Getting The Right Cell Phone For My Needs
What factors should I consider when choosing a cell phone?
One of the things I've always said to all my customers is your phone is your investment. It's like buying a car. You buy a cheap car, you get a cheap car. You get less features, less expandability, and less range. It's more of an investment because the more you spend on the phone the better the technology that's inside it, that's operating it. As phones advance the way they advance, if you're buying a cheaper phone, typically a cheaper phone is going to be an older unit and will effectively become obsolete quicker. You have phones that are coming out now that can do video calling when yet the free phone can barely do video messaging; let alone the fact that it doesn't even have the camera. So, it's not only about whether or not you want to text and whether or not you want to make phone calls, but also how long you want to talk on the phone. This is because typically phones with better talk time are going to have features like Bluetooth and have a camera. It's just one of those things that you have to deal with and you're going to spend the money for it; it's totally worth it because that's what's being put into the phone. It's not only Bluetooth, and wireless connectivity, it's not just the camera phone aspect, but also being a good phone.
How can I find a camera phone that fits my needs?
When finding the right camera phone to meet your needs, camera phones really are all about the megapixels. The more the megapixels, the better the picture flat out. Some camera phones take it to the next level; they give you autofocus; they give you shutter buttons that are similar to regular digital cameras and are becoming more like cameras themselves every time new ones come out. For instance, newer camera phones are using the Carl-Zeiss lens technology derived from professional digital still cameras and implementing them into phones. The same hardware that's used professionally is being used on the phone itself for capturing pictures, the image processors that actually make the colors more vibrant. The autofocus mechanism which keeps the image stabilized and in focus has the ability to focus on different subjects within a frame.
Which phone should I buy if I only want to make calls and send text messages?
If you only want to buy a phone to make calls and send text messages, the T-Mobile RIZR from Motorola that just came out is a great phone. It's called the Motorola RIZR Z3. Another one is the Nokia 6102, it's a flip phone, great reception, great battery life, and makes phones calls, sends text messages, just as easy as the next phone. The Samsung T619 is another flip phone that has a nice, pretty graphic user interface that allows users to navigate the phone quite easily.
What factors should I consider when buying a cell phone for a child?
The number one factor you should consider when buying a mobile phone for a child is durability, because kids drop absolutely everything. Another factor is the ability for children to make phone calls by themselves. Some phones give you the ability to restrict who they're calling, how many times they're calling, how many minutes they're using to call them, and that varies between phone and carrier, depending on who you're with. These are all major factors when buying a mobile phone for a child.
Can I buy a cell phone for my child that has restricted features?
You can get cellphones with restricted features for your child. There are a few phones available, Disney Mobile is one of them, who have released a cellphone on Sprints network that allows you to program four buttons that would be: Mom, Dad, and two other people up to the parents to program who they can call on the cellphone and there is also an "emergency" button like a little help in case the child is in trouble and they need to get in touch with the emergency services, which actually dials 911 . Another cellphone with restricted features suitable for children would be the Cingular Wirefly as well, which is a similar type of cellphone, you have four buttons that you can program ' Mom's number , Dad's number, sister's number, brother's number or a nanny or grandmother, and you basically control who your child can call on their cellphone and the four most useful people for him to be able to contact on a cell phone.
What kind of phone should I buy if I only need it for emergencies?
Typically, the free phones are the ones that are the best for those types of purposes because they're very simple to use. Their interface is very easy to use, and for the most part they always work. You turn it on and it always turns on. One thing you do want to remember though is that if you're storing the phone for a long period, be sure to take the battery out. This is because with the battery out of the device, you actually let the battery last longer in an emergency situation. Where as, let's say your phone is sitting there in your car for two weeks with battery in it; by the time you go to pick it up and use it, the battery is actually, probably, going to be dead. If you have the battery out in a separate case, it keeps it from draining the battery just by being plugged in.
Can I return my cell phone if I don't like it?
You can return a cellphone if you don't like it. With every carrier you have a separate grace period when you can return a cellphone, and different state laws legislate how long you have to return a device such as a cellphone. Recently there was a law passed in California so that every carrier has to give the customer 3 days to return the cellphone with a full refund, and the only thing that the customer is charged for is any minutes used during that 3 day period.
What factors should I consider when buying a used cell phone?
Number 1: make sure that the phone that you are purchasing is compatible with your network. For instance, if you are with Verizon, you need to buy a Verizon phone. Sometimes though, sites like Craigslist and eBay sell phones that are used; the individual sells them. If the phone is stolen or is black listed, it actually keeps the serial number that identifies your phone on the network from being added on to the network, and there is no way to remove it. So, you ended up paying for the device, you get it in the mail, you call Verizon saying, “Hey I want to give you my new device serial number.” and they say, "Uh oh, sorry it's been black listed and nothing I can do about it.” So, one of the things you want to make sure of is to get the serial number of the device you are purchasing and call the carrier before you actually finish the transaction. To check and make sure the phone hasn't been blacklisted and is enabled to be used in the network.
