Making a smart decision
In the real estate business, you are running from here to there and are increasingly relying on your cell phone in order to run your business and you should be well informed about the choices you have in the mobile market as your dependency rises on those technologies.
We’ve talked before about not relying on the old Treo650 and being chained by one technology (infrared to open MLS boxes) and trading all of the new technology for the sake of not carrying an ugly box unlocker in your car.
Earlier this year, we shared a cell phone comparison chart and even brought you a comparison chart for service providers and plans. Since then, a lot of phones have been released on the market and it’s a good idea to stay informed of your options.
If you’re still chained to an old phone and ready to upgrade, don’t just listen to the mac fanboys or sexy Sprint commercials, do your homework and look at the features side by side.
Check out the full and impressively extensive list by clicking on the image below:
What phone are you thinking about upgrading to? Let us know in comments!
www.hermanchan.com
July 3, 2010 at 5:33 pm
very helpful! i’m thinking my blkberry will go the way of the treo….
Chuck G
July 3, 2010 at 8:18 pm
I am *very* patiently waiting for the day when Verizon will offer an iPhone. As much as I like the Droid, I’m a Mac user and the lure of having everything working together seamlessly is just too hard to resist. Having that many apps doesn’t hurt, either!
Roland Estrada
July 3, 2010 at 8:43 pm
Bought an iPhone 4 and I love it! Fantastic photos. Great video. You can do a complete video podcast switching between the front and back cameras. The text is stunning. It’s like reading a high-end magazine. Actually, the text seems like it’s like the text if printed on top of the glass.
One of the biggest features is the ability to run VOIP application in the background and be able to receive calls on Skype and Line2 even if the applications are not running.
The number of well written productivity apps is unparalleled (heavy emphasis on “well written”. If you are on a Mac your productivity as an agent gets a major boost if you are using Daylite CRM. Everything you do in terms of transactions is synced across your devices.
If I had to choose another phone it would the Samsung Galaxy S – due out later this summer.
Erica Ramus
July 3, 2010 at 9:50 pm
I have a blackberry on AT&T and I have never had so many dropped calls! Lately the phone just really stinks. Either the phone or the service … so this is very timely for me.
Joe
July 4, 2010 at 7:54 am
Great one-stop comarison spot. I have a Palm-Pre and got it a year ago. At the time it was an upgrade for me, but it’s time to move on into something better.
BawldGuy
July 4, 2010 at 12:22 pm
These are better than my flip phone, right?
Benn Rosales
July 4, 2010 at 3:16 pm
haha of course not, flips are still in style in San Diego!
Fred Romano
July 5, 2010 at 12:13 pm
I just switched from Sprint to Verizon and it was like night and day! Got a LG Ally with Android system… just awesome! Had a PalmPre which started out OK, but the service and phone issues just got worse and worse. Finally had enough and made the switch to Verizon. What a difference a day can make 🙂
Brendan Aiello
July 5, 2010 at 12:16 pm
Just upgraded to the iPhone4. I love it. Being a real estate blogger the 5 megapixel camera and 720p video allows be to be a reporter anywhere I go.
Ralph Bell
July 5, 2010 at 1:06 pm
My blackberry just died this week. Now I’m in a conundrum as what to pick. My biggest fear is going with one of these devices and then the phone not working well. Technology is great but still most of my work is via the actual phone conversation. I’m curious to know who has issues with the Android and the phone?
BawldGuy
July 5, 2010 at 1:12 pm
It’s more than a little ironic that my local MLS has finally figured out how to be, more or less Mac friendly. A decade late is better than never, right? 🙂 But even though I’ve been convinced the iPhone is best, I refuse to be held hostage by AT&T. The Boss and I have decided we’re gonna get smart phones this year. Which one should we get, knowing it must be on Verizon?
Much thanks.
Roland Estrada
July 5, 2010 at 11:57 pm
@BawldGuy – Wait for the Verizon version of the Samsung Galaxy S. Check out the CNET early review from CTIA. reviews.cnet.com/smartphones/samsung-galaxy-s-i9000/4505-6452_7-34026333.html?autoplay=true&tag=mncol;lst;1;vid
Charlie Pitkin
July 6, 2010 at 12:13 am
This is a great comparison chart. Thanks for sharing Lani!
Experiencing first hand the new iPhone and Evo, I totally agree with Apollo’s pros and cons.
The screen size advantage that the X and Evo have over the iPhone is hands down a deal killer for me. If you feel the user experience would be better on the iPhone, just try the two…it’s a night and day difference. However, I do see how music lovers would stop in their tracks for an iPhone. I use mine more for business, so that’s not so much of a factor.
A word about PC to Device Syncing. We use Google Apps (Gmail, Calendar, Contacts, Etc.) at our Real Estate Firm which makes “Computer” to Android Mobile Device syncing seamless and wireless no matter if the user is using a MAC or PC.
