Do You Need a PDA Smart Phone?

Smart phones are the cell phone of the future. They exist today, but tend to be very expensive and just overall costly to manage. They are great to have as a business person and even a stay at home mom.

You can check your email on the go, check the stocks, and make sure that your overall internet life is set. But, you can also set up a daily calendar and give you driving directions when you're trying to find you're sons soccer practice for the first time or your daughter's new dance studio.

But are smart phones for everyone... I mean really?

Yes, the smart phones, especially the Blackberry line, has tons of gizmos, attachments, and programs. I mean you can search the web, listen to music, watch videos, set your calendar, set your alarm, and even make a phone call. The technology of the smart phones do not stop there, but those are the more commonly used features of the phones.

But, you may not be the best candidate to upgrade you old flip phone for a new Blackberry Curve or the smaller Blackberry Pearl.

Do you fall into the following category:

• Carry a PDA with you everywhere.
• Carry an MP3 or MP4 player with you everywhere.
• Carry a GPS device with you on occasion, if not always.
• Carry a cell phone with you at all times.

If you said yes to at least 2 of the 4 categories, than you may consider upgrading to a Blackberry or another smart phone of your choice because they truly are the one size fits all in terms of technology and features.

But, if you just carry around your cell phone and occasionally one of the other devices, you will need to sit and think is the initial cost of the phone and then all the service fees worth what your average free or very cheap phone will cost in the long run.

Granted, you do want to make sure that the cell phone you choose will hold out throughout your contract, so I would recommend spending a little on the phone just to make sure that it's going to hold out.

When I set up my Sprint plan 2 years ago, I got $19.99 phone, cheapest they had. Well, the service sucked! I had to trade it in within a few days for the $49.99 cell phone. Still a simple, cheap flip phone nonetheless.

But, not that my plan is running out, it's time for an upgrade, and I'm considering a Blackberry Pearl. But, first have to decide if the initial costs and fees are truly worth it to me.

So, I want a cute Blackberry Pearl. Great. But, is the cell phone right for me?

Ok, so for the qualifications and categories above.

• No, I don't carry a PDA with me. I don't even have one!
• I tend to carry my iPod with me in my purse.
• No, I don't have or carry a GPS with me; I mean, I'm 20 years old and don't even drive.
• Yes, my cell phone goes with me everywhere.

So, according to my own suggestions for you. I don't really qualify. I guess that I could, but my iPod isn't a necessity that I have to bring with me. So, in all reality, I don't need a smart phone. I could be just as technology happy and savvy with upgrading to a Red Razor (my second cell phone of choice).

But I keep falling back to the Blackberry Pearl. Why? Well, simple. I like the way the phone feels in my hand. If matches the curves and shape of my hand perfectly.

The initial costs to upgrade $120.99, give or take. I'm not sure of all the accessories that I have to buy, but I'll say no more than $175.00 to $200.00 to start off. I won't be changing my plan for the time being, so if I'm correct, my bill will stay an average of $50. Not bad. I think I like the idea of a Blackberry in my purse. We'll see how it pans out in a few months.

If you have your heart and pocket book, or wallet, set for a new Smart Phone, you'll want to find the best for you and your dollar. Check out the following Smart Phone review guides at cnet.com

This site has some of the best reviews and overall marks for various Smart Phones to include cell phones from Samsung, Nokia, Palm Centro, BlackBerry, Motorola, Sony, and various cell phone company made smart phones. Read about the Samsung Black Jack, BlackBerry Curve, and the Sony Ericson P1i.

Okay, well so much for listing multiple guides. I've found that the C|Net website was the best and only one that I could suggest for you to check out. There was no sense in suggesting that you looked at reviews on a crappy website. So, check out C|Net Reviews on Smart Phones to make your final decision.