Smartphone buying guide

Posted on 14 Dec 2009 at 13:25

 

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Find out all you need to know about choosing the right smartphone.

Recommended minimum specifications

Style: Handset

Bands: Quad-band GSM, dual-band 3G

Screen: 240x320, 65,000 colours

Input: Keypad

Camera: 2-megapixel

Connectivity: Bluetooth, 3G

Follow the steps to find your ideal specs

1. A smartphone's operating system (OS) dictates its basic features and also which third-party software you can install. Windows Phone has the familiar look and feel of Windows, but can be slow and difficult to use. Symbian is found on Nokia and Sony Ericsson phones. This OS is customised by phone manufacturers, so may differ from phone to phone. Again, there's a wide range of software available. The iPhone uses an OS based on Apple's OS X. Although very slick, it won't run any software that hasn't been approved by Apple. Google has its open-source Android mobile OS, which benefits from a wide range of freely available software.
2. All smartphones come with a colour screen, but look for our image quality recommendations if viewing photos or video clips is important. Cameras are common in smartphones, and resolutions have increased to as much as 8 megapixels. However, the sensors and lenses don't match those of even budget digital cameras.
3. Many of the latest handsets have touchscreen interfaces, which give you an onscreen keyboard. These are easy to use and you can type at speed, but a real keyboard is essential if you want to do a lot of data entry. When looking for a touchscreen interface, look for one that supports multi-touch gestures. This lets you perform common operations with simple gestures, such as zooming in on a webpage by pinching your fingers.
4. Be careful when choosing a mobile contract. Look for a contract with a large data allowance if you want to use the internet regularly; note that all unlimited allowances actually have caps on usage. Built-in WiFi can help you to avoid high data charges by allowing you to connect to the internet using wireless hotspots, or your router when at home. Bluetooth compatibility can allow your laptop to connect wirelessly to your smartphone for web access on the move, and you can synchronise contacts using the same connection.

Author: Expert Reviews Staff