TechCrunch, the popular technology blog, called 2009 the Summer of Smartphone Love, and it’s easy to see why. On June 6, Palm and Sprint started selling the new Palm Pre, and on June 19, Apple and AT&T released the next version of the iPhone 3G. Blackberry is slated to release a new Storm model later this summer. Smartphones are all the rage, but if you don’t already have one, how do you choose? I’m here to help.

First, why do you need a smartphone? Maybe you don’t. But in addition to standard cell phone features like making calls and sending text messages, smartphones offer a wide array of other features such as web browsing, email, camera/photos, and a whole lot more, all wrapped up in an easy-to-use package with a bigger, better display than most other cell phones. Plus, they now all offer the ability to download free or paid applications so you can customize the phone to meet your needs, from grocery shopping lists, to business productivity tools and even games.

The Blackberry, iPhone, and Pre are now widely considered the kingpins of smartphones, even though Nokia currently dominates the global smartphone market (their market share has been declining since the iPhone was introduced, however). They all have strengths and weaknesses, and it can be hard to choose which is best. Let’s take a look at some key features of all three.

Blackberry is known as “crackberry” because of its addictive appeal to the email-obsessed. I remember using an early Blackberry when they only sold pager-sized devices with lilliputian keyboards and monochrome displays, so they’ve definitely come a long way. Blackberry offers more choices than Apple or Palm, both in terms of devices and carriers. The Blackberry Tour, Storm, Bold and even Curve classify as smartphones. All have the familiar Blackberry keyboard except the Storm, which is a full touchscreen device like the iPhone. All of these Blackberry models have capable cameras, a web browser, and GPS, plus the full host of features you’ve come to expect from mobile phones, like support for text messaging, picture messaging, and a music player.

But the real strength of Blackberry is its email capabilities. Blackberry has long been the leader in mobile email, and their experience shows. Email is automatically pushed to your device when it arrives, and you can type and send a message in a flash. The service is incredibly reliable, and it is specifically designed to work well in corporate computing environments. Sending and receiving email on a Blackberry is a breeze, especially if you tend to be long-winded. The touchscreen Storm, however, has been widely panned for its user interface, so if you plan to use your smartphone for lots of email, you may want to stick with a keyboard phone.

Check Tech Tawlk next month for part 2 of this article. We will take a closer look at both the Pre and the iPhone. I’ll also give my tips on how to make the most informed choice possible.

While I fully understand the potential impact that such failures represent to workers, retirees and entire communities where auto plants and their suppliers are located, it’s nonetheless disturbing to today’s Americans, their children and grandchildren who will be burdened with the debt of a costly government bailout for an industry that largely ignored their own plight in the past and who have struggled financially even during the best of times.

If one were to calculate the cost of their past inefficiencies to our economy, the cost of today’s bailout and the financial burden which will be placed on future generations who will be saddled with this debt, you can’t help but wonder if such companies are indeed ‘too big to fail.’

What if the sum of all of these costs had been invested in alternative energy research, education or any one of a number of other worthwhile endeavors?

One additional cost we have failed to recognize is the cost of government oversight of these bailed out giants. A government that, to most of us, irregardless of party affiliation, appears to govern more for political advantage than for the common good.

Just look at Amtrak, which has received tens of billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies since its inception but is no closer to achieving its government mandated requirement to become self sustaining today, than it was when it began service in 1971.

I won’t speculate about the future of the American automotive industry, but their plight offers valuable insights which can be applied to any size company to help assure their own long term health and success.

If you own a small to mid-size company and think that you cannot learn from the GM/Chrysler experience, think again.

Our local economy is full of mini GMs and Chryslers that often ignore the changing direction within their respective industries, changes in consumer
buying habits, competitive threats, new technology, and which provide inferior customer service, just to name a few.

If you’re reading my column, you likely will not be deemed ‘too big to fail.’ If indeed you are ‘too big to fail’ you may not enjoy the reality of almost daily government intervention and media scrutiny into every facet of your business.

The reality is that four out of every ten businesses currently in the top quartile of a given business sector will drop from these much coveted positions during this recession.

Inefficient and ineffective business models that have ignored changes in their respective industries are being replaced by more efficient and effective competitors who are adapting to changing marketplace conditions and have chosen to lead rather than to follow.

The decision to persevere and prosper or to risk failure is a choice each entrepreneur must make individually.

What will your decision be?