Techno Uptodate: Smartphones Less Than $100

Budget smartphones for business users are now a reality. In fact, you can get one heck of a powerful smartphone for as little as $50 these days (with a two-year contract).

BlackBerry Internet Service, Google Apps, and Microsoft Exchange's over-the-air account synchronization mean you don't necessarily have to invest in expensive extra servers to power your budget smartphones. And BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, and Symbian Series 60 phones can all be centrally managed. Depending on the infrastructure, that means an IT department can disable the built-in camera, control which applications are installed, encrypt company files, and wipe data from a lost handset.

Whether you're a manager or business owner wanting to keep your employees connected while on the go, or a freelance consultant looking for a cheap way to stay in touch with clients, here's a roundup of the best low-cost business smartphones, sorted by carrier:

AT&T

Apple iPhone 3G (AT&T)

$99.99 (with two-year contract)
The iPhone 3G has excellent Microsoft Exchange connectivity, letting you sync up your calendars, contacts, and e-mails with your corporate server. And no matter what kind of business you're in, there's probably an app for that.

Nokia E71x (AT&T)

$99.99 (with two-year contract and $50 mail-in rebate)
The Symbian-powered E71x is an excellent mobile office due to its powerful Web browser, built-in Office document editing, and Microsoft Exchange support. It's also just plain handsome to look at.

Samsung Jack SGH-i637 (AT&T)

$99.99 (with two-year contract and $100 mail-in rebate)
The Samsung Jack is a near-perfect blend of 3G and Wi-Fi radios, good voice quality, Windows Mobile messaging, and sharp executive styling. It could even tempt a few consumers, too, if they don't like the (identically priced) iPhone 3G.

Sprint

BlackBerry Curve 8330 (Sprint)

$49.99 (with two-year contract and $100 mail-in rebate)
The Curve 8330 is beginning to age in the face of RIM's newest handsets like the Tour 9630 and Curve 8900 on other carriers. But the 8330 still scores with its built-in GPS, excellent voice quality, and stellar push e-mail—and you simply can't beat the price.

T-Mobile

BlackBerry Curve 8320 (T-Mobile)

$74.99 (with two-year contract)
The BlackBerry Curve shows up on a lot of "best of" lists due to its ideal blend of power, features, and (lately) low price. The Curve 8320 is particularly interesting due to its $9.99/month unlimited Wi-Fi calling capability on T-Mobile. That can mean hundreds of dollars in savings over the course of a year for each employee (at least if they talk where there's a Wi-Fi signal).

T-Mobile Dash (T-Mobile)

$49.99 (with two-year contract)
Let's be honest here—the Dash is simply old. Compared with newer Windows Mobile handsets, it's sluggish. But it does run Windows Mobile 6 and offers all of the usual Microsoft-related benefits at a very low price. Plus, it's exceptionally slim and light for a slab QWERTY smartphone.

Verizon Wireless

BlackBerry Curve 8330 (Verizon)

$49.99 (with two-year contract)
The Curve 8330 on Verizon has somewhat fewer features than the Sprint version, as it lacks an IM client and mobile TV support out of the box. But it's still a compelling choice—especially at this price.

HTC Ozone (Verizon)

$49.99 (with two-year contract)
The HTC Ozone offers a comfortable keyboard, and there's plenty of Windows Mobile power underneath the hood. This is also a true world phone, with both CDMA and GSM compatibility, and Verizon lets you unlock its GSM SIM slot if you've been a customer in good standing for 60 days.