Smart phones Business is calling - Misha Baiman, store manager at Cellular Arena in North Vancouver, shows off the Sony Ericsson P1i and the Nokia N95. Daniel Pi photo

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The latest in mobile technology gives small business owners increased mobility.

For today’s busy small business owners, multi-purpose cellphones can make working more efficiently much easier. If you’re too busy to sit down at your desk to send an e-mail, simply choose from a host of functions while out on the road.

New phones are hitting the market every three months or so – and consumers can’t seem to get enough of the range of new tools available: Everything from video capabilities to organizers are now accessible at the flip of your phone.

But what may be new to some cellphone enthusiasts, especially business owners, are unlocked phones.

Most cellphones are programmed by service providers to work only for their networks. But a phone that works in the GSM standard, in Canada that’s Rogers and Fido, can be locked into different GSM carriers around the globe using a SIM card.

Cellular Arena in North Vancouver carries unlocked cellphones because their list of functions and styles far outweigh the barriers placed on phones that already have carriers.

However, some may argue that locking users into a network is a fair trade because it decreases the initial high cost of the cellphone.

“Smart phones like Blackberries, which have an operating system, allow owners access to the Internet and e-mail,” said Misha Baiman, store manager at Cellular Arena. “The new Apple iPhone is a new smart phone which has good graphics and designs but the camera isn’t the best.”

The cost for one of these multi-purpose phones can range anywhere from $60 to a $1,000 depending on your wish list.

This season’s must-have smart phones are the Nokia N95, Sony Ericsson P1i, Samsung U600 and the U700. But buyer beware: the more functions your cellphone boasts the quicker you’ll drain the battery.

“The 3G market is also big because they provide functions like video conferencing and the ability to watch TV. But, because North America is so behind in cellphone technology, there isn’t a network yet to support those features,” said Baiman.

However, it seems every time you turn your head a cellphone manufacturer has redesigned their product.

So, what you thought was hot last month is now old news. Almost every brand has a phone tailored to business consumers which is a sleek, stylish accessory.

Just make sure to test the reception before you get caught up in the glitz of it all.

“Phones with organizers and calendars with room for notes have become commonplace,” said Baiman. “But, if you have an operating system you can access Word and Excel files right on your phone, which is great for business owners.”

The latest addition to the cellular roster is a GPS system.

If you don’t already have one in you car, try accessing Google Maps for $10 a month through your phone system.

This technology is ideal for any business owner who travels a lot for work and doesn’t have time to flip through a clumsy old map book.

For more information visit Cellular Arena at www.cellulararena.ca, phone 604-924-8250 or stop by 167 West Esplanade in North Vancouver.