A smartphone is an ideal choice for busy people who are fed up with having to carry around two separate devices. If you are an avid user of both your handheld PDA device and your cell phone, then you may want to consider combining the two and purchasing a smartphone.

Smart phones allow you to send and receive email, keep track of your schedules and electronic notes, surf the Internet, and even wirelessly sync applications with your computer. You get all the same great features that you would expect in a typical standalone PDA device.

With a smartphone, you get all the features of your typical PDA, as well as the added bonus of an integrated cell phone. For the smartphone, you have access to many of the same options that you would have with a traditional cell phone plan, such as free long distance, voicemail, and text messaging. This is what makes smartphones an appealing choice to many consumers.

Now that you understand a little about the smartphone, the next step is deciding if you could really benefit from a smartphone. There are a few things that you should consider if you are thinking about purchasing a smartphone.

Before even considering a smartphone, are you currently using a PDA to organize your business and/or personal life? If you are happier just jotting things down on paper, then a smartphone may not be a wise choice for you.

Another thing you may want to consider is if your cell phone carrier offers the type of smartphone features that would benefit you. Available models and plans vary from company to company.

Also, there are style and comfort considerations. Are you able to read the screen comfortably on the phone? And is the added bulk and size of a smartphone a decent tradeoff for the added functionality?

Once you have decided to switch to a smartphone, you should shop around for the best deal, as many models can retail for several hundred dollars. However, if you are diligent, you will find companies that offer steep discounts when you order new services.

Besides, why throw away your old cell phone when there are companies that will to pay money for what you consider junk? There are also programs that help those in need that will be glad to receive your used cell phone.

There are various options available to you for recycling your old cell phone. Many companies provide cell phones for use by women in battered women’s shelters. Other companies will redistribute your used cell phone for use in developing countries. In many cases, these phones are the only means of making a long distance phone call.

There are also companies that are willing to buy your old cell phone. They may refurbish and resell your old phone, or in some cases, use your old phone for its components and parts.

Many schools and organizations will be happy to receive your donated cell phone for use in their fundraising activities. In this way, everyone is satisfied. The organization gets funds to run their programs and activities, and you get to help someone and keep the environment safe in the process.

Considering that most people only keep their cell phones for 18 months or so, you will probably be replacing your cell phone soon, or you may have replaced it recently. If you have not already tossed your used phone into the garbage, then you should definitely consider recycling it in some way.

If you are not sure where to get started with recycling your old cell phone, there are many helpful sites on the Internet. You could simply search for cell phone recycling information on a search engine or visit the cell phone recycling site run by the Cellular Telecommunications Industry (CTIA) called RecycleWirelessPhones.org. It includes a wealth of information regarding recycling your old cell phone.

Whether you choose to recycle your old cell phone for cash or for use in one of the many charitable organizations, be sure to check out the many programs available to help you make the right choice for disposing of your used cell phone. But whatever you decide, make sure your old cell phone does not end up in a landfill.

If your phone has iTunes incorporated, it will hold approximately 100 songs or so. And if you are already a user of iTunes, you can even sync your cell phone to your iTunes software by simply using a USB cable. Then you simply drag and drop your music files from your music library directly to your cell phone.

Music cell phones that include a built in stereo MP3 player will hold approximately 25 songs. In order to increase the ability to store more songs, these phones include a memory expansion slot. The number of songs that you are able to store on your memory card depends on the memory card size.

If you own a newer model smartphone, then you most likely already have an MP3 player incorporated into your cell phone. These smartphones will even allow you to download music from your computer, via such applications as Windows Media Player.

For those of you who love the idea of listening to your favorite radio station via your cell phone, many companies now offer phones that include this capability. You are able to stream live FM radio and satellite radio to your cell phone. Some companies even offer the popular Sirius satellite radio programming through built in media players.

Many mobile carriers allow cell phone users to download software to their cellular handsets that allows access to the carriers’ own music stores. Users can then choose and wirelessly download their favorite music to their cell phones for a small per usage fee.

If you have ever considered purchasing an MP3 player, then purchasing a call phone that can download music may be just the solution for you. You get access to your favorite music and the ability to keep in touch with your friends and family with one device. And since many of the newer cell phone models will fit right into your pocket, convenience and portability are never an issue.

If your cell phone is lost, the first thing that you need to do is contact your cell phone company and suspend your service immediately. This is extremely important, as you are responsible for any charges incurred on your phone, whether it is in your possession or not, until service is suspended.

If you have planned ahead and purchased an insurance plan for your phone, then you have nothing else to worry about. All you have to do now is contact the insurance company and request a replacement phone. After they approve your request, you only have to pay your deductible before a new phone, comparable to the one you lost or damaged, is shipped to you. It is definitely worth having cell phone insurance if you own one of the more expensive cell phone models.

