When it comes to choosing a mobile phone there are so many different aspects to consider. Technology moves forward at such an incredible pace it is often difficult to keep up. It wasn’t that long ago that mobile phones had mono screens. Today’s phones are a world away from that, who knows what they will be like in the future?

Most people in the UK take out a contract when purchasing a mobile phone. This is usually for a minimum of 12 months and includes a free handset. This is good news for the consumer as it means that they get a new handset every year.

When you choose a mobile phone it is important to consider the features that are included. Do you need a mobile phone that will replace your Mp3 player? Perhaps you need a phone that can take excellent quality pictures? Perhaps battery life is important, especially if you are away from a charger for long periods of time.

With so many mobile phones in the marketplace there is bound to be a mobile phone that is right for you. Before choosing one, make sure that you have read some reviews on a number of popular mobile phone review websites. Many websites provide honest consumer reviews and their experiences of using a mobile phone.

When taking out your mobile phone contract the general rule is that the higher the monthly cost of your contract, the more heavily discounted your mobile phone will be. In most cases the mobile phone will be free, although there are certain circumstances where you will have to pay. PDA phones and communicators are a good example of this as the unit cost is extraordinarily high.

If you are looking for a middle of the road mobile phone, that will text, call and take average photographs then you may qualify to receive a free gift with your contract or even cash back. These deals have become more popular in recent years, with some retailers offering Xbox 360’s and PS3’s as an incentive for signing up.

Cash back deals will often require you to send in your mobile phone bills at certain times. They often have quite strict requirements so make sure that you read the small print before signing up. As long as you follow the rules and adhere to the terms and conditions this can be an excellent way to get a fantastic deal.

Overall it is important to shop around and find the best deal. There is so much choice out there that you are bound to find a deal and mobile phone that is right for you.

Choosing a Business Mobile Phone

When choosing a mobile phone for personal use, the buyer is usually looking for the latest style, the hottest color and all the little extra features that a phone can offer them. When choosing a phone for business, however, it is best to choose a phone that suits the needs of the business, not one with a lot of extra gadgets that you will probably never even use.

When choosing a business phone, the main features that you may want to look for

include:

1.              Large screen

2.              Easy to use interface

3.              Email capability – preferably via Blackberry Mobile email

4.              Calendar capability

5.              Camera if you are in a business that needs a camera phone

Obviously these are features that you would not be looking for on a standard phone for personal use but you just never know when any or all of these features may come in handy for your business. There are several other things to keep in mind when looking for the perfect business mobile phone for you.

A company that you may want to look into for help in finding the perfect business mobile for you is Telaustralia. They carry phones from top manufacturers such as Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, Samsung, LG, and 02 mobile phone hand sets. Also you can choose to get a phone for free with a 24 month plan or contact them to purchase one of their phones or handsets outright.

Nokia is the traditional market leader for Mobile Phone handset sales, but over the past 2 years has faced much stiffer competition from the likes of Motorola, Sony Ericsson and Samsung who’s mobile phone handsets are gaining popularity. For typical Business use, longevity and reliability we still recommend Nokia Mobile Phone handsets followed by Sony Ericsson.

If you want your Business Mobile Phone handset to be a useful Business tool and not a play thing full of gadgets you wont use, heres a few tips that may be useful in selecting your next phone.

Consumers usually select a mobile phone based personal preference with brand, size, colour, flip phone or not etc. For a Business user however, selecting the right Business Mobile Phone handset to do the job should always be a matter of substance over style.

As we have number portability in Australia you are no longer locked into one network or provider for your Business mobile Phones. With telaustralia you can bring your Business Mobile phone with you or we can provide a handset as part of your deal and have access to the Telstra Mobile Phone Network or the Optus Mobile Phone Network.

Some of the features you need for your Business mobile Phone are -

Do you need a flip phone or block style?

  Usually this is just personal choice but in some cases there are functional issues that dictate. eg. are you in an environment where there is a lot of dust? A flip Phone or clam shell style may be more suitable as it closes after use and this may reduce  (but not altogether eliminate) the amount of dust that gets into the key pad and screen. Are you likely to drop or have impact on the mobile phone? If so a rubberized tradesman type of mobile phone may be more suitable.

http://www.telaustralia.com.au/all-products.html

Battery Life

 Long battery life is essential for your business mobile phone, especially when traveling or on the road a lot. There is nothing worse than running out of charge at an inappropriate  time – usually in the middle of an important call.. Look for mobile phones that use a lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery rather than a nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) one. Li-ion batteries weigh less and provide 10 to 20 percent better performance than their NiMH counterparts. You’ll want a mobile phone with a rated talk time of at least 3.5 hours, preferably closer to 5 hours. If your mobile comes with a desktop charger, shell out for the travel charger since it’s significantly smaller and easier to pack for business trips.

