How to Choose a Mobile Phone

Writen by Philip Nicosia

The first mobile phones, released in the market during the early nineties, were large and clunky devices with low battery life and very limited memory. All this has changed. Today’s mobile phones are not only light and compact, but are packed with features. Many of them have camera, MP3 and PDA functions, with the option to download games, programs, ringtones and full-color wallpapers. You can’t even call them “just” mobile phonesthey’re almost like mobile offices.

With the diversity of features, the variety of shapes and sizes, and the thick competition between mobile phone manufacturers that lead them to release new models every year, it’s hard to pick which mobile phone to buy.

Today’s top of the line phones can do almost everything, but which of those features will you really use? Some have camera resolution rivals a decent point and click digital camera; others flip open to reveal a keyboard to let you check and write emails and even surf the web. While it’s always great to have that kind of power in your pocket (literally), the first and most important thing to consider if your lifestyle.

Are you an executive? Do you have to keep track of a lot of meetings and tasks? Do you spend a lot of time away from the office? If so, buying a phone with PDA features will really simplify your life. You don’t have to carry too many gadgets with you, and you can make note of the messages you receive directly on to the phone’s calendar, and set a reminder for meetings and deadlines.

On the other hand, a stay at home mom may not need a PDA function, but would probably benefit from a mobile phone with a good camera. You can take instant pictures of your kids (and we all know how those moments pass while you run upstairs to get a camera) and proudly send them to friends and family in the same minute.

Most teenagers opt for phones that have the radio and MP3 functions, or have that elusive quality called “form and coolness factor”. A mobile phone is not just functional, it is also almost an accessory. Certain models are designed to look sleek and beautiful, and are even declared by fashion magazines to be the “it” model of the year. Others simply are triumphs in ergonomic design, and use materials (from a chic chrome to trendy brights) to communicate a particular image. A few models even allow full customability with changeable cases in a wide variety of colors. You can actually buy all of the shades, and make your mobile phone match your outfit!

Aside from your lifestyle, of course another important consideration is price. You will have to set a budget, and then look for the best deals. Check various stores and websites before buying, but remember that cheapest is not always best. Ask if the mobile phone comes with a warranty, how long it lasts, and whether the warranty involves repair or replacement of the unit. Also remember that it is better to pay a little higher for a phone you like and will use for a long time, than to opt for a cheaper phone, and then replace it within months.

Resources.eu.com is an online resource centre covering many topics including mobile phones and mobile phone unlocking.

Express Yourself With a Cell Phone Face Plate!

Writen by Christopher Luck

I can customize everything else, but can I make my Nokia cell phone unique? The answer, I found, is that I can do so very easily with a Nokia face plate. Cell phones, to many of us, are a big part of who we are. Our friends are in the contact list, we use the phone for calls, emails, and even to surf the internet. If that is the case, then, shouldn’t we make our phones unique to us? Of course we should, and it is possible. Even though so many cell phones look exactly alike, with the use of Nokia face plates, you can make your phone unique to you.

The face plate is basically the front of your phone. A Nokia face plate offers a very easy way to change that front to show off a theme, color, or idea without putting a lot of effort into it or having to tear apart your phone too much. It is easy to change a Nokia face plate so that you can get the look you want in what is likely a very important and highly personal possession.

In this day and age, personal expression is a big deal. You want to be able to express yourself and display who you are to everyone in every aspect of your life. There was a time when you couldn’t really do that with a cell phone. That is not true anymore, though. Thanks to the easy to use Nokia face plates, you can make your phone unique. Change the ring tone to fit you then add a cool new face plate that best represents you and you are ready to go. Your phone will then not only be your planner, internet browser, contact to the world, and lifeline to your own schedule, but it will also be an representation of who you are to everyone who sees or hears it.

The other advantage to an easy to change Nokia face plate is that you can change it often. You can, if you so desire, change your Nokia face plate to reflect your mood on a given day. Face plates, as a rule, are not very expensive, so it would be easy to make sure you have plenty of them on hand. You will be able to get up in the morning, think about how you feel that day and how you want to show the world you feel and do so with a new Nokia face plate. The options are almost endless in the message you can send when you combine ring tones with face plates to make your phone a total message sending source of self-expression.

Cell phones were once mundane pieces of chrome coloring and digital numbers. Now, though, you can change all of that with little trouble. By using Nokia face plates, can you can turn your cell phone into an expression of who you are or even of your mood on a given day. By adding changing ring tones, your options for your phone’s ambiance become limitless. So go out there, grab yourself some Nokia face plates, and start expressing yourself to the world through your phone!

