The Trials of Synching a Smart Phone to a Mac

If you use a Mac, beware of going mobile with anything other than Apple (AAPL Quote - Cramer on AAPL - Stock Picks) gear.

It is chic these days to talk up Apple's line of personal computers and other devices as mainstream small business tools. When Apple abandoned its proprietary chips in favor of more mainstream electronics like those from Intel (INTC Quote - Cramer on INTC - Stock Picks), the company opened the door to a wave of development.

Now small businesses will find the market jammed with peripherals optimized for their needs from makers like Logitech(LOGI Quote - Cramer on LOGI - Stock Picks) and H-P (HPQ Quote - Cramer on HPQ - Stock Picks) along with software from companies like Adobe (ADBE Quote - Cramer on ADBE - Stock Picks) and, yes, even Microsoft (MSFT Quote - Cramer on MSFT - Stock Picks). Office 2008 for Mac, for example, is a terrific program for the smaller enterprise.

And though, in general, personal computers running the Windows Vista operating systems are still the weapon of choice for the majority of small businesses -- for basic computing, its low cost and ubiquitous install base is still unbeatable -- I do see the argument for Apple equipment in some operations, as long as you are careful about what these devices can and cannot do.

Take integration of your Mac with mobile devices as an example. It should be no surprise that Apple's integration and support for the uber-hip iPhone is excellent. But step outside the Apple universe of mobile devices -- say, to a BlackBerry from Research In Motion (RIMM Quote - Cramer on RIMM - Stock Picks) or to any one of the smart phones running the Windows Mobile 6 operating system -- and you may find support a bit more rugged.

« Previous Page

1 2 3

Next Page »