SMART PHONES

How 'smart' is your smartphone?

t's the operating system, or OS, that makes a phone 'smart'. Although there are several choices (and many, like Symbian, still hold a fair share of the smartphone market), you should scope out these four OS-Android, BlackBerry, iOS and Phone 7-before buying a new device:

ANDROID

It is the fastest-growing operating systems, primarily due to multiple device offerings by various manufacturers. It is open to extensive customisation and many of the apps are common to both iOS and Android. You also have the widest choice of hardware, but there are numerous OS versions doing the rounds.

PROS: Widest choice of phone hardware, Open to change/customisation with launchers and skins, You can easily make your own apps, Android smartphones start at less than `5,000

CONS: OS updates depend on device makers, Hardware fragmentation leads to occasional app issues, Manufacturer OS customisation can be tacky, Limited screening leads to numerous poor quality apps

WINDOWS PHONE 7

Microsoft is trying hard to break free from the stigma created by previous versions of Windows Mobile, and Windows Phone 7 is a step in the right direction. It's intuitive and the live tiles give you information at a glance without having to open an app.

PROS: Attractive and fresh interface, Fastest-growing app store, Consistent performance across devices (standardisation), Efficient multitasking

CONS: Limited interface customisation, Devices mostly do not have expandable memory, Limited apps-till the numbers catch up, Lukewarm response thanks to Windows Mobile stigma

APPLE iOS

All of Apple's portable products (including the iPod Touch, iPad and iPhone) run iOS-now in its 5th version. Since Apple makes both the software and the device, everything is tightly integrated (but also controlled by Apple). To make your device do things which Apple doesn't allow, jailbreaking is required, which could be complicated and voids the warranty.

PROS: Most intuitive interface, Widest app library with high-quality apps, Highest desirability factor, Tight hardware-software integration

CONS: Choice limited to versions of iPhone, Completely lockeddown OS, Expensive hardware (compared to rivals), Latest iPhone 4S looks identical to outgoing 4

BLACKBERRY

Once the stalwart of the business world, sales have been dwindling particularly in developed markets-enough to threaten the company's existence. Plus, free push email is offered by all three major competitors. However, newer devices running the latest OS7 have a lot going for them.

PROS: Future of the company in doubt, No OS upgrades for older customers, Severely limited apps (numbers & quality), Current OS will get completely revamped soon

CONS: Future of the company in doubt, No OS upgrades for older customers, Severely limited apps (numbers & quality), Current OS will get completely revamped soon