What would I improve about Smartphone? A lot. Smartphones are evolving constantly. However, instead of making them more efficient, they add more functions making them more versatile but new problems are also added. So, here is my personal wish list:

1. Synchronizing: Whether it's Symbian or Windows Mobile, they all have problems synchronizing their data with the PC. While most of the Smartphone users will rarely encounter major problems, almost every user has had double entries, sync conflicts or lost data due to issues with synchronizing the phone to your main computer. If you're a user who has a Smartphone "for fun" and does not have a lot of data stored, it might not be a huge problem. However, if you have a couple of hundred data entries in your phone, it will get annoying very quickly. Just a little math: If you store your Outlook contents in your phone and assume a thousand entries (which is not much for a serious business user), even a low error margin rate of 0.01% per synchronization means that one entry gets out of sync each time. Depending on how often you sync your phone, you can do the math of how reliable your calendar will become. RIM's Blackberry line is one of the few that I have seen to be very reliable. Why can't all the other companies join in on that?

2. Speed: Instead of cramming in more and more functions, try to speed up your phone. Give it better and faster memory to enhance the processes. Why does a medium priced smart phone need almost as much time to boot up as my notebook? And why is it that when I try to multi-task (being on the phone and looking up a phone number or an appointment) the whole thing is just way too slow?

3. Cameras: Companies should either fore go a camera to make it a true business phone, or include a high-end one that justifies the usual higher price of a Smartphone. For example, today's Smartphone rarely offer more than a 2 mega pixel camera, but you still pay around $400 to $500 for them (or more without a contract). Use a really good camera or let it be.

4. Don't forget it's primarily a phone: Again, instead of putting in more functions, make sure the existing ones work and work well. Even though it's a Smartphone, the word "phone" is still in there. Make sure that it can be used for that. I have seen too many Smartphones being more of a PDA that can be used as a phone. A serious business man needs a reliable phone first, PDA second.

Bottom line: Most Smartphone can do almost everything you want. There rarely is a function that is not implemented in any of the myriads of available models. But most of them have major flaws when it comes to using the functions. Improve what you have, refine and polish the features that are already there, speed up the hardware, improve the software performance and remove the bugs for the optimal Smartphone.

Learn more about this author, Jen Post.
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