If you would like the latest information on cell phone accessories , or find more of my personal articles like the one you just read, visit my technology site!

Cell Phone Plans: Prepaid & Postpaid Plan

Writen by John Lim

The Best Cell Phone Plans Vary According to The Amount Of Calls You Make. Find Out If A Prepaid or Postpaid Plan Is The Right One For You.

Before buying the first prepaid or postpaid plan you see, it’s better to first find out about the different cell phone plans available. The best way to rate exactly what kind of plan you should have is to think about how much you’ll be making calls on your mobile phone. You also need to monitor the time (hour) that you often make calls. This is because most cell phone plans will be limited to ‘anytime’ minutes which mean that you can make limited calls during peak hours.

When looking at cell phone plans, you will also want to consider the amount of coverage you will get. It is important to know whether the prepaid or postpaid plan that you’re signing up for is local, regional or for nationwide coverage. If you do not travel a lot, then it doesn’t matter. But if you do, then it’s important to know what you’re getting into or you could find yourself paying a high price for ‘roaming’ charges. Take note that the cell phone plans with the best values are the ones that include free long distance calls.

A family plan is also an option when shopping for a cell phone plan. It allows you to share your monthly airtime allowance with additional lines. What’s great about postpaid packages like these is that you’ll be able to make free inter-network calling so you won’t have to pay to talk to your family members.

If you are still unsure of which postpaid plan to get, after reviewing the various cell phone plans available, then you might want to consider the prepaid option. The prepaid plan is best if you don’t have a consistent usage every month. What you do is pay a sum of money upfront and you’ll get a certain amount of time/minutes. When you’ve used up all your minutes, you’ll be able to renew it easily. One of the advantages of having a prepaid plan is that you don’t actually have to sign any contracts, although some telco providers may require you to fill in your details for security purposes. If you are unhappy about the prepaid plan at any time, you can terminate the prepaid plan without any hassles!

Free cell phone reviews at http://www.cool-cell-phones.com! Find out more before you buy new or used cell phones online.

Polyphonic Ringtones: Calls, Court Cases, and Copyrights

Writen by Philip Nicosia

Ringtones are big business. The Yankee Group announced that over the last five years, these musical tones have sent people literally singing to the bank, with a total revenue of $2 billion since 2001, and $50 million in one year alone.

The figures show how popular ringtones have become among cell phone users, who download the files to personalize their caller functions. They can pick from millions of songs, from the latest hit R&B single, to quirky sounds like cows mooing, to the classical pieces of Ludwig van Beethoven. Technological development has also made the audio quality of the ringtones much more realistic. From the ear-piercing, tin-like sounds of the first downloadable tunes, today’s music pieces have a near-radio quality. You could dance to it, except you’d look pretty silly shaking your booty while taking a call.

Unfortunately, the realistic quality of the musical pieces have raised a few ethical issues, namely violation of copyright. Since the sound of the ringtones and the sound of the actual songs are so close, record companies are saying that they count as reproductionsand because of that, they should pay some kind of royalty to the labels and the singers.

In a celebrated case, rap artist Eminem filed injunctions against five ringtone companies, supposedly because they had used his songs without his prior consent.

Some would argue that the ringtones only use ten seconds, maximum, of the actual song. How long should a snippet be before it becomes copyright infringement? Nokia representative Matthew Courtney believes that it has nothing to do with length. “Every reproduction of a musical excerpt involves payment of copyright fees to the copyright owner,” he says.

There are some songs that fall beyond this rule, such as those that fall into public domain: classical pieces, national anthems, and yes, a cow mooing. (To date, there are no records of cows suing any major ringtone company.) Others still require the permission of the artists, and may even be subject to royalty fees.

Luckily most artists are not that inclined to sue, seeing the ringtones as a way of promoting their music, and perhaps a compliment to their own popularity. In a way, being immortalized in a ringtone has become a gauge of how one’s music has infiltrated public consciousness. Besides, nobody actually downloads a ringtone as a replacement for an actual record. A real fan would want more than a ten second recording out of a three minute song, although would probably use that snippet to announce to the world, “Hey, this tune rocks.”

However, trends do indicate that fans may actually be willing to pay for their polyphonic ringtones. Music label EMI representative Jay Samit estimates that the earnings form ringtones could contribute as much as 10% of the record industry’s total revenues. Apparently, the appeal of ringtones is that strong people aren’t just downloading it because it’s free, but because it’s a valued feature.

Of course, many polyphonic ringtones still allow people to download the tunes for free, generating their revenue from ads instead. Others use a mixture of the two business models, offering some for free (or a weekly rotating list) while requiring a small download fee for “premium ringtones”.

