Saurabh Says

You went out the other night with friends and saw some cool smart phones. You want to buy one too which is cost effective and fully loaded with functions. How to find a right phone according to your need and pocket?


Here is a small guide which might help you in choosing just the right phone for you.…
What to look for:


With all the major mobile phone manufacturers being bullish on India’s potential you see newer models being launched every month. The newer models not only allow you to talk but can also store your music and photo files. There are so many additional features available which range from letting you access Internet on the phone to capturing a video on it.


When shopping for a phone, you can do some simple hands-on tests in the store to make sure the phone has everything you need. Depending upon your actual use, the answers you find for the following questions would determine the phone you would like to buy:

Need of the phone:
Some people just need phone to talk or send SMS and for some it is a complete communication solution like making calls, taking pictures, listening to music, updating status messages on Facebook, browsing internet or make a video call, for this kind of person a smartphones is the best choice. Good smart phone from some phone companies start at Rs. 6000/- onwards.


Call Quality:
Some of the most simple, bare-bones “feature” phones offer the best call quality–and on the other side, some fancy smart phones have bad voice quaiity. When evaluating phones, be sure to make a few test calls. If possible try in some noisy area and in closed room. You will get to kne the different of voice clarity in both the situations.


Design:Your choices range from flip-open clamshell-style phones to candy bar-style phones to slider-style phones with full-QWERTY keyboards. Whichever type of phone you select, check its ergonomics. Is it comfortable to hold against your ear, and can you hear callers without constant adjustment? You have to make sure your phone is easy to handle and looks attractive too. These days touch screens are very much in. But some phones provide both QWERTY key pad and touch screen both. If you do lot of typing like e-Mails, Documents or simple texting, go either for the dual ones or the one which has good QWERTY pad (either physical or enlarged touch screen).


Features:Look for the features like 3G, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, Java support, Apps store etc.


Service Provider:
Also beforehand make sure which kind of service provider you are choosing. If you use multiple phone its better to go for dual or triple SIM phones. Or if you want something easy and cheap go for CDMA ones. It will just narrow down your options to the convenient ones only.


Operating system:
If you’re looking to do more than make calls and send text messages with your phone, consider the platform on which it runs. The most popular platforms are Google’s Android OS (found on multiple devices), iOS (found only on the iPhone) and BlackBerry OS (found on BlackBerrys of various designs). Each has its advantages and disadvantages, and you should definitely familiarize yourself with all of the platforms before settling on one. Other platforms include Symbian (found on most Nokia smartphones) and Windows Phone 7. Latest version of OS will be costlier than the old versions. So if it suits you, you can also go for older version OS to save cost.


Battery Life:
Battery life of phone varies based on screen size, phone maker, usage. Please see phone has sufficient battery life based on your usage. There are two things
1) Talk time: For how long you can talk continuously without recharge
2) Standby Time: It’s for how long phone will remain on if not used before recharge need to happen.


Display:
If you intend to send and receive text messages, surf the Web, or use the phone’s organizer, make sure the screen is up to snuff. If you’re going to surf the Web or edit office documents on your phone, a screen should be bigger than 2.7 inches diagonally. Samsung Provides wide variety of Smart phones varying in screen size. Phone’s price increase with increase in size and better OS.
The screen’s contrast and backlight are also important. If your phone allows you to adjust such settings, you can make text and graphics easily viewable–even in bright places.


Temperature:
At times some of the phone models tend to heat up when you use. It becomes very inconvenient if phone heats up when you talking on the phone and can’t keep it close to your cheek. Please take feedback from your friends or check online about if phone has heating problem.


Radiation:
Cell phone radiation levels are measured in SAR (Specific Absorption Rate), is a measure of the amount of radio frequency (RF) energy absorbed by the body when using the handset. Higher the SAR value, worse it is for human body. Please ensure you check SAR rating of your phone before buying.
If you’re concerned about limiting your SAR exposure, you can take a few easy steps. You can text instead placing a voice call, use a speakerphone or headset whenever possible, and carry your phone at least 1 inch from your body (making sure the antenna is facing away from you). If you’re pregnant, you should avoid carrying a phone next to your abdomen. Some researchers also caution against using your phone in areas with a weak signal since phones emit more electro-magnetic radiation during those times. Children, who have smaller and thinner skulls, should limit cell phone use, and people of any age should not sleep with an active phone next to the bedside or under the pillow.


3G/4G support and availability:
3G’s and 4G’s faster download speeds significantly improve streaming video and allow features such as videoconferencing and network gaming. Check first with your service provider whether they have 3G/4G support or not. All major telecom providers offer 3G services in most Indian cities today and therefore 3G /4G compatibility is important for a new phone.


Camera: 
If you intend to take a lot of photos with your phone, you’ll definitely want to pay attention to the camera specifications. For mid- to high-level Smart phones, 5 megapixels is now pretty much the standard. Some phones ship with 8- or 12-megapixel cameras, but a higher megapixel count doesn’t necessarily mean a better camera. Verify that the phone you’re interested in has a flash–dual-LED or Xenon flashes work the best–or else you won’t be able to take any pictures indoors or at night without their looking like blurry messes. Try to take a few pictures in the store to get a good idea of the camera’s photo quality.


Most cell phone cameras also have video-capture capabilities; some high-end phones can even capture high-definition 720p or 1080p video. If video is your thing, make sure that the OS provides an easy way to upload your videos to Facebook or YouTube.


Sound System:
If you are looking for listening to music or watching videos, make sure you test phone for sound quality before buying. The voice should not flutter or break in between and is good enough for you to hear in noisy area also.
Phew! After a lot of consideration you finally short listed one model. Don’t forget if you buying from any store to check with the deals and discount they are running and freebies along with the phone. If buying online compare the price at 3-4 website before buying.

Surely send a picture of your new phone if this guide helped you. 

So, HAPPY SHOPPING!