Few tools of modern technology have become as prevalent as the cell
phone, which allows you to be in touch from almost anywhere, almost all
the time. And you can do more than just talk: Today's phones let you
send and receive email and text messages, surf the Web, and play music
and videos. Sifting through the sea of service plans and handsets can be
difficult, but we'll walk you through what you need to know to get the
phone and the service plan that are right for you.
If you don't have to own the latest and greatest smartphone,
there’s no time like the present to buy a new one, whether it be the
newest iPhone, an Android superphone, or a business-friendly Windows
Phone. Before you hit the stores, however, do a bit of research and read
this guide so that you'll know exactly what to look for.
Features to Consider
When you're shopping for a phone, you can do some simple hands-on tests
in the store to ensure that the handset has everything you need.
Call quality:
What good is a phone if it can't make
calls? Some of the simplest, most bare-bones feature phones offer the
best call quality, and some fancy smartphones offer dismal calling. When
evaluating phones, be sure to make a few test calls. In our hands-on
tests, we generally place some calls from a quiet room and several
others in a noisy environment. You might not be able to replicate such
tests indoors, but try your best. Listen for static, tinny voices, and
interference. Ask the people you call if they can hear a disruptive
amount of background noise.
Design:
Your choices range from phones with large
touchscreens to slider-style handsets with full-QWERTY keyboards.
Whichever type of phone you select, check to see if it's comfortable to
hold against your ear, if you can hear callers without constant
adjustment, if you can use the phone with one hand (or by scrunching
your neck and shoulder), if it fits comfortably in your pocket or bag,
and if it's durable enough to handle some rough treatment. A solidly
built phone should be able to withstand getting banged around in a
handbag or pocket, as well as a bit of moisture and a short-range drop.
You should consider investing in a case or display protector as
well—especially if you’re somewhat accident-prone.
Operating system:
If you're looking to do more than
make calls and send text messages with your phone, consider the platform
that it runs on. The mobile operating system you choose will greatly
affect your phone's capabilities. The most popular platforms are
Google's Android (found on multiple devices), iOS (found only on iPhone models), BlackBerry OS (found on BlackBerrys of various designs), and Microsoft’s Windows Phone.
Each operating system has its own advantages and disadvantages, so
familiarize yourself with all of them before settling on one.
Display:
If you intend do a lot of Web browsing or
movie streaming, make sure that the screen is big enough for you to take
full advantage of the phone's features. For surfing the Web or editing
Office documents on your phone, a screen that measures less than 3
inches diagonally will feel cramped.
Screen resolution:
The higher the resolution, the
better the screen will look—an important factor if you plan to watch
videos or view photos on your phone. A high-resolution display is
desirable if you plan to do a lot of reading on your phone, since text
will look much sharper on it and be easier to read.
If your phone lets you adjust contrast and brightness (including
backlighting), you can make text and graphics easier to view in well-lit
places, and you can also save battery life in a pinch.
4G support and availability:
4G networks offer data
speeds that are vastly superior to those available on a 3G network. You
can expect to see average download speeds of around 6 to 9 megabits per
second while connected to a 4G network—though of course those speeds
vary depending on your location and on reception quality. You'll
encounter two kinds of 4G networks when buying a new phone: LTE and
HSPA+. Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T have their own LTE networks, while
T-Mobile uses an HSPA+ network that delivers comparable speeds.
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4G is pretty much the norm on smartphones these days, and you'll
definitely want it on your next phone. Normally, connecting to a 4G
network costs nothing extra, though the faster data speeds do mean that
you can quickly hit your data cap if you aren't careful. Carriers are
constantly expanding their 4G networks; but if you're leaning toward
choosing a 4G-capable phone, check the relevant carrier coverage maps to
confirm that your region already has 4G service.
Cameras:
If you expect to take a lot of photos with
your phone, you'll want to pay attention to the phone's camera specs.
For mid- to high-level smartphones, 8 megapixels is now pretty much the
standard. However, a higher megapixel count doesn't necessarily mean a
better camera. Verify that the phone camera you're interested in has a
flash (dual-LED or Xenon flashes work best); otherwise, pictures you
take indoors or at night will come out looking like blurry messes. Try
to take a few pictures in the store to get a clear idea of the camera's
photo quality.
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Many modern smartphones have front-facing cameras. These are mostly good for making video calls; but some camera apps, such as photo-booth apps, use the front-facing camera too.
Processor:
Much like 4G, dual-core processors are
quickly becoming the standard in phones. You can still purchase and run
most phones just fine on a single-core processor—but going forward, most
phones will have two or more cores. As time goes on, having a phone
with a single-core processor may limit the types of applications you can
run on your phone, and the types of updates it can receive.
Battery life:
There’s no easy way to predict how long a
phone’s battery will last. In our lab tests and hands-on evaluations,
LTE phones have generally supported shorter battery lives than 3G phones
have. Ultimately, however, it all depends on how much you use your
phone. If you're always on your phone, browsing the Web and making
calls, your phone probably won't make it through a full day before
needing to recharge. If you aren't always near an open outlet, you can
buy a case with a built-in wireless charger, or you can carry around an
extra battery for your phone. For a complete guide to extending your
phone’s battery life, check out our "How to Boost Your Smartphone Battery Life" article package.
