Smartphone Buying Guide #1: 6 Expert Advice on How to Make Your "Smart" Choice

Today, everyone can find a really dizzying array of advanced devices with various features on different mobile networks. In fact, there is no single “best smartphone” for each of us. But walking into any specialized store without knowing your needs and a market research is a proven recipe for future buyer’s unhappiness. Anyway, the question ‘What kind of device to choose?’ must be neither the advice from your coworkers, nor the pressure from salespeople. No matter, whether you are new to this world or you are an old pro looking for a new smartphone, find only the tried-and-true tactics for buying a next handset. Actually, this is not the guide for specific phones. Instead, you’ll get some general advice how to recognize duds & gems, for navigating the ever-changing toolkit retail landscape.

1. First of all, do not be tempted just by a hot new gadget. Think of your individual needs, or your fancy new toy will become a paperweight.

2. Before you decide, step into a store and get the heart on a particular smartphone, also evaluate the current phone & service situation of yours. All in all, there are great phones with every carrier! In addition, you may call into customer service for asking directly. Voice, data and messaging plans are everything about modern smartphones. That’s why think of heavy use of those features.

3. The next step is to think about the right software platform: Android, iOS, BlackBerry and Windows Phone are the biggest ones to consider in the US. All 4 have both strengths and weaknesses, of course. So, ignore all those fanboys of iPhones, Android users and Windows Phone admirers, who insist that their device has everything you could want. After all, are you picking a phone or a religion?

4. Now, the ‘form factor’, or the physical style of your future device. In cellphone terminology, there are: slab/slate, landscape QWERTY slider, portrait QWERTY and others. Which one is for you? Decide on your day-to-day use issues. Besides, the market is flooded with various sizes, colors and manufacturers. The best advice here is to take advantage of ‘return period’: thus, you can see if you’d live with a particular smartphone.

5. Also, find out more about the camera, processor, battery capacity, accessories and some other specifics, like gaming, email, streaming music, browsing, social networking, GPS/mapping, and the like.

6. Finally, you need to know where to buy it from. The perfect option is to go directly to your carrier’s dealership or find a low price online.

In short, hurry up to compare carrier plans, read smartphone reviews, and bother the salesperson with questions! 

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