Getting Started

Service providers determine which phone models work on their networks. So when you're replacing your phone, use this cell phone guide to help you decide whether you'll stay with your current cellular service carrier or switch to a new one. Major carriers use one of two digital networks: CDMA (Alltel, Sprint, and Verizon) or GSM (AT&T; and T-Mobile). The network plays a big part in the capabilities your phone will have and, to some extent, its performance.

When you’re ready to buy a phone, you’ll first have to decide which of the two types, regular or smart, meets your needs and budget. Choose a regular model if you need only voice and text-messaging capability, and perhaps a music player and camera. Smart phones, with their advanced operating systems, QWERTY keyboards, and other PDA-like features, are a better choice for people who need frequent access to e-mails, an organizer for appointments and contacts, and Internet-based services.

Useful features such as support for wireless Bluetooth headsets, GPS navigation, and high-speed data access can greatly enhance user satisfaction.

Types

Most models are compact and priced from $20 to $150, or come free with a two-year contract. The keypad and overall operation is generally straightforward. All allow you to store frequently used numbers and to send and receive text messages. Many have basic cameras and support for wireless Bluetooth headsets for hands-free communication. You’ll need to spend more than $100 to access high-speed data networks (3G) and enjoy music and video-based services. Other capabilities might include a touch screen, a QWERTY keyboard, an HTML browser, a multi-megapixel camera, memory-card storage for music and pictures, and more option for custom ring tones, games, and other services.

Long used by corporate travelers to keep up with e-mail and appointments, smart phones are catching on with consumers. Some want to tap out text messages on a QWERTY-style keyboard rather than the tiny keypad of a regular cell phone. Others see no reason to tote a PDA and a regular cell phone when a smart phone can do the job of both.

The world of smart phones divides into two categories. Some offer business-focused capabilities in a palm-fitting package. They allow you to create and edit spreadsheets and documents, and they usually come with Microsoft Outlook, Palm Desktop, or other personal information management software for your PC. Many of those models have touch screens for accessing the phone's many features. Other smart phones are geared toward personal use. They're fine for playing music and other multimedia, reading e-mail messages, and opening Office-type attachments, but they don't allow you to create or edit documents and spreadsheets.

Features

Look for usefull features

Today's cell phones come equipped with many useful calling and multimedia features, including a media player, camera, Web browsing, child-location, and call-management services. Some features, such as programmable shortcuts, Bluetooth, speakerphone, and voice command help to make the phones easier to use.

This cell phone feature lets you program all the pressure points on a circular jog as shortcuts to the most-used features and functions, such as address book and text messaging.

This technology enables the phone to work with wireless headsets and most hands-free car systems for tangle-free calls. (But avoid using any phone, even hands free, while driving.) Some phones support stereo Bluetooth headsets for music and other multimedia. And some can wirelessly exchange pictures, contacts, and other files with other compatible Bluetooth devices, such as a computer, cell phone, or PDA.

Most new phones have cameras with resolutions of 1-megapixel and up that are capable of producing respectable snapshots, though many lack a flash, which is helpful when taking pictures in dark environments. Look for models with 3-megapixel cameras or higher if you intend to print some of what you shoot. Those models take photography more seriously by pairing sharper image sensors with high-grade lenses, auto focus, zoom, and brightness controls for greater photo control.

All smart phones allow you to review documents. Some models add the convenience of creating, deleting, and editing them.

All phones have some type of location-based technology to help emergency responders find you when you dial 911 or 112. But an increasing number of phones support GPS Navigation services. They integrate GPS with maps and search engines to give you real-time, spoken, turn-by-turn directions to an entered address, or to help you find nearby businesses by name or category, such as Joe's Pizzeria or hospitals. Some phones lack automatic rerouting, spoken turn-by-turn directions, and other advanced capabilities, which limits their usefulness while you drive.

Some phones interfere with hearing aids. Even those with hearing-aid compatible designations are not guaranteed to work with all hearing aids. Your doctor can help you choose a phone compatible with the aid you use. Or go to www.accesswireless.org..

Many phones let you synchronize appointments, contacts, and documents with a computer, but only some can do that with Macintosh computers.

Most phones have very competent media players, allowing you to view videos and sort music tracks according to genre, album or artist, playlists, etc. They also typically have more than one playback option, such as repeat and shuffle. Some phones, such as the iPhone, have media capabilities better than other standalone players. The small number of phones that lack those convenient features are rather cumbersome to use.

Many phones have slots that accept memory cards to expand storage capacity by as much as 32GB. The removable cards can also serve as an easy way to shuttle files between your phone and other devices--provided that the phone's maker didn't bury the card slot behind the battery cover. Card formats include Secure Digital Card SD, miniSD, and MicroSD.

Most Bluetooth-equipped cell phones can link only with wireless headsets and hands-free systems in cars. But those with Bluetooth-data support can wirelessly exchange pictures, contacts, and other files with other compatible Bluetooth devices, such as a computer, cell phone, or PDA.

Besides providing a quiet means of communication, text messages have been known to get through even when networks are overloaded. Most phones come with preset messages, such as "running late" or "call home." And most allow you to program customized messages for an emergency or frequent use, for example: "I've dropped Billy at soccer."

These let you assign functions to the phone's controls (touch screen, jog dial, etc.) so that you can quickly access contacts, text messaging, and other frequently used features.

Keyboards make composing and editing text and e-mail messages much easier than a keypad does. Some phones have keyboards that try to save space by having some letters, numbers, and symbols share a key. Those "condensed" keyboards, though still more convenient than a keypad, are not quite as easy to handle as full QWERTY keyboards.

Smart phones run on various operating systems, each with its own character. The operating system affects a phone's capabilities, ease of use, and other conveniences.

A built-in speakerphone, which allows hands-free use in a car or elsewhere. (But avoid using any phone, even hands free, while driving.)

The standard connector on the handset, also known as a 2.5-mm or 3.5-mm connector, is compatible with most aftermarket wired headsets. Some phones with a proprietary connector might include an adapter to a standard connector.

Many smart phones have a touch-sensitive display that responds to light contact with a stylus, finger, or both. It provides an alternate, and sometimes more direct, method of entering data and activating phone features and controls.

This feature allows you to dial numbers from your phone book by speaking the name, without the usual training. You can also dial numbers by pronouncing the digits.

Cell phone data networks--even those designated "3G broadband"--are much slower than the broadband Internet connections many people have at home. But a rising number of phones have a built-in Wi-Fi radio that gives them faster Internet and e-mail access through home networks and Wi-Fi hotspots. On some phones, the Wi-Fi is just for Web browsing; on others, you can use the connection to swap files with a PC or make calls using Voice Over Internet Protocol.