12 Cost-Conscious Smartphones from Samsung, RIM and … Apple?

by Nathan Eddy

This smartphone from Palm is available from AT&T, Verizon and Sprint, and comes in a variety of sporty colors. While the keyboard is small, the 2.25-inch touch-screen display is clear and responsive. The Centro lacks Wi-Fi support and doesn’t always come with instant messaging applications, so take a look at each carrier’s plan before deciding what you want in a phone.

Available through AT&T, the Matrix Pro runs on the carrier’s 3G network and uses the Windows 6.1 Mobile OS. AT&T’s Xpress Mail allows you to access Microsoft Outlook, Lotus Notes, Yahoo Mail, AOL, Windows Live and more, and there are two sliding keyboards: one that you slide up to access the dial pad, and one you slide horizontally for full QWERTY functionality.

Packed with features such as voice-guided GPS navigation, a full QWERTY keyboard and push e-mail, the BlackJack II is a considerable bargain. Support for the high-speed 3G network and an improved camera sweeten the deal.

Verizon currently offers the 8130 for free with two-year activation, part of an online discount promotion. The phone includes BlackBerry 4.3 desktop software with integrated e-mail, phone, SMS (Short Message Service), browser, calendar and address book, and the typical RIM polish. Sprint offers the phone for $79.99.

Ultrathin design, great battery life and global capability make this a strong competitor, though only Sprint is offering a $300 discount on the device. The Q 9c runs on Windows Mobile 6.1 and weighs just 5.2 ounces. Bluetooth capability and expandable memory round out an attractive package.

The touch-screen Incite, only available from AT&T, runs on Windows Mobile 6.1 software and includes applications such as Microsoft ActiveSync and Office Mobile. You also get Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity and a sharp, bright 3-inch-diagonal screen. The touch-screen employs haptic feedback, which tells you, through a contact vibration, when you are selecting something on the screen.

With a mail-in rebate, an 8GB iPhone can be yours for under $200. While that is approaching the upper end of a cost-conscious budget limit, the iPhone has come a long way from its $599 starting price. Often criticized for its highly priced products, Apple, along with exclusive carrier AT&T, proves style and substance don’t have to come at an astronomical cost.

The Curve family of smartphones offers everything you’d expect from RIM, and the 8330 is no exception, sporting GPS capability, a built-in speakerphone, 35-key QWERTY keyboard and a light-sensing screen for easier visibility for when you’re surfing the Web, checking e-mail or, yes, playing “Tetris.”

If you’re looking for something a little different, the Sidekick’s signature swivel function might be the solution. Although much of the attention is on the latest version, the LX ($449.99), the original Sidekick offers great features like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capability, an included 512MB MicroSD card and, of course, the swivel screen.

Although the enV2 is not a full-blown smartphone, the enV2 is an attractive alternative for the professional who doesn’t need all the features a BlackBerry brings. It is 40 percent slimmer than the original enV and the flip-QWERTY keyboard makes it easy to send e-mails and texts. The enV2 is also capable of installing VZ Navigator, a Verizon service that uses GPS positioning to tell you where you are.

This smartphone, offered through Sprint, runs on Windows Mobile and supports up to a 2GB external memory card. The deal requires a mail-in rebate and certain service add-ons. The device also comes with Sprint TV.

Verizon’s in-house smartphone boasts TouchFLO Technology on its high-resolution touch-screen and runs on Windows Mobile 6 Professional, packed with mobile versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint as well as an Adobe PDF viewer. It supports up to 8GB of memory through a MicroSD drive. The 2.0-megapixel camera comes with auto-focus, zoom and video capture.