What is the key feature that makes smartphones so popular?

When it comes to smartphones, which is more desirable: cool media features, open source software expandability, or ease of use? Let's take a look at three of the hottest smartphones on the planet.

Sony Ericsson Satio

It's fair to say that the Sony Ericsson Satio is easily one of the most hotly anticipated phones of the year. On the face of it, the big reason for the excitement is its 12 megapixel camera, and whilst that is a force to be reckoned with, there's so much more to the Sony Ericsson Satio. It's the first 'Entertainment Unlimited' phone, and that doesn't just mean it combines Cyber-Shot and Walkman technology. On top of that, the Sony Ericsson Satio is also going to pull in social networking, high quality games and incredible video services to become a one-stop mobile entertainment hub. It promises far more than that, however, as the Sony Ericsson Satio is also powered by Symbian, giving it true smartphone capabilities, which will no doubt include its very own app store.

Nokia N900

Nokia's latest smartphone on the other hand is the first in a new breed; it's the first phone ever to use the new Maemo interface (previously seen in Nokia's internet tablet range). Say hello to the Nokia N900. That Maemo OS gives the Nokia N900 a finger friendly interface, and on top of that, the phone has a built in QWERTY keyboard, so it has more ways to access the phone than ever before. It's not just about the interface, though, as the Nokia N900 is packed with high-end features. A 5 megapixel camera makes for superb photos, the multimedia playback is stunning, and with HSDPA and GPS, the Nokia N900 certainly isn't short of connectivity options.

Palm Pre

So, the Sony Ericsson Satio offers that incredible camera, and the Nokia N900 offers a brand new open source software solution. And since Palm have been around for years, one must ask: what does the Palm Pre offer that's different? Well, one could talk about the WebOS interface it uses, as it's unique in the annals of phone history. And indeed, there's one feature of WebOS, directly related to the keyboard, that makes the Palm Pre so cool. Universal search. Now, many phones do that, but the Palm Pre does it so much more cleverly. Just start typing what you want to know about, from the front screen, and the Palm Pre will search your contacts, apps, music, pictures, and even the internet, to interpret and find what you're looking for. That really is a cool feature, and it may well make the Palm Pre the coolest QWERTY phone out there. If you value the interface above all else, the Palm Pre is the phone for you.