3 Simple Tips for Choosing a Smartphone

Smartphones have made our lives easier and convenient. But with so many options available out there, how do you choose a smartphone, which meets all your requirements perfectly. A Smartphone can help you get directions, easily share information among your friends, listen to music, watch movies and helps you to stay connected, no matter where you are.

Most people, who have never used a Smartphone before, tend to get seriously confused. After all, there are so many questions running through their minds. Like, which platform is the best? Is it the Android, Blackberry or iPhone? How to avoid expensive data plans or call minutes, which you are never going to use? What to do in case, your cellphone carrier is not compatible with the phone you want to buy? And the most important question is... Do you really need a Smartphone?

Over the years, Smartphones have become more affordable and every other person is carrying one. But, if you too are planning to buy one, it's best, if you did a bit of research and really spent some time, trying to figure out what features you actually need, and how much you are willing to spend. We are going to list down 3 tips for you, which are going to help you make your decision with ease, and avoid the confusion.

Android, Blackberry or iPhone

This question pops up on everyone's mind, while thinking of buying a Smartphone. And it can get really confusing. All the three platforms are equally good, but they do have their own drawbacks. A large number of phones are running on android, and the operating system has a phone for every budget, along with a vast library of free applications that work across multiple platforms. The Blackberry on the other hand, is perfect for chatting and browsing the internet. And the iPhone has one of the largest collections of applications. But, the apps can only be used on an iPhone, and not on any other platform.

Therefore, it is important that before you make that decision. You find out, what you are going to do with your smartphone. If you are going to download a lot of free applications, then go for the android. Similarly, if you plan to stay connected all the time via messenger and email on the go, the Blackberry is the best choice for you. And if you are a big fan of Apple, then the iPhone is what you want.

Set your Budget

Smartphones have become cheaper, but the same cannot be said about carriers. So, you need to decide how much money you are willing to shell out, before you step into a cellphone outlet. Most of the carriers are offering discounts and bundled packages, but even with the discounts, you could still end up paying almost triple the amount, you spent to buy the phone.

So, it's important to check out, which carrier is offering you the best plan. Because, a $90 plan for 2 years would be too much compared to the cost of the Smartphone itself. And you really need to think it out, for what purpose are you going to use the phone. If you are going to use your phone to download a lot of apps, surf the internet or chat a lot. Then you need an unlimited data plan, to cut down on downloading charges.

Similarly, if you are going to use your phone to make a lot of calls, you should go for a plan that offers you discounted call rates. Plus, you need to find out, how much penalty you are going to be charged, if you walk out of the contract. And then, choose your carrier based on all the points that we discussed. It will not only save you a lot of money, but will also help you choose the best plan for your Smartphone.

Experience it

Now that you know, which phone, platform, plan and carrier you want to go with. It's time, to experience it all in person. Since, your phone is the only thing, which you are going to use the most. It's important, that you check out its features in person, see whether the keypad is comfortable enough for you, and if it's a touchscreen, check out how responsive it is.

Click some pictures to test out the quality of the camera. And make sure the music and the video player are up to the mark. Run a few applications on the phone and see, whether the phone hangs up, or not. Basically, a Smartphone is meant for multitasking, and it is better to always test out a phone for any possible drawbacks, before you make your choice.

Since, you might be using the same phone for the next 3 to 4 years. You should always make sure, that it is what you are looking for. If you follow these 3 simple tips. We are sure, you will be able to find a phone, which is just perfect for you, and could literally help transform your life.

The author of this article is a freelance copywriter and editor and writes for a number of blogs and websites and can be reached at freelancewriter25@gmail.com to provide his writing services for your blogs and websites,

View the original article here

When it Comes to Smartphone Displays, Does Size Matter?

Over the last few years, there’s consistently been one feature about the iPhone I’d hoped Apple would change. Its display size. Say what you want about portability, but a 3.5? screen is far from ideal for any kind of extended web browsing.
Needless to say, the Cupertino company hasn’t touched the iPhone’s screen size, and I’ve always kind of wondered why. Recently I came across an article by Dustin Curtis, a designer, that offers some interesting thoughts on Apple’s reasoning…
In the post, Curtis talks about an epiphany he had while using his recently purchased Samsung Galaxy S II:

“When you first see a phone with a 4-inch or larger screen, it seems like a much better experience. I thought it was a technical decision, and it could be, but since switching to an Android phone — a Samsung Galaxy S II — 15 days ago, I have realized another huge downside of larger screens: when holding the phone with one hand, I can’t reach the other side of the screen with my thumb.”

He goes on to explain that trying to touch the upper right hand of his Galaxy S II’s 4.2? display with one hand is frustrating, and nearly impossible. With his iPhone 4, however, he found that he could reach the other side of the screen without straining.

Several tech writers have picked up on the article, and it has moved them to publish their own opinions. Here’s Marco Arment on the matter:

“As a four-year iPhone user, I’ve never thought, “You know what I don’t like about this phone? The screen’s too small. I’d like to reduce my battery life, and I’d like my phone to protrude from my pocket in a larger and more conspicuous rectangle to achieve a larger screen that I cannot comfortably use one-handed. That would be completely worth it.”

I agree with Arment in the fact that I don’t think I would want my iPhone much bigger than it already is. But I do enjoy the extra screen real estate on my girlfriend’s Droid Bionic when browsing around eBay and other websites.
If you ask me, an iPhone with a 3.7-4.0-inch display would be perfect. Users would enjoy the larger viewing area, and could still comfortably operate the handset with one hand. What’s your idea of the perfect smartphone screen size?
View the original article here