YOU want a smartphone that surfs the Net, snaps pictures and senses the way around for you. Given the lean times, you do not want to bust $1,000.

There are choices aplenty but the sweet spot - the optimal price-for-features point - depends on the type of user you are.

For instance, a frequent traveller may want a 5-megapixel camera to take photos on the road. A busy executive may prefer 3.5G and Wi-Fi links so he can download e-mail faster.

Here are points to consider when checking out smartphones.

Price

First, the budget must fit the wallet. At the top end, $1,000 should get you a phone with everything thrown in. For less than $200 (retail price, without subscription plan), you get the most basic phone.

(Left) The slightly dated but venerable Nokia E51. (Right) The Nokia 6210 Navigator

The current sweet spot is about $700, which gets you mostly top-class stuff like a 5-megapixel camera and even a Qwerty keyboard.

Any more features and they will very likely end up as white elephants - and cost more too.

Connectivity

For the executive on the move, this is the single most important factor.

You will need Wi-Fi and 3.5G, so you can receive e-mail and send attachments to customers and colleagues who may need them for a meeting.

With Wi-Fi, you can log on to the thousands of free Wireless@SG hot spots in town while 3.5G gets you covered when you are out of any hot spot's range.

The slightly dated but venerable Nokia E51 candy bar phone is one nifty gizmo for this purpose. The slim number has Wi-Fi built in as well as 3.5G to keep you in touch at all times.

Maps

No, you do not need an expensive, ultra-fancy phone to have satellite navigation that gets you out of a tight spot. The Nokia 6210 Navigator, for example, comes in a pretty slider phone package. It even has a compass for pedestrians to find their way around.

Qwerty keyboard

If you find yourself typing a lot of SMS and e-mail messages on the road, a full-sized Qwerty keyboard lets you key in stuff more easily.

Most of these models, however, cost $800 or more.

The good news is that one of the best Qwerty phones on offer, Nokia's E71, is going for under $750. This well-built gizmo feels solid in the hand and is also a joy to use with its friendly messaging interface.

SingTel's online shop was selling this for $748 (at time of writing). You may be able to get better deals by bargaining a little at a neighbourhood shop.

Another typist-friendly phone is the Blackberry Curve 8320 which sports a handy keyboard as well.

Camera

Sure, there are the newfangled 8-megapixel camera phones out now. However, one of the best camera phones, offering up to 5-megapixel of sharp images, is Sony Ericsson's C902.

At $738, this is a good deal for executives who want snapshots of, say, the Barcelona marketplace while doing a bit of R&R after a conference.

Consider also the Samsung U900 Soul. You can get deals of about $758 for this model which comes with speedy 7.2Mbps 3.5G connectivity. Downloading those large e-mail attachments will be less painful.

This story was first published in The Straits Times Digital Life on 5 November 2008.

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