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How to Buy a Mobile Phone

Work doesn't stop just because you've left the office. If anything, you just multitask more. So it's critical to get a mobile phone that can work as hard as you do. Today's business handsets have made a massive evolutionary leap from the simple pocket talkers of yore, offering surprisingly effective solutions for managing your calendar, your contacts, and even your business data, no matter where you are. There is no single greatest handset for all users, but with a little bit of forethought, you can easily choose the best phone and service plan for your own business needs.

Smart Phones

Built explicitly for business users, these intelligent mobiles make quick work of e-mail, Web surfing, and business data.
BlackBerry The standard bearers of business phones, RIM BlackBerry handsets are defined by their intuitive keypads and smart, stable software. Because of their wide adoption among large corporations, BlackBerrys integrate easily into business networks of all sizes. Every major cellular provider offers at least a few BlackBerry options, complete with e-mail and data services that let you easily synchronize the handset with PCs and servers back at the office. Traditional BlackBerrys, such as the 8700 series, sport spacious QWERTY keypads for quick thumb typing, while the smaller Pearl models use a technology called SureType to allow fast typing with multiple letters assigned to each key.

Windows Mobile Rapidly gaining ground among business users, Windows Mobile devices such as the Motorola Q are designed to offer a familiar Windows-style appearance for business users, along with simple data syncing with Microsoft Outlook. Like BlackBerry, Windows Mobile offers a variety of network-side connectivity options so a small company with just a few handsets can grow into a large company with a fleet of handsets without having to throw away all the phones in the process.
Palm Palm Treo smart phones maintain a prominent place among business handsets, thanks in large part to their simple interface. In recent years, Palm has extended its offerings to include Windows Mobile as an option, and also offers BlackBerry Connect service, which makes it a viable choice for larger business networks.

Symbian Less known in North America than in Europe, Symbian is the primary operating system used on Nokia smart phones. It is powerful and versatile, with a variety of options for integration with business networks, although North American small business users will find it more challenging to implement than either BlackBerry or Windows Mobile, because it simply enjoys a smaller market share here--and therefore, fewer support options--than its competitors.
iPhone In June, Apple made its first foray into the world of mobile phones with the iPhone, a svelte smart phone that integrates e-mail, a Web browser, and an iPod into one device. It remains to be seen whether the entertainment-centric iPhone will make the jump into the business world, but it's certainly a promising platform.


Linux The open source Linux operating system is enjoying rapid growth on cell phones, although it has yet to break into the world of business smart phones. Currently a number of initiatives are in the works to create phones as powerful and versatile as the BlackBerry, but they have yet to materialize in the marketplace. It will, however, be interesting to watch as companies like Motorola apply more effort to Linux development on phones.
A Note About Camera Phones Nearly every cell phone on the market today includes a small camera, usually of fairly low quality, built into its chassis. This can spell trouble for businesses that place a premium on protecting their trade secrets, and it's worth considering this problem if you're planning to hand smart phones to your workforce. Fortunately, many of the premium handsets mentioned above are available in both camera-equipped and cameraless models.

Technologies

Your phone's performance in the field will depend largely on the technology it uses to connect. Here's a look at the leading technologies.
GSM/EDGE/UMTS The Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) is the leading cellular technology worldwide. In North America, it is used by AT&T and T-Mobile. GSM phones use small data cards, called SIM cards, to store information about the user's account, which makes it easy to upgrade to a new phone. Just pop your SIM card out of your old phone and into your new phone, and you can start talking right away. For high-speed data services, GSM phones commonly use a technology called EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution). EDGE phones typically offer a maximum data rate of around 236Kbps, which is slow by 3G (third-generation) cellular standards. For this reason, EDGE is not generally considered a 3G technology.
In addition to EDGE, GSM networks also sometimes use a faster technology called UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) for genuine 3G data rates of up to 3.6Mbps, which is quite fast. To reach the higher UMTS data rates, you must have a newer device that uses the HDSPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access) protocol. Unfortunately, UMTS deployment has been slow in many parts of North America, so it's still not available in all areas.
CDMA/EV-DO The other major cellular technology is Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), which is used by Sprint and Verizon Wireless. Unlike GSM phones, CDMA handsets are hard-coded with a unique ID number that is recognized by the network to allow connections, so there is no SIM card. The 3G data technology for CDMA phones in North America is called Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO). EV-DO offers data rates of up to 3.1Mbps. Unlike UMTS, EV-DO data service is nearly ubiquitous throughout all major American metro areas.

