Cell Phones
Deciding what kind of cell phone to purchase is a very personal decision. Competition among cell phone providers has forced them to offer free or highly subsidized cell phones  with many wireless plans. This is, of course, if you sign a year or two-year contract. These phones aren't always the smallest, lightest or the best looking. But these basic phones do what they're supposed to: make phone calls.
Most free phones these days can take pictures and have text messaging capability, which is often as much as any average user needs. On the other hand, for a wide range of features, from gaming to integrated MP3 players, you will need to purchase a phone in addition to the service plan. Don't forget that with each of the extra features you want, the more the phone will cost. Cell phones can run for as little as $10 (with a plan) or more than $300. Plus, along with the initial purchase fee, don't forget to factor in additional fees for texting, sending photos or using an Internet microbrowser from your phone. Make sure you know what is included in your plan before purchasing a phone with bells and whistle that will cost a small fortune.
Don't want to commit? For people who don't use a cell phone that often, a prepaid phone may be the right choice. They are also good for teenagers or for keeping as an extra phone in the car in case of emergencies.
Phone Styles
With so many phones out there to choose from, you should first determine what style will work best for your lifestyle or fashion needs. Are you looking flip phone, a candy bar phone or something more fashionable? The basic phone styles are explained below. If you are looking for something sleeker, check out our guide to Fashionable Cell Phones. If you want something that doubles as a PDA, check out the Smartphones guide.
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Flip Phones (a.k.a. Clamshell)
- Stays closed so it prevent the buttons from getting pushed by accident.
- Open up to have a greater distance between earpiece and microphone.
- Some models have external caller ID features, but many do not.
- Can be a bit larger or thicker than single-piece phones.
- Large color screens are the norm.
- Most phones with cameras are flip-phones.
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Candy Bar Phone
- Can be smaller and slimmer than flip phones.
- Buttons can be pushed by accident, even when locked.
- Screens are usually not as big and the buttons tend to be small to fit on the tiny unit.
- Always have caller ID on the "outside."
- Displays can get scratched easily, especially if you tend to carry your phone in your pocket.
- There is also a greater chance of cracking the screen.
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Slider-Style Phone - The compact phone slider cover keeps the buttons from getting pushed accidentally.
- The phone is slightly thick, but stout.
- Slider expands to talk, but sometimes don't offer enough space from earpiece to microphone.
- The slider isn't always the smoothest to open, which can sometimes be a hassle when you want to take a call.
- Caller ID shows up on the full color screen.
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Shopping Tips
Whichever style you choose, you'll want to keep some of these basic points in mind when shopping. Be sure, when you have the chance, to compare real phones side-by-side in store. There is a big difference between a floor model and a functioning model. Even better, at some locations you can make a local call to check the sound quality. - Size, Weight, and Handling
- Big or small, the test of a perfect phone is how it fits in your hand and how it feels.
- Heavy or light? Bulky or so slim you think you'll break it?
- Can you open it and manipulate the keys with one hand?
- Does the phone feel like it's well constructed? Trendy, slim phones look hot, but if a phone isn't built to last, chances are it'll hit the trash can before this season's jeans go out of style. That's not a good thing when you've just signed a two-year contract.
- Check the screen size. Is it big and easy to read? Compare the screens of two models and see which has a clearer picture. You might be surprised at what you see. When in doubt, choose a backlit screen for better viewing in low-light situations.
- Battery
- How long does it take to charge?
- How much talk time do you get and how much is just standby time?
- Does the phone have an optional rapid battery charge?
Cell Phone Features
Top Style Picks(Compiled from CNet.com and About.com): Flip Phone Candy Bar Phone Slider Style Phone |
Now that you've decided what kind of body you want your phone to have, it's time to start looking for features. Most phones come with a few of the basic features, like caller ID, call waiting, voice mail, clock, alarm and a phone book. Here are a few other features that you'll want to consider, from the basic to the high-end. Whichever features speak to you, remember the bottom line: Only pay for those features that you have an immediate use for or that you expect you'll need in the near future.
Fun Stuff- Games: Fun, but not necessary. You will pay more to have them on your phone, either if they come pre-installed or if you download them via the Internet. Downloading will cost you.
- Ringtones: Can you download more if you aren't satisfied with your preprogrammed choices? Can you program your own? It might be a little superficial, but ringtones can give your phone more personality and distinguish them from other phones.
- Multimedia Options: MP3, FM radio and photo/video capabilities are becoming widely available. Camera phones have already gone in and somewhat out of style. Video phones that capture stills and streaming video are the new "camera phone," but the quality is still mediocre. Remember, sending videos and photos costs money. FM radio might be a selling point for some, but you may also want to check out Satellite Radio instead.
Getting Productive
- Voice Dial/Speed Dial: If you are constantly making calls or have a lot of people you frequently call, voice dial is a great time saver.
- Text Messaging: Often this is associated with the younger generation of cell phone users, but it can be useful for sending someone info on the go, such as a time or place to meet and it won't disturb the person as much as a phone call.
- Speakerphone/Conferencing: Speakerphones act as a hands-free medium and are useful if you need to concentrate on driving or doing other things with your hands while talking on the phone.
- Email/Internet Access, aka, WAP or microbrowser: This doubles as a fun factor and a productivity factor. You can use the microbrowser for downloading games, ringtones, and even applications, or you can use it for checking the news, stocks or email.
- Sound Recorder: Instead of carrying around an extra device for voice recording, have it integrated in your phone. It can be useful for making voice memos or to do lists. Keep in mind that the quality is usually pretty basic.
