|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| <<Previous
1
2 3
4
Next>> |
| |
| The Big
Picture |
| |
| Mobile phones
have become more than just convenient communication
tools: They now allow you to sync with the
calendar on your PC, dial a number by the
sound of your voice, look up breaking news
on the Internet, play games, take photos,
and more. But choosing a phone--and the service
plan to go with it--requires some legwork. |
| |
| Your choice
of phone almost always depends on your choice
of wireless service provider. In most cases
you first need to figure out which carrier
offers the best coverage and the best monthly
service plan in your area. Then you'll have
to select a phone from the assortment your
chosen service provider offers. With the exception
of a few handsets, most phones work only on
one provider's system because carriers have
mutually exclusive networks. |
| |
| There's been
a lot of talk about the third generation of
mobile communications technology, called 3G,
which is supposed to deliver a data-transfer
performance boost to 2 megabits per second,
compared with the more common data transfer
rate of 19.2 kilobits per second. But 3G is
not yet available. AT&T Wireless and Verizon
Wireless are among the companies offering
faster data networks. AT&T supports EDGE
(enhanced data rates for global evolution),
which promises data transmission speeds of
384 kbps, and Verizon Wireless offers a service
(currently only in San Diego and Washington,
D.C.) called Broadband Access that lets users
Web-surf at speeds of 300 to 550 kbps. Other
carriers are expected to launch their 3G networks
later this year. 3G will be particularly handy
if you use a phone to wirelessly access data
such as e-mail, text messages, and the Web. |
| |
| |
| Key Phone
Features |
| |
| Wireless
standard: World travelers are more
affected by this than users based strictly
in the United States, because most of the
world uses networks based on GSM (the global
system for mobile communications standard).
In addition to GSM, U.S. carriers work on
the CDMA (code division multiple access),
TDMA (time division multiple access), iDEN
(integrated digital enhanced network), AMPS
(advanced mobile phone service), GPRS (general
packet radio service), and/or EDGE standards.
AT&T Wireless and Cingular run on the
AMPS, GSM, GPRS, and TDMA networks; AT&T
also supports the faster EDGE network. Nextel
uses the iDEN network exclusively. Sprint
PCS and Verizon Wireless run on CDMA; Verizon
also uses AMPS. T-Mobile supports GSM and
GPRS networks. Note that while AT&T and
Cingular run on both GSM and TDMA networks,
the services and the phones that use them
do not interoperate. |
| |
| Wireless
mode: Dual-mode phones, which send
and receive both digital and analog signals,
tend to be more reliable than single-mode
models. In rural areas where digital service
is often spotty or nonexistent, a dual-mode
phone can fall back on an analog signal to
allow service, though roaming fees almost
always apply. Bear in mind that using analog
mode consumes more battery power than digital.
If your carrier transfers data using an analog-based
technology, you may have to use a dual-mode
phone for Web access. If you use your phone
mainly in big cities (where digital service
is widespread), you can stick with a single-mode
model, which is often cheaper than a dual-mode
phone. |
| |
| Band
support: The more bands a phone supports,
the more frequencies it picks up. Tri-band
phones, as their name suggests, operate across
three frequency bands. Theoretically that
means they provide better coverage than dual-
or single-band phones. So-called world phones,
which are compatible with three GSM frequencies--900
MHz (predominantly in Europe), 1800 MHz (predominantly
in Asia), and 1900 MHz (in the United States)--function
around the globe. You can also find tri-mode
phones that work on two digital frequency
bands in addition to an analog network, a
particularly handy feature if you travel frequently
to rural areas. |
| |
| Design:
You can choose between flip-open, clamshell-style
phones and standard non-flip phones. Flip
phones can be more difficult to use with one
hand because the cover may be heavier than
the base, and some lack a separate caller
ID screen on the cover that's visible without
opening the phone. Other flip phones have
covers that, when closed, leave the phone's
screen viewable for caller ID purposes. If
you buy a non-flip phone, make sure it has
a keypad lock that prevents inadvertent dialing--a
helpful feature when you put the phone in
a bag with items that can bump up against
the buttons. |
| |
| Whether you get a flip or
non-flip phone, check its ergonomics. Is it
comfortable against your ear, and can you
hear callers without constant adjustment?
Can you use the phone with one hand? Slim
phones, for example, are uncomfortable to
use when both of your hands are occupied--you
can't easily hold one to your ear by scrunching
your neck and shoulder. |
| |
| Size
and weight: Part of what makes a phone
easy to use is its portability. A typical
non-flip phone weighs about 4 ounces and is
about the size of an energy bar--5 inches
long, 2 inches wide, and an inch thick. Anything
above that is considered large. An exception
is phone/PDA hybrids, which more closely resemble
PDAs on steroids than cell phones. |
| |
| Battery
life: Most new phones allow at least
three hours of talk time and two to six days
on standby. Some phones, including Nokia's,
can last up to 14 days on standby. Keep in
mind that usage affects battery life, and
(depending on the phone) recharging the battery
takes one hour or longer. When you buy, investigate
optional higher-capacity batteries, or portable
charging adapters you can use in a car. |
| |
| Screen:
If you intend to send and receive text messages,
surf the Web, or use a built-in organizer,
make sure the screen is up to snuff. Six lines
of text are sufficient for most folks; anything
less will make your eyes--and your thumb--sore
from scrolling. Some handsets let you adjust
the font size to fit more text on the screen,
but the more digits you pack in, the tinier
they get. Consider a phone/PDA hybrid, like
a Danger HipTop, if you plan to go online.