Carriers

Choosing the right cellular carrier will is critical to ensure quality connectivity for your business travels. Here's what you can expect from the major U.S. carriers.
AT&T Formerly known as Cingular, AT&T is one of the two largest carriers in the U.S. Its GSM-based network uses predominantly EDGE data service, which is generally slower than the EV-DO service offered by Sprint and Verizon Wireless. However, the company has been rolling out a faster UMTS for a couple of years now. Only two AT&T phones feature the faster UMTS data service. In general, AT&T's EDGE data plans tend to cost significantly more than the EV-DO plans offered by Verizon Wireless and Sprint. International roaming agreements make it easy to take your AT&T GSM phone abroad without missing important calls.
Verizon Wireless Matching AT&T in size and coverage, the Verizon Wireless network is based on CDMA and EV-DO technology. Verizon's EV-DO handset selection is impressive, and includes about ten offerings for BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, and Palm OS. Because CDMA is less broadly adopted in Europe and Asia than in the U.S., traveling abroad can be more problematic with Verizon handsets, although the company does offer some handsets that work on both CDMA and GSM networks.
Sprint Following its merger with Nextel, Sprint has arisen as a major force in the cellular world, and now offers a large 3G EV-DO data network with about nine smart phone offerings for BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, and Palm users. Like Verizon, Sprint's phones can pose problems for international travelers, but the company does offer special phone loans for overseas trips. Of the three leading companies, Sprint has the most confusing billing plans, although service costs for voice and data are roughly comparable to Verizon.
T-Mobile More focused on home users than businesses, T-Mobile's GSM offers EDGE data services over roughly 75 percent of the company's service area. While T-Mobile does boast a few good business smart phones, including BlackBerry and Windows Mobile handsets, it remains less focused on the needs of business users than its three major competitors. The company does not offer any true 3G data service.

Mobile E-Mail

Whether you have five employees or 50,000, you have several options for getting your e-mail on your mobile phone.
POP3 The most common type of mail server is the POP3 server. If your small business hosts its Internet services through a third-party provider, chances are this is the type of server you use. All true smart phones feature a POP3 mail client, which you can easily configure by entering the address of your server, your username, and your password. POP3 clients connect to the server at regular intervals (or manually, when you tap the Send/Receive button) to check for new mail and send out your messages.
Exchange Medium-size to large businesses often use Microsoft Exchange to manage e-mail and calendars together. This powerful server application makes it easy for workers to share calendars, automatically schedule appointments, and manage shared company resources such as conference rooms. Many smart phones support Exchange servers, which lets them automatically sync all of your calendar, contact, and mail data through one connection. As you might expect, Exchange support tends to be particularly good on Windows Mobile devices.
BlackBerry Known for innovating "push" technology, BlackBerry e-mail uses a specialized server (either on the Internet or on your business network) to push incoming e-mail straight to your handset when it comes in, rather than make you wait until your phone syncs up with the server. BlackBerry Internet Service is most commonly managed through your wireless carrier, although some larger companies manage their own BlackBerry enterprise servers.
Proprietary Sync Systems In addition to the technologies described above, some wireless carriers also offer their own services to sync e-mail and other data to your mobile device. Verizon Wireless offers Wireless Sync, AT&T offers XPress Mail, and various other options are also available. These services often involve installing an application on your desktop PC, which then relays information over the Internet to your handset, keeping your Outlook schedule, contacts, and e-mail in sync between the PC and the phone.

Data Services

Business handsets offer a variety of data connections to keep you in touch with the Internet and your office.
Internet All phones today, from the most feature-laden smart phones on down to the simplest slim handsets, offer Internet access for the Web and messaging. The quality of that Internet experience will depend entirely on the size and resolution of the screen, the quality of the keypad and controls, and the speed of the data connection. If you select a handset with a fast UMTS/HDSPA or EV-DO connection, your mobile Web surfing will likely be just as fast as what you're accustomed to at the office.

VPN If you have a Virtual Private Network (VPN) set up at your office, you can access it through a smart phone. Many devices come with a VPN client application pre-installed, making it easy to configure your device for secure access to your network's servers. This is particularly useful when you need to grab an important file while you're away from the office, and you don't have time to boot a laptop.
Wi-Fi Increasingly, mobile handsets are beginning to offer Wi-Fi connections for data services. This lets you surf at high speed without having to go through your cellular carrier's network. It also means you can access any servers on your network as if you were at your desk.

And you thought buying a smartphone was easy? Apparently not! The amount of innovation we have seen over the last one-year has taken smartphones into a completely different league. So much so that even smartphones just about 12 months old now seem archaic. And not smart enough. Worst-case scenario, not powerful enough!

