Cell Phone Buying Guide
by e-battery
What Are Budget Phones?
Budget phones can range from $100.00 to free. Most phones in this price range offer standard features like text messaging, speakerphone, a VGA camera and caller ID. Beware that using some of the features, like sending text and picture messages can dramatically increase your monthly bill if you don’t have the correct plan.
Who Are They For?
A good basic phone is a potential solution for almost everyone, especially someone who doesn’t want to break the bank. Thrifty talkers and college grads stretching their paychecks benefit most from this type of phone. Savvy senior citizens who want to hear from the grandkids through the family’s calling plan should consider these less expensive, more utilitarian phones as well.
What to Expect From a Budget Phone
- Small clamshell or candy bar form factor
- Color display
- Limited multimedia features
- Removable memory card
- Good battery life
Simple Buying Tips
- Call Quality: You should expect rock-solid performance from a basic phone. Read the reviews and thoroughly look at the voice quality grades before buying. These phones above all else are intended for making clear calls.
- Battery Life: Understand how battery life is measured. Talk Time is measured by how long you can use the phone for talking on a full charge. Standby Time is how long the phone will run if left completely undisturbed after charging. Consider your lifestyle and how much you plan on chatting; make sure the phone can keep up.
- Support: Make sure no changes to the warranty have been made, the carrier still provides software updates for your phone, and your local service store is knowledgeable in repairing your model.
What Are Multimedia Phones?
Some multimedia phones let you stream your favorite Internet radio stations or watch cable stations on-demand. Others let you simply store music, video and pictures on the phone’s internal memory. These phones are more like a bag of trail mix; they combine lots of media features in one package.
Who Are They For?
There is, ostensibly, a multimedia phone for every media lover. News junkies can view breaking stories on a live feed of CNBC while business travelers check the latest weather conditions for delays. Multimedia phones also tend to include GPS receivers for navigation on the go. Multimedia phones are also good for commuters with time to kill.
What to Expect From Multimedia Phones:
- Screen: A large bright color screen for viewing content
- Player: A pre-loaded media player application that can play music and videos
- Camera: Built-in 2.0-megapixel (or better) camera/video camera
- Connectibity: Stereo Bluetooth
- Memory: Support for a 1GB or 2GB memory card
Simple Buying Tips
- Compatibility: With so many music file formats available, make sure that the phone you choose is compatible with your music (MP3, AAC, WMA, etc). Some phones will sync with iTunes, others with Windows Media Player, and the majority with some proprietary application that is included. Consider what music files you have and make sure the phone you choose is compatible.
- Extended Warranty / Insurance: Since these phones tend to be pricey, consider buying insurance to cover damages or theft. On the other hand, weigh the benefits of an expanded service warranty since you most likely will replace the phone if something shinier hits the stores or you are eligible for an upgrade every few years.
- Service Costs: Weigh the monthly cost of video, TV service, and music services. These can add up to a hefty yearly price. For instance, Verizon Wireless charges $15.00 a month for its VCAST streaming video service. AT&T’s Media Net Unlimited is also an extra $15.00 a month.
What Are Smart Phones?
These devices come in all sizes. Some have QWERTY keyboards that slide or flip, others use a touch screen keyboard. Many manufactures are starting to build in Wi-Fi, making connecting to the Web much simpler and faster. But unlike phones just designed for messaging or multimedia, a smart phone aims to be an assistant by managing your schedule, organizing your files, and keeping you in touch and informed at all times.
Who Are They For?
Smart phones are great for people that want everything but don’t always feel like lugging a laptop around to stay organized and connected. At $199 and up, these devices aren’t cheap, but they pay you back with their versatility.
What to Expect From a Smart Phone
- Synchronization: Stay organized by syncing your e-mail and schedule with your home or office computer
- Constant E-mail: E-mail software that receives up-to-the-minute messages from Web-based or corporate servers.
- Extensive Web coverage
- Connectivity: Bluetooth connectivity to use your phone as a laptop modem
- Software: Pre-loaded with third party applications
Simple Buying Tips
- Test drive the keyboard. Make sure you test out the keypad or keyboard before settling on a phone, because you’ll be spending plenty of hours hitting those keys.
- Decide on a data plan. While data plans are seen as optional with most mainstream phones, you’ll really need to make this investment if you want to get the most out of your smart phone. The carriers have lowered their all you can eat data and voice packages to about $99 per month.
- Prepare for international use. If you frequently travel abroad, you’ll want to make sure that your smart phone is SIM-unlocked before expecting to use it overseas. Pre-paid, country-specific SIM cards are easy to buy.