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Thanks to companies like RIM (Research In Motion), HTC (High Tech Computer Corporation) and Palm, 2008 proves to be one of the most exciting in smartphone history. While other manufacturers try their hand at smartphone success, these three have been the kings of smartphone devices. With all the new and expected launches this year only you can limit what features you need for personal or business management on these small wonders.

Opinions vary on the best of the best but across the board certain manufacturer's and carrier's devices appear on all the lists and reviews. A smartphone is a mobile phone but also offers advanced, PC-like functionality and capabilities beyond a typical cell phone such as internet browsing and email. The SmartPDA.com lists CNET's choices for this year's smartphone line-up, and CNET seems to share a little diplomatic loyalty across the networks and manufacturers, strangely leaving out RIM with perhaps only HTC reigning heavyweight champ. They chose the Palm Treo 700p, AT&T 8525 (a rebranded HTC Hermes), T-Mobile Dash (HTC Excalibur), Nextel i930, Sprint PCS Vision, Nokia E62. (2)

Like CNET and SmartPDA.com, TopTenReviews.com claims their readers have also voted the 3G AT&T 8525 as their choice. The 8525 comes packed with Windows Mobile 5 Pocket PC edition, an operating system that includes various applications including an appointment and email manager, mobile versions of popular Microsoft programs like Word, Excel, Power Point and Outlook. Active Sync allows you to take files created on the PC versions of these and convert them to the mobile versions. This phone also includes the ClearVue PDF viewer. Upon closer review this phone is very similar to T-Mobile's touch screen, slide out qwerty keyboard offering, the Wing. The Wing, also produced by HTC, is equipped with Windows Mobile 6.0, an advantage over the original offering of the 8525, although the Wing does not have the support of GPS. The 8525 includes GPS capabilities; however, you have to subscribe to AT&T's Telenav Navigation service at an additional per month fee. (3)

TopTenReviews also picked five out of their ten selections as T-Mobile offerings. The Wing and Dash and exclusive to T-Mobile, while The Blackberry Curve, 8800 and Pearl 8100 are in this carrier's line up. (3) As RIM added Wi-Fi for UMA calling for even better coverage on T-Mobile's ever expanding network they have released new Wi-Fi products this year like the Curve 8320, the BlackBerry 8820 and the new Pearl 8120.

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