Not only the hardware, the software bit has seen a huge battle as well. Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android are going at it hammer and tongs. Research in Motion is trying its best to make the Blackberry OS as slick as the rivals. Microsoft is hoping that the Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) update will revive its fortunes. And the same story with Symbian- Anna gets a service pack as well but the real wait is on for the Belle.
However, if you are in the market to buy a smartphone for yourself, what do you buy? Well, first you need to figure out what phone fits you best. Which is why we have divided this buying guide in terms of user demographic, making it easier for you to identify which category you fall in.

Basic user/ Old- school type
Best OS for you: Symbian and Blackberry still rock!
Why we recommend this:
  • Familiar UI makes getting used to new phone quicker
  • No steep learning curve
  • You wont get lost in the application ecosystem!
If you are a bit like my dad and still believe that the smartphone is primarily a phone and believe familiarity is a critical criterion, you would be best suited off buying either a Symbian smartphone, or a Blackberry. What you get with both these OSes is a UI (user interface) that is relatively similar to the previous versions, and even the versions before that- for they have been around for donkeys’ years! For someone who doesn’t want a smartphone to be a learning curve, or isn't willing to spend time getting the hang of a newer OS, familiarity is the best option. The app ecosystem isn't very wide for Symbian and Blackberry, but then again, we don’t assume you would be interested in downloading too many apps anyway!
Here as well, you will get a choice of touchscreen only, touchscreen+ QWERTY and QWERTY only phones.

The absolute geek/ Lives on ‘nightly’ builds
Best OS for you: Android mostly, and partly Apple iOS.
Why we recommend this:
  • Completely customizable software
  • Phone can be shifted to “unofficial” OS builds, offering maybe better performance
  • Can add more functionality to unofficial OS with apps
  • Over-clocking the smartphone is becoming a rage!
We believe that you are the typical user who wants to tinker with the phone’s software, quite a bit. That’ll include lots of apps, rooting/jail breaking (though we don’t approve of it), and custom software, over-clocking- the works. While we do not advice you to do this as it creates issues with the warranty, those of you who must do it will do it! Which is why Android is the best option for you. You can get hundreds of custom ROMs on the Internet that you can install on your phone. The process isn't simple, but the geeks are doing it.

It can also be done with the iOS, following a simpler process. But then again, with Android, you get a wider variety of phones at multiple price points.

The no nonsense user/ no compromise on user experience either
Best OS for you: Apple iOS. And why not check out the Windows Phone Mango?
Why we recommend this:
  • iOS sets the benchmark in terms of user experience
  • WP7 isn't far behind, from what we have experienced with WP 7.5
  • Touchscreen experience will be the best around
  • You get a lot of apps as well, if you want to use them.
Well, the iOS (okay, Android fanboys will probably be sharpening their knives at the moment!) does offer possibly the best blend of functionality, performance and a slick user experience. If you want a phone that does everything, we suggest you check out the Apple iPhone. With the 3GS starting around Rs 19k, the entry price barrier has come down considerably.

Windows Phone 7, post the Mango update, does look like a very neat package. While it is still to really catch on, we quite like the updated OS. The fact that the performance of the OS isn’t lagging, even on a phone with 512MB of RAM does help a graphic intensive, yet easy to navigate UI.

The Business user/ Black suit serious types
Best OS for you: Blackberry mostly, and partly Symbian.
Why we recommend this:
  • Physical QWERTY keypad is an absolute must for you.
  • An added touchscreen capability is okay, but not a must have.
  • Blackberry devices handle emails the best, arguably.
What you want is simplicity but will not compromise on features. You have the daily staple diet of emails, lots of messages, a bit of web browsing and a considerable amount of calls. Ideally, a phone with a QWERTY keypad will suit you the best - immense help when typing those long mails and messages.

Blackberry smartphones are possibly the benchmark, and the Nokia E- series phones are a solid alternative. You will probably have to buy a Blackberry if your organization demands it. The Curve series range starts at about Rs 9k, while the latest Bold 9900 with an amazing touchscreen and QWERTY is available for around Rs 30k.

If the email setup at your workplace isn't locked to one type of device, we suggest you check out the Nokia E- series smartphones as well, particularly the new Nokia E6 (touch + QWERTY) and the slightly ageing but still brilliant E72.
If you are still confused which smartphone suits you the best, read our:
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How to Get a Job
1 Revise your resume. Before you start job hunting, make sure that your resume is as complete and up-to-date as possible. Here are a few tips to consider:

Be honest. Never lie on your resume; it will come back to haunt you later.
Use active verbs. When describing what you did at your last job, make the sentence as tight and active as possible. For instance, instead of saying "Served as patient contact for getting bills and contacting insurance," say "Liaised with patients and insurance companies, and managed financial transactions."
Proofread. Review your resume several times for grammatical or spelling errors. Have one or two other people look at it as well.
Keep the formatting clean. How your resume looks is almost as important as how it reads. Use a simple, classic font (such as Times New Roman, Arial or Helvetica), black ink on white paper, and sufficiently wide margins (about 1" on each side). Use bold or italic lettering sparingly if at all, and ensure your name and contact information are prominently displayed. Jobbook.com has a built-in resume creator that is quite good.
See Related wikiHows for more help.