Either way, lawsuits notwithstanding, the fact is that ringtones are here to stay.

Polyphonics.eu.com provides fully licensed polyphonic ringtones as well as all the latest real tones.

Cell Phones Evolve And So Do The Worries

Writen by Donna Johnson Edwards

When I was a youngster I was among a very few latchkey kids in our neighborhood, but today, according to the Census Bureau, at least seven million “latchkey children” return to an empty house on any given afternoon. Most of us with latchkey kids have created a list of rules for them to follow, covering topics such as snacks, strangers at the door, phone calls, etc. They are pretty much the same ones our parents outlined for us as kids. But today, we have a growing list of additional worries to address, such as television programs, video games, computer programs such as instant messaging, and use of the Internet.

A couple of years ago, my daughter was old enough to walk to her grandmother’s house after school. I wrestled with the idea, but finally conceded that she was responsible and mature enough to handle the three-block trek on her own. There were some days when an after school activity she forgot to tell us about delayed her and caused everyone to worry. And sometimes even her grandmother lost track of time and wasn’t there to greet her. We decided that she might be better off with a cell phone.

I searched the Internet and found out what lots of experts and other parents had to say on the topic. I contacted her school to learn what their rules were regarding cell phones and then created a list of our own rules. She is required to leave the cell phone off during school hours and has a cutoff time each school night for all phone calls. She is allowed to make long-distance calls to her friends on weekends and can talk as long as she wants providing her chores and homework are done.

She got a camera phone and has had some fun taking photos of her dogs and friends. All in all, she has done a good job of managing the responsibility. The only problems we have are that she is constantly losing her charger, forgetting to recharge and forgetting to turn on the phone when she should. Hum, sounds just like some adults I know! But I digress!

I remember the first cell phone I had it was called a “bag phone” and it weighed about five pounds. It had to remain plugged into the lighter in my “mommy-mobile” but it was there in case I needed emergency assistance or to find out if my husband wanted something in particular for dinner when I stopped at Ukrop’s.

Gee, portable phones have come a long way! I just read that Palm has announced it will offer Microsoft

SMS service: Gaining Popularity

Writen by Judith Earl

Short Message Service (SMS) is on the edge of becoming a big-time player in the wireless technology. SMS has grown in popularity far beyond anyone’s initial expectations. SMS is a smart and trouble-free method to interact with our friends living even in farthest corner of the world. In the age when science is dominating the world, SMS via our mobile phones is a boon of technology. Every phone has a fixed limit of number of characters that can be written. Some have it at 160, while others allow you to type 190 characters on a single page. As soon as the message is delivered, we get the delivery report. The instant delivery of message depends on the network of the company whose mobile connection we have. SMS is similar to paging but SMS messages doesn’t require the mobile phone to be active and within range. SMS’s are sent via an SMS center.

Merits of SMS: 1. Cost effective: The wonderful feature of text messaging is that it is inexpensive. While an international call can cost you several dollars, an SMS will do the same job in a significantly smaller amount.

2. Comfort- SMS is perhaps the most convenient way to communicate. It allows you to chat with your friends and relatives anywhere anytime.

3. Express your opinion- SMS is an excellent way to state your choice in matters of public concern. You can also get a chance to win numerous contests happening on TV.

4. Spontaneity- Another significant feature of text messaging is the speed with which it connects us to people. It reaches its target in a few seconds. Messages can be written and sent while you going to the office, sitting idle in a bus or even watching television.

There are a few drawbacks of SMS: Some people become addictive to text messaging specially children. It may contribute to your mobile phone’s monthly bill. SMS’s are prone to failure due to network problems.

Short Message Service

5 Reasons Why Mobile Video’s Wont Take Off

Writen by Simon West

There are conferences being held at iHollywood forums about coming up with full-motion videos for your cell phone. This service will be provided for the new Nokia 3650 wireless phone. At first one might think this is a cool new idea and concept, but it is not.

The idea has been around since the early 80’s and it never took off then and most likely won’t now and there are good reasons it won’t, some of which are and not limited to:

1) The screen resolution is way too small to properly enjoy and view the full-motion pictures designed for large screen plasma TV’s.

2) It can be almost guaranteed that if this movie was attempted to be played on another phone, the battery would give up half way, if not earlier. Regardless, even on the Nokia, the batteries can only last up to an hour longer after the entire movie is done playing (provided the movie is approximately 1.5 hours in length)

3) Lastly, the quality of the movie would not be so great, as referenced in point one, not only that but the movies will be in the RealOne format, which in geek terms means, long buffering time and very poor video quality.

