Tips for Buying Cell Phones as Gifts

If you're planning on buying a cell phone as a gift, there are a few things you need to know. Most importantly, if this is an upgrade to their current phone, you need to know what provider they are using. You'll also need to know how they'll use the phone and what functions they'll need. Once you have this information, everything else is easy!

It's important to know who the recipient's provider is because of the network involved. Different networks utilize different technologies. Currently, there are three mobile phone technologies in play. Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) is used by carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile while Sprint and Verizon use Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM). Nextel uses Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (iDEN), but this network is rapidly shrinking and I recommend avoiding it. None of these networks are compatible with any of the others. This means your AT&T phone simply won't work on Nextel's network and vice-versa. Of course, if this is their first cell phone none of this is terribly important. What will be important is coverage and signal quality. The CDMA network covers a great deal of the U.S. and has strong signals. GSM on the other hand has a larger global presence and uses SIM cards. These are little chips that allow a user to access the network of a host country, which is very handy for travelers. Mind you, not all GSM phones will work overseas, so be careful. There is a fourth choice, however. Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO) buy chunks of time from the bigger networks and re-work them into custom packages for users with particular needs, such as Virgin Mobile or Amp'd.

Now that you have the providers and networks all figured out, its time to take stock of how they'll use the phone. Will they need a sturdy, hardworking phone or something a little more elegant? Are they an experienced user or is this their very first phone? Knowing these things will help you to decide what kind of cell phone would best fit that special someone's needs.

There are several styles of phones that will fit certain lifestyles better than others. A candy-bar style phone for example, has not flip cover or swiveling parts and can take more punishment than other types of phones. This makes them a great choice for someone who works or plays in a harsher-than-average environment or someone that doesn't treat things too gently. Flip phones have a cover that opens up to reveal the phone face and act as the receiver. These are good at preventing accidental calls because the cover prevents access to the buttons. This is a good choice for people who keep their phone in their purse or pocket. Also, some people find that they can hear and be heard a little better with this style because is fits the shape of the head better than other phones. Cell phones also come in slider and swivel styles that can also protect from accidental calling, depending on the exact style.

Layout is almost as important as style. Is this for an older person? If so, you may want to consider a phone with larger, easy to use buttons. If you want something more sleek and contemporary, there are phones with touch-screen pads that don't utilize buttons at all. In either case, make sure the screen is clear and easy to read. The more features a phone has, the more likely it is to be cluttered and hard to understand. It's important to remember this when matching the phone to the person receiving the gift.

All right! Now we're ready for the fun stuff. Let's take a look at some features that are available. Some phones come with Bluetooth technology. This lets you use a wireless connection to headsets, stereos and other Bluetooth devices. Unless the recipient is a real technophile this will probably be a very expensive but unused feature.

A camera is easily one of the top selling features of most phones today. From simple, low-resolution up to sophisticated editing, there is a wide range of choices to be made. A quick rule of thumb regarding picture quality is the more mega-pixels a camera has, the better quality pictures it will take. Many of these same camera phones also have the ability to take short video clips as well. The same rules regarding cameras will apply to video. Text messaging and email are right up there in popularity with picture taking. Text messaging will send only written messages, but multimedia messaging will send pictures, text and video, making it much more versatile but ultimately a little more costly. The better cell phones with this capability will also come with a small, integrated keyboard to make for easier typing. As you get up into the higher-end phones, you'll find that some have additional memory and multimedia options that will allow the user to listen to music and FM radio through their cell phones. Many will even allow you to download music straight from the Internet to your phone, for a fee of course. If the phone has voice dialing it will allow you to make phone calls without needing to push any buttons. Simply state whom you wish to call and the phone does the rest. A really nice feature that many cell phones now offer is push-to-talk. This feature lets the user call individual people or designated groups of people without using a cell phone signal or using up valuable minutes. It basically turns the phone into a walkie-talkie! If you're looking to get a phone with the ultimate connectivity, you could buy a phone with web browsing abilities. This will give you access to the Internet from practically anywhere. The last feature I'll mention is a speakerphone that will allow users to make hands-free calls. This is very nice feature for folks who need to make calls while driving. Again, remember that more features and options mean a higher initial cost and probably a higher monthly fee.

Unless you're going to pay for the phone's usage and minutes, I wouldn't concern myself too much with calling plans. You should be concerned with the phone's performance, though. Whatever phone you choose; ask to make a call on it in the store to check the quality of the call. Does it drop the call? Is there static? Do voices sound strong? Check these things out along with the features it offers. See how well it takes pictures or videos. Use the phone to hop on the Internet and see if it does a good job. There are good and bad phones at every cost level so take your time to ensure you get everything you want at the price you want. Do this and you're sure to give a gift that will a truly appreciated.