Choosing The Best Cell Phone

Choosing the best cell phone takes planning and the knack for really knowing yourself. Your cell phone has to fit your lifestyle, and that includes your budget. Almost all cell phones require you committing to a long term contract with a cellular company, so make sure you read the fine print, in order to avoid any disappointments later on.

Armed with the knowledge of how much you want to pay, you can quickly decide what features you want. Herein lies the secret to choosing the best cell plan: when you know exactly what you want, and how much you're willing to pay, you can always find just the perfect phone.

Some principles to base your cell-phone purchasing decision on:

1) Not all cellular carriers or networks are created equal
2) Phone quality directly affects customer satisfaction

This means you need to do your research in order to find out what type of phone and what type of cellular plan is right for you. Find out what people who already own the phone are saying. Research customer reviews and notate if anyone has brought up certain issues or problems with plans or providers. It might seem painstaking to do this level or research, but the hours of hassle it saves you later on will be well worth it.

Several key components of picking the best cell phone are:

1) Cell phone styling and features - loads of features and sleek design is what most people want
2) Reliable and cost-efficient cellular plans - cell phones are monthly bills, people who pay monthly want a good service that works

Cell phone styling varies widely in range, and it's recommended that you look at and hold several different styles of cell phones to get a good feel for what to expect. A phone that doesn't feel right in your hand, will be one you're unhappy with. The easiest way to see a variety of cell phones is by visiting a local retailer. If the screen is hard to read, or the keypad is difficult for you to work with, you need to factor that into your decision to buy. Keep a small checklist of the pros and cons of the purchase. If the cons outweigh the pros, then decided against it.
Next make sure to rigorously investigate the cellular plan you're expected to purchase, and read it before entering into the agreement. Make sure all fees are disclosed, and that you understand what you're agreeing to in terms of total payments. It's better to be careful up front, than regret the decision for years.

Expectations of cell phone consumers is high, and it's no wonder why: with over 800,000,000 phones sold in 2005, this is one of the most popular products in the world. Companies ranging from Nokia to Sony Ericsson make millions of units monthly and ship them to locations around the world. Education is the best tool that a cell phone consumer can have these days.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: Darren McLaughlin

Putting It All Together: The Search For A Pocket PC Phone

When I decided that I needed to replace my terribly out of date mobile phone – an old Nextel i1000plus - my thoughts eventually wandered toward a pda phone. For those that know me this probably seemed like a no brainer. I have a long history of pda dependence going back years to a Palm 3X.

However, I already had a pda that I was quite happy with. For the last year and a half I had used my HP iPAQ 2215 for everything from a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), an e-book reader, an MP3 player, a photo wallet, an alarm clock, a mobile web browser(utilizing a compact flash wifi card), among many other things. Trying to cram a phone in to all of this seemed overwhelming, but curiosity - and my need for a new gadget - got the better of me. My search was twofold - look for a new mobile phone and a new provider. With my current cellular provider I didn’t get any reception in my home so I needed to find a carrier that did.

Through various unscientific means such as my own opinion polls of friends and work associates in conjunction with some internet research I whittled my way down to either Cingular or Verizon. Both tended to get high marks from the users I polled and the from internet research. With this part of the equation worked out I went online to see what kind of phones each had to offer. I was willing to go with a 2 year commitment in the hopes of getting a better deal on phone and plan pricing. In addition I wanted to get a group plan where my wife and I could share minutes.

So, now I’m looking on each company’s respective websites for their state of the art Pocket PC phones. I’m not talking about the Smart phones – these are the phones with Pocket PC software jammed into a tiny little screen that isn’t even a touch screen – that just wouldn’t satisfy my needs. I’m talking about the full blown, “why are you talking into your calculator?” Pocket PC phones – the uber-geek, pocket protector included kind of micro computer powerhouse. After all, I’m married now and I’m really not worried about public opinion or impressing anyone with my sleek, stylish, sexy new cell phone.

I’m hoping to spend around $300.00. I figure I can sell my iPAQ 2215 on eBAY for $200.00 and $100.00 for a new phone seems like a pretty good deal.

