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Product Analysis: Wireless Devices

Posted by Peter Rysavy
October 21, 2005

Tags: 1XRTT, CDMA2000 1XRTT, Cingular Wireless, Dave Molta, EV-DO, Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution, Evolution-Data Only, GPRS, GPRS/EDGE networks, Nokia, Nokia 9300, PC Card modems, Peter Rysavy, RIM BlackBerry 7290, ROI, Samsung i730, Sprint, Sprint/Nextel, T-Mobile, Treo 650 running 1XRTT, Verizon, Verizon Wireless on EDGE, VoWi-Fi, WWAN PC Cards, Wi-Fi, broadband access, budgets, carriers, cellular data services, cost, devices, expense, mobile data, mobile data market, service type, smartphones, spending, voice over Wi-Fi, wireless access, wireless broadband, wireless broadband market, wireless tech, Mobile Hardware, Mobile Over-the-air Interfaces, Mobile Services and Software, Wireless, wireless

Channel: Wireless

PCs vs. Phones

In our reader poll for this article, we asked which cellular data services offer the greatest value for mobile employees. PC Card cellular modems that provide wireless service for notebook users got only 40 percent of the vote, while smartphones with integrated data services received 60 percent.

There's reason for this smartphone dominance: These phones are quite capable, with computing and networking capabilities exceeding those of early PCs. With fast connectivity from just about anywhere, they are becoming indispensable tools. And in some cases, they can be used as wireless modems for laptops, getting the best of both worlds. However, no smartphone is perfect. Each excels in different areas, many are more consumer-focused than enterprise IT would like, and choosing among them can be an agonizing process. Integrating smartphones into your enterprise network also can be a complex undertaking, with significant security and management implications. Companies concerned with being able to secure and centrally manage mobile devices will still find laptops a better choice.

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