In sum, my question is:
How can I figure out which smart phone has the features I need when I don't understand the terms used to describe them?
In detail, these are my concerns: I've been to cnet.com, consumer reports, and a variety of other sites to learn about smart phones. I'm still completely lost. I want to hold a digital device in my hand that will:
1. work as a cell phone
2. work as an address book
3. work as a calendar
4. snyc with my computer
5. send text messages
6. send/receive email.
7. automatically update my calendar on my desktop if I make a change in the hand held device.
8. let me use google maps
9. sync with Miscosoft or Google, or both
10. have a QWERTY keyboard.
11. bluetooth (or similar) compatible (I live in CA with cell phone driving law)
12. etc.
Here are some questions to demonstrate my level of confusion:
What is windows mobile? Is that a service or a phone? Or an operating system? Where do I get it? Why do I get it? What is it for? What does it offer that the Blackberry or Palm or iPhone does not?
I use Microsoft Outlook at work. I'd like the phone to be able to send/receive emails to that account. I also have a gmail account and would like to phone to be cool with that as well.
Is it the phone or the service provider that determines what services your phone can have?
My mother has an iPhone and loves it. She's also got this Cloud-thing that allows her to change something in her appointment book on the iPhone and I guess that change goes through the cloud (?) and is changed on her destop computer as well. In other words, I don't think she has to physcially sync/dock her phone to her computer. She has a Mac. I'm a PC.
What determines whether or not a phone will work with a particular service or not? How do I know?
If a phone is able to send text messages and make calls, doesn't that make it a wireless device? If so, how is that different from wireless internet? If I want to check/send email, do I need a special internet wireless connection? Some phones have WiFi. What the hell is that---the same WiFi I pick up at the public library and Panera? If the phone has WiFi, why do I need to purchase an extra data package with my cell phone provider? Can't I just use my email on my phone whenever I'm at a WiFi spot?
And for that matter, home come I can send text messages and not emails?
Oh, and I want the phone feature to use the phones/addresses that are in the phonebook. in other words, if I get the contact information for someone via email and put it in the addressbook, I want the phone to know to use that number. I don't want to have to type in each individuals address into the phone as well.
I had a palm pilot for a long time (years ago) and loved it. It is fine with me to download additional programs to my computer (like Palm Desktop) if that will make it talk among Google, Microsoft, and whatever address book and appointment calendar I want to use.
I don't really care about camera, but I realize they all come with them now.
I TOTALLY COMPLETELY do not understand. Please help. I thought the smart phone was supposed to make life easier.
