Smartphones, which combine the capabilities of a cellphone with calendar, contact, task and email management found in typical personal digital assistants (PDAs), are essential for nonprofit professional who are frequently out of the office. A smartphone allows you to be in touch on the go.

To choose a smartphone:

1. Select a wireless provider with voice and data coverage in the area you live and work.  Here are coverage maps for some of the larger providers:

• Verizon: http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/CoverageLocatorController?requesttype
• AT&T: http://www.wireless.att.com/coverageviewer/
• Sprint: http://coverage.sprintpcs.com/IMPACT.jsp?nobrand

If multiple providers support your area, be sure to look at the pricing and plans available. Data plans vary significantly by wireless provider. Whichever provider you choose, we recommended you purchase an unlimited data plan, if available. Note that if you travel internationally, we recommend you choose a provider that supports GSM (which stands for Global System for Mobile communications). GSM is the most widely adopted network standard in the world. 

2. Review the available smartphones offered by your wireless provider. There a five major mobile platforms to consider:

• Android, by Google, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_(operating_system) 
• Blackberry, by Research in Motion: www.blackberry.com
• iPhone, by Apple, www.apple.com/iphone/
• Web OS, by Palm, www.palm.com
• Windows Mobile, by Microsoft: www.windowsmobile.com

The capabilities of these smartphones vary significantly.  Features we like include:

• Ability to view and edit Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint) and Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) documents. Some smartphones only come with software to view documents, but not edit them.  In many cases, a third-party application, such as Dataviz's Documents to Go, can be installed to enable viewing/editing documents on a smartphone.
• Ease of syncing your calendar, contacts, tasks and email.  Ideally, your smartphone will be able to sync this data wirelessly, especially if you're using Microsoft Exchange or Google Apps (see elsewhere in this guide for more on those items).
• Support for Bluetooth, a wireless networking protocol, that lets you use a wireless headset. Not all versions of Bluetooth are the same. Those that support Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP), for example, would let you use stereo Bluetooth headphones/headsets to listen to music. We've had good experiences with the www.jawbone.com Bluetooth headset, which offers strong noise-cancelling capabilities.
• Long battery life. Be sure to look at both the talk time and standby time listed. In many cases, extended batteries may also be available, but they often add size and weight to a phone.
• Integrated camera.  A camera can be useful for documenting your organization's work, then wirelessly sending the pictures to a site such as www.flickr.com.  Additionally, we often use the camera to take snapshots of whiteboards, then email the images to www.scanr.com or www.qipit.com. The images are available as PDF documents, which makes it easy to share meeting notes without having to transcribe everything.

Beyond these core capabilities, the following features are nice, but not as essential for accomplishing mobile work as the above:

• Support for WiFi, also known as 802.11b/g/n. This would enable your phone to access wireless networks (aka, "hotspots") in areas where cellular coverage is not available.  The speed of WiFi networks in often significantly faster than current cellular network speeds.
• An integrated GPS(global positioning system) device, which enables mapping on-the-go. Mapping software, such as www.telenav.com, is often available from the wireless carrier. In many cases, third-party software, such as Google Maps, is also available and can be installed on your smartphone. GPS software is handy for accessing directions, or finding nearby amenities, such as restaurants or coffee shops when traveling.

Prominent smartphones worth considering from each of the major carriers include the following (note that this list is current as of March 2010, and the purchase price in most cases is contingent on committing to a 2-year service plan):

AT&T: Apple iPhone 3GS (16Gb version $200, 32Gb version $300), Blackberry Bold 9700 ($200), or HTC Tilt 2 ($200).

Sprint: Palm Pre ($150), HTC Hero ($150), HTC Touch Pro 2 ($300) or the Blackberry Tour 9630 ($100).

Verizon: HTC Droid ($200), Palm Pre Plus ($150), HTC Touch Pro 2 ($200), Blackberry Storm 2 9550 ($180), or the Blackberry Tour 9630 ($100).

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