When looking to purchase a number of smartphones for your business there are many things you need to consider.
The operating system of a device should be the prime consideration before choosing a particular model.
The main 5 operating systems used in business mobile phones are; Android, Apple, RIM BlackBerry, Symbian and Windows phone.
With so many different types of operating systems on the market, choosing the right smartphone is a minefield for any business.
All of the main operating systems are Pop3/Imap (e.
g.
IPS, Gmail etc) compatible and have user level lock codes to keep the devices secure.
Depending on your business needs, you may or may not require a certain level of smartphone security.
If you purchase the BlackBerry Enterprise Server or the Apple iPhone configuration utility, where you can create policy controls for certain smartphones (BlackBerry and iPhone handsets).
There should always be some form of security with a business phone to protect against loss of data).
Certain organisations have particular requirements to either permanently or at certain times lock the functionality of the smartphone, for example the ability to lock the camera function, so this is something you may wish to think about.
Each handset you buy or lease should be matched to the individual.
For example devices which are purely touch screen are not appropriate for workers who spend the majority of their time outside.
Sunny conditions can often hinder the viewing of the LCD display, whereas devices with physical keyboards allow a user to type in the sunshine.
If you require a phone with a camera, the mega pixel rate should not be your only consideration.
The lens also has a huge impact on the quality of the pictures it produces, and the operating system on which it runs should all be deciding factors.
The Android operating system is used by some of the most popular phone manufacturers including HTC, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, LG, Acer and Google.
The operating system is compatible with Microsoft Exchange (Native) and Lotus Domino (with Lotus Traveller).
Android phones have good user level interface, and a wide range of handset models.
Apple's iPhone is a revolutionary device and is particularly strong in terms of applications, with games and music easily accessible.
However, one drawback is that there are very few handsets available to select from and the storage is not expandable.
Research in Motion's BlackBerry mobiles range offer business users a wide range of touch-screen, sliding keyboard, qwerty keyboards and candy-bar phones.
With Blackberry's Internet Mail Service each user can configure up to 10 private email accounts and user interaction with each setup is minimal.
More storage can be added to each phone with a microSD slot and a secure connection can be established with corporate systems through the BlackBerry Enterprise Server.
The Majority of devices which run on the Symbian operating system are Nokia.
A good level of security of email systems can be provided through software such as Microsoft Exchange Activesync.
The storage of Symbian handsets can be increased and with additional configuration users can gain access to VPN.
Window's Phone 7 is available on a number of handsets, with the majority using touch-screen for navigation.
The storage on Windows Phone 7 handsets can be increased, and using an autosetup feature through a USB port makes installing Microsoft Exchange Activesync very user friendly.
The operating system of a device should be the prime consideration before choosing a particular model.
The main 5 operating systems used in business mobile phones are; Android, Apple, RIM BlackBerry, Symbian and Windows phone.
With so many different types of operating systems on the market, choosing the right smartphone is a minefield for any business.
All of the main operating systems are Pop3/Imap (e.
g.
IPS, Gmail etc) compatible and have user level lock codes to keep the devices secure.
Depending on your business needs, you may or may not require a certain level of smartphone security.
If you purchase the BlackBerry Enterprise Server or the Apple iPhone configuration utility, where you can create policy controls for certain smartphones (BlackBerry and iPhone handsets).
There should always be some form of security with a business phone to protect against loss of data).
Certain organisations have particular requirements to either permanently or at certain times lock the functionality of the smartphone, for example the ability to lock the camera function, so this is something you may wish to think about.
Each handset you buy or lease should be matched to the individual.
For example devices which are purely touch screen are not appropriate for workers who spend the majority of their time outside.
Sunny conditions can often hinder the viewing of the LCD display, whereas devices with physical keyboards allow a user to type in the sunshine.
If you require a phone with a camera, the mega pixel rate should not be your only consideration.
The lens also has a huge impact on the quality of the pictures it produces, and the operating system on which it runs should all be deciding factors.
The Android operating system is used by some of the most popular phone manufacturers including HTC, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, LG, Acer and Google.
The operating system is compatible with Microsoft Exchange (Native) and Lotus Domino (with Lotus Traveller).
Android phones have good user level interface, and a wide range of handset models.
Apple's iPhone is a revolutionary device and is particularly strong in terms of applications, with games and music easily accessible.
However, one drawback is that there are very few handsets available to select from and the storage is not expandable.
Research in Motion's BlackBerry mobiles range offer business users a wide range of touch-screen, sliding keyboard, qwerty keyboards and candy-bar phones.
With Blackberry's Internet Mail Service each user can configure up to 10 private email accounts and user interaction with each setup is minimal.
More storage can be added to each phone with a microSD slot and a secure connection can be established with corporate systems through the BlackBerry Enterprise Server.
The Majority of devices which run on the Symbian operating system are Nokia.
A good level of security of email systems can be provided through software such as Microsoft Exchange Activesync.
The storage of Symbian handsets can be increased and with additional configuration users can gain access to VPN.
Window's Phone 7 is available on a number of handsets, with the majority using touch-screen for navigation.
The storage on Windows Phone 7 handsets can be increased, and using an autosetup feature through a USB port makes installing Microsoft Exchange Activesync very user friendly.
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