Cell phones have come a long way since the early days of the 1980s when they were the size of a brick and weighed almost as much. Today, cellular phones come with built-in cameras, polyphonic ringtones, and high-tech games. New “3G” mobile phones are also capable of downloading full motion video and full spectrum music. Whereas there were only a few manufacturers of cell phones in the 1980s, today there are many. In addition to original manufacturers such as Motorola and Siemens, today phones are manufactured by Sony-Ericsson, LG, Toshiba, Samsung, Hitachi, Danger, Palm, HP and others.

As wireless cell phone use increases around the globe, the old CDMA and TDMA standards are being replaced with GSM, the global standard outside of North America. Relatively new mobile phone companies such as Vodafone and T-Mobile in Germany and NTT DoCoMo in Japan have taken advantage of increased cell phone use by expanding their mobile phone offerings and plans world-wide. Also, traditional computer companies are moving or have moved into the cell phone industry—PalmOne manufactures the Treo 650, HP is coming out with its own smartphone PDA and Microsoft powers the operating systems of many of the newest cell phones on the market.

In addition to being used as a method of wireless voice communication, cell phones have within the last decade morphed into mobile computing platforms. These new cell phones are powerful enough to power many applications that only a few years ago required one to be stationed at a desktop computer.

Concurrent with technological innovation and increased adoption worldwide, prices for both hardware and service plans have dropped steadily over the last decade. Whereas only a few years ago most cell phone service providers required 3 year contracts with heavy penalties for early cancellation, now one can get a free state-of-the-art phone with only a one year contract.

Beyond the cell phone hardware, whole new industries have sprung up catering to the needs of cell phone users who demand accessories such as cell phone covers, screen-savers, and ring tones. As well, SMS (simple messenging system) and MMS (multimedia messenging system) lingo is slowly entering the cell phone society vernacular. Use of shorthand abbreviations such as LOL (laughing out loud), SWAK (sealed with a kiss) and G2G (got to go) has become second nature to teenagers who are the main users of phone messenging globally.

(c) 2005 Philip Liu – All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Philip Liu is a freelance author and publisher currently based in New York City. Philip publishes regularly on his websites, Cell Phone News + Reviews (focusing on cell phone news, rumors and reviews from around the world), and DTVScoop – Plasma, LCD Reviews + News (focusing on digital television news and reviews).

More Than Just a Phone

Selecting a cell phone is no longer just about mobile communication – it is now a lifestyle choice. If you don’t select the phone that fits your personality, you won’t be happy with it. New cell phones are beginning to have little in common with earlier cell phones. The new models feature color screens, digital cameras, high-speed internet connections, multimedia games, and music playback. In case you were wondering, you can also use them to make phone calls. It’s only a matter of time before everyone has these features on their cell phones.

Text messaging or “texting” is now available standard on most cell phones. It is similar to instant messaging except that messages are sent and received by cell phones instead of computers. Multimedia messaging allows you to send audio, video, and pictures as an attachment to a text message. Multimedia messaging was once seen as entertainment, but is rapidly becoming valuable to the business world. Real estate agents take photos of houses with their cell phones and employment agencies may use camera phones to photograph job applicants – all away from their office.

Dial In On the Options

Cellular providers in the United States use either GSM or CDMA technology. When you buy a cell phone, it is tied to either GSM or CDMA cellular network, but can’t be converted from one to the other. If you ever switch cellular providers, you may also need to switch phones. Most cellular providers now have high-speed data networks. These data networks work with high-end cell phones and special network cards you can purchase for laptops. Data networks usually transmit data slightly faster than a dialup internet connection. These networks are still being developed and are yet to be available everywhere. Look for higher speed networks to be much more common by 2006.

If you want to purchase a camera phone, consider what quality of photos you need to take. Most camera phones have less than a one megapixel resolution, which produces low-quality images. If you need to take clear photos, look into a camera phone with 3 or more megapixels.

Voice Dialing and Bluetooth are becoming standard in many phones to make it easier and safer for people to use their phones while driving. Voice Dialing allows you to speak a person’s name into your phone, which will automatically find the person in your address book and dial the number for you. Bluetooth lets you connect a headset to your phone without wires. Some luxury cars are beginning to offer Bluetooth connectivity so that you can take calls in your car through the built-in speaker system.

Some newer cell phones are being designed with an emphasis on entertainment. They can be used to play music MP3 files, stored video and even movies, and video games. In general, the newer phones are all getting smarter and more specialized.

After you’re done choosing the features that you want, don’t neglect the practical aspects. Look at how often you will need to change the battery, whether the screen and keypad are too big and too small. Also, caveat emptor: most cellular providers lock you into a one or two year contract when you purchase a phone from them. If you cancel your service, they will charge you an early termination fee.

About The Author

Deryck Richards is the founder and managing partner of Desktronix. With an extensive educational background in computer information systems, Deryck currently manages hosting and data center operations for Desktronix. He also provides system administration and technical support directly to small businesses as he has since 2000. His areas of expertise include networking, Windows, Linux, and Macintosh systems and he is the author of The Guide to Technology for Small Business. For more information on Desktronix, visit www.desktronix.com.

Cell phone safety is a topic widely debated around the world. Millions of dollars is being spent ever year to find out the dangers in using cell phones “if any” The research is to determine whether or not there is a dangerous exposure to radiofrequency energy which could result in cancer.

You may have heard some cell phone manufacturers playing down the exposure as minimal and that the traces of radiofrequency energy exposed from cell phones could not be proven as a health hazard. You will also have heard some cancer research or pharmaceutical companies campaigning for all cell phone manufacturers to issue a warning to all cell phone users regarding the dangerous levels of radiofrequency. We see this type of warning on cigarette boxes.

As cell phones are relatively new we will know exactly how much if any damage they are causing as the years go by, however it is agreed by all that cell phones do give of exposure to radiofrequency and for that reason alone you should take some precautions.

You can eliminate the exposure to your body at a very inexpensive cost. Wearing an earpiece has become very popular and using car kits will reduce the time the cell phone is against your ear. The car kit is also essential for safe driving and in many states and other countries it is against the law to drive and talk on a cell phone at the same time.

Cell phones and children

Apart from the expense aspect children should have limited access to cellular phones. While the debate is going back and forth from cell phone manufacturers and cancer research groups it is best to play it safe. Some countries such as the United Kingdom have recommended that children be limited in using cell phones but this is advertised as a precaution only with no medical evidence supporting the case for cancerous side affects. Children’s brains are still growing and now many countries have advertised precaution only.

The IEC (The International Electrotechnical Commission) in Switzerland has issued guidelines for cell phone manufacturers to measure the amount of radiation that their individual phones release. Medical conventions are held ever year all over the world to try and establish a healthy outcome to all the debates.

Are the cell phone manufacturers making changes?

