MOBILE PHONES

With the number of mobile phones on the market and the variety of tariffs features and extras on each picking the right phone can be something of a nightmare To simplify matters we have identified types of user and outlined the type of phone that might suit them best As with many electronics goods features on handsets come in two types the essential and the differential The former is what you really need to think about because these will dictate how well the handset works for you The latter are more for entertainment but knowing something about them will help you make the right choice

Colors screen
Increasingly common the main advantage of a color screen is that it displays web pages and pictures on your phone better and can be useful for games players

Battery life Expect anything between 40 and 100 hours between charges depending upon the particular phone and the usage it is put to Recharging time will also vary between models Other factors that will affect battery performance are colors screens and video transmissions and poor network coverage where the battery has to work harder to maintain a signal

Camera phones Almost standard these days on anything accept the most basic handsets the digital cameras in phones have a smaller number of mega pixels available than most digital cameras typically 0 3 rather than the 3 0 common in dedicated digital cameras

GPRS General Packet Radio System is the means by which second generation or 2G mobile phones can connect to the Internet A GPRS enabled phone can collect email and view WAP pages

GSM The Global System for Mobile Communications uses three frequencies for phones 900MHz 1800MHz and 1900 MHz A dualband phone will work on two out of three frequencies 900MHz and 1900MHz A triband phone will operate on all three frequencies and therefore in theory will work anywhere in the world

Bluetooth This is a technology that enables electronic devices to communicate with each other without being physically connected Bluetooth equipped phones can be used via a wireless headset and can connect to PCs wirelessly to transmit information

Games If you are going to be using your phone for gaming then a Javaenabled phone will give you the widest choice from games developers

Ringbones Part of the fashion element of the mobile phone polyphonic ringtones can be downloaded straight to your phone and even linked to specific callers

Radio MP3 Many models have a builtin FM radio and or an MP3 player which you can listen to using a headset

WAP pages essentially web pages adapted for the smaller screen are now accessed by mobile phone users to get the latest information on a range of topics from results to shopping

Porting authorisation code PAC If you are switching networks and want to keep your current number then you will need a PAC from your existing provider which you give to the new provider Tariff changes and upgrades with the same provider usually mean you can keep your old number

Headset Using Bluetooth technology to communicate with the handset a headset can be a convenient way of using the phone And while the debate on the longterm effects of heavy phone usage continues a headset is a sensible option for people likely to be on the phone all day Car kits Some mobiles can be plugged into a car kit to utilize the cars battery power a speaker and an aerial to give better sound and reception Other car kits have just a charger and a handsfree kit

Speakers Ideal for use in the car or the office a separate speaker will give you improved sound quality

Mobile phone theft is a problem and insurance premiums are correspondingly high In financial terms you probably only need it if you have bought your handset separately rather than as part of a contract Whether you choose to take out a policy or not keep a record of your phones 15digit IMEI number to use if you have to report a phone as stolen

The mobile phone revolution looks to be unstoppable The chunky house bricks of the 1980s have been replaced with lightweight slim handsets incorporating the latest in communication technology allied to a strong sense of fashion Prices of handsets range from nothing to several hundreds of pounds a range caused by the eagerness of the network owners to entice us on to their expensively acquired airspace

There are two options available when purchasing a mobile phone These are a contract deal where you pay a line rental charge but can get inclusive call minutes or a payasyougo mobile where you simply pay for the calls and no monthly line rental Its important to choose wisely here because each method has its pros and cons

What to look for mobile phone Key Features and Accessories
More and more technologies are converging in phone handsets to give the savvy user the chance to communicate with more than just speech Mobile phones that include digital cameras are becoming the norm The ability to take a picture and send it to a similarlyequipped friend is an increasingly common phenomenon

The longpromised third generation 3G phones have arrived and although takeup is not quite as quick as that desired by major manufacturers network coverage permitting full mobile internet access to reach your email video phone calls and video services like TV and sporting clips delivered straight to you are now all possible And some phones will now take short video clips which can be sent via multimedia messaging Color flip screens for viewing digital images are also common and are a big benefit for the dedicated games player Also available are phones with builtin radios and or MP3 players for listening to music

Key features

Multimedia messaging is used by camera phones to send pictures sound and text all in one message The recipient needs to have an MMS phone otherwise they receive a text asking them to access a website that will display your message

Roaming allows you to use your phone abroad on other networks You will need to be authorized to use roaming by your provider and not all of the services you have in your home country may be available Generally text messaging is permitted but voice calls may be restricted to the country you are in unless you have full roaming

The advantage is you only pay for services you actually use and theres no surprise bill at the end of the month The disadvantage is that call rates tend to be higher than contracts and that your choice of handset may be restricted

Accessories

Using Bluetooth technology to communicate with the handset a headset can be a convenient way of using the phone And while the debate on the longterm effects of heavy phone usage continues a headset is a sensible option for people likely to be on the phone all day

Mobile phone theft is a problem and insurance premiums are correspondingly high In financial terms you probably only need it if you have bought your handset separately rather than as part of a contract

Some mobiles can be plugged into a car kit to utilize the cars battery power a speaker and an aerial to give better sound and reception Other car kits have just a charger and a handsfree kit