A Bright Idea? Are 2.5G phones really as smart as they're supposed to be? Judge for yourself.

The mobile phone industry is sweating just a little because more people are now hanging onto their phones longer. What's the point of upgrading when your current one works fine on America's limited- bandwidth networks? That's where technology temptation is stepping in. Internet-capable--aka 2.5G--smartphones are the next big leap for all regular mobile phone users.

But it should take more than just bells and whistles to separate your money from your capital expense budget. If an upgrade helps you and your employees work more efficiently, that's fine--you can definitely justify the investment. Be sure, however, to take a closer look.

After all, these devices can cost five times more than a typical high-end phone. And even after you decide on your hardware, you'll have trouble sorting through the service plans that will make your new tool worthwhile. If you plan on using data features like e-mail, SMS text messaging and Internet access, you should look closely at the total cost of the plans involved. You could get charged extra for each feature unless you shop for bundling deals.