Consumers’ cell phone purchase choices are influenced by both the features available and the form. With every amazing feature added and form tweak, consumers keep changing their minds. It is almost a rage to get the latest model. This guide is written with a focus on basic features to help you arrive at a model that meets everyday needs and is on-trend.
Categorization by Features
Size and weight
Those bulkier, heavier models of cordless phones are a thing of the past. You’ll be surprised to find one that weighs as little as 2 ounces without compromising essential features. You should decide based on your usage and lifestyle which features are most important to you.
The models are a bit heavier if you want to use it as a handheld, cordless phone, or camera phone or if the instrument is prone to rough use.
display
The screen is one of the features you’ll want to consider before buying one. The screen size is around 2 inches by 2 inches, but you may want to see the world clearer and brighter with it. You may even want to view web pages, photos, 3D games, music videos, and TV. A slightly large screen with high resolution will satisfy the requirements. Go for those with TFT or Active Matrix screens as they provide a wider viewing angle than LCD screens. They are also ideal for playing games and for taking and watching video clips.
Many mobile screens handle information just like a computer would. The displays can download, process, and store color images and displays. However, the quality is not as good as on computer screens and televisions, and a lot depends on the screen resolution. Newer generations of cell phones have better displays with true color images, are easier to use, and are compact in size. Screen resolution is therefore an important feature that one cannot afford to overlook.
Address Book Capacity
The caller’s name flashes on the screen, if the name is stored in the phone’s address book. This is a common feature with most mobiles. There are some models capable of storing this information on the SIM card. This saves you the headache of typing contact names every time you change phones.
Ringtones can help you identify the caller. Polyphonic ringtones have also become a standard feature on most phones. You can search for the models that can play MP3 songs as ringtones.
Cell phones come with an address book capacity ranging from 100 to 1000 contacts.
Talk time and standby time
Cell phone battery life is expressed by talk time or standby time. The total time you can talk on your cell phone without recharging the battery is called talk time. While the cell phone is in talk mode, it continues to draw additional power from the battery and quickly drains the battery.
Leaving the cell phone on without using it for any other purpose will also discharge the batteries. This is the waiting time.
network type
Networks determines if you will get good coverage on your cell phone. Most cell phones are geographically sensitive, you go out of range and reception is gone.
Two networks are incompatible in the sense that different technologies are used to transmit voice and data. Therefore, a CDMA network phone cannot be used on GSM or vice versa.
Each network is used by several operators and offers different advantages. So when you choose the career, consider the following characteristics:
reception in your area
Phones and rates: decide which one has the cheapest plans.
cost of additional services such as voicemail, text message receipts, push email
3G and video streaming
customer service – get feedback from friends and family
digital camera resolution
The image quality of camera phones ranges from 0.3 pixels to 5 megapixels. Add to this features like optical zoom, autofocus, self-timers, flash and editing options, and night mode. Customers have been rushing back to stores for new models that feature impressive new enhancements. These higher megapixel cameras are bridging the gap between cell phones and digital still cameras.
The auto focus feature makes a huge difference in image quality. A 2-megapixel camera with autofocus will produce better photos than a 3-megapixel camera without the same feature! If you are interested in photography, choose camera phones that can record video clips. However, it may be only 15 or 30 seconds long. You may even be able to upload your captured photos directly to photo sharing sites.
installed memory
Memory is an important part of a phone. Every phone comes with a decent amount of memory installed. Most have expandable memory slots to store photos, music, and apps. The different types of memory cards available are:
Flash memory cards: likely to replace storage media currently in use
Secure Digital (SD) memory cards
USB, portable memory
RS-MMC (Reduced Size Multimedia Cards)
microunits
MMCmicro cards
It matters which format the phone supports, as each card has its own storage capacity. You will decide how much you can store and how much it will cost you. A 1GB microSD card is around $45, while a 1GB miniSD card is $27 and a 2GB card is $79.
Categorizations by type of user
Basic cell phone users– If your main requirement is only to make and receive calls. A basic phone that has features such as text messaging, voicemail, clock, address book, alarm clock, and calendar must meet the requirements. These cell phones can take a lot of abuse than the higher end models. They are comparatively smaller and lighter and offer better battery life because they lack many of the battery draining features found in expensive models. Take a look at the good sound quality on calls. Such models are made of less expensive plastic and materials and not the usual chrome and metal.
Office or business users– As a marketing executive, you can use more than 20 hours of play time on the go, 5 hours of talk time and 400 hours of standby time while surfing the web and browsing the calendar. He wants to stay organized and connected to the office, but he doesn’t want to always carry his laptop with him. Well, all of this is possible with smartphones and it will come at a cost.
The cell phone will act as a laptop that connects to the office with Internet access. Some models have browsers and can give you access to almost any website. Wide sites can be viewed with the left and right scroll options. Another must-have feature is push email, your inbox is always up to date. If you travel a lot, look for a good roaming plan.
media phones– For the Elite User or for those who wish to use the phone other than for talking and texting. These phones come with modern features: big and bright screens, full color screens with good resolution, multimedia messaging, camera phones, video clip playback, live TV and 3D graphics for gaming. You can play MP3 and other music files as well.
Categorization by Price
Low-end cell phones- Cell phones in this range are simple with essential features for conversation and messaging. They come without the flip top and other trimmings. Some include color screens, polyphonic ringtones. Extras like Bluetooth and cameras can give you a great feel, but if you’re not going to use these features, it’s a waste to invest in them.
mid-range cell phones– Cell phones in this range will have a better list of features than those in the lower price range like: better screen, good sound quality, 1-2 pixel camera with zoom function, MP3 and FM capability and some with excellent appearance. Some models come with high-end ranges of one feature while compromising other features.
high-end cell phones– Recently released ones with high-end features fall into this category. The feature set includes more memory capacity, cameras with up to 5 megapixels, touch screens, brighter, better and larger screens, and business applications.
Brand Categorization
There are countless brands on the market that attract customers with great features! Companies fall by the wayside and are also quick enough to bounce back with some M&A. A good research will help you feel confident about the purchase. Focus on the manufacturer’s feedback rating, the percentage of positive responses, and also what additional features they offer at the same price compared to other manufacturers. Some models of popular brands are:
nokia
samsung
motorola
LG