Hello Everyone,
I just purchased my contractors bond, and sent in the paper work for my california electrical contractors license. Many other details to deal with, but I would like to know if there is an industry favorite as far as cell phones go. I know that this is probably going to be a first line of contact with many potential customers, plus an indispensible tool for daily operations. So, can anyone recommend what they consider to be the best cell phone for our daily business. Thank you.

I can speak only for my phone. I have the new Apple iPhone 3GS. Is it is like a laptop in you pocket and more. I have catalogs, manuals, and spread sheets I use on a regular basis. It is way easy to use and has 32 gigs of memories. There are hundreds of apps to choose from. Some are good, some are not. I can take pitures, make material lists, send emails, text messages, research on the internet, and I can even print wirelessly from my phone. It is not a replacement for a computer but a great subsitute when you are mobile. I can conduct business on the fly and I am not as chained to my desk as I was. I can move files between the phone and my computer. It is really easy to use. Some of the apps can be tricky or just junk. The good thing is they are dirt cheap or even free. I found some help me stay orginize. I have so much going on at any one time. I need all the help I can get.

Apple has a demo online that is targeted to social networking. It demostrates the ease of shooting video, editing it and posting it like on You Tube. When I tell people about the phone, I tell them that the phone can make them famous on You Tube before the ambulance arrives.

I think that at a certain point all of these entertainment oriented phones make you less productive.

Only if you let it. I personally do not have time for games when I am at work. If the person is a business owner, rather (s)he is the type to put their nose to the grind stone or actually plays games with it, it is their business. An employee is whole different can of worms. I would imagine pretty much every employer has a cell phone policy.

I looked both at the iPhone and Blackberry. I really knew what I wanted. The Blackberries did not have what I wanted so the iPhone was a no brainer for me. Many othe phones can do like internet, camera, planner, calculator, etc. But usually you have to push 50 bilzillion buttons to get where you need to go. Another nice feature is most screen on the phone will rotate from portait view to landscape view when you rotate the phone. In landscape view, the touch keys are bigger. I am a very goood eagle search typer so I can bang out emails, text messages, and such. I can fire off three to five time the messages then someone who uses the number keys for messages. Especially if they learn to type by feel on a QWERTY keyboard.

I really would like to hear about blackberry user's I still have the opton to switch in May if I do not want to keep my iPhone.

Currently, apple will not support Flash player or Java for the iPhone. They stated it's old technology. So much for posting in the forum here at ECN. bummer! You can post on the message board with it though. Sun Systems thinks they can make a Java program work but it appears that apple is dragging their heels on it.

My wife is a Crackberry addict. She has a storm. It seems to do everything. Camera, GPS, internet, text, lots of computer aps and you can even make phone calls on it. The touch screen rotates automatically and emulates a qwerty.

I phone = ATT = billing and coverage problems. Its to bad the I phone is really nice and what I wanted, but ATTwas a deal breaker. Just my opinion of course.
Ob

AT&T is a real PITA, I can go from full bars to no service in a matter of a few feet.:(

I got the most basic cellphone I could, and it's just fine for me.
The camera's a nice feature, but I already have cameras, and never have used the one on my phone. I don't write text messages, so I don't need a big keypad.
I guess it all boils down to what features you feel you need as to what's the "best".

I've got Verizon Wireless service, and ATT service on my business phone, and I'm perfectly content with both. If I leave my business phone, I have all the calls forwarded directly to my cellphone, so I don't miss calls.

More news on the iPhone....
On the radio I was listening to Leo LaPorte's ("the tech guy") show

The iPhone has a "fart" application (sort of an electronic whoopee-cushion) that sounds the tone when you hit one of the keys.

.....Just in case somebody feels the need to have that option.

Jailbreak your Iphone and ya can get rick rolled

http://www.iphoneuserguide.com/appl...is-never-going-to-give-you-up-ssh-virus/

I like phones that you can remove viruses from with a little spritz of lysol.

Verizons new Iphone competitor.

http://tech.msn.com/products/articlespecials.aspx?cp-documentid=22447499&gt1=40000

there are all those useless apps like there is a zippo lighter app. You can flick you iPhone to light it just like you do in real life and you can even blow on the flame and it flicker "in the wind". Need a level? These's an app for that. Need a inclimeter? There's an app for that. want to play air hocky? Theres an app for that.

I got an "GPS" app which feeds off of the cell tower locations and can calculate where you are. Then it plots it on a google map. It was spot on when I was in Juneau but it only works good where Google has hi-res pictures. It would be an excellent tool for service calls if you do not want to invest in to real GPS navigation.

I read today where Apple will have a CDMA iPhone in the 4 quarter of 2010 for use on Verizon
http://cody.blogs.foxbusiness.com/2009/11/09/verizon-to-get-iphone-for-xmas-2010/

My wife's Blackberry GPS app was a whole lot better than the 2 real GPSs I had in California a few months ago.
She was locking into a location and I was still waving my GPS in he air looking for 3 satellites.

Reading this thread puts me into the 'stoneage'. Yes, I have a cell, & had one since they were the size of a small PC, bolted into my van. I have an AT&T LG phone, with a whole bunch of features I don't have a clue about. As to GPS, when the need arises, I use a paper map, or prepare via Google Earth, or Mapquest. As to all the 'apps' for the smart phones or a Blackberry device, probably not.

It's really great that all you guys have and use the technology, I must be in the generation gap!

I still have a motorola "bag" phone bolted in my car. I turn it on now and then and it still seems to have service but they want a credit card number and a couple bucks a minute.
It might be worth it if I was stranded tho. I think 911 will work too but I have had no reason to try it.

Greg, 911 is suppose to work on all cell phones in tower range even if they are not subscribed to a service provider. The down side is if there is a disconnect they can't call you back.

If your bag phone is working it must be a newer digital one as most of the providers have turned off analogue service which were the 1st bag phones. They sure had better range than the new pocket size ones.

Nope it is analog. I was surprised too. They may be keeping it going for marine users under the "rural" exception.

There are still analog systems running. The phone co are under no obligation to keep them running. As of the first of the year, the FCC gave their permission to discontinue analog, but in some areas they are still running to support equipment that has not switched (SCADA)or some that just has not been taken off-line. Older On-Star customers got shut down due to no analog service and no upgrade for older cars.