So it comes down to the Evo and X. Even though the X is going to give you a better battery life, my personal choice is the Evo. For me, Sprint’s plan is much less than Verizon’s with their 23% TAR discount. It’s a total of ~$60/ month in savings for a 2 phone plan over Verizon. Had it not been for the cost savings I’d probably go with the X.
Susie Blackmon
July 6, 2010 at 7:28 am
Well, I am now forced to go in today to Verizon to arrange for my THIRD Droid Incredible replacement … and I bought my FIRST DI on May 6th!!! Both phones (so far) have completely locked up and stopped working with no notice… the second after only 2 weeks of ‘service.’ I’m not too impressed with the DI but now I’m stuck. Grrrrrr.
John Slocum
July 6, 2010 at 11:29 am
These look like they can be better than my flip phone as well! If anything is missing from the chart is how well the phones can hold a signal. I’ve been working the acreage / rural market of late, and it can be frustrating for the phone to show multiple bars then go to zip. I am intrigued by the 4G Evo and am looking to see if it will work well enough in my territory. Thanks!
Dave Lewand
July 6, 2010 at 1:55 pm
Fantastic side-by-side mobile comparison chart! In a perfect world, all my clients (and potential clients) would own an iPad and an iPhone 4 (de-bugged, of course) – both with Verizon. Until that time, I’ll keep a BlackBerry (Verizon) for business and iPad for play (and some presentations). In a few years I’ll just dial with my brain.
Ruthmarie Hicks
July 6, 2010 at 6:19 pm
I have what is now a venerable iPhone. I’m not upgrading – yet. I can upgrade at the end of this year so that’s when I will do it. The downside of course – DROPPED CALLS! But being a Mac user – its nice to have a phone that works so well with everything else I have.
@Bawld Guy – Interesting – your MLS and mine moved into the 21st Century at the same time! I love that I can use Mac OS and Firefox to access MLS. It took long enough!
BawldGuy
July 6, 2010 at 6:23 pm
Took long enough is right — and still they came kickin’ and screamin’.
Stephanie Crawford
July 24, 2010 at 3:33 am
I can’t believe T-Mobile has a phone good enough to make the list! I’m still on a Blackberry but I may have to look into that Nexus One. Anybody tried it?
Nick Nymark
July 30, 2010 at 8:31 pm
I have had the Motorola Droid for about 6 months and it’s been great except for a handful of times when the phone locks/freezes and won’t allow me to answer my call when my phone rings. Turning the phone off and taking the battery out and putting back in once in a while seems to help though. Lots of great apps for it!
Lawrance
August 22, 2010 at 11:25 am
I’m surprised their are no BlackBerries on this list. They are still the #1 smartphone company in the world. (Granted not for long.) It should be noted that a few of the “specs” look skewed and don’t tell the whole story…
1) Battery Life – I have NO idea why the author gave the “bold thumbs up” to the phones he did. The best battery life should have gone to the iPad (the device that should not even be in a smartphone comparison.) The next best is the iPhone. It offers 7 true hours of multimedia use. The EVO 4G is the worst in that group. You’ll be lucky to get 2.5 hours of multimedia use out of it. I’ve know many 4G owners who returned them because of this reason.
2) TFT LCD screen technology is arguably the cheapest / worst screen technology available while IPS technology is by far the best. Having lots of pixels behind TFT does not elevate it to IPS levels no matter what you do to it. AMOLED is #2 behind IPS.
3) EVO’s Front facing camera is useless without video chat software. The iPhone is the only phone shipping with video conferencing that actually works.
4) Camera MP size ? Quality. Numerous sites have done photo comparisons and the iPhone 4 camera wins every test. Being a broker, photos are pretty darn important. I use a Canon with a wide angle lens’ but I can make the iPhone photos look like they belong in a pinch. Especially the outdoor photos. Also, if you’re wanting to do video tours, the HD video on the iPhone 4 (NOT 3GS) is best in class.
5) No mention of the OS?! A glaring oversight to say the least. I probably should list this #1 but I’m too lazy to copy paste. All of the phones tested run various versions of Android OS with the exception of the iPhone and iPad which run Apples iOS. You better study up with Android because the difference between 2.1 and 2.2 is HUGE! The odds of your 2.1 being upgraded to 2.2 are up-in-the-air at best. Promises are made but dates keep getting missed. The fragmentation of hardware and Android versions is alarming for such a young start. Apple’s iOS is stable and consistent. All of Apples Apps are checked for viruses and maulware and approved before allowing to be sold. Android is a free-for-all. You also have to be better at technology to run the Android phone to perform simple things like syncing all of your data. If you are AT ALL intimidated with high tech technology, get an iPhone. Apple makes it seamless for the average user.
Lawrance
August 22, 2010 at 11:39 am
Where exactly is the Dell?!