So, what I find is one heck of a price tag. Verizon has the much talked about Treo 700. This is the first Treo with the Pocket PC operating system – Windows Mobile 5.0. This comes in at $500.00. Way too pricey for me and it doesn’t even have Wifi.

Cingular’s best price on a PocketPC phone wasn’t much better. I could get an HP iPAQ hw6510 for $400.00. Again, no wifi. This is a real sticking point for me. I don’t see any reason why a device designed for communication would leave out this major specification. Being able to connect to an 802.11b/g wireless network when it is available is a necessity.

Okay, back to the drawing board, maybe I can try this from a different angle – Ebay.

Looking up “Pocket PC phone” on Ebay gets you quite a lot of hits with a good assortment of newer and older Pocket PC phones. At this point I’m thinking that I could get something maybe slightly used that would meet all of my requirements. This would also give me a good cross section of exactly what is out there and what features are available in this type of gadget.

After going through quite a lot of auction descriptions and cross referencing manufacturer web sites I had set my sites on a particular phone, the Siemens SX66. This particular phone/pda combo had been offered by Cingular until recently and it no longer showed on their website. It seemed to fit my wish list: a fast 400mhz xscale processor, wifi, Bluetooth, SDIO slot and it had a slide out keyboard for text input. So, I watched a few auctions and kept an eye on the prices.

But, sometimes you just have to get off of the internet and hit the brick and mortar. I went to my local Verizon and Cingular stores and talked to the sales reps about what plans I was looking for. I wasn’t impressed with my long wait at the Verizon Wireless store or the pushy salesman that I got. He seemed to think he knew just what I needed and kept showing me phones and plans that I just wasn’t interested in.

I had a different experience at the Cingular store. The sales rep showed me a map of the cell coverage around my home, he talked to me about the plans that I had seen on the website and when I mentioned to him that I had been looking at a Siemens SX66 Pocket PC phone on Ebay he went into the back of the store and came out with the last SX66 that they had. I signed on to a 2 year deal with Cingular that night with a heck of a good deal on a Pocket PC phone that had all the specifications that I had been looking for.

And you know what? I can even talk on my Siemens SX66 sitting in my living room.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: Michael A. Keenan

How To Get The Best Cellular Phone Deal

They’re almost everywhere. Today, you can't go too far without seeing someone talking, laughing, even screaming into a cellular phone. You've been thinking of getting one, but with all the new cell phone plans, and minute packages, you wonder: How can I get the best cellular phone deal?

According to the Federal Communications Commission there are two important things to consider in getting the best cellular phone deal.

1.Figure out what your calling pattern is.
2.Determine destination and time where you usually make calls.

In getting the best cellular phone deal, it is important that you support yourself with the information you need before you start shopping

Here are some tips in that would help you in dealing for the best cellular phone.

Determine Your Needs. In getting the best cellular phone deal, the first step is to ask yourself how much you'll use your phone. It depends on your purpose of using the phone. If you only use the phone for emergencies, a smaller, lower monthly plan may be the most feasible. If you plan to use your cellular phone every day, a higher-minute plan may be the best choice. Both higher- and lower-minute packages allow a set number of minutes and a cost per minute of going over those minutes, which is generally higher than the "in plan" rate. The most expensive mistake you can make is signing up for a calling plan with a rock-bottom rate and exceeding your allotted airtime each month.

Choose a Phone You Will Use. Not everyone needs the Internet, multimedia features and a radio on their cell phone, but all those features, and more, are available on the newest models.

The key is to choose the best cellular phone that allows you to meet your calling needs, rather than additional features that you won't use.

Compare Plans. Do a canvass before walking into the store and know the competitors rates as well. The best way in dealing the best cellular phone is not to demand a cheaper plan but to go in with information. Most cell phone companies have all kinds of various promotional plans that they never tell people about.

Consider Pay-As-You-Go Plans. For ease and convenience, most providers offer "hassle-free" pay-as-you-go plans that allow you to pay only for what you use. For instance, you can buy the minutes that you need for one month, or for one week and you only purchase more when you run out. That is one way that might work for all.

