TIPS: Things to look for when buying a cellphone

BUYING a cellphone is not an easy task, particularly with the myriad cellphone varieties arriving on the market these days.

Each one offers its own unique features, yet it is different in some way from the other through style, design and quality.

As the technology improves day by day, the needs of cellphone users also evolves. That is the reason why choosing a cellphone has become tricky.

In short, to buy a perfect cellphone for your needs, you have to classify your needs, luxuries and budget. Then go for a cell that matches most of these.

Things to look for when buying a cellphone:

Budget aspects

According to Aziz Josuuf, a cellphone dealer in Randburg, the most important thing to consider before hitting the stores is your budget.

"While cellphones are available in various price ranges, how much a consumer can afford becomes the penultimate question. Budget range can eliminate up to 95 percent of available choice models, depending upon how small the budget range is."

Physical size aspects

Josuuf says most phone screen sizes range from two to three inches. A bigger screen means a bigger phone.

"Pick a screen you can easily see. If you buy a smart-phone with a touch screen, make sure you can use it without feeling like you're playing the board game operation."

Layout and display types

Josuuf says, The Touch Screen phones were the in thing then, but given the ergonomics of texting, the Qwerty phones have recently become the favourite.

Cellphone Memory

Josuuf says smart-phones come with limited memory for storing photos, videos, music and voice memos, but contact information is stored separately. He says unless you take photos for business purposes, you should not stress about memory capacity.

Battery Life

Cellphone battery life is measured in two ways: stand-by time and talk time.

"Focus on talk time. Making and receiving calls, emailing and text messaging all drain power. Pick a smart-phone with at least a four-hour talk time. This should last you most workdays," says Josuuf.

Talking Functions

Josuuf advises buyers to consider picking a smart-phone with call holding, call waiting and conference calling, to let you conduct business with everyone involved in a given job or project.

Know before you go

Know what you're looking for before you walk into the store so you can't be pressured by sales people or overwhelmed by choices. Do your initial research online and have a few models in mind to look at.