM BlackBerry Pearl 8130 - dark purple (Sprint)   T-Mobile Sidekick   Palm Centro - cobalt blue (Verizon Wireless)  







Full specifications Full Specifications Full Specifications Full Specifications Full Specifications Full Specifications Full Specifications







Price range Check latest prices
$80-370
from 2 stores
Check latest prices
$150
from 1 store
Check latest prices
$299
from 1 store
Check latest prices
$80
from 1 store
Check latest prices
$150
from 1 store
Check latest prices
$100-450
from 3 stores










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