Recent studies have suggested that mobile buying has increased by almost 6 percent since last year and the population of mobile owners would reach near to five billion people by 2015. This meant good news for companies who are just beginning to venture into the cell phone market as they would have the opportunity to cash into the increase in mobile buying trend.
However, this means that the consumers are more likely confused regarding the number of features that these carry and these change depending on the manufacturer of the mobile phones. For several years these phones have stopped being a means of communication as people have started going for phones which have high clarity cameras, a range of apps and music/video players which can carry an array of different codec. Hence, in order to ensure that there are no confusions and regrets regarding the phone that is being bought or being gifted to another individual go over the below mentioned phone buying guide which details some basic questions and choices of mobile phone buyers.
How Much Can I Afford?
The cost of the phone can vary depending on the fact that a person might buy it in one go or go for the contract of pay-while-going plan but the thing is that the latest advancements come with a good price. However, the things which can enhance or reduce the budget are the accessories. The common accessories sold with phones these days include a simple headphone set, battery charger, USB cord (if supported by the phone) and the phone itself. There are some items which the user can look over if the budget is good enough.
However, it is prudent to only buy which are worth the use as there are a lot of things which a normal buyer might not have heard of and seeing them can be interesting for the first time. These things include a car charger, a battery with longer life or another battery to spare, memory card, Bluetooth adaptor for computer connection, Bluetooth headset, a better set of earphones, a car hands free kit, desk stand for businessmen, carrying cases and covering packs.
What should be chosen if being in touch is a Priority?
Being in touch or communicating is not just limited to talking and it usually encompasses being available for every individual all the time. The primary need is for the voice calls which are why it is prudent to check the voice clarity and volume level provided by the phone. Also, check if it has speaker phone ability as well if desired. This thing should be noted that voice calls have already gone third generation with the introduction of video calling which allows the individual to video chat with the person he/she is calling. Read more into internet connections later for this.
Then there are the SMS and MMS services which allow you to send texts, files, clips and audio files from one phone to another. Some phones also have IM function which allows an individual to SMS chat with one or more people simultaneously.
As for being available all the time, the battery of the phone plays a major role in it. This is calculated by the battery life and it is served by two different parameters – standby time which offers how much time the phone would work if let loose after being fully charged and then there is talk time which tells how much time the phone would work if the person talks on it the whole time. This should be noted that it would discharge continuously and won’t recharge again after a certain time (which can also be enquired from the phone dealer or seller).
Being available on the road would require the need of a car charger which is usually plugged in the place of the cigarette lighter and a wired earplug or wireless Bluetooth headset through which an individual can talk while driving comfortably. One can also find meeting features enabled in which the phone is silenced automatically and the callers are even informed regarding how the caller wishes to be contacted (for example, just by SMSs).
What should be chosen if staying informed and organized is a Priority?
Many people buy new phones because their older ones don’t have the features that are listed in the newer ones and better internet facility and new apps are the two most noted of these features.
Internet: The basic internet browsing service in the older phones was that of WAP in which the sites were customized or simplified to fit the phone. Then there came GPRS and EDGE which provided users the ability to browse WAP pages at a high speed or to see the ‘original’ web pages. These are much better for sending emails, IMs and other online activities and the users are just billed for the data transferred. The EDGE service is faster than the GPRS when it comes to transfer speed.
The third generation technology has come in the form of 3G phones along with Wideband CDMA. The best feature regarding this is that the user can transfer data while talking on the phone but the 3G networks are low in number as compared to GPRS/EDGE. These technologies sometimes also come with WLAN and Wi-Fi service that allows the phone to work with modems and routers. Do ensure that the phones chosen with these services do have good sized screens because browsing on small ones can make things illegitimate and frustrating.
Apps: As for the applications, just go for a JAVA phone as all the latest and sophisticated applications are based on this platform. Most of the new phones these days come with the software pre installed.
What should be chosen if looks are a priority?
A lot of phone buyers have gone for cells which just looked good but it is important to not be swayed by any of this as this phone(s) might not be easy to use. If looking for a phone which can make a style statement, then go for a brand which offers good resale value. The basic looks can be interchanged for phones that flip or slide as opposed to the usual bar form. Moreover, color cases should be considered by buyers with low threshold for boredom.
What should be chosen if Camera functionality is also desired?
Nowadays, it is a lot easier to go for a phone which can also be used as a digital camera. Most of the mobile phones are included with camera option but not knowing the specifics can be a problem in the future. The specifics are mostly attributed by the camera resolution. The earlier phones had VGA cameras which had lower resolution or picture quality/size while the newer ones come in the range of 1.3 MP (mega pixel), 2MP, 3MP, 5MP and some phones even have more. People looking for a handy camera should try to go for 2MP or above. Some other specifications include the sensor of the camera (time delay in picture taken) and the lens used. The latter should be of good quality and from a very good brand to ensure longevity.
These phones can also be used as video recorders or camcorders while MMS service should be included if you desire to send photos and videos from one cell to another.
What should be chosen if MP3 playback is also desired?
Most of the new phones come with the service of MP3 playback but the earplugs that are sold with the phones mostly aren’t good enough. Hence, ensure that there is budget for better headphones and the socket is a standard one otherwise only similar brand headphones would have to be bought in the future.
What are some other things that can affect the mobile phone choice?
The most important thing to look for is that the phone and its keypad should be usable. People not comfortable should either go for phones that support both or the ones that just have the keypad in them. Young buyers might desire games in their phone but that is easily covered through JAVA application software.