However, if you are unfortunate enough not to have insurance on your cell phone, there are a few other things that you will need to do. You will need to check your cell phone company’s policy on lost or stolen phones. If you are fortunate, your cell phone provider will grant you a suspension of your monthly service plans and fees for up to thirty days. This will give you enough time to replace your lost or stolen phone.

However, many cell phone providers do not offer the courtesy suspension option. In this case, you may be required to provide documentation, such as a police report or sworn statement, that your cell phone was actually lost or stolen. You are generally required to present this proof within fourteen days of your phone’s disappearance.

After this, you will have to purchase a new cell phone, which can be rather costly. Most times, if you are in the middle of a service contract, you will have to pay the full cost of a brand new cell phone. Even if you decide to cancel your cell phone contract, most cell phone providers will penalize you and require that you pay exorbitant cancellation fees.

Obviously, it is best to take preventative measures and purchase insurance for your cell phone. This is especially true if your cell phone is really expensive, considering that cell phone insurance is rather inexpensive at around $4 to $6 a month. This low cost insurance is a decent trade off, if you are ever in the unenviable position of losing or damaging your cell phone. Just be sure to read the insurance policy thoroughly to see what is covered with the plan before purchasing.

However, before you run out to the store to purchase that much requested cell phone for your own child, you should consider how responsible your child is. There is no standard answer to the question – “At what age should you consider buying your child a cell phone?” It is up to you as the parent to determine if your child is ready for the responsibility.

There is no denying that a cell phone can be a handy tool for keeping up with your child. Most parents see it as a way to stay in touch in case of emergency. If your child needs to stay after school or if a practice runs late, then a simple phone call is all that is needed. If you are running late, then that same simple phone call can calm an anxious child.

For further security, almost all cell phones come standard with GPS (global positioning system) these days. This feature is handy for emergency personnel when trying to locate a person in an emergency situation.

However, many cell phone companies now also allow parents access to this built in feature to help monitor their child’s whereabouts. You will have to check with your mobile carrier to see if this feature is available as a monitoring device for your child’s phone.

Cell phones also help to teach children how to handle a little added responsibility. They can help you to teach your child accountability. Children, with your help, learn how to monitor their bill and minute usage, the importance of staying in contact, and how to handle the new trust granted by the parent.

Something that parents should be concerned about when considering purchasing a cell phone for a child is that a cell phone can expose your child to dangers as well. Parents need to be extra vigilant about monitoring who calls their child and who their child calls. Parents also need to monitor text messaging, or block the feature altogether.

If you have weighed the pros and cons of purchasing a cell phone for your child, and have decided to go ahead with purchase, then be sure to set rules and guidelines for your child regarding his/her cell phone usage.

It may help you to also have some controls in place for your child’s cell phone. You may consider a prepaid phone as an option, so there are no surprises when the bill arrives. You may also decide to block certain features (such as text messaging, Internet access, and games). You may also choose a phone that lets you decide who your child can call and who can call your child.

If you take these guidelines into consideration when buying your child a cell phone, then your child’s transition to the next level of responsibility should be a smooth one.

On the other hand, do you make most of your calls during daylight, or peak hours? In this case, you will probably actually benefit with a plan that includes more minutes.

In either scenario, most cell phone providers will allow you to switch or change your plan with a simple phone call, even if you have previously agreed to a contract.

Remember to be polite when you speak to someone about switching your cell phone plan. Rudeness only makes the sales representatives less inclined to help you. They will simply remind you that you signed a contract.

Another consideration when choosing your cell phone plan is if your plan offers free mobile-to-mobile minutes. This means that you can call other cell phone users on the same network at no extra cost. When choosing your cell phone plan, you may want to keep this consideration in mind, especially if a lot of your friends and family use a particular cell phone company.

In addition to mobile-to-mobile minutes, some cell phone companies now allow you to make calls to any number on any network without using any of your allotted minutes for the month. You are able to choose anywhere from five to ten numbers to include in this plan. And when you call these numbers or receive calls from these numbers, you are not charged.

You must also consider where you will be using your cell phone when you choose your cell phone plan. It makes no sense to choose a plan or cell phone provider that does not provide adequate network coverage for your needs. Incurring roaming charges can easily increase the amount of your monthly cell phone bill to an uncontrollable level.

If you rarely use your cell phone, or use it for emergencies only, then a prepaid plan may be a good option for you. However, prepaid cell phone plan rates are typically higher than standard cell phone plan rates. Ultimately, how and where you use your cell phone will determine how you choose a cell phone plan. Just be sure to review the facts and choose wisely.

With a prepaid phone plan, you do not have to worry about a bill each month, as you would with a typical cell phone plan. This is because you pay for your minute usage in advance. When you use all your minutes, you can simply buy additional minutes.

