How Do I Choose the Best Smartphone?

This article brought up a lot of really good points. I would just to add that instead of looking for the best smartphone, I like to look for the best unlocked smartphone.

I prefer to be able to unlock my phone if I want to switch providers or something, and not all phones are good for that. So when you're reading through reviews and articles about smartphones, try to find some information about unlocking the specific phone you're looking at. It's good to have options!

@indemnifyme - That's funny, I've never had a problem typing on my iPhone's touchscreen. I love my iPhone so much I can't imagine having any other phone, even if it did have a physical keyboard!

Anyway, I think people should the best smartphone is the most current smartphone. For example, the best smartphones of 2010 are almost obsolete by the next year! Cell phone companies are always introducing new networks (3G, 4G, etc) and new features. Usually older phones can't access the new networks and many new features aren't available on them.

So make sure you buy an up to date phone!

I think one thing to consider when you're choosing the best smartphone is whether it has a physical QWERTY keyboard or an onscreen keyboard.

I personally have a lot of trouble typing on the touchscreen. For whatever reason, it just doesn't work for me. I always end up pressing the wrong key! I get so frustrated whenever I try to type on a touchscreen.

On the other hand, I have a very easy time using a physical QWERTY keyboard. I can type on one of those almost as fast as I can type on a full size keyboard!

I text a lot, so it's essential for me to have a smartphone with a physical keyboard.

@StarJo – Speed is very important, especially for my boyfriend, who uses his phone to download music. It is actually his job to listen to music and write reviews, so he has to have quick and reliable access to these files.

After he got his smartphone, he heard about a portable speaker case that he could get for it. He simply puts his phone inside the zippered, cushioned case, selects a play list, and zips it up. There is a speaker on the front of the case that amplifies the music and simply makes it sound so much better than when it just comes straight out of the phone.

So, now he can quickly download music and actually enjoy listening to it. Before, it sounded kind of tinny and annoying, but the speaker case has made it more like an actual stereo.

Sometimes you just have to settle for less if the smartphone of your dreams comes only from a provider without towers in your area. I had my heart set on a certain one, but I couldn't have it, because it would not have operated well where I live.

I am fairly happy with the one that I got. It is fast, which is very important to me. I have little to no patience when it comes to waiting on a page to load or a file to download, so it is a good thing that I got this smartphone from a company with several towers in my area.

My husband primarily uses his smartphone to download and play games. He based his choice on his love for phone games, so he knew that he needed a fast connection.

Where we live, it can be hard at times to receive a regular satellite internet signal. However, his smartphone has no trouble accessing the internet.

I can be out in the backyard with my regular cell phone, walking around and holding it up to the sky to try to get a signal, while he is happily clicking away on his smartphone. It is frustrating to me at times, but I must admit that I prefer accessing the internet with an actual computer with a large screen, even if it is slower. Not everyone likes to use such a small screen, especially people like me who can't see all that well without glasses.

I am a real estate agent, and love my smartphone. I think this has simplified my life in so many ways.

One of the most convenient things is being able to get access to the key boxes when I need to show a house. I know some of the fees and insurance can get a little pricey for a service like this.

My real estate company covers this fee for the agents because they know how beneficial this is for us. It saves so much time and hassle.

My smartphone is my lifeline for a successful business. It not only keeps me in constant touch with my clients and potential clients, but it simplifies and streamlines everything I do.

I know most cell phones have cameras in them, but the quality of pictures I take with my smartphone are much better than my old cell phone. I get just as good quality with my phone as I get with a nice digital camera.

Now I don't have to carry around a phone and a camera, but have everything I need in one device.

I work from home on my computer, so don't use my smartphone a lot for the internet access on a daily basis. I use my smartphone to watch movies, and I love all the choices of apps there are.

If you asked 10 people what is the best smartphone and why, you would probably get 10 different reasons why they love their smartphone.

It took me awhile to be comfortable with the fact of paying the extra money every month for the data package. Now that I have a smartphone, I can't imagine ever going without one again.

When I travel, I love having immediate access to the internet at any time. No more waiting until I got to a hotel to check my email or look something up online.

@jholcomb - I have found reading the reviews when buying a smartphone or any kind of electronic device to be very helpful.

When I was looking to buy my first smartphone, I asked the man at the Verizon store which one he preferred and why. He recommended the Android over the iPhone and listed his reasons why.

This wasn't good enough for me, so I got online and started doing a lot of reading and researching on my own. I like to read professional reviews from a few different companies.

When these reviews line up with the customer reviews, then I feel a little bit more confident in my decision.

Sometimes it really just comes down to a matter of personal preference. Even then, I feel like I have done my research, and know something about the smartphone before I buy it.

@burcinc-- If you're going to use your smartphone abroad, make sure to get one which has GSM. GSM can be used globally. Most smartphones have Windows Mobile now which will allow you to open documents, so you might want to check for that. I'd also recommend a sliding keyboard for you.

A touchscreen is okay for writing text messages and emails. But if you need to type a lot and work on documents, it's not very efficient. A sliding keyboard works much better.

I personally think that you will like Android, and any service provider with coverage in your area and GSM should be fine. I use Tmobile, but I've heard good things about Verizon as well.

@rugbygirl-- I'm open to using an iPhone or a Droid, but I'm not sure which one I should go with.

I'll be using it for work so I need to be able to access email, open documents and make credit card payments on my smartphone. Is there one that makes all of this available?

I also need to be able to use it internationally. It's actually the main reason I'm getting a smartphone because I'm going to have to travel a lot for work from now on and will need to do a lot of work-related things on the go. So I need international coverage.

Can you recommend a brand and service provider for me? Which is the best smartphone on the market with the technical qualities I need?

Wow, it seems like there is a lot to consider!

I'm hoping to get a smartphone soon and the most important factors I'm looking for is a big enough screen, fast internet connection, music player and affordable. I'm not very tech savvy so I don't what the other details mean.

I think I will opt for a service provider that has periodic upgrades. Because I really can't afford to get a new smartphone every time a newer version of something is out. I need that to be taken care of by my service provider so I need the best smartphone plan for what I can afford. I already have a service provider in mind.

Aside from that, I want to make sure that the screen is big enough so that I don't strain my eyes trying to read emails and such. And I also like to use my phone as an mp3 player, so that's a must too.

Something else to consider is what operating system you want the phone to have, as each phone will generally come with just one. Are you a Mac lover? Yeah, you probably want an iPhone running iOS. Or do you want an Android or Windows phone?

So besides reading reviews of phones, you're also going to want to research the different operating systems available to figure out which one is going to work best for what you want the phone to do. Each will have different apps, features, etc. And different phones may run different versions of the operating systems, so you'll want to see which particular version runs on a phone you're looking at.

You might want to buy a phone that is really popular rather than one that's not. If not a lot of people are buying a particular phone, you might find that it does not get operating system upgrades in a timely manner.

When you're looking for the best smartphones or any other gadget, don't forget to check out reviews!

There are basically two kinds of reviews: editorial reviews and customer reviews. Editorial reviews are done by people who work for magazine or reputable websites like CNet. Customer reviews are what you see at the bottom of the page on a website like Amazon. A lot of sites will have both.

The editorial reviews will usually tell you how something seems right out of the box, while customer reviews may have more information from people who have actually been using the smartphone. Both can be really helpful in making your decision. The reviews may also discuss the kind of service customers got from the service provider and/or the maker of the phone, which can certainly also factor into your decision.