!#5: What Are The Best Cell Phone Deals On The Market Today?

!±8± What Are The Best Cell Phone Deals On The Market Today?

Forget the marketing hype and politics. What would you consider the best cellular phone deals on the market today... based purely on functionality, performance, and cost effectiveness?

First, I don't think that is a question that can be easily answered as it depends on the user and what their usage profile is like. For example is this a business customer or a retail consumer? The needs and desires of both are very different. Email is much more important for business customers, while music and video rule the day for retail consumers.

Also...lets not forget the network service provider/coverage. Most phones can lose a lot of key functionality if the coverage is poor or non-existent.

That said....here's some suggested cell phones to start your "educated search".

- Apple iPhone (does what it says on the tin, nothing more, nothing less) Apple truly has shaken up the mobile industry the way they shook up the DAP industry with their iPod years ago. A new benchmark has been set with this device for sure.

- Palm Treo 750 (great usability, really is a mobile office)

- Blackberry 8800 (for lovers of BB's, the 8800 makes life alot easier with integrated GPS, wi-fi and trackball) ..... It's great to have email, the web and a GPS nevigator application right there. The biggest downside is that Cingular disables the Wi-Fi capability that is built in to the hardware, which forces you to use their EDGE network. It's supposed to be usable worldwide as well. No camera - but that's a plus for those who frequent places where a camera is not permitted.

- Samsung Blackjack /i600 (strong features in a thin package)

- Sony Ericsson P1 (vast improvement over previous P series phones with alot bang for your buck)

- Nokia E61i (many like the sleek form factor even though the phone is not too pretty to look at) ..... flawless functionality, stable OS, excellent hardware support for office software (pdf, table sheets, word editor, file archiver), video/audio support, wireless/bluetooth/IR/ connectivity, memory extension slot, OTA upgrade - all in a small quality pack for a fair price.

- Blackberry Curve 8300 ..... Any of my friends who have grabbed this device in the past two months have been blown away by its combination of sexy looks and trademark RIM usability. This is not your father's 7290! Take all the Blackberry features that have made RIM so successful; on-demand (push) email, full Outlook integration for calendar, todos, email etc, add a blazing fast processor, a revamped web browser, and throw in full media-playing capabilities and a 2 megapixel shooter ..... and you've got the Curve/8300. By far the best data device on the market right now. [insider hint: if integrated WiFi really gets you going, hold out for the 8320 which will be launched this quarter.)

- Blackberry Pearl 8100 ..... Take the Curve, shrink it to the size of the average candy bar cellphone and colour it Black, White or Cranberry Red .... and you've got the Pearl. Well, not quite, the processor is one generation slower and the camera is only 1.3 mp, but at half the price of the Curve, this little prosumer-oriented Berry is a great option for business people who don't relish the thought of talking into a cigarette-box-sized device all day. With RIM's patented SureType predictive text software, even though there are two letters on each key of the QWERTY keypad, you'll be surprised how smart the device is and how quickly you'll find yourself able to type on the Pearl. [Insider tip: If you want a Pearl that's on par speed-wise and shooter-wise with the Curve, wait for the Pearl 2, expected to be released this quarter.]

- Sony Ericsson W580i ..... I've never been a big fan of Sony cell phones, in fact, I've found some of their previous phones to be gaudily designed and confusing to navigate. This brand new offering from the partnership changed all that. The demo that plays when you first power it up shows off its loud, stereo speakers and incredibly crisp high res TFT display. Quite simply put, this phone is beautiful inside and out and if you don't need a Blackberry, this phone should be your number one choice.

- Motorola A1200i ..... Want a PDA-phone with a strong operating system (linux mobile) and a very powerful group of applications? Check the Motorola A1200i ... the business card photo and scan is awesome.

- Treo 700w/700wx ..... With windows OS you can create, edit, send , and receive Word, Excel, and Powerpoint files.....as well as get emails and stay organized.

- LG vx-8700 ..... If you want a simple phone that makes and recieves calls with txt messages and nothing else extra, go with this sleek phone. it looks stylish and feels good in your hand being made of brushed metal, its as good as it looks and looks as good as it performs.

- Blackberry 8830 ..... This Blackberry is nice as it keeps you up to date with one of the best email programs in any phone. Also its a world phone, you can use it anywhwere internationally. Its awesome that you can use this phone overseas by sliding in a sim card that you purchase abroad (pay as you go). It'll save you from finding a pay phone and paying the ridiculous prices.

- Nokia N95 ..... Has enormous fun potential, plus the clever web surfing engine. Its cameras are good enough for serious photography and usable video (in fact, some broadcasters are using this camera as an option for reporters on the go and are broadcasting videos made with it in news shows in Brazil). Clever is the one word that describes this powerful machine. For serious business users the only thing it lacks is a qwerty keyboard.

- HTC Artemis P3300 ..... Super Slim "Unlocked" GSM Quad Band, 802.11G, Bluetooth, SIRFIII GPS with Tomtom navigator integrated, Win Mobile with Pushmail technology. Anything you might need from a business standpoint within a single phone/pda/GPS/mp3 player/photo.

Now ..... before you run right out to your nearest mall kiosk to hunt down the phone that's caught your eye .... sit down. Here's a tip that will save you time .... AND money.

Stop in at Broadband Nation and peruse the articles there (be sure and search the archives). You'll find such information as individual cell phone reviews, how to find deals on family cell phone plans, and online resources for comparing cell phones and providers. Including a neat little online tool where you can find pricing details for every cell phone available in your location ..... specials, rebates, family plans, and so on. This free online tool evens shows accessories (Chargers and Batteries, Cases and Holsters, Bluetooth, Memory and Data, Faceplates & Covers, Headsets, Value Bundles, Wireless Signal Boosters, and more). It's as simple as searching by your zip code.

Now you have all the information you need to make a smart buying decision on your next cell phone. What you do with it is up to.