When the Pre, Palm’s make-or-break handset, was launched in the US in June, it was touted as an “iPhone killer”, the first mobile phone truly capable of taking on Apple’s flagship device. It has enjoyed critical acclaim and steady sales in the US, with around a million handsets sold, but it remains to be seen whether it can knock the iPhone off the top spot.

Palm has made much of the Pre’s music capabilities, but it finds itself locked in a cat-and-mouse game with Apple over iTunes support: Palm wants the Pre to be able to synchronise with a user’s iTunes library and import music directly from there; Apple appears less keen on this arrangement, and a recent iTunes software update disabled this function, only for Palm to reinstate it.

If the Pre’s glossy, curved design and slick interface feel familiar, it’s not surprising – Palm’s executive chairman, Jon Rubenstein, is a former Apple employee and was part of its hardware engineering and iPod division. So you have a familiar centre button on the device taking users back to the “home” screen, from which they can check their emails, make a call or surf the internet, and a “dock” at the bottom of the screen from which programs are launched.

Tapping on icons in the dock produces a rippling animation, to show that your touch command has been understood. There’s also an area on the screen’s surround, to the left of the “home” button, that allows you to skip back through menus just by running your finger from right to left.

The Pre’s major selling point – and the one that could tempt even the staunchest Apple fans away from their iPhones – is its operating system, webOS. The software, built entirely from scratch by Palm, is designed to make the most of cloud computing, by making it really easy to access content and contacts stored on other websites.

This technology, known as Palm Synergy, pulls contacts, calendar events, emails and photos, your personal and work email addresses, and instant-messaging accounts – in to a single “phone book”, through which you can get in touch with people. It means that you can keep a single “thread” of correspondence with contacts, even if some of that correspondence took place via email, text or instant messaging.

Web browsing is quick and intuitive, thanks to the Pre’s Wi-Fi and 3G support – enter a search, and the Pre will try to guess whether your question is best answered by searching the web.

This small circular pad allows you to charge the Pre without a plug, thanks to inductive technology. You’ll need to change the back cover of the Pre to a rubberised version in order for the wireless charging function to work: it uses inductive coils inside the Touchstone pad to generate a small, oscillating electromagnetic field that is transmitted through the backplate to charge the Pre.

The Apple iPhone still remains the best touch-screen smartphone on the market, but the Pre certainly gives it a run for its money.

Selecting the Right Network provider

The primary mobile phone networks in the UK are O2, T-Mobile, Orange, Vodafone and ‘3’. Other secondary providers, such as Virgin Mobile, operate their services through these networks. All the networks use the latest 3G technology, which transmits data at high speeds to enable you to surf the internet and receive and send emails, pictures and video clips. Each network provider offers its own range of handsets and business packages. If you wish to change network, you can “port” or transfer your phone number.
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Tariffs and Business Packages

Which network offers the package best suited to your business needs? Costs can be high, particularly those associated with web-based and data services. With a wide range of tariffs available, it’s important to consider what your needs are, then carry out extensive research and take advice from the networks’ business advisors. Most business packages are charged monthly and include phone handset rental and inclusive minutes and text bundles, as well as cheaper rates on certain calls.

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Who do you call?

Costs vary depending on whether calls are made to a landline, a mobile on the same network, or a mobile on another network:

• It’s more cost-effective to use one network for all your mobile devices. Many of the one network packages include free calls between all your mobiles
• If most of your calls are to landline numbers, look for a package whcih offers cheap landline call rates
• If many international calls are made, find out what international call options are available

When do you call?

Most mobile packages have either a fixed rate all day, or a mixture of peak and off-peak tariff rates. Most businesses make the majority of calls during the traditional working day of between 9am and 5pm. The best options are to select the package with the cheapest peak rates or a low fixed rate. If most calls are made outside the traditional working day, consider packages with the lowest off-peak rates or large bundles of off-peak minutes.

How many calls do you make?

Most packages include a number of inclusive minutes; business packages usually allow you to split the inclusive minutes between all mobile phone users and carry over unused minutes to the next month. Packages can be easily changes if inclusive mibnutes are insufficient or excessive. If a low number of calls are made, your business that only use mobiles to receive call, it might be more cost-effective to move to a “pay as you go” or pre-payment package. These packages are not usually advertised as a business package.

What technology do you need?

SME’s are increasingly using their mobile phones and PDA’s for a combination of voice, text, international calls, email and data usage. Network providers for SME customers and offer different packages tailored to the needs of SME’s to a range of special deals, introductory offers and even more sophisticated devices to encourage you to sign up.

We have a comprehensive section on mobile phones with practical articles on…..Smartphone buyers guide…Mobile deals with free gifts…Pay As You Go deals...Mobile Phone Manufacturers….Mobile Phone Networks….Defining your mobile phone and tariff requirements….A to Z of Mobile Phone Features……Mobile Phone FAQ’s