Cell Phone ResultsAbout Cell Phone Cell Phone Fact: Nearly 50 percent of Americans now own cell phones. Experts predict the number will increase to 200 million people by the year 2006. 

Cell Phone

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 Cell Phone Buying: Overview Cell Phone Buying: Overview
 Choosing and Using Your Calling Plan Choosing and Using Your Calling Plan
 Cell Phone Service Providers Cell Phone Service Providers
 Top Cell Phone Brands Top Cell Phone Brands
 Fun and Fascinating Cell Phone Features Fun and Fascinating Cell Phone Features
 Cell Phone Safety Cell Phone Safety
 

Cell Phone Buying: Overview "Cell Phone Buying: Overview"


Wireless 101 - Presented by Motorola, but not pushing its products, this great overview helps you find a both a service plan and cell phone. It covers features you may want, usage considerations, costs, understanding sales promotions, and finding the right accessories to meet your needs.

What’s the Big Picture on Buying a Cell Phone? - For those who want to delve deeper, this mega-guide steers you in the right direction; all the terms are explained and the notoriously useful PCWorld charts demonstrates the feature to price curve. The final page suggests what features you can and can’t live without.

Which Cell Phone is for Me? - Start by entering your zip code, how much you want to spend, your preferred size and features, and AOL’s guide presents a list of cell phone options, sortable by price, talk time and other useful criteria. Some phones are available, predictably, at the AOL store.

Cell Phone Personality Test - Are you a gear head, commuter, road warrior, student or minimalist? Find out which one and CNET offers specific suggestions of phone models to fit your personality type.

The New Digitals - In plan English, a quick explanation of the difference between the three new digital technologies: TDMA, CDMA, and GSM.

Choosing and Using Your Calling Plan "Choosing and Using Your Calling Plan"


MyRatePlan - Clear and Simple - Here's the easiest way to choose a plan and/or phone for your area. First choose what you're looking for -- single line, family plan, pre-paid plan, international phone, etc.-- then enter area code or other info. You're ultimately presented with a list of phones or providers. Sign up on the spot.

Get Yourself a Good Deal - This article from Bankrate.com defines terms found in cell phone contracts and provides a list of questions to ask yourself before you sign.

Cell Phone Plan Comparison Worksheet  - Instead of trying to do this in your head, print out this simple worksheet to compare calling plans side by side before you take the plunge.

How Do I Choose the Right Cell Phone Rate Plan?  - Once you’ve chosen a cell phone service provider and a phone, the next step is narrowing down a rate plan. The site gives a quick look at rate plans for each service provider, from free minutes and activation fees to contract lengths.

Taking Control of Your Wireless Bill - Five quick tips to get your cell phone bill under control.

Cell Phone Service Providers "Cell Phone Service Providers"


AT&T Wireless - This whiz-bang site offers a plethora of cell phone and calling plan choices. Check out the Web-exclusive mLife calling plan with free cell phone, the GoPhone with no annual contract, or ultra-hip mMode phones with cameras, keyboards, MP3 players, and customizable mMode calling plans.

Cingular - Start by picking a phone or picking a plan. We’d advise the latter; there’s a lot to choose from here, from very basic local packages to national long distance and roaming included. Then check out the phones; make them spin; see the accessories. You can order online. Have a blast!

Nextel - The point of Nextel’s walkie-talkie/cell phone hybrids is to get everybody you know using them then you all save on phones and calls. Before this worked only in your region, but Nextel’s site now outlines this summer’s new Nationwide Direct Connect plan, plus the phones you need to use it.

Sprint PCS - Sprint’s low-key site has no flashy graphics or music but links to sales and a business center that touts the acclaimed new Samsung i500 PDA/cell phone. Its Free and Clear America plan offers unlimited long distance and PCS to PCS calling--just make sure to check the coverage-area map.

Verizon Wireless - Verizon’s site displays a selection of special offers and ways to select cell phones starting with either phones or calling plans first. Click on “Get it Now” to pick phones by features you like, be they pictures, games, Web browsing, text messages and even video clips.

Top Cell Phone Brands "Top Cell Phone Brands"


Kyocera - Here you can buy a phone, a plan, accessories, and even software. (For some reason, for every zip code we entered, however, the site displayed just the fabulous but pricey model 7135.) The site also features the Bill Optimizer; enter your typical usage patterns to see the lowest price plans.

Motorola - Besides being able to brose Motorola’s entire selection, you can also shop. If you come bearing service provider, use a drop-down menu to see which Motorola cell phones are compatible. If you need a plan too, just enter your zip and select phones by plan, feature or top selling phones in your area.

Nokia - Nokia’s been creating solid staple products for years. Their site currently boasts 15 new models and accessories you can purchase online.

Samsung - From the company that created the first camera phone, comes the cell phone with camera that rotates 180 degrees. Samsung’s standard product line, of course, is also featured but first you must know if you want GSM, CDMA, TDMA, or a plain old cordless phone. (See “The New Digitals” above.)

Siemens - You’ll feel like you’re shopping for sports cars on this site where you can even store your mobile photos for free. Check out the mouthwatering ad for the minuscule SL55, with faceted keys inspired by “rubies and black diamonds.” This is a true joy ride whether you buy a Siemens cell phone or not.

Fun and Fascinating Cell Phone Features "Fun and Fascinating Cell Phone Features"


Feature Short List - There’s no practical how-to’s in this Aussie news story, just a short and sweet rundown of cell phone features you might want to try.

Not All Ring Tones are Created Equal - Before you click through to one of the many sites offering cell phone ring tones, this one-pager explains the difference between the types of tones offered – monophonic, polyphonic, and digitized audio – with examples provided.

Ring Tone Roundup - Okay, supposedly offering the top 10 ring tone destinations, this site lists only 7, and you must withstand some egregious pop-ups, but the links here are excellent. After checking them out, we're dying to chuck our Verizon cell phone for a ring tone compatible one.

Cell Phone as Tracking Device - The venerable Walt Mossberg, tech columnist for the Wall Street Journal, tests a new service from AT&T Wireless called “Find Friends,” letting you keep tabs on friends' or colleagues' locations via cell phones and even look up places to meet.

TV on Your Cell Phone? - Believe it or not! Samsung has added a teeny, tiny TV tuner to its new model SCH-X820 cell phone.

Cell Phone Safety "Cell Phone Safety"


Safety FAQ from the FCC - This page provides a thorough Q&A dealing with radiofrequency (RF) transmissions, including health risks, research, and cancer prevention regarding cell phones, cell phone and radio towers and other objects.

Check Your Own Phone - SAR, or Specific Absorption Rate, is the term the government uses for the amount of RF energy absorbed in the head of a user of a wireless handset. This site explains how to find the SAR rating for your own phone.

10 Highest-Radiation Cell Phones - Phones need SAR ratings less 1.6 watts per kilogram to get FCC certification. Check out CNET’s radiation chart to see which models are cutting it close.

Do Cell Phones Interfere with Medical Equipment? - Ever been scolded by a nurse for talking on a cell phone? While more research on interference is coming, if you’ve ever been skeptical, read this.

Cell-Phone 911: Will it Save You?  - According to “Smart Money” magazine, cell service providers aren’t connecting 911 calls to emergency services all that quickly. In addition, by 2005, providers must install location technology, so that if you call in distress, someone can find you. This site shows local cellular 911 readiness.

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