Smart phones: the much-publicized iPhone breaks new ground for these handy combination advanced cell phones and electronic organizers.(Computers, Phones, and Peripherals: Portable and Versatile)(Buyers guide)

Long used by corporate travelers to keep up with e-mail and appointments, smart phones are now catching on with the general public. Some want to tap out text messages on a QWERTY-style keyboard rather than the tiny keypad of a cell phone. Others see no reason to tote both a PDA and a cell phone when a smart phone can do the job of both.

Changing the equation is Apple's pricey iPhone, which stylishly augments some very smart cell-phone features like e-mail-style voice-mail management with a full-functioning iPod, a sophisticated Web browser, and the most innovative touch-screen and navigation we've seen on any phone.

WHAT'S AVAILABLE

In addition to Apple, major smart-phone makers include Blackberry, LG, Nokia, Palm, and Samsung. Most are sold by the major carriers: Alltel, AT&T, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile, and Verizon. Some carriers sell their own brand of smart phone manufactured by Casio, HTC, and other phone makers. Phone prices with a two-year contract, including rebates, range from $100 to $600. Phones purchased without a contract cost significantly more, starting at $300.

FEATURES THAT COUNT