Some tips on picking the best smartphone from the right provider while sticking to the budget.
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There’s loads of smartphones available in the market and they all have confusing features labelled by jargon. Once you pick the phone you want, you’ll have to pick the carrier and that’s another ordeal. Truth be told, some research is needed, and this article will provide you with a few do’s to make sure you pick the right phone.
Shop Online: According to Whistleblow statistics, shopping online will score you an 8-12% discount on most smartphones.
Since internet shopping lacks tailored customer service, it’s always a good idea to head in store first and ask some questions. Once you’re confident, feel free to click the ‘buy’ button online.
It’s about value for money: Most contracts last two years, so make sure the phone you pick has enough enthusiasm to withstand your daily punishment. Powerful smartphones can be scooped from just $30 a month.
New forms of communication: Phones have evolved to keep up with different forms of communication, including video-calls, VOIP services (like Skype), multimedia messaging, social networking and internet based texting. Choosing the right type of communication method can save you money on your phone bills.
It’s also wise to think about what application support is available (Google’s Marketplace and Apple’s App Store are notable examples). Also, most phones offer high resolution cameras capable of detailed video recording, GPS navigation and eBooks.
Good gifts are thoughtful ones: If you’re buying a phone as a gift, the goal is to see them smiling when they open it. Buying them a different model could be a bit of a let-down.
Most kids would be after an Apple iPhone, and the iPhone 4 would be a standout on the feature and price front with most providers offering it at $0 on a $49 cap.
Viva the Sim Card: Most providers offer a monthly sim only plan. This offers the freedom to change providers whenever you want, or upgrade when you see a phone that you like in the future.
Sticking to these tips will ensure you pick a value for money smartphone that satisfies all of your needs. To help out with your research, check out our comparison of Apple’s iPhone 4S, Samsung’s Galaxy SII and HTC’s Sensation here.
Also feel free to rely on Whitleout’s comparison tool, which easily compares phones and their rate plans.
WhistleOut’s JARGON BUSTER!
Instagram: Immensely popular photo sharing application on iPhone (free)
Siri: A new voice controlled ‘personal assistant’ on your phone that responds to your questions and commands (iPhone 4s only)
iOS5: The latest operating system for iPhones, over 200 new features and installable on iPhone 4 models (includes iMessage for free SMS between iPhones running IOS5)
Google Android: Competing touchscreen operating system running on many phones from HTC, Samsung and LG
Ice Cream Sandwich: The latest operating system update for Android from Google.
Gingerbread: The previous operating system update for Android from Google
iCloud: Data-storage service such as music files on remote computer servers for iPhones
NFC (Near Field Communication): Enables shopping and payment transactions on mobile phones by swiping mobile phones, expected to become a widely used payment system.
4G (Fourth Generation): Next generation of mobile internet access – faster internet speeds and downloads and only available in Australia on one phone from HTC with Telstra
App Store: Over 500,000 applications to download and use on your iPhone
Android Market: Application marketplace for Android phones
iMessage: Allows free text messaging between iPhones (those iPhones running iOS5)
