When buying a phone the first thing to do is ask your self a few questions.
- How often will I use this phone?
- How will I pay?
- What extra features does it have? Will I actually use these features and if so how often?
After evaluating how you plan to use your phone the next step would be actually picking one. The internet is a perfect source for choosing the right phone for you. If you have your eyes set on a pay-as-you go phone service, such as Virgin Mobile you may want to first look at how expensive can pre-paid cards are. Paying for Virgin Mobile service in particular can also be done using a rechargeable card which is sold at local department stores (Target, Wal-Mart, etc.) After you know how much cash you need to cough up, look at reviews for certain phones that you are considering. No one wants to order a phone and send it back a few weeks later weeks later.
Online forums can be used to get opinions from current customers of any prepaid service. Compare the phones you like and then find out the answer to the third question, "What features does it have?" Cameras are becoming standard for today's phones and many people use them daily. When you realize you need to check email that is another feature you need. The youth of today love to have phones with Instant Messaging (IM) and Text Messaging. If you are a parent picking a phone for you child, it is very important to discuss with them what they will need most. Some teens will be fine with unlimited calls and "texting" while other will want to pile up on games and ring tones.
An easy way to eliminate certain features would be to think of other devices in your home that could substitute them. Look to computers for internet unless you really need it. In this case a smart phone such as a blackberry would be needed. Games are the time killers, but are not always necessary depending on your environment. Some phones allow instant messaging without internet usage. If you just want to check quickly check it for a message you have been anticipating, this is an important feature, but once again a computer can replace this. The last thing is mp3 playing phones. Although they are a great way for students to listen to music, most teens have mp3 players. One benefit is that you won't have to carry around multiple devices, but when quality is a factor an iPod would be a better pick.