Prepaid cell phone plans also include features that you would find with typical contract cell phone plans. They have really come a long way. You can choose voicemail, caller ID, and even text messaging. You even have access to the latest cell phone models, such as camera phones and music capable phones.

Prepaid cell phone plans are also a great option for teenagers who are just learning to handle responsibility. You have peace of mind as a parent knowing that you can stay in touch with your child at all times. You are also freed from worry knowing that your child cannot create any surprise bills for you at the end of the month.

You may also consider a prepaid cell phone plan if you rarely use your cell phone or allocate its use for emergency purposes only.

A prepaid phone plan is great for those with less than the best credit or for those who have little money to spend. It is a great tool for learning financial management skills and responsibility, if you struggle in these areas.

One of the defining factors for many of those who are considering a prepaid cell phone plan is freedom. You are free from contracts. You are free from a monthly bill. You are free to change and switch companies and cell phone plans as often as you wish with a prepaid cell phone plan.

Shopping for a prepaid phone plan is no different than shopping for a typical cell phone plan with a contract. Shop around, assess your needs and choices, and then choose the best prepaid plan for your lifestyle.

Usage of the text messaging feature has seen explosive growth. Statistics show that by June of 2004, an average of 100 text messages per person had been sent globally. Text messaging is a quick, convenient, and discrete way to keep in contact with your friends and loved ones that will keep you from burning extra minutes in your cell phone plan each month.

Text messaging is also known as SMS, or short message service, in the technical world. Cell phone users simply refer to them as text messages, or texts. And the popularity of the service has increased three fold over the past year in the United States alone. SMS permits the sending and receipt of text messages between cell phones and other handheld devices, such as PDAs.

Sending a text message to someone’s phone is pretty simple. You simply choose the messaging feature on your cell phone, input the recipient’s phone number, and then type your message. Once you are finished typing your message, then you simply choose the send option and your message is sent. Many plans even allow you to send messages from your phone directly to an email address.

In case you are wondering, text messaging is usually a pretty affordable feature. Mobile phone companies may charge $0.10 or less per text message to send and receive text messages. This does not count towards your minutes usage and there is no additional charge.

To save even more when you use this feature, you may choose to add on a text messaging package to your current cell phone plan. Most text plans are relatively inexpensive and can be added for as little as $2.99, depending on how many messages you plan to send each month. Check with your cell phone carrier for messaging plans offered for your cell phone.

Cell phone companies count all messages that you send or receive, whether you read them or not. Messages can be up to 160 characters in length. If you receive a longer message, each 160 characters counts as a separate text message.

You can also use the text messaging feature on your cell phone to receive news alerts, ringtones, and more. However, this is normally classified as premium content and requires a subscription, which is an additional charge.

You may have even seen where many companies and television programs are using text messaging for entertainment purposes, such as voting and entering competitions. It is also used by many to play interactive games. You should keep in mind that you are charged extra for using text messaging in this manner, though.

So go ahead, start cell phone text messaging instead of idly wasting your cell phone minutes on things that can be said just as easily, and more cheaply, using text messaging.

Just as with your standard digital camera, resolution on camera phones varies. However, you can achieve virtually the same resolution on a VGA camera phone that you can achieve with a less expensive digital camera.

With current technology, camera phones are continuously being improved and upgraded. With some of the newer phones, picture quality is almost as good as some of the mid level digital cameras.

Competition among camera cell phone makers is fierce, and this is a good thing for consumers. Cell phone manufacturers continuously output better and cheaper camera phones, which gives you a wider range to choose from if you are considering a camera cell phone.

When shopping for your new camera phone, be sure to shop around and compare models, as features vary from phone to phone. Some features that you can choose from are flash, digital zoom and color adjustment. Some phones will also allow you to take self portraits.

Along with the camera feature on these cell phones, you may also be able to use the “photo caller id” feature. When someone calls you, the picture that you have stored in your phone for that person appears on the screen when the phone rings.

Other phones include the option to capture short video clips. In addition to taking photos, camera phones with video capability allow you to record short videos from your phone. This type of camera phone is rapidly increasing in popularity.

So, you have gone out and purchased a camera phone. The camera feature is great but you may be wondering what you will use it for. Besides using your phone to take the normal pictures you might take on a daily basis, there are numerous uses for your camera phone.

For example, if you are having a difficult time deciding on a clothing purchase, you might take a picture and send it to a friend for her opinion. Or suppose you are in a minor auto accident. Simply whip out your handy camera phone to take pictures of the damage and to keep track of the facts. If you are the forgetful sort, you might even decide to take a picture of the row and section where parked your car at a shopping center or in a garage.

Once you decide to buy a camera cell phone, you will invent hundreds of uses that may have never previously crossed your mind. And it only takes a second to snap a quick photo with your camera cell phone.