Smart Phone Internet Marketing?

Maybe for checking stats, revenue, and answering emails. Yes these phones are powerful, but the screens are also small--which in my opinion will limit what you can and can't do from your phone.

For example you couldn't design something spectacular in photoshop on a smart phone, but you could sure as hell find someone to do it for you on your phone. So it just depends on your daily tasks.

You could do it, but it is a pain to type a lot. Even on my tablet it gets old fast.

I wouldn't want to try doing IM on a smart phone without a regular computer as backup. Though there are certainly a lot of things that you can do with a smart phone, there are still a lot that are very difficult to do with one.

Most smart phones require purchasing the "data plan" from the carrier, which can cost you from $25 a month and up. AT&T has a $15 plan for 200MB, but the add on cost is huge if you exceed 200MB in a month, and I can tell you that it's nearly impossible to keep data under that amount if you use the phone much at all. The $25 option at AT&T gives you 2GB (Gigabytes) per month, and is more reasonable. As you cross the 2GB Boundary, they charge you another $10 for each subsequent GB used. There is a 4GB plan that is $40, but the vast majority of users stay under 2GB.

A smart phone uses data that you wouldn't think about. All of the "included" apps seem to need data connection to survive, and each uses a bit of data with each access. This is one reason for needing the 2GB plan.

Most smart phones have the ability to read/access web pages, and you can transact text mail (and regular email). However, unless you can get a bluetooth keyboard that will connect to your phone (some will, some won't) you will get VERY tired of the miniscule on-screen keyboard. Some phones have buttons (blackberry style) or a slider with a regular format keyboard. These help, but you still will get irritated with it after awhile. About the only solution is the Motorola Atrix available from AT&T, because you can buy a dock that makes it -look- like a netbook. Still has the limitations of a smart phone (see below), but a larger screen and almost full size keyboard. The problem is that you can buy a capable notebook for about the same amount of money, and you'd be much better off with one.

So what's wrong with a smartphone?

If you are going to do much online, you need a 4" screen, which is about the largest available. This typically means a two year commitment and $200 up front. Even with a large (for a phone) screen, web sites look pretty small, and most sites aren't optimized for mobile yet... (there are things on a lot of sites, like flash, that just won't display on many smart phones).

Smart phones are "personal appliances" and aren't intended to take over the functions of a computer (yet). Thus, they don't have text editors and such, though you might be able to get away without one if you maintain a wordpress site.

Smart phones use a lot of data bandwidth, mostly because web site developers like big pictures and other features that are large, requiring a fast data connection to display quickly. Most of the high end smartphones can handle this, but their screen is typically only 800 pixels wide (when you turn the phone sideways) so they work for casual surfing while out and about, but not as the ONLY method of accessing sites.

Unless you are pretty young, you'll find you probably have issues with the rendering of web sites showing tiny characters on that little screen. Again, not so bad now and then, but not a good long term solution.

Smart phones come with one of three or four operating systems. Depending on which you have, there are tons of apps (applications) that may be fun or make the smartphone experience easier, but bear in mind, they aren't primarily business machines, but personal appliances, so the apps generally follow personal use habits.

The three most popular phone operating systems are ios (apple), Android, and Windows Mobile. I just switched frrom my old Windows Mobile phone to a new one with Android operating system. Both are very capable, but only as intended. If your new smart phone has WIFI built in (most do) you will able to connect to WIFI hot spots and lessen the amount of data you use through your phone service provider.

By the way, when it comes to the charger, "never leave home without it" and get a car adapter for your phone if you intend to use it heavily. The rated battery life (5 hours talk, 10 days standby) aren't even close unless you literally shut down everything you can on the phone. If you are listening to audio files, checking a web site online (and perhaps using WIFI) or GPS or any other feature, battery life drops drastically. Most "high use" users make it through most of the day, and charge every night. The real power users need to keep the phone plugged into the charger as much as possible, or charge mid-day to keep up. This means you'll be buying a new battery for the phone in a year or less, as they have a limited number of cycles before they get flakey on you. If you use it as just a phone, and don't have to charge every night, you may get two or three years on a battery.

I heavily use a notebook computer for most of my IM activities, with the smartphone for phone and voicemail. I also use the phone for checking status of email and some of my sites when I'm out and about, but always travel with my notebook if I'm going to be more than a couple hours away from home, or gone overnight.

A smart phone can do a lot, but there are still things that you will need a computer to do effectively. Yes, there may be a workaround that can get you by for a brief period, but I think you'll be frustrated if you try to do everything from one as a primary goal. Maybe in a year or two. The processor speeds are fast enough, and they can hold 32GB of storage (micro SD card) but the human interface needs to be improved so people with normal size fingers can actually touch type on one before they become decent business machines. Maybe a phone version of Dragon Naturally Speaking for input, and a decent word processor and spreadsheet to round out the list of wants...

I would think that would be a little harder than it needs to be