Wise business people use smartphones.
Users can make phone calls, send and receive e-mail, browse the Internet and even edit PowerPoint presentations and run spreadsheets.
"It's a way to stay in touch with the office and a way to keep up with something urgent," said Bob Van Deventer, president and chief executive officer of the Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce, who uses a Blackberry clone.
"You might not always have (cell) phone service, but you can send e-mails."
A seminar on the gadgets is from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday at Verizon Wireless, 5054 Bay in Kochville Township.
Business people in the Tri-Cities are among an army of users nationwide who rely on these modern miracles, which can cost up to $600 plus monthly service costs.
Steve Kidera, coordinator of industry statistics and market research for the Arlington, Va.-based Consumer Electronics Association, said there are about 187 million cell phones in the United States.
Of that number, 11 percent are smartphones.
"Smartphones are driving growth in the portable communication and consumer electronics market," he said. "They are an example of convergence, combining both content and devices, allowing consumers to have several functions in one device. You can make calls, listen to music, surf the Internet, look up directions and take pictures all with one device."
Tom Miller Jr., economic development specialist for Saginaw Future Inc., said he's seldom without his iPhone, an Apple Inc. product.
"I use it for my calendar, I have three e-mail accounts on it and I'm able to access information for my business," said Miller, who owns two taverns in Old Saginaw City, J.B. Meinberg's and Woody O'Brien's.
"What's really cool is I'm able to access my liquor inventory and check its status."
But it's not all work and no play. Miller said while flying to Las Vegas recently to attend a friend's wedding, he rented a movie and watched it on his iPhone.
"So my flight entertainment was set," he said. "It cost only two bucks and they charged it to my credit card."
Kidera foresees smartphones' popularity increasing, particularly among the business set.
"Whether it's searching for directions to your next business meeting using your phone's GPS or checking e-mails and keeping informed of what's going on in the office, while watching your kid's soccer game, smartphones are allowing consumers to stay connected while on the go," Kidera said.
Gavin Goetz, director of external affairs for AT&T Michigan, said he couldn't agree more.
"It's my tether in life," he joked.
"It's an absolute lifesaver. For instance, instead of walking out of a business meeting, which can be seen as rude, I can shoot a quick text reply to a question back at the office."
Michigan Live