Hybrids offer keyboards--a must for Web surfing,
e-mailing, or text messaging--and larger screens
than standard mobile phones. |
| |
| Display contrast and backlight
strength are also important. The phones we've
seen show marked differences in viewing quality.
If your phone allows you to adjust such settings,
you can make text and graphics easily viewable--even
in bright places. Several high-end phones
offer color screens; they're easy to read,
though you will usually pay for that convenience
in decreased battery life. |
| |
| Keypad:
If you can't figure out how to use certain
functions on a phone within a few minutes
(with or without consulting the manual), try
another. The keypad layout and menu system
should be intuitive. The buttons should be
responsive and easy to press. Check out the
navigation buttons on the keypad. A joystick-style
knob on some phones can make navigating menus
quick. Most handsets come with up/down and
left/right arrow keys. Buttons that protrude
slightly are much easier to use than flat
or recessed keys. |
| |
| Some PDA/phone hybrids come
with a tiny keyboard. The nearly microscopic
keyboard buttons may not suit everyone, but
for those who need them, they're easier to
use than a software keyboard on a touch-sensitive
handheld screen, like those on some of Samsung's
i300 and Kyocera's Palm-OS-based Smartphones. |
| |
| Voice
communications and organizer: Mobile
phones bombard you with call-management features--voice-activated
calling, voice recording, phone books, call
histories, speed dialing, and so on. Enabling
some of the features (such as caller ID, call
waiting, and three-way calling) depends on
your service plan. Most phones also provide
security features that can restrict incoming
and outgoing calls, lock the keypad, and protect
or mass-delete phone book entries. Some phones
provide speakerphone capability. Some even
function as two-way radios, connecting you
with others using the same model; such communications
don't count as airtime--a great benefit for
IT personnel and other roving staff. |
| |
| If you want to talk on the
phone hands-free (a must if you use the phone
while driving), look for a model that comes
with a headset or an earphone. If you don't
want to mess with cords, consider a wireless
Bluetooth-enabled headset. |
| |
| Wireless
data: Though very few people exchange
data wirelessly through their mobile phones,
nearly all new models are capable of doing
tasks such as sending and receiving e-mail
and SMS (short message service) text messages,
downloading custom ring tones and simple games,
or connecting to the Internet (usually through
a minibrowser that's designed to work best
with text-only versions of popular sites like
Yahoo, Amazon, and CNN). Such features, however,
are heavily dependent on your service provider
and your plan. Note that SMS text messages
may be available only to users within the
same phone network. |
| |
| Going online while you're
waiting for the elevator is a cool idea, but
most phones connect at slow speeds: 8 kbps
on GSM networks or up to 19.2 kbps on networks
using a technology called CDPD (cellular digital
packet data). One step toward faster transfers
is a technology called GPRS (general packet
radio service), a wireless standard that runs
at speeds of up to 115 kbps. Faster still
will be 3G, which carriers promise to roll
out by later this year. |
| |
| |
| Key Phone
Features |
| |
| Coverage:
Among the nationwide carriers, AT&T Wireless,
Sprint PCS, and Verizon cover the most U.S.
cities. Not all networks are created equal,
however. Service can be erratic even if a
carrier claims to have coverage in an area;
the quality of the reception varies, too.
One way to find out about a carrier's network
reliability is to try out the service and
one of its phones. Some providers (including
Verizon) offer free trials. You should also
poll friends and colleagues about their experiences. |
| |
| Plan
type: If you do a lot of cross-country
traveling, signing up for a national phone
plan is best because it will let you send
and receive calls anywhere in the United States
(and even in parts of Canada) at no extra
charge. A local or regional plan limits the
areas where you can originate a call and still
pull from your monthly pool of minutes. If
you have a world phone and plan to use it
in other countries, choose service with international
roaming. |
| |
| Minutes:
When choosing a plan, it's best to overestimate
the number of minutes you'll be using for
every sent and received call. Because one
carrier's definition of off-peak may be different
from another's, ask the service provider to
specify the times for its peak, off-peak,
and weekend hours. Other service charges include
those for wireless Web, three-way calling,
e-mail, and text messaging. |
| |
| Contract:
Virtually all carriers offer discounted service
fees if you commit to a specified period of
time, usually at least a year. The longer
the contract period, the lower the rate. If
you break the agreement, you'll incur hefty
fees. |
| |
| Other
services: There's almost always a fee
for activating service to your phone or switching
the service from your old phone to a new one.
Look into phone replacement plans or extended
warranties, both of which typically entitle
you to a new phone if yours is lost, stolen,
or goes kaput. |
| |
| Next Page: The
Specs Explained |
| <<Previous
1
2 3
4
Next>> |
|
 |
|
| |
|