- Connectivity: Bluetooth and Infrared (IR port) are the two most important connectivity features on a phone besides a Web browser. Use the Bluetooth to create instant communication between peripherals and your phone, and link up your PDA via an IR port.
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MP3 Player Phones
For years, Bill Gates and other industry insiders have speculated that cell phones will eventually overtake MP3 Players as the music playing devices of choice. Though continuous innovation in the Portable Media Device market has extended traditional devices' reign, the new age of music playing phones has begun. Although current models do not rival the capabilities of PMPers, that standard is rapidly changing.
| Latest MP3 Player Phones |
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LG Fusic
The LG Fusic is quite a stylish device that resembles a standard portable media player when called. The Fusic accepts music as AAC or MP3 files on microSD Cards. It's a very practical and usable phone that boasts MP3 technology. Unfortunately, the music playing aspects are not ideal (though it features music downloading and compatibility with Sprint's Power Vision media network, it doesn't let you mix that content with your own), but certainly a welcome addition to the rest of the device's features. |
Sony Ericsson W810
In addition to a 2-megapixel camera and all the regular features of a cell phone, Sony's latest MP3 playing phone has an FM tuner. It has a Memory Stick Duo slot to load all your favorite songs and pictures to and from the device. The interface is a bit too small for comfort, but its features make it amongst the best MP3 playing phone models available. The W810 lets you easily shut off you phone features and rock a straight-laced MP3 player. The W810 also has a very impressive 10-hour battery life. |
Nokia 5300 Xpress Music
This little tri-band GSM phone is sliding a compact brick of power for blasting MP3s, chatting with friends or for doing business. Although slightly bulkier than you'd expect from a cellphone, it's still lightweight and far better than most music phones on the market. It features fast upload speeds for MP3s, a 2 GB SD memory card slot, a 1000-contact directory, Bluetooth compatibility, infrared port, PC syncing with USB port, support for push-to talk, a high-resolution, 1.3 megapixel camera and a battery for 3.2 hours of talk time. For a top-of-the-line version of this phone, check out the Nokia N91. |
LG Chocolate
It's a sweet and sumptuous slider phone in a slick black casing. But besides the flashy appearance, what makes this phone tick? The 1.3 megapixel camera/camcorder, an onboard Micro SD card slot and Bluetooth capability. But what about the music? It plays VCast Music and Video (WMA and MP3 formats) while you browse the Web or send messages. What's more? It's reasonably priced for a new phone, starting at $100 with a two-year plan (Verizon only) and just in time for the holidays, Verizon has introduced three more color options in the chocolate line. |
Phones with Other Features- Music and Memory Port
- Verizon's new LG VX5200 "Chocolate" model combines a traditional portable media player with a feature-rich phone. It's compatible with Verizon's VCast music service, Bluetooth Compatibility and a MicroSD memory port for storage. Unfortunately, the phone has taken some knocks for its interface, so proceed with caution.
- Also from Verizon is the critically praised LG CU500. In addition to being the first provider-offered HSDPA phone in the U.S. (making it one of the fastest phones on the market), the LG CU500 has a cool design, music play abilities and a camera with a rotating lens. A MicroSD card slot and a speakerphone round out the excellent model.
- Email Onboard
- The Motorola MPx220 is a traditional clamshell phone that also has significant PDA capabilities, but without the usual Qwerty keyboard. The Motorola MPx220 is based on Windows Mobile OS and functions like a smartphone. If you want to receive up-to-date e-mail alerts, but primarily want to use a pocket-sized flip phone for regular calls, then the MPx220 may be right for you.
- Voice Activation
- The Samsung MM-A900 combines many state-of-the-art voice features into one phone. It has a speech-to-text input for text messaging, voice-activated dialing and an audible status reports on the phone's battery life and signal strength.
- Video
- The Nokia N93 not only boasts a 3.2 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss lens for stills, but it also has video recording capabilities for up to an hour of video that is stored on a 50 MB of internal memory and an expandable SD memory card. It also has an integrated music player for MP3 and other music file formats. Slightly large and a bit bulky, but with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, an infrared port and email support, this is ideal for business people on the go with a need for capturing live feeds.
Cell Phones for the Kids
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Firefly is a unique little device for youngsters, preferably pre-teens. It is a cell phone, however, its features are more restricted than a phone you would give to a 16 year old. Text messaging is not an included feature and the numbers that the phone is allowed to receive and call are limited to the ones entered in the phonebook (20 number limit). Plus, the mini cell phone only has five buttons, making it super simple to use.
The LG Migo is another children's cell phone, created for the Verizon network. It has text messaging and 4 programmable numbers, plus 911. One battery charge supplies about 3 hours of continuous talk time. Please also see this article by Consumer Affairs. It has various links to other sites that discuss the use of cell phones by children and the possible negative effects of using them |
Top Picks
Below are the top-rated products from PC World Magazine.
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Nextel i580 - Carrier: Nextel.
- Camera resolution: 1.9 megapixels.
- Battery life: 7 hours, 37 minutes.
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Samsung SGH-X820 - Carrier: T-Mobile.
- Camera resolution: 2 megapixels.
- Battery life: 6 hours, 26 minutes.
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Motorola Razr V3m - Carrier: Verizon.
- Camera resolution: 1.3 megapixels.
- Battery life: 3 hours, 52 minutes.
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Nokia N90 - Carrier: T-Mobile.
- Camera resolution: 2.0 megapixels.
- Battery life: 6 hours, 53 minutes.
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Sony Ericsson W810i - Carrier: Cingular, T-Mobile.
- Camera resolution: 2 megapixels.
- Battery life: 8 hours.
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