I’m a walking cell phone test laboratory.
I’ve spent the past couple of months carrying two cell phones. One is a Motorola Razor flip phone. It’s a couple of years old and my wife was using it before she got a Blackberry. The other one is an iPhone. The Motorola runs on the Verizon network. The iPhone is, of course, on AT&T. Just to prove that I am a total geek, I also carry a Verizon Mifi which gives me wireless access anywhere for my laptop.
It turns out that I can use the Mifi for my iPhone in the event that I’m in an AT&T dead spot and can’t get data service on the iPhone.
Enough about my gadgets (although I could go on all day about this stuff). The question is – what is the most important factor for picking a smartphone?
If you read technology articles, blogs, and listen to the pundits you’d think it was the phone. There’s endless debate comparing one smart phone to another. Some prefer the iPhone, others love the Blackberry, a few can’t live without the Palm Pre and increasingly there are fans of the Google Android operating system that love any phone using it.
Which phone is best?
The truth is – that question is irrelevant. Objection! Sustained.
The relevant inquiry involves two questions. First, will my call go through and stay connected without being dropped? Second, can I use the data connection for browsing the web and running my applications?
If the answer to either question is “no” then there’s no need to get to the question of which phone is best.
Last night, I drove across North Carolina. I was trying to listen to a live stream of a show being broadcast from California. I was on an interstate highway the whole way. You’ll note that cell phone coverage maps always feature their coverage along highways. That’s an important selling point for them. You really need to be able to use your phone and data on the road.
I tried to stream the show on the iPhone using the AT&T data network. It was frustrating. It came and went – on and off, on and off (it reminded me that time, long ago, before satellite radio). After awhile, I gave up and turned on the Verizon Mifi. I listened for the next hour with no drops in the connection. Then I decided to give AT&T another try (since I had decided to write this post). On and off, on and off. Back to Verizon.
Of course, my experience may be different than yours. You’ve got to check out the networks in your area and see what works for you. Most of the providers will allow you to return your equipment to the store for a refund. Some, however, charge a restocking fee of, usually, 10 percent. Be sure to ask first.
Most of the really cool smartphones are only sold by one carrier or another. My hope is that you live in a place where all the carriers offer excellent voice and data service (if such a place exists). You only need to get in to the “which phone” debate if you’ve really got a choice of carriers. If you’re in my situation where one carrier works well and the others work less well, then you’ve got to pick from the carrier you can rely on. Alternatively, you can do what I do and carry three different devices with you.
If you decide to go with three devices you might want to look in to gadget friendly clothes from SCOTTEVEST or pants from 5.11 Tactical. Then you can really be a geek – like me.
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Lee Rosen has practiced family law for more than twenty years. With three offices, 