4) The price of this is targeted at $20 per movie, because of “the ease and mobility” carriers’ provide for the content. This as we know, is more expensive then watching the movie in the theatres and almost the same as buying a DVD that you can keep forever or renting up to 4 blockbuster movies.

5) If there is a call or incoming message, it will most cover and block the screen that the movie will be playing on temporarily.

These reasons are sufficient enough to not want to go and subscribe to a mobile content provider that are over-charging for a service that is not new or very user-friendly.

Simon West is a webmaster of a site that provides free cell phone wallpapers.

Driving and Cell Phones – Should Cellular Phones Be Banned While Driving?

Writen by Caitlin Crosain

The issue of driving and cell phones has become a prominent one. In the states of New York, New Jersey and D.C. as well as in the province of Newfoundland, cell phone use while driving has been banned. Do you think this is a good idea or not? Is cellular phone use any more of a danger than eating or smoking while driving? Both mobile phone users and non-users have a wide variety of opinion on this matter. If you use a wireless phone, keep in mind that cellular phone providers can offer you cell phone accessories that eliminate the major reasons why wireless phone use while driving is considered to be dangerous.

The busy person who spends a lot of time traveling (for example, a salesperson) often has a valid reason for needing to use a cell phone while in transit. You may simply be spending much more time on the road than in the office. Hands-free headsets are an excellent way of safely using a mobile phone while traveling. Some wireless providers offer hands-free headsets as part of their mobile phone deals. These days you can obtain free cellular phones that offer voice recognition dialing. This makes it easy to program your telephone with important numbers and their associated names, and ensures that while driving you never need to even touch or look at your cell phone.

For the average person who simply carries a mobile telephone for safety reasons, extra cell phone accessories and features are not as necessary. It can be assumed that in the case of an emergency, such a user would pull off the road to use the mobile phone. If however, you are someone who is using their cellular phone for business, consulting with your wireless phone provider about the best cellular phone accessories for your needs is recommended.

This site offers an extensive list of companies that can provide you with free cell phone packages, cell phone accessories like hands-free headsets, and virtually any other cellular phone requirement you might have. Please take a look at them to find exactly what you need!

©Copyright 2005. Caitlin Crosain is a successful writer and publisher of cell phone related information such as where to find the best Free Cellular Phones, Wireless Plans, mobile accessories and MP3 players.

7 Tips On Choosing the Right Mobile Phone Plan

Writen by John Bertone

Choosing a mobile phone plan can be difficult due to conflicting and even misleading advertising offered by the companies that are vying for your attention.

If you are not careful you may end up paying much more than you expected and much more than is actually necessary. Here are some tips that will help you to choose the right mobile phone plan, the one that matches your budget and your communication requirements.

1. Take your time. Don’t rush into a plan without knowledge

The billing structures of many phone plans are complicated and it is not easy to see, at first glance, how much you will actually pay if you sign up for one of these plans. In addition to this, you have to weigh the pros and cons of the plans offered by competing companies.

All of this takes careful attention and a bit of research. So, don’t jump for the first plan that you see, delay your decision until you are sure that you have found that mobile plan that is right for you.

2. Match the plan to your calling habits

The key to getting the most economical plan is to understand your own calling needs and to find a plan that gives rates that are favourable to your phone calling habits. Even an infrequent mobile phone user can end up with an unnecessarily high bill if he or she chooses a phone plan that does not match their needs.

To understand your needs consider the following factors:

a. Do you make calls in peak or off peak hours? If you are making business calls, the bulk of your communications may be in peak hours, while if you will be using your mobile phone for social calls you may be able to call in off peak hours. Choose a plan that gives you the best rates in the period when you make the bulk of your mobile calls.

b. Do you make local, national or international calls? If you need to call out of your local area frequently, then look for a plan that offers good rates for national and overseas calls.

c. Do you plan to use voice mail, send SMS messages, receive email or browse the web from your mobile phone? These services are convenient, but some of them, can be expensive. If you do need them, pay careful attention to the charges for these services and choose a plan that gives you good value for special services.

3. Find the plan that fits your budget

How much do you want to spend each month for your mobile phone? How much can you afford to spend? Don’t rush into a mobile phone plan blindly and hope that you will be able to manage the bill later on. In order to understand how much you are actually going to pay you need to first consider what is the monthly cost?

Then check to see how much you will be charged for calls. Are calls billed per second or for 30 second intervals? Is there a connection fee or “flag fall” charge that is added on to each call? Make a rough calculation of your calls based on your recent calling activity and add it to the monthly charge and you will get an idea of what to expect.