2 Network. The best companies to work for tend to rely heavily (up to 40%) on employee referrals.[1] Make a list of all of your friends, relatives, and acquaintances. Contact them one by one and ask them if they know of any openings for which they could recommend you. Don't be too humble or apologetic. Tell them what you're looking for, but let them know you're flexible and open to suggestions. This is not the time to be picky about jobs; a connection can get your foot in the door, and you can negotiate pay or switch positions once you've gained experience and established your reputation.

Touch base with all of your references. The purpose of this is twofold. You can ask them for leads, and you'll also be refreshing their memory of you. (Hopefully their memories of you are good ones, or else you shouldn't be listing them as references.) If a potential employer calls them, they won't hesitate as much when remembering you.
Keep in mind that, as with dating, "weak" personal connections are the best way to find a new job because they expand your network beyond options you're already aware of. You probably know all about your sister's company, and you know that if they were hiring she would tell you; but what about your sister's friend's company? Don't be afraid to ask the friend of a friend or another slightly removed acquaintance for recommendations during your job search.

3 Volunteer. If you aren't already, start volunteering for an organization that focuses on something you're passionate about. You may start out doing boring or easy work, but as you stick around and demonstrate your commitment, you'll be given more responsibilities. Not only will you be helping others, but you'll also be gaining references. Emphasize your volunteer experience on your resume, as companies that treat their employees well tend to favor candidates who help the community somehow.[1]

4 Develop your personal elevator pitch. Many structured interviews, particularly those at large companies, start with a question like "Tell me about yourself." The interviewer doesn't really want you to go back to grade school and talk about your childhood. This is a specific question with a right answer: in two minutes or so, the interviewer wants to get you to relax and loosen out your vocal cords, understand your background, your accomplishments, why you want to work at XYZ company and what your future goals are.

5 Prepare for a behavioral interview. You might be asked to describe problems you've encountered in the past and how you handled them, or you'll be given a hypothetical situation and asked what you would do. They'll basically want to know how you'll perform when faced with obstacles in the position you're interviewing for. Be able to give honest, detailed examples from your past, even if the question is hypothetical (e.g. "I would contact the customer directly, based on my past experience in a different situation in which the customer was very pleased to receive a phone call from the supervisor"). You might find yourself listing facts--if so, remember that in this kind of interview, you need to tell a story. Some questions you might be asked are:

"Describe a time you had to work with someone you didn't like."
"Tell me about a time when you had to stick by a decision you had made, even though it made you very unpopular."
"Give us an example of something particularly innovative that you have done that made a difference in the workplace."
"How would you handle an employee who's consistently late?"

6 Research the company. Don't just do an Internet search, memorize their mission, and be done with it. If it's a retail company, visit a few of their stores, observe the customers, and even strike up a few conversations. Talk to existing employees--ask them what it's like working there, how long the position has been open, and what you can do to increase your chances of getting it. Become familiar with the history of the company. Who started it? Where? Who runs it now? Be creative, and out-do the other candidates.

7 Settle down. If you've moved around a lot, be prepared to offer a good reason for it. Otherwise, you'll need to make a good case for why you want to stick around in the area where the job is located. A company doesn't want to hire someone with wanderlust who still wants to relocate. Be prepared to outline why you are where you are today, how long you intend to stay there, and why. Give specific reasons like, "This country has the best school systems in the entire continent, and I have a daughter who might find the cure for cancer" or "I was drawn to this area because it's at the cutting edge of innovation for this business and I want to be a part of that." The more details, names, and specifics, the better.

8 Make a list of work-related skills you'd like to learn. Your employer will be interested in hearing about how you intend to become a better employee. Think about which skills will make you more competent in the position you're applying for. Public speaking, project management, team leading, and computer programs are usually beneficial. Find some books and upcoming conferences that would significantly improve your abilities. In an interview, tell the employer what you're reading and learning, and that you'd like to continue doing so. This is a list of the 7 most important job skills, wanted by employers, that a job-seeker must have to be sure of landing a good job and just as importantly, keeping it. These are just some of the top skills employers want. Take note of these skills which demonstrate how to get the job and be successful in your every job seeking endeavor. From Your-Career-Change.com.

The ability to find relevant information: Job-seekers should possess the ability to systematically find relevant information through research not because they want a research job, but in order to do effective searches for the data needed by a particular activity.
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