Smartphone Operating Systems
3 Feb 2010, 1:14 pmSmartphones are increasingly becoming an important business tool, they have changed the way businesses operate. The biggest challenge when looking to purchase a smartphone is is
deciding which of the many available is the right one for you.
It was only a few years ago that a mobile phone could make calls, send an SMS, and keep a list of contact. For the really keen it was possible to sync calendar events and contacts,
but it was a cumbersome and time consuming process.
Now, with 3G wireless broadband, qwerty keypads, multimedia capabilities, high-resolution touch screens, security and backup features and wireless syncing, smartphones have become a mainstay for many businesses.
However, not all smartphone platforms are created equal.
BlackBerry is well-known for its email and security, iPhone for its vast range of applications and Android is well-regarded for being an “open source” Google product.
So what is out there and what are the benefits?
BlackBerry
Without question, push email and security are the primary strengths of the BlackBerry platform. BlackBerry is a serious Business tool. It can, with the BlackBerry BES solution, sync emails, contacts, calendar and tasks in real time. You can even use you Blackberry handset if you forget to set up your out-of-office notification. The recently launched BlackBerry App World gives users access to a range of free and paid applications.
The latest BlackBerry software version 4.5 offers improved email features such as conducting a remote search for emails stored on the BlackBerry Enterprise Server and edit Microsoft Word and PowerPoint files on the go.
iPhone
The gorgeous touchscreen, advanced multimedia capabilities and access to a truly vast range of applications from the Apple’s App Store are what makes the iPhone such an attractive proposition. Whether you’re a Mac or PC user, the phone can sync with Microsoft Exchange Server to access corporate emails, calendar and contacts. The iPhone 3GS uses encryption to help protect data on the device when it is being transmitted or backed up.
The iPhone also offers top notch consumer features too, it is an iPod, you can use iTunes to easily sync photos, TV shows, movies. It offers GPS and google maps and one touch access to you tube, facebook, twitter, whatever you feel you need.
Android
Google acquired A
ndroid, the makers of the platform, about five years ago, so it features many of the well-known Google applications such as Gmail, Maps, Calendar and so forth. One of the first Android-based phones on the Australian market was the HTC Dream, which syncs your Gmail account, including contacts and calendar, with your handset.
The first Google branded smartphone, the Nexus One, is due for launch this year. Besides being able to access Google apps, the standout features of the Nexus will be the use of voice input for every text field, so users can voice entire emails, tweets or requests for navigation routes. Third-party applications are available for users who want to sync the phone with their Microsoft Exchange servers.
Windows Mobile
Microsoft says one of the best things about Windows Mobile is that it will be familiar to users of the Windows desktop operating system! However handset manufactures, such as HTC, have spent millions redesigning the user interface to something that looks slicker and easier to use. The latest HTC HD2 is the first Windows-based device that uses a capacitive touchscreen. This allows you to use gestures such as zooming into websites, documents and pictures, just like the iPhone.
The is a hugh amount of software and applications out there, if you know where to look, but the most useful feature in Windows Mobile is probably its backup feature. Microsoft My Phone allows users to back up all their data including contacts, calendar, photos and more, to a password-protected website.
Symbian
Nokia acquired Symbian in 2008 and set up the non-profit Symbian Foundation, hoping to make the platform open source and free to use. Symbian is found in many Nokia 
smartphones, such as the E72, as well as other major brands and is still the world’s most widely used mobile platform.
The operating system provides support for Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents, however having the ability to create or edit documents relies on the type of hardware it’s running on. Version 3 of the operating system, due out this year, will allegedly have HD video support and HDMI output for audio, video and images.
sb
