Airwide Solutions offers advice to consumers shopping for Smartphones this christmas

Rating: Mobile internet company takes steps to bolster consumer confidence for the shopping season

Chris Lennartz , VP of Product of Product Marketing for Airwide Solutions, has released a list of four things that consumers should look out for when they’re purchasing  a smartphone this christmas. Unsurprising, given that everyone is worried about how the economic downturn is going to affect shoppers when they’re looking at buying high-tech gifts this christmas. However, this list also tackles a problem that’s high on the list of mobile internet priorities, which is consumer education.

So, in the spirit of christmas, and the spirit of spreading mobile web knowledge to as many people as possible, here is the Airwide Solutions list of things to bear in mind:
Pay extra attention to text messaging plans, data plans and coverage charges: Whether you are purchasing a new phone as a gift or upgrading a handset when your contract is up, read the fine print and make sure you choose a text plan that fits your usage patterns and the capabilities of the device. According to Nielsen Mobile, during the second quarter of 2008 the typical cell-phone user sent or received over 350 text messages per month as opposed to placing or receiving just over 204 voice calls — a 450 percent increase over the same period in 2006. If you (or the recipient of the gift) makes purchases, receives marketing promotions or send pictures,  be sure that purchase has an “all-you-can-eat” plan to avoid getting hit with a big bill in January!

Make sure your new device is protected: This year alone, it’s estimated that Americans will receive over 1.5 billion unsolicited (or spam) text messages. Not only do those messages tack on an extra $.10 - $.15 cents every time they are received, they can also bring unwanted spyware, or viruses with them. When choosing a phone buyers should insist on safeguards (both built into the device and into the service plan) such as data wipe features and enhanced spam filters that can detect malicious malware quickly. In the end, tighter security features can prevent you from having to pay overage charges for unsolicited mobile spam, replace content you have  purchased and saved on your phone (i.e. ringtones and music) and even from having to purchase a new phone before you are ready.

DON’T pay for what you won’t use — evaluate all the bells and whistles: While high-end Smartphones are flashier, slicker and more feature rich than ever before, consumers should evaluate all types of devices and choose the phone with features that will enhance their individual experience. Sometimes you don’t need all the bells and whistles to have a great mobile experience. Frequent text message users may want to consider a few specs above others:  ample memory to store messages (particularly if texting for personal and business use); a QWERTY keyboard; and larger screens particularly for the texter who plans on accessing multimedia content via MMS.

Applications sweeten the deal: According to a study by Mformation, people are increasingly making Smartphone and mobile phone decisions based on the applications and level of customisation the handset offers — one of the reasons the iPhone and Google phone have drawn such consumer attention. 68 percent of mobile users don’t want to be locked into the apps that are preinstalled on devices, so when making a purchase consider what ability the user will have to personalise their device and whether or not access to those applications are covered under your text or data plan. The number of free applications is growing and so customisation doesn’t have to be high-priced.