Smartphones are much more than phones - looking for perfect one

Photo author: jurvetson

I used to carry together 2 mobile devices. It was Palm handheld and my cellphone. Those devices are quite old now so I'm looking for new alternative. Year 2007 was good for smartphones and other mobile devices. So there are even multiple options.
Are new smartphones functionally feasible to buy one device instead of cool handheld computer and tiny, elegant cell phone? Most solutions used few years ago were just 2 devices (handheld ,cell phone module) crammed in one case. Did we get increased interoperability and synergy of connected devices? No. The biggest positive was and still is ability to carry one device in pocket instead of two.

So maybe the big winner iPhone? I have specific needs for using custom software on smartphone platform. My perfect feature set contains:
- handheld that can use Linux or even better has established good Linux environment and community (easy hacking, lots of software)
- standard cellphone functions
- GPS or other location service (oh common - they are making even watches with GPS to track you kids)
- WiFi
- external memory card
- big touch screen
- bluetooth or other standard to connect other devices
- build in thumb keyboard or connected external one
- not so needed but it's ok to have lo-res camera

So iPhone is out of interest- it's too closed. Lets look at mix of existing Linux devices at wired blog. So there are many players pushing innovation forward. From typical cell phone producers the most interesting are Motorola running on Linux (open ezx community site), Nokia Linux based (N800 tablet) and new Symbian devices like N95 (it's too closed but it's interesting direction), some Samsung and HTC Windows CE/Mobile handhelds (there is still room for custom software, even another OS). A lot of options- nothing ideal like in real life.

Its good idea to create integrated and standardized platform with mobile features accessible to 3rd part applications like address book, SMS/MMS, call initiating, CLIR, , GPS or other location service, and of course network/internet connection. There is one interesting project called OpenMoko.
"OpenMoko is an Open Source project to create the world's first free mobile phone operating system. "- we can read at the project wiki page. I have have seen few similar projects but this one is really successful. It's outcome is good integrated platform, developer environment and mass produced cellphone FIC NEO1973. Currently produced form factor looks like typical cellphone with nice 2.8" 480x640 touchscreen. It's my favorite for now. For serious typing work it needs bluetooth keyboard. I'm looking forward for typical pocket pc form factor.

Device size is another feature important for buyers. The newest cell phones fit easily into pocket. Most cool smartphones are big- readable screen or usable keyboard takes much place. Have you seen people seeing others calling with bulky smartphones and asking: "Why are you listening to that calculator?" or "Are you trying to hit yourself in a head with that brick?". But there are other choices. Maybe internet tablets are not so bad - excellent for browsing or another tasks using bigger screen and keyboard. If you use wireless headset for calling- it seems still comfortable.

And now about the news. Last week I reviewed materials about Android platform published by Open Handset Alliance (Google is one of the biggest affiliates). It's good defined and integrated platform. It has opened API to all hardware functions (with security policies). Application layer is established on the top of custom Java ME virtual machine. There is no physical devices so it's still ... virtual. Hardware for platform is planned for production at year 2008. I hope that it will have usable features and enough performance.

We have a lot of promising new products now. Probably year 2008 will bring something new and even better. So maybe I will procrastinate a little more with buying new smartphone till next year.