Symbian Mobile Phone Blog

How to pick the right cell phone

There's a few reasons you might want a new cell phone. Maybe you've had yours for 3 years, it's as big as a banana and most of the buttons don't work. Perchance you just dropped it in the toilet and your insurance policy doesn't cover water damage. Or maybe it's just too simple and you have a little extra money lying around- you want an upgrade.

Assuming you don't work for a cell phone retailer and you're not looking for a hand-me-down (which can be very hard to find, especially since cell phone carriers are in the business of making sure you can't do that, so that you'll have to belly up to the bar) you'll probably need some guidance since there are so many phone models available right now with a range of options and features.

Some of the different things you might want to think about before you even go to the store: How much am I willing to spend on a phone? Do I need a camera on it? If so, do I need a video camera? Am I going to be sending many text messages? If so, do I want to look for a model with a more expansive keyboard than the traditional 9 keys?

Once you've answered these basic questions, it might be time to narrow down your options based on brand names. Different manufacturers are based in various countries and a quick search will tell you more than enough about their professional ethics. Alternatively, you could just check out a website including cell phone news and reviews, it'll give you a list of phones to consider.

Make your decision wisely, because you'll probably have to stick with it. No one wants to buy a used cell phone, and once you've used it for a while it will be difficult to return it to the place you bought it. My advice is to take someone else's word for it. There is plenty of information out there if you look hard enough.

To Print, or Not to Print

I remember when the Dot Matrix was the hottest product on the market for home printing. Although I had one, I regret it- the printouts had characteristic streaks and the paper jammed.  Now that technology has evolved and a plethora of options currently abound for printer hardware, the notion of printing at home has become much more attractive.

The main problem is that when your inkjet cartridges run out, you have to go to the supermarket and you might find that you don’t want to spend the $50-$60 to replace your black and color cartridges.  Not to mention that you might not find the right cartridge for your model.

Let’s consider the alternatives.  If you are printing a standard size page with standard ink, the copy shop down the street will probably charge you $0.10 for a black and white copy or $0.15 for color.  Let’s say you print off 500 pages at this rate, for black and white printing you will spend a whopping $50.00!  Sure, Kinko’s might give you a discounted rate if you are a master negotiator, but they’re obviously pulling in plenty of profit by this scheme, since they are buying ink and other supplies in bulk.  In fact, there really is no better alternative than using your own equipment for your average printing needs.

Now, consider the convenience factor.  Printing from your home or office saves you a trip downtown, increases the privacy of your operations, and allows you the flexibility of using your own computer to customize your printing processes.

The icing on the cake is that you can do even better buy looking for inexpensive inkjet cartridges online.  The selection is bound to be adequate and many sites also offer free shipping because cartridges weigh so little. Bottom line: if you can afford to invest in some reasonably high quality home printing hardware, why pad the copy shop’s pockets?