Get References From Family and Friends. The best referrals come from satisfied customers. Ask your friends and family members about their experiences with their current or past service providers. Ask them about sound quality, coverage areas, billing problems, the ease of returning phones and cancellation fees for terminating your contract. In that way, you will have the idea where to deal with the best cellular phone.

Ask About Rebates. With so much competition between cell phone providers, more companies are giving lower prices and offering rebates.

Ask About a Test-Run. Those who know how to deal with cellular phones always ask how many days you have to try the phone. This way, you have the opportunity to sample the phone and its quality without being tied down. Many providers allow a certain number of days following purchase in which you can return the phone for a full refund, without penalty.

Having the knowledge about cellular phones before walking into a store levels the playing field and allows you to negotiate the best deal. So, keep in mind those tips and for sure you will always get the best cellular phone deal!

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: John Rivers

The Future Of Cell Phones

Cell phones probably will not look any different in the future, but what they will be capable of doing will significantly change. By the year 2010, 85% of U.S. households will own mobile phones. Here are some examples of what future cell phones will do:

High Speed Data Acess. Imagine your Cell phone browsing the internet at DSL speed. Browsing the internet on your cell phone is nothing new, but DSL speed would be.

Video Cameras - This technology is actually already here. While currently a cell phone camera may have limited capabilities, it's only a matter of time for it to exceed and surpass the performance of astand alobe video camera, although there is some concern over somebody being videotaped without their consent.

Watching TV or movies - Provides live streaming television content for mobile phones. Everyone who has seen this demo nstrated in person is amazed at the quality as well as the experience. “The video quality is very, very watchable and quite enjoyable” says Marilyn Pearce of Chicago who has seen the MobiTV’s streaming video. . So expect entire 30 minute video clips to soon become reality.

Fuel Cell - Battery life often holds tech products back, and fuel cells could provide a boost. Fuel cells are like tiny engines that generate power through chemical reactions. If you need more power, you put in more "gas" — in most cases, a mixture of methanol, or wood alcohol, and other chemicals. The methanol will likely be housed in a replaceable cartridge, much as printer ink is.

Manufacturers and service providers watch these new advances closely so they are not caught short of what the consumer wants. A lot of this technology already exists but has not yet been widely accepted. But that is just a matter of time.

Cell phone carriers have truly embraced the multimedia revolution and decided to make our life cell phone centric. With technology like MP3, Video streaming and photography consolidated into these small devices, you can expect cell phones to become the only piece of electronic on us at all times. Play music, store all your images, carry all your medical records, GPS navigational information, if you dial 911 you can be tracked, check in at the airport., TV broadcasts, use it to entertain your children while you drive, web shopping... Is there anything a cell phone will not be able to do apart from making a warm plate of ‘angel hair marinara’ ?

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: Christine Hancock

Ringtones Are Red Hot

Ringtones are like hot cakes for the youngsters, the market is huge, estimated world wide sales of $ 2.5 Billion per year. The cost of a ringtone is ranging from $0.99 - $2.99. Most singers and performers provide rights for their melodies to be converted to ringtones versions. Survey shows that about 26% of cell phone owners downloaded at least once a ringtone.
Many people downloading more than one as you can customize and set the phone to play different ringtones per specific caller.

For instance if mom is calling the cell phone will play a certain ringtone and another one for dad and for your girl friend a different one so you don't have to guess who is calling you, it is totally personalized per caller.

There are four types of ringtones:

* Monophonic ringtones play a melody of a song one note at a time, with no harmonies.

* Polyphonic tones add harmonies to the song.

* Real-life ringtones include voices, quotes, or other strange, real sounds.

* Master tones are compressed clips of actual songs, as heard on the radio(not just their melodies or a simple harmonic version).

How do you download a ringtone?

There many web sites that offer a huge selections of lyrics and songs, themes from movies, hip-hop, pop, dance, singers, classics and you name it.

The selection is per specific cell phone model and the process is simple, fast and easy. You select a ringtone, choose your cell phone maker and model, you see on the screen an SMS code, you type it in your mobile phone and send, then an SMS message is sent to you with your ringtone to be installed in two short steps process.

It is estimated though that the ringtone download party will cool down a bit in the next few years as more cell phones will become an MP3 players of real music and other cool features.

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com - By: Amit Laufer