In today’s mobile world the phone takes center stage as your biggest resource for communication, organization, and information while you’re out and about. Cell phones are becoming more and more like home computers and less like the traditional phones. There is such a variety of smartphone and PDA options out there to chose from, that it is difficult to find the deals.

Sadly, most of your browsing experience is influenced by carrier. Does your carrier have the phone you’re after, and do they offer a discount for contract sign-up or renewal? The iPhone is the only phone I have ever come across that has not offered an on-the-spot discount at the carrier. Recently, the price was reduced by $200.00 USD to prepare for the holiday season. This price drop seems as if it would cover the amount normally reduced by the carrier.

Let’s start with the iPhone. For the frugal geek, the iPhone is best avoided. The phone is brilliant in design and class. It has many features and a user interface like none other. Unfortunitely, the iPhone lacks some of the particular features that many data geeks find essential to an all-in-one unit. Smartphones today can sometimes be used as broadband modems when tethered to your laptop on the road. This is a feature missing from the iPhone and on the Edge network it is restricted to, you may find that it will hinder your browsing experience.

The Samsung Blackjack is a low cost answer to the Motorola Q and the Blackberry. It runs Windows Mobile 5.0, and boasts a 3G connection. As I understand it you’re only going to find it at at&t, so avoid it if you’re a fan of Sprint or any other incompatible carrier. The blackjack is classified by the carrier as a PDA, which makes for interesting negotiation on price points for your monthly data plan. Personally, I have a laptop connect plan with my Blackjack at 59.95/month which is a fair price for broadband data on the go. The Blackjack has a slow processor and therefor has some trouble running Skype and other high-demand programs. Skype is working on a solution and will no doubt have one before long. The keyboard is somewhat small, though it is a true QWERTY experience. Sound coming out of the Blackjack is clear and the reception is amazing. I would have to give the Blackjack my recommendation as a frugal geek’s solution to a mobile tech experience.
The Motorola Q is a comparable smartphone to the Blackjack and has a larger and more attractive screen. The larger screen comes at the cost of sleek design, and can be rather cumbersome in your pocket or on your belt. The Q runs Windows Mobile and as such has many of the same features and abilities that the Samsung Blackjack has, at a reasonable price point. It is easier to navigate than the Samsung Blackjack. As far as connectivity, the Motorola Q uses an EV-DO connection that has a larger coverage area than the Blackjack’s 3G connection. Carriers such as Verizon have a limit on even your unlimited plan, so don’t expect to be doing any browsing above 5gb/month without seeing some type of block on your service. Sprint has a less cumbersome bandwidth policy for any users looking for streaming experience on the go.

In the world of smartphones, you have a lot to chose from. You may ask why Blackberries aren’t listed here in any detail. Blackberries by RIM are a great mobile experience, at a higher price tag overall. There are deals to be found out there, though in my research, I am seeing price comparisons to the Blackjack that triple the cost of the value smartphone.

Please keep in mind that this article is one person’s experience with carriers and products in one area. You may find a completely different experience on your own. Phones are a very personal product that are more than anything dependent on their owner’s personal usage habits and tastes. If you have anything at all you’d like to add or comment on, please leave a comment below.

Matt Ryan of MattRyan.TV 

Tags: smartphone, phone, cellphone, motrola, samsung, blackjack, matt ryan, frugal, geek, mobile