 Travel

If your travels take you overseas, you’ll want a tri-band GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) Mobile Phone, which operates on networks (GSM 900/1800/1900) in Europe, Asia and the US.

Features

You’ll also want a handset that features a hefty address book — at least 300 names with support for multiple entries per contact. Some Mobile Phones allow you to include information such as email, Web and street addresses with your contacts. You can enter all that information one key at a time, or you can get a Mobile Phone with the ability to synchronize with Microsoft’s Outlook on your PC. Nokia PC Suite allows you to load address book and other software on to your lap top and back up as required and import other information such as calendars, pictures & songs to your phone.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth equipped Mobile Phones are a must these days. If your PC or handheld doesn’t feature integrated Bluetooth support, you can purchase an adapter to add this functionality. Then you can browse the Internet using your Mobile Phone as a wireless modem. You can also use Bluetooth to synchronize phone numbers and addresses between your Mobile Phone and other devices.

 Another advantage with Bluetooth is that many cars now come equipped with Bluetooth hands free so there no need to get handsfree kits wired up in your vehicle. If you vehicle isnÕt already equipped with Bluetooth, portable and rechargeable handsfree kits such as Blue Ants Supertooth 2 are available and very low cost. These usually clip to your sun visor and are portable from car to car.

 Internet

 Even better, skip your notebook altogether. Fast Internet access is rapidly becoming a common feature in mobile phones. Most GSM Mobile Phones support GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) networks, which offer always-on Internet content and data services, enabling access to Web browsing, email and multimedia content at around 56Kbps. 3g Data is carried at speeds of up to 3.6Mbps with planned speeds in Australia of over 40Mbps using HSDPA. Many mobile phone manufacturers including Nokia & Sony Ericsson are now taking advantage of the RIM BlackBerry Licencing and including Blackberry Mobile email on their mobile phones.

 If you spend most of your time away from the office meeting with clients, you may want to consider a smart phone, which combines mobile phone and handheld functions in one unit. These phones are larger and much more expensive than standard handsets, often costing as much AU$1,200, but they eliminate the need for two separate devices.

http://www.telaustralia.com.au/mobile/mobile

It can be minefield out there, trying to pick the perfect phone. So, let me help you make the decision. Let me help you get it clear, in your head, exactly what you want from a phone, and therefore, what will be the perfect phone for you.

First up, you have to ask yourself: what is you want from your phone? Do you want a camera phone, to snap away for hours? Or do you want a music phone, to replace your mp3 player? Or maybe you want a smartphone, a phone that will do everything except give you a back rub after a hard day’s work? Or maybe, just maybe, you want a simple, basic phone, that will just give you the calls and texts you need, without all the frills anbd frivolous bits you don’t need!

So, once you’ve decided exactly why you want a mobile phone, then you need to sit down and think about what spec you’re looking at. It’s all well and good saying, ‘I want a camera phone,’ and then going out and buying the first one you see. You need to compare costs versus features. So, if you want a camera phone, you have to think, ‘Do I want a top-end 5 megapixel phone, to get photos as good as my digital camera, or will a cheaper 3 megapixel camera phone do?’

Likewise, if you’re looking at buying a music phone, you need to stop and think before wading in with your wallet out. Ask yourself whether you want to entirely replace your mp3 player, and if so, check out different phones. Do you want to get one that has masses of built in memory, or is that too big a phone (that is, you don’t have enough music to fill it), and if so, will a cheaper phone that uses memory cards do? With smartphones, it’s slightly more complicated. Because they’re so packed with features, it’s hard to choose between them… but then, if you’re in the market for a smartphone, you probably know exactly what you want!

Once you’ve decided exactly what spec you want your new mobile phone to be, then it’s time to budget for it. Set yourself a price range, and stick to it! Find a phone that does what you want within your price range. There are a wealth of mobile phones out there, and even mobile broadband, but once you narrow your search down to what you realy want, and what you can afford, you’ll find it gets a lot easier!