Guide to Buying a Mobile Phone

 The new fashion statement

A mobile phone is no longer just a device that keeps you in touch with others. Nowadays, a mobile phone is a multifunctional fashion accessory, as necessary for your appearance as a hairstyle. From how you open your phone in front of your friends to the rhythm of your ringtone, your cell phone is a statement about who you are and how you speak to the world. And as any parent of a thirteen-year-old knows, you're just not a "whole person" without it.

To buy a cell phone, you need to answer a number of questions, including who you pay a small fortune to each month, on what terms, and what you expect from your phone service. In addition, you decide which phone fits best and which extras and accessories you want. At Myshopping.com.au you can easily compare a range of different offers from different phones and service providers and come to a decision that works for you.

The communication center

Different phones suit different people, but the crux of the decision is: is your cell phone the center of your communications? The answer to this question will mean different things to people with different needs.

The student

The student cell phone is certainly at the center of communication, but it is clear that students have little money to spend and therefore should buy a phone that has access to cost-effective communication. The trendy phone will be important, but at a low cost. It should have excellent texting capabilities, pick up ringtones and be easy to transport. Of less concern are things like camera and video capabilities.

the busy father

Whether you work outside the home or not, a busy parent needs to be able to keep in touch at odd times and places. This person is looking for a functional phone with good network capabilities. The photo functions are useful, as are the texting functions and the long talk time.

The executive power

The executive is constantly on the go and is always in touch while travelling. This person's phone has additional features such as teledex, web connectivity, video and photography capabilities. Additional accessories include 'hands-free' capabilities and portability in all travel zones.

The traveller

Most importantly, the traveler's phone should be portable between travel areas and have access to networks in international areas. Long battery life, video, photo and web connectivity features are important features for the traveler to consider.

phone options

Which phone you choose is at the heart of your decision? Some restrictions may apply depending on the technology you need. If you live in a rural area or travel a lot to the countryside, you may need access to a CDMA network and not all phones are compatible. The majority of Australia's urban population (95%) is covered by GSM technology and a wide range of compatible phones are available.

The technology

Other technologies that may affect both your phone choice and your service provider include GPRS technology, designed to transmit data over the GSM network, allowing mobile phones to access the Internet and receive email messages; and the Push To Talk (PTT) service, a technology that allows mobile phones to be used as walkie-talkies.

the headphone

The next step may be to decide which type of phone you prefer. The phones come in various configurations, from the 'candy bar' format (long and thin) that fit in a protective case and can be operated with one hand. The screen and keyboard are limited by the size and shape of the phone. Flip phones and slider phones have the advantage of being small, but their screens and keyboards can be larger by using two halves of a clamshell. Some slider phones have rotary keyboards, which can be operated with two hands. A smartphone has a fully functional keyboard with which you can edit Microsoft Word documents, presentations and spreadsheets.

screens and memory

Color screens are now standard on most models, but size, resolution, and colors can range from 101x80 pixels to 353x288 pixels; and between 4,000 and 262,000 colors. The better the screen resolution, the better wallpapers and graphics can be displayed. Mobile phones now also have built-in memories between 16 MB and 96 MB (although this is a rapidly changing standard). Additional memory (500 MB or more) is available.