Best Cell Phone

What Cell Phone Should I Buy?

Consider first how and how often you're going to use your phone. Will it be for business and travel, everyday home use, or for emergencies only? Do you need it to take snapshots, listen to music, or play games? If you're looking for a phone that's just a phone, go with a basic model without all the unnecessary features that make cell phones more complicated to use and more costly.

Consider these choices for the "basic no-frills cell phone" option: The Motorola i355 is a basic phone that's perfect for those who only want a cell phone to make calls. One thing that makes this phone great is that it is very durable; surviving falls, spills, and temperature extremes. It's perfect for those with small kids or who tend to be a bit clumsy around electronic gadgets.

The LG VX3400 is another good choice in this category, more compact than the Motorola i355 but more delicate as well. In addition, it's a flip phone which can prevent accidental button pressing when the phone is in your pocket or purse. These basic cell phones are perfect for someone who isn't that interested in gadgets or those who may feel a bit technically challenged.

Moving beyond the basics, ever-changing technology means an ever-expanding list of things cell phones can do. Some can take pictures and videos, send and receive e-mail, do text messaging, browse the internet, listen to music, watch videos and the list goes on. The next step up from the basic cell phone is a model with a built-in camera. Camera phones are great options for moms, teens and anyone else who is not too techy but still wants some cool features and a sleek, stylish appearance. Consider the Nokia 6133 or the Sanyo 8400 -- both of these compact and lightweight flip phones feature a great digital camera and text messaging.

Cell Phones for Kids

Ever wonder how we survived before cell phones? Especially when it comes to our kids? Giving a kid a cell phone can provide the peace of mind of knowing where they are, and the confidence they can reach you in an emergency. But then again you probably don't want them calling just anyone or using up all your minutes. And the confusing array of buttons may be too complicated for some younger kids. Fortunately, there are cell phones specifically designed for children.

Firefly, the first cell phone developed for kids features only five buttons, ensuring ease of use. Parents can program up to 20 phone numbers and screen all incoming calls. This phone is designed for children between 5-12 years of age. The TicTalk Mobile phone by Leapfrog is similar to the Firefly as far as parental controls go, but it also includes Leapfrog's popular educational games which can earn your child free minutes every time they play. You can also download pictures to the phone making it a lot of fun for kids. This phone runs on a pre-paid plan which may be an added benefit.

When it comes to teenagers most will prefer their cell phone to be fashionable. They're just as much a status symbol as a form of communication. Teens typically want compact phones that include camera, video, music, text messaging and any other new and cool feature available. Some popular and trendy cell phones for teens include the Motorola RAZR (sleek, compact, about the size of a credit card) and T-Mobile's Sidekick 3. The Sidekick is endorsed by the NBA, which adds to the coolness factor. This phone opens sideways and the screen flips around so it looks as if you have a miniature laptop in the palm of your hand. It features a QWERTY keyboard, music, games, text messaging and oh yeah... you can make phone calls too.

Since teens are social animals you might want to consider going with a pre-paid plan. This way you won't have to worry about your teen going over your minutes or racking up a huge bill with text messaging and downloads. With pay-as-you-go plans you and your child will both know the limit for the month right from the start.

Cell Phones for Gadget Geeks and Mobile Professionals

The Motorola Q is currently one of the most popular "smart phones" on the market, capable of voice, messaging and entertainment. The Q runs Microsoft Windows Mobile, enabling web browsing, calendar functions, office applications and full-featured email. With a full QWERTY keyboard you can even manage Word or Excel documents and sync with your desktop. Bluetooth capability allows you to go wireless, and though some think they're cool, I've always considered those ear-mounted headsets the pinnacle of dorkiness.

The Samsung Mobi, set for release at the end of March 2007, promises to be a strong contender in this field. This phone promises to be your home away from home featuring multimedia messaging, mobile TV, camcorder, still camera, MP3 player, microSD card slot, Bluetooth, navigational system and more. And not to be ignored is the venerable Palm Treo, which I covered in my Which PDA Should I Buy? article.

What's YOUR favorite cell phone, and why? Post your comments below...