A smartphone is a hand-held, mobile device that offers internet connectivity, data storage and e-mail access in addition to regular phone capabilities. With hundreds of smartphones on the market, it's important to find one that includes the features that best meet your needs. The guide below will help you find out which features are important and explain what to avoid when deciding on a smartphone.
- Camera quality: Many smartphones on the market today come equipped with cameras that rival the quality of digital cameras. If you love snapping photos and regularly use your phone as your camera, look for a smartphone with flash and zoom functionality. The smartphones with the top rated cameras approach 12 megapixels.
- Battery Life/Talk Time: Battery life, also commonly referred to as "talk time," is important for any smartphone user--especially for those who travel frequently, watch videos on their phone, or use their smartphone more than the average user. The Battery Life section below explains what affects the talk time or battery life of your phone.
- Screen size: Smartphones with large screens make it easier to read large amounts of text or watch videos, but on the flip side, smartphones with large screens tend to have shorter battery lives than those with smaller screens.
- Keypad Type: Smartphones come with two different types of keypads: physical keypads or touchscreens. The Keypad Options section below further discusses keypad options.
Use this guide to find out which features are most important to you, then filter your options and compare them side-by-side before making a decision. With 561 smartphones to choose from, we can help find the best one for you.
HOW TO FIND SMARTPHONES
- Smart Rating
The Smart Rating is a single rating that evaluates the smartphones specifications and features as well as ratings from the following sources: CNET, PC Mag, Wired.com, and PC World.Zero (0) stars indicate that the smartphone has not been rated by any expert sources.
- Keypad Options
- Some smartphones offer touchscreen capabilities, while others have a physical keyboard instead. There are even some smartphones out there that offer both.
Touchscreen Keypads have few, if any, physical buttons. Thanks to the dynamic nature of a touchscreen keypad, some smartphones include predictive text technology, such as Swype, which allows the user to continuously slide a finger over a keyboard to type, instead of pressing individual keys. Other smartphones are equipped with a physical half- or full-qwerty keypad, which include physical buttons. Choosing a keypad is a matter of personal preference; it’s best to try out several styles before you choose.
Maximum Standby Time
A measurement of the phone’s battery life while it is on standby (when it is on but not in use).
Price (without contract)
The Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of the phone itself. This does not include additional carrier charges.The price without the contract is typically much higher than the subsidized, 2-year contract price offered when you sign with a service provider. On the other hand, purchasing a phone without a contract means that there will be no service commitment and that you will not be subject to termination fees.
Internal Storage (MB)
The smartphone’s internal memory, which is measured in megabytes (MB).The amount of internal storage is a very important feature for those who listen to music, take video or capture photos. Storage space on the average smartphone ranges from 2 MB to 16+MB. If you’re the type of person who is constantly storing and referring to data on their phone, make sure to get a phone that comes with an optimal amount of storage. It's important to note that many smartphones are equipped with slots that allow you to use memory cards for any excess data you might need.
Pixel Density
Pixels per square inch of a phones display. The higher, the better the image quality will be on the phones screen.
Price (with contract)
The total price of the smartphone on activation or renewal of a mobile phone plan.If you are willing to commit to a two-year contract, most network providers will subsidize your phone's cost. You could receive upwards of $200 off the phone's MSRP if you renew or sign a contract, but be careful – these contracts often have heavy termination fees that range from $125-250. Also note that you will not be eligible for another subsidy for a two-year period after signing an upgrade contract.
Display Features
These are the features of the smartphones screen or display.
- Additional Display Support - offers the ability to connect your smartphone to an external display.
- Ambient Light Sensor - detects surrounding light around the user and auto-adjusts the brightness of the backlight.
- Touchscreen – functionality allows you to operate the smartphone by touching the screen of the smartphone as opposed to smartphones that use keyboards for input.
- Proximity Sensor – automatically senses when you hold the phone against your face and disables the touchscreen, preventing accidental hangups.
- Scratch Resistant Glass – offers more durable protection of your display screen.
Camera Options
These are the features that come with the smartphone’s camera.
- 3D Capture – includes 2 cameras in order to capture multiple perspectives
- Autofocus – the camera judges which part of the frame to focus on. Cameras that include a face detection feature helps in taking pictures of groups of people.
- Front Facing Camera – allows for video chat.
- Rear Facing Camera – standard camera placement that usually offers higher quality resolution than front facing cameras.
- LED Flash – illuminates the subject in low light settings
- .
- Video Recording – records motion and sound.
- Digital Zoom – smartphones that have zoom capability are able to take photos of objects that will appear closer than they actually are; but be aware that a digital zoom makes photos blurrier.
Screen Size
The measurement of the smartphone’s display or screen area.For those who constantly check e-mail, read large amounts of text, surf the Web, watch videos, or take photos with their phone, a large screen with high resolution eases the viewing experience. But large displays typically drain battery life because they use more energy in order to power the backlight. A phone with an LED or AMOLED screen consumes less power.
Rear Camera Quality
The image resolution, which is measured in megapixels, of a smartphones rear camera.Most smartphones come equipped with cameras. If your phone doubles as your camera, pay close attention to the number of megapixels, as well as camera features like zoom and flash. The megapixels of a camera determine the resolution of the camera’s photos: a higher number means the camera’s light sensor has more receptors per given area.
Talk Time
The length of time the phone can be used before its battery needs to be recharged.Talk time, or battery life, reflects the length of time the phone's battery will last during regular use.
Features
The options and/or functions of a smartphone.
- DLNA – Digital Living Network Alliance allows you to connect your smartphone to an HDTV or other DLNA-enabled display or device via wireless connectivity.
- FM Receiver – ability to receive an FM radio signal.
- FM Transmitter – ability to broadcast an FM signal. Great for sharing music.
- GPS Navigation – ability to send and receive location data via a satellite-based navigation system.
- HD Playback – high definition playback offers enhanced video quality.
- Microphone – second microphone for improved recording quality during videos or speakerphone use.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR IN SMARTPHONES
- Don't buy a phone which has a new version coming out soon. The Galaxy S3 is a great device, but keep in mind that Samsung Galaxy S4 reviews will be coming out shortly, followed by the phone itself. It will likely be well worth the wait, either to pickup the S3 at a discounted price, or to pickup the new S4.
- Make sure you live in an area that is covered by your service provider before you spend the additional funds to purchase a smartphone with 4G capabilities; many service providers only provide 4G coverage in metropolitan areas.
- It's also important to find out whether your service provider charges extra for text messaging and data plans; if text messaging and Internet access is not covered by your regular monthly bill, you could end up accruing hefty additional charges.
Tags: Technology. Technology News, Smartphone, Gadgets, Gadgets news
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