How to Select a Cell Phone that Won't Irk You Later

Whether you're shopping for a cell phone in a store or online, and whether you're shopping for your first cell phone or a replacement, there are questions you may not know, or think, to ask; and asking those questions could make the difference between your being 100% satisfied with your new phone and discovering that your new phone irks you in minor (or not-so-minor) ways.

Wherever cell phones are being sold the same general information is given about each phone: dimensions, price, battery life (talk and stand-by), whether its a camera phone, whether its an Mp3 player, and whether its a radio. Other standard information offered about each phone includes whether music ringtones can be downloaded and the list of features each phone has, such as alarm clock, calendar, calculator, voice recorder, loudspeaker, world time, etc.

If this is your first cell phone, and if you're among the many people who say, "I don't care what it does. I'm not going to be texting and downloading. I just want it to make and receive calls reliably" I'd like to point out to you that "that's what they all say". Many people don't think they'll be texting or using other phone features until they have the phone, realize how handy some of those features are, and discover that many of those features tend to be used once the phone's owner realizes how handy that are.

As a shopper, after learning the above information for each phone you may switch your top two or three choices on, look at the display, check out whether you like the size of the keys and whether you like the size of the phone and select the phone that - when all is said and done - wins you over with its appearance. The trouble is there's a good chance you'll get your new phone home, use it for a few days, and discover that there's something about it that is extremely irksome to you. Knowing what to ask when you're buying a new phone can help assure that your new phone won't turn out to have irksome features that make you regret your choice.

Since individual needs and preferences vary the answers to all of the following questions may not matter to all potential phone buyers, but each question is worth considering: