Calling Features
Most people have come to expect basic calling features like caller ID, call waiting and call hold, but you may not be aware of other features that are commonly integrated into today's phones. If you like to move freely during calls or talk in the car a lot, you'll want a handset with a speakerphone. Better speakerphone systems allow you to seamlessly switch from handset mode to speakerphone and back again with the push of a single button.
Meanwhile, voice dialing, another great hands-free feature, lets you dial contacts with the sound of your voice. The most basic version of voice dialing requires you to "teach" the phone to recognize a list of contact names. Other more robust versions instantly recognize your voice with no learning required. Advanced phones also often support voice digit dialing, allowing you to speak individual digits to dial a number. Voice commands that control at least some of the phone's functions are another premium feature.
If you're a professional on the go, you'll likely want your phone to have a built-in contacts list that can store lots of phone numbers, as well as physical and email addresses. And if you really need constant communication with a select group of contacts consider a phone with "push-to-talk" technology. Push-to-talk phones offer instant walkie-talkie communication across the cell phone network--great for anyone who needs instant contact with others.
Mobile Messaging
Cell phones aren't just for making calls anymore. Although simple text messaging has been around for awhile, it has increased in popularity for people who want to communicate quickly and easily. Most newer phones support the simple text messaging service, or SMS, but if you want more advanced messaging capabilites, look for a phone that can handle the newer multimedia messaging service (MMS). With an MMS-enabled phone you can send and receive photos, music and, on some handsets, even video clips. If you want to move a step beyond SMS and MMS, many phones sport built-in email clients that let you access your email accounts on the go. More advanced Smartphones and BlackBerry devices go a step further and offer access to corporate and instant receipt--or "push"--email accounts.
Multimedia
These days, phone manufacturers are taking multimedia to the next level beyond musical ringtones. Indeed, handsets have transformed into powerful tools for digital photography, video capture and music enjoyment. While it's true that even the most powerful phones have yet to catch up with the better devices dedicated to taking pictures, recording video or playing digital music files, they're not far off the pace, and they represent a great way to consolidate many devices into one. If you need basic picture-taking capabilities and aren't looking for great resolution or image quality, you're in luck; many entry-level phones now feature basic camera functions. You'll find better resolution, as well as video capture capabilites further up the price scale. Many higher-end phones also feature an expansion card slot for adding memory that can store and play back videos and music. If FM radio reception is your thing, a few handsets support this, as well.
Connectivity
For people who like to connect wirelessly to external devices, Bluetooth and/or infrared are must have features. With infrared, you can connect to your PC or PDA to exchange data such as contacts, photos and music. Bluetooth offers this, too, with many added benefits, such as the ability to connect your phone to a wireless headset or hands-free car kit. Bluetooth also makes it possible to use your phone as a wireless data modem so you can access the internet from a laptop or PDA. Many phones that do not have wireless capabilities do feature a USB port, allowing you to easily transfer data at relatively high speeds via a USB cable.
Mobile Internet
All major cell phone carriers now offer mobile Internet service. As a result, most phones these days feature some kind of "microbrowser" that lets you surf the wireless web, which offers movie schedules, weather information, news, content downloads and much more. These miniature web sites, which are built on the WAP (Wireless Access Protocol), manage to cram quite a bit on information onto pages designed to be read on a phone's small screen. Not all sites you may wish to access support WAP, however and for them you will need a device with a larger display--such as a Smartphone--that can display conventional HTML-based Web sites. Keep in mind that for many wireless Internet services you'll need a supplementary data plan from your carrier.
Available Accessories
In many cases a handset's real strength is determined by the number of accessories that are manufactured for it. Before you buy, find out what accessories--headsets, chargers, car kits, etc.--are available for your phone. If an accessory is important to you, make sure you can get it. Likewise, avail yourself of the games and other applications that are compatible with your phone's software platform. If a particular application is a must-have for you, find a phone that supports it.