Picking the Right Plan
While shopping for a new plan, be realistic about how you'll use your
phone. If you're getting a smartphone, you'll probably benefit from
getting a plan that offers at least 2GB of allotted data. Having at
least 2GB of data will enable you to download apps and browse the Web
without having to worry much about going over your data cap. On the
other hand, if you like to do a lot of bandwidth-heavy activities such
as streaming music or video, you'll be better off paying the premium for
a higher data tier. One upside to getting a smartphone plan is that the
carrier usually includes unlimited talk and text. The days of mobile
carriers' charging users for a set number of minutes or text messages
are quickly drawing to a close, though the cost of data usage is going
up. Customers on AT&T and Verizon face caps on how much data they
can use before extra charges or restrictions kick in. T-Mobile and
Sprint offer unlimited data plans, but their networks are smaller than
Verizon's and AT&T's.
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If everyone in your family wants a smartphone, or if you have a lot of
phones and tablets that you pay for data on, it may be worthwhile to
look into shared data plans. Such plans offer unlimited talk and text,
and all devices on those plans share their data from a set pool. The big
benefit of having a shared data plan is that you don't have to pay for
data on each device individually. If you or your family members never
use more than 500MB apiece, you could save some money by paying for only
the maximum data you'd use. Shared data plans also usually include
tethering, which allows you to share your wireless connection with other
devices such as laptops and Wi-Fi-only tablets. The biggest drawback of
a shared data plan is that it can cost more if you or your family use a
lot of data. Before switching to a shared data plan, it's best
calculate how much data your family uses in a typical month and compare
the amount you currently pay with the amount you'd pay if you had a
shared plan.
Feature phones don't need data plans, so you can get away with signing
up for a plan that covers just talk and text. Plans for feature phones
generally cost less than those for smartphones, but you'll have to pay
extra for unlimited minutes and text messages. In addition, you'll have a
limited selection of feature phones to choose from, as many companies
are now starting to manufacture smartphones exclusively.
When selecting a plan, it's wise to overestimate the number of minutes
you'll be using for every sent and received call. Because one carrier's
definition of off-peak hours may be different from another's, ask the
carrier to specify the times for its peak, off-peak, and weekend hours.
It's also important to overestimate how much data you'll use, as
smartphones can easily burn through 1GB of data if you're not careful.
Choosing the Right Carrier
Tired of your current carrier, or shopping for your first smartphone
ever? Choosing a carrier is a daunting task. Most likely you've heard of
the Big Four: AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon. You'll also
encounter smaller, regional carriers such as Cellular One and U.S.
Cellular, as well as prepaid carriers like Boost Mobile, Cricket
Wireless, and MetroPCS.
Before you begin examining plans, find out which (if any) carriers offer
solid coverage in your city, town, or area. Ask your neighbors about
the carrier they use, and whether they have reliable service. If you
don’t have good coverage in your home, you’ll be in for a frustrating
two years. You should also check the coverage in any other areas where
you spend a lot of time, such as your office, or a friend's or
relative’s house. Carrier coverage maps are a good place to start, but
we strongly recommend using a service like OpenSignalMaps to determine which carrier has the strongest reception in your region.
If you don't like the idea of signing up for a two-year contract with a
carrier, try a prepaid plan. These days, you can find full-featured
smartphones with prepaid plans that offer unlimited minutes, text
messages, and data—plans that cost less than half of what the equivalent
ones would cost with AT&T or Verizon. Such plans vary from region
to region, so shop around to see who has the phones you want at a price
you're willing to pay.
Shopping Tips
Comparison-shop at a third-party retailer:
You can
purchase a new phone directly from a carrier store; but if you're not
sure what to buy, we recommend going to a third-party retailer. Best
Buy, RadioShack, Target, and even Walmart sell phones, as well as
carrier plans. A big advantage of buying a phone or a tablet from a
third-party seller is that you have dozens of phones from multiple
carriers at your disposal. If your contract has expired and you're
trying to choose between the iPhone 5 (AT&T) and the T-Mobile Galaxy
S III, for instance, you can compare the two phones side-by-side in the
store. You can't do the same at a carrier store, because the phones are
on different networks. If you're willing to wait a few days, Amazon can
be a great place to purchase a new phone. The online retailer
frequently has sales on hot new devices, and you can sometimes get a
high-end phone for just a penny.
Don’t give phones as surprise gifts:
If you're
considering buying a phone as a gift, consult with the recipient before
you go shopping. Although it will ruin the surprise, you should probably
bring the recipient along on your shopping trip, too. We recommend
getting as much hands-on time as possible with multiple phones before
settling on one.
Cut to the chase:
When dealing with store
representatives, ask them to be as straightforward as possible. Tell
them exactly what you're looking for, and describe the kind of phone or
plan that fits your requirements. If you're completely unsure, ask the
reps what phone they use, or which phones impressed them this year.
Don't let them launch into a sales spiel, or you'll spend way too much
time in the store. But remember, they're human beings, and they're just
doing their jobs; so be courteous, and you'll receive the same treatment
in return.
Source : PCWorld
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