Tech Support Chips Apple Mobile Games Gadgets Software The Lounge Geek.com Stuff

Smartphone Buyer’s Guide

Email | Multimedia | App Market | Operating System | Camera | Storage | Battery | Phone Design | Keyboard | LCD / Touch Screen | Radio Technology

Picking a smartphone can be a very challenging task. There are a lot of terms and technologies to learn about as well as a pricey device that you will be paying for every month for (in all likelihood) the next two years. So it’s important to make the right choice from the start.

The good news is that there are some fantastic phones out there. This guide will help you find your way through the decisions and find the phone that is the best for you.

The guide is broken down into a number of sections, each of which describes one aspect of a smartphone. They’ll explain to you everything from which LCD screen is right for you to which radio technology you’ll want to use. Happy reading and best of luck with your purchase!

Email

No smartphone is complete without email. There are a number of different ways to handle it - this guide will walk you through them.  |  Read More »

Multimedia

Smartphones do a lot more than make calls. You can use them to watch movies, play music, and open documents.  |  Read More »

App Market

Your phone is as good as the apps you have on it!  |  Read More »

Operating System

Just like your computer, your phone has an operating system. This is the foundation upon which all your software is built.  |  Read More »

Camera

No phone is complete without a camera! These are incredibly handy and on some phones, the camera is nearly as good as a standard digital camera.  |  Read More »
Recommended:
3.2 megapixel
Minimum:
2 megapixel

Storage

Today's phones hold a surprising amount of data. From emails to music to movies, it's important to get a phone that can hold as much data as you require.  |  Read More »
Recommended:
8GB
Minimum:
2GB

Battery

Without a battery your phone is just a paperweight. If you have the right device you won't run out of juice in the middle of your day.  |  Read More »
Recommended:
Have a backup handy--either a spare battery for a case with a built-in battery.

Phone Design

Phones come in a dazzling variety of form factors. Learn a bit about the different styles here.  |  Read More »
Recommended:
Anything that fits your lifestyle and usage.

Keyboard

The keyboard is the most important user interface feature of any smartphone. The right one could make or break your smartphone experience.  |  Read More »
Recommended:
Any keyboard you are comfortable typing on.

LCD / Touch Screen

The screen is the window to your phone. Don't be fooled--there are factors aside from size that matter!  |  Read More »
Recommended:
Capacitive touchscreen
Minimum:
Anything large enough to read your email.

Radio Technology

CDMA, GSM, 3G, 4G, LTE... this covers it all!  |  Read More »
Recommended:
  • Depends on your carrier, but GSM offers significant advantages if you travel or often change phones.
Minimum:
  • Depends on your chosen carrier.

*Related product selections provided by Pricegrabber.com

Recent Geek Activity

  • artyiom

    there are many ideas a man can think but if he thinks it twice he thought about another idea which makes his idea non...

    Posted In: Geek.com Stuff Read More »
  • ExpertOnCoolers

    The break in the case came when investigators focused on a grainy surveillance video that showed the boy, wearing his...

    Posted In: Geek.com Stuff Read More »
  • davidross

    One of the most attracting features of Mac OSX Lion is auto save for documents. And Autosave would not save the modi...

    Posted In: Apple Read More »
View All Forum Talk »

Geek Feeds Geek Feeds

Geek Goes Social