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New
cellular phone features are being added all the time. In
this article we will discuss many popular features including BlueTooth, camera phones, web browsing
Screen Size and Color
Battery Life
Phone Book Capacity
Personalization Options
Text Messaging
Web Browser
Digital Camera
Two-way Radio
Additional Features Explained
BlueTooth
Connectivity
Screen Size and Color
Larger screens that display hundreds and even thousands of
colors are increasingly common, even on inexpensive cellular
phones. These bright, colorful displays can make it somewhat
easier to read and navigate increasingly complex cellular
phone menus, but they make a much bigger difference when you
use the cellular phone for data services, such as sending
and reading text messages, taking and sharing digital photos
or surfing the wireless Web. If you don't plan to use these
features or use your cellular phone for much more than
making calls, you'll pay less or get more calling features
for you money and your phone's battery will last longer
between charges if you stick with a monochrome screen.
Battery Life
Cellular phone batteries have improved steadily over recent
years, and even the most inexpensive cellular phones have
batteries that deliver several hours of talk time and
multiple days of standby operation (the phone is turned on
and ready to accept incoming calls). Still, if you spend
several hours each day talking on the cellular phone, you'll
be better served by a model that features an especially
long-lived battery. Battery life varies widely based on how
the cellular phone is used, network conditions and a myriad
of other variables, sometime even the weather. Most phones
come reasonably close to the maximum battery life estimates
provided by the cellular phone manufacturers and carriers,
but those should be used only as relative measures in
comparing different models. Separate battery life estimates
are typically given for talk time and standby operation.
Look for a generous amount of talk time if you talk on the
cellular phone a lot. And look for longer standby batter
life of up to two weeks if you frequently wander from your
home or office for long stretches and think you'll need your
phone to go several days between charges.
Phone Book Capacity
Even the most inexpensive cellular phone has the ability to
store names and phone numbers in a handy electronic phone
book. The most basic models can typically store 100 to 200
names and numbers -- plenty for the average user -- while
features on cellular phones geared toward business users
provide an electronic rolodex that stores postal addresses
and multiple phone numbers and email addresses for as many
as 500 contacts.
Personalization Options
With more than 150 million in use in this country, cellular
phones today are more than just communication tools; they
are frequently fashion statements or expressions of personal
style. Many features with cellular phones offer
interchangeable multi-color covers, a selection of graphics
or photos that can adorn the screen and/or a choice of
customizable ringtones- snippets of music or other sounds to
replace the standard beeps, chirps or rings that tell you
someone is calling. Many cellular phones let you assign
specific rings to individual callers whose names and numbers
are stored in the phone's electronic directory. These and
other largely cosmetic features don't make your calls sound
clearer or give your phone better reception, but they can be
fun, and they're increasingly available on even the most
inexpensive cellular phones.
Text Messaging
Probably the most common features, non-phone function
available on a cellular phone is the ability to send and
receive short email-like text messages to and from other
cellular phones. Sometimes called SMS, short for Short
Message Service, the international standard for such
technology, this capability can be handy for sending short,
discreet messages to someone who's not free to take a
cellular phone call and isn't sitting in front of an
Internet-connected computer. Typing text on a phone's
numeric keypad can be tedious, even with the ubiquitous
software designed to simplify the task, called predictive
text entry. That's probably why these messages are limited
to about 150 characters. More features through agreements
among the carriers, SMS messages can be sent to any cellular
phone user, regardless of which carrier they use. Several
more elaborate forms of messaging that let you embed or
attach graphics, digital photos, music clips or other
multi-media content, but these technologies -- known by
acronyms like EMS for Enhanced Messaging Service or MMS for
Multimedia Messaging Service only work on specially equipped
cellular phones and between compatible phones from the same
carrier.
Web Browser
Another increasingly ubiquitous data feature of most
cellular phones is the ability to access the Internet and
display Web pages specially formatted for viewing on small
cellular phone screens. Though most Internet-enabled phones
include Web browser software, these features typically
requires and extra-cost subscription from your carrier to
allow you to surf the Web from your cellular phone.