4. Compare the plans of the main providers

Once you have an idea of your calling needs and your budget, take a look at the plans offered by the main providers in your area. Visit the websites of the providers, read their brochures or talk to their sales representatives.

Find out as much as you can about their call rates, billing system, length of contracts, discounts for off-peak and holiday calling and other features of the mobile phone plans on offer. Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you are not clear about the details of the plans.

5. Find out what your friends and other consumers think about the various providers

A plan may look good on paper or may sound nice on TV, but the quality of the service that is offered by the mobile phone provider is every bit as important as the price. If you do not have connectivity when you need it, then even a cheap call rate will not help you out. If a company gives poor customer support or is unethical in handling billing disputes then their seemingly good plan may not be worth it.

Ask your friends, relatives and colleagues which service they use and find out if they are satisfied. Also, it is good to know which service your friends and colleagues use, because it is often cheaper to call people who are on the same network. If you find out that many of your friends are on one particular network and they are happy with it, then it will make sense to sign up with that same service.

6. Be careful when signing up for “capped” plans

The idea of a cap or ceiling on expenditure sounds like a great idea, especially if you have to look out for your monthly budget. However, many of the capped plans have exclusions or sneaky charges and that might not protect you from receiving massive bills.

The other problem with capped plans is actually not the fault of the phone companies but is the fault of the typical users. When they get a capped plan they think that they will be protected from high costs and they start to radically change their usage patterns. They begin to use the phone much more than they did in the past because they think that they will not be charged for it. In the end they wind up with huge bills. If you are not sure, it is better to avoid these capped plans.

7. Remember, fancy handsets are not free, nor do they cost $1

Many telephone companies offer a free or $1 phone when you sign a contract with them. The newest and most fashionable phones, loaded with gadgets, are not cheap and they are definitely not free. If a company is offering you a deal that includes a free or cheap phone, you will probably be paying for it as part of your contract.

If you really need a new phone or the phone that is being offered, and would have bought it anyway, then go ahead, but just remember that you are going to pay for it.

If you are about to sign-up for your first mobile phone plan or change your current mobile phone plan, then consider these “7 Tips on Choosing the Right Mobile Phone Plan” and make the best possible choice.

John Bertone is a Mobile Phone Expert respected for divulging the secrets on how to choose the Best Mobile (and/or deal) for your daily/ financial needs and usage. In his special report: Mobile Phone Secrets Revealed, he details exactly how to make decisions that will in turn help save you hundreds to thousands of dollars each year!

Latin Ringtones Mean Dinero for Ringtone Providers

Writen by Anthony Wayne

Until recently, when you thought of ringtones, you usually thought of hip-hop ringtones. This is not surprising given the genre’s wide acceptance of ringtones and cell phones and such smash chart crashers as 50-Cent ringtones, Snoop Dogg ringtones, and Lil Kim ringtones.

But ringtone operators are now starting to see the value in Latin ringtones, especially in the urban Hispanic marketone often referred to as “hurban” by marketers. While the market for Latin ringtones is exploding in Mexico, Central America, and South America, major Latin acts have failed to reach the coveted Billboard Ringtone Chartsyet.

Latin ringtones may be the lone remaining untapped pot of gold for ringtone sellers. “The Ketchup Song, by Las Ketchup was on our top ten list about three years ago,” said Bob Bentz, director of marketing at Ringingphone.com. “Then, there’s the traditional cross-over ringtones like Ricky Martin’s Livin’ La Vida Loca and Los Del Rio’s Macarena that are consistent sellers. We have good sellers with Juan Gabriel ringtones, Selena ringtones, and Marc Anthony ringtones, but, for the most part, our business is still mainly about rap ringtones and hip-hop ringtones. But, we like the opportunities in the Hispanic market and continue to expand our offerings.”

Bentz has reason to be excited. It is a well-known fact that the market for ringtones has been driven by teens and young adults. According to the US Census Bureau, Hispanics will be the largest teen minority group by next year and will be twenty percent of the overall American teen population in 2015. Moreover, Hispanics, according to Forrester Research, tend to buy more multi-media capable phones and replace their handsets more frequently. Hispanics are also larger spenders on cell phones with monthly bills $10 higher than the national average. Twelve percent of Hispanics use mobile data services like ringtones compare to only seven percent, according to the Forrester report.

So, the next time you hear a ringtone, it may have a Latin flavor to it.

Anthony Wayne has 57 ringtones on his cell phone. He’s not sure why he has so few.