Everyone’s chattering or tapping away on their cell phones and you’ve decided it’s time to join the masses. But you don’t want to look like a clueless simpleton and buy the wrong phone, so how do you decide which one is right for you? Let your lifestyle guide you.
Are you a chatterbox?
Are you using your phone mostly for what they were designed for — being contactable while on the move? Do you go through your free minutes like hot dinners? If this sounds like you, you want a phone that will support those lengthy or frequent conversations. There’s no need for fancy apps, except maybe for Skype.
Choose a phone that has a long battery life and a good speakerphone. Most importantly, you want to be able to make clear calls, so the sound should not be muffled or crackly, and you should have adequate volume control. You don’t want to sound like a mouse on the other end of the phone, or the person chatting to you to be barely audible.
Is life just a game to you?
You’ll require a phone with two main features if you just want to play games all the time: Wi-Fi connectivity and sizeable data and storage. This is so you can use different gaming apps and also have the room on your phone to store them.
The larger your screen, the better, so you can see what you’re doing, and a reliable processor would come in handy as well so that the phone functions at optimum speed. You don’t want your phone giving up on you just as reach the final level — if the phone has a long battery life, it’s a bonus.
Just being sociable
Perhaps you’re the kind of person who has a busy social life and likes to update people on what you’re doing, and see what they’re up to, on Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms. Like the gamer, you won’t be able to do without data and Wi-Fi connectivity, so look for a phone that has comes with a good data plan.
These days, email on your phone is pretty much a given, but you should also try out the camera on your phone before buying. You want to give your followers the best images as you document your adventures. Make sure the keypad/keyboard is comfortable so you chat, message and add captions to pictures quickly and easily.
Out in the business jungle
A high-flying exec will be more concerned with keeping their finger on the pulse and staying organized. A good calendar and speakerphone are essential. To an extent, they’re extension of your office. Go for a phone with solid email functionality and storage for all those important messages.
Of course, this is business and you’ll want to look slick. Choose a phone that meets your needs but also looks the part.
Not sure what to look for? Check out the mobile reviews that are available online. You’ll get a better idea of a phone’s performance and whether it will suit your requirements, and most of all whether it will perform or let you down.
Images by Garry Knight and Oneras, used under Creative Commons license