Digital Camera
One of the most popular new bells and whistles is a built-in
digital camera or plug-in camera attachment that lets you
take photographs with your cellular phone. Though not quite
suitable for framing, these grainy photos can be displayed
on your phone's small screen or shared with friends and
family via email, the Web or by sending them to similarly
equipped phones. These features capability is showing up in
an increasing number of cellular phones, from some
inexpensive models available for free (after rebates and
with a new service agreement) to high-end phones that cost
several hundred dollars.
These new camera-phones aren't substitutes for conventional
digital or film-based cameras for capturing memorable
moments, but having a camera with you everywhere you go can
be both useful and fun. Once you buy the cellular phone, it
doesn't cost anything to snap and display photos on your
phone's screen, but sending photos via email, MMS or
Web-based photo-sharing services usually requires an
extra-cost subscription from your carrier and or a
third-party service. Additionally, the airtime that you use
transmitting photos and other data counts against your
allotment of talk time.
Two-way Radio (Direct Connect/Push to Talk Service)
An instant communication feature that lets subscribers call
each other walkie-talkie style without dialing the 10-digit
phone number. Calling plans that offer these features
usually provide a separate allowance of minutes for the
service outside of the allotted airtime in the calling plan.
Popularized by Nextel, several other national carriers have
announced plans to emulate this service on their networks.
Currently, the two-way radio feature only works if both
parties subscribe to the service on the same service
provider’s network.
Additional Features
Speed Dialing or One-Touch Dialing – a feature of virtually
every new cellular phone that lets you designate a few
stored phone numbers for quick one- or two-button dialing of
frequently called numbers.
Vibrating Alert -- another ubiquitous features that lets you
set your cellular phone to vibrate instead of ring,
providing a silent alert for incoming calls that lets you
keep your cellular phone on in public places where a ringing
phone would be inappropriate.
Speakerphone Features -- a valuable ability to talk on your
cellular phone without holding in up to your ear, which,
among other benefits, makes hands-free operation while
driving a car much safer.
Voice Dialing – the ability to speak a name stored in your
phone's electronic phonebook to dial the number instead of
pressing buttons on the numeric keypad. Another features
that eases hands-free operation while driving.
Voice Recorder – the ability to record and playback short
spoken notes to yourself.
Games -- make your cellular phone an entertaining diversion
from airport layovers, tedious waiting in line or other
boring situations.
Ringtones and Graphics Features -- the ability to add new
ringtones, screen graphics and other data that didn't come
built into a cellular phone by connecting to your carrier's
or a third-party data service and "downloading" them over
the airwaves to your phone's internal memory. Some phones
are limited to downloading ringtones and screen graphics,
while others can add games and other software programs,
including productivity tools and relatively sophisticated
applications.
Ring Tone Melody Composer – a software program built into
some cellular phones that lets you compose your own melodies
that can be played as the ringtone to alert you to incoming
calls.
FM Radio and/or MP3 Player – a built-in radio or digital
music player that eliminates the need to carry one more
electronic device for fans of portable music, talk radio or
news broadcasts.
Instant Messenger – the popular device-to-device, text
chatting service that lets you type silent conversations
with someone using an Internet-connected computer or
cellular phone.
Personal Information Management or PDA Features - anything
from simple organizational tools such as an alarm clock,
calendar and to-do list to sophisticated hybrid devices that
combines a cellular phone with a full-blown handheld
computer. Many inexpensive cellular phones and mid-priced
models include the basic organizer functions, and most can
be synchronized with calendar and contact info maintained on
a PC. More sophisticated cellular phone-PDA combo devices
typically cost several hundred dollars.
Infrared Connection -- An infrared link that lets you
connect wirelessly to other cellular phones or to handheld
and laptop computers, primarily for exchanging and
synchronizing phonebook or calendar data. A particularly
useful features if you use PC-based contact management or
calendar software and want to keep the same data stored and
updated on your cellular phone.
Bluetooth Connection
Features - a wireless connection similar to infrared,
which allows links to additional devices such as
Bluetooth-enabled wireless headsets, computer printers, and
other devices. Bluetooth is designed to allow such devices
to share data without as much complex setup as other
connections require.
Global Positioning System or GPS -- a receiver that uses
signals from GPS satellites to pinpoint the geographic
location of the device. This feature will be used to provide
location-based services, such as the location of emergency
911 callers.
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