Ready to Pick a New Cell Phone

 

If you’ve recently decided to take the plunge and buy a new cell phone we have a few suggestions below

 

  Your choice of cell phone will be limited by your service provider no matter where you live in North America, so you need to decide right now whether you’re staying with your current provider or select a new one before you start shopping for one of the new Star Trek inspired communicators on the market.  First decide how you’re going to use your phone most of the time, this will help narrow the field of possible cell phones that meet your needs.  Leaving smart phones aside for a few seconds, we classified cell phones as basic or advanced in the hub “Cell phones grow up to become smart phones”.  Choose a basic cell phone if you are only going to use voice calling or text messaging, or wish to limit costs and size to a level your happy with (most models are compact and are price between $20 and $150 or come free with a two-year contract).  The keypad and overall operation is generally fairly simple and consistent with all the models sold today, although there is always a black cat wandering around somewhere.  All the models will allow you to store frequently used numbers and send and receive text messages, and many of the models have basic cameras and wireless Bluetooth included.

 

  If you wish to trip-the-light-fantastic of the World Wide Web though you will need to access high-speed networks (such as the EDVO networks from Verizon, Alltel, and Sprint) to enjoy the multimedia experience of the web such as music and video-based services, and for this you will need to step up to an advanced phone.  Other capabilities of your advanced phone may include a multimegapixel camera, memory-card storage for music and pictures, and more options for custom ring tones, games and other services, some of which they are probably just thinking of.  Many can connect directly to a printer to print the photos you took at the company office party or the text message from your boss to his friend.  The one draw back of course is that these phones can cost upwards of $150, even with a two-year contract, and some are more difficult to use for calls and text messages than basic models.

 

  Always consider the digital network the carrier uses to provide your cell phone service.  Major carriers use one of two digital networks: CDMA (Alltel, Sprint, and Verizon) or GSM (Cingular and T-Mobile) and both have their benefits depending on how and when you use your cell phone.  First the carrier you use will determine in most cases which features your phone comes with and even its level of performance in the tasks you use it for.

 

  Generally GSM cell phones provide more talk time on a battery charge, typically five hours and up, compared to three hours for a CDMA using cell phone.  Additionally these GSM phones have a SIM card that stores your account information and your phone book.  So when you switch to a new phone you can just remove the SIM card from inside the old cell phone and insert it into your new one.  However, you can’t use a T-Mobile SIM card in a Cingular cell phone or vice versa.  The best capability of GSM cell phones is there ability to operate in different spots around the world much better than CDMA using cell phones.

 

  CDMA phones can have analog backup, unlike GSM cell phones, which enables them to operate in coverage areas where digital service is unavailable to GSM using cell phones.  CDMA data networks are also faster than GSM data networks, enabling them to deliver a larger of services and entertainment at a faster pace.  There is a trade-off though as CDMA cell phones that support sophisticated services lack the analog backup that normally gives CDMA networks an advantage over GSM data networks.

 

  Before you grab the cell phone you want and go running from the store, hold the cell phone!  I mean literally hold it in your hands and check that it feels comfortable in your hands and you can easily access all the keys on the keypad with one hand (one finger).  Make a test call if they will allow it and access all the functions of the cell phone.  We have found that cell phones with touch sensitive keys are harder to use than those with keys that give tactile feedback to the user.

 

  Check out the look of the display to your eyes in all available light conditions, some are hard to see in daylight or under bright light.  Our studies found that cell phones displaying incoming and outgoing numbers in large black type against a white background were the easiest to read under almost all lighting conditions.  Always make sure to check that all indicators; battery life, signal strength, icons and other indicators are clearly legible in all lighting conditions.

 

  The most important feature to look for we think is a built in speaker phone that works well, this allows hands-free use in a car or elsewhere (never drive while operating a cell phone).

 

  If you’re looking for additional features that are kind of neat check out these:

 

1. Programmable jog dial that lets you program all the pressure points on a circular jog as shortcuts to the most used features on your phones menu, such as address book and text messaging.     
2. Standard headset connector also referred to as a 2.5-mm connector that is compatible with most wired headsets and speaker phones on the market.  Models with this connector generally don’t come with a headset and will need to be purchased separately.  This connector is found on most CDMA phones and GSM models.
3. Voice command feature allows the cell phone to follow your commands right out of the box, without the usual training, and lets you dial numbers by saying them out loud.  Some Sprint and Verizon phones take it a step further by literally allowing you to phone up and run applications without having to sift through menus manually.
4. Besides providing a quiet means of communication, text messages have been known to arrive at their destination when networks are overloaded.  Most cell phones come with preloaded messages, such as “running late” or “call home.”  And most allow you to program customized messages for an emergency or frequent use; in case Billy needs to be dropped at soccer practice.

5.   Well that’s it for my hubs on the services, carriers, providers and capabilities of all the cell phones on the market today.  Now head on over to my hub “The Best Web Browsing Cell Phones in the World” and find the cell phone of your dreams.  Happy phoning! 

~ by warrenhayashi on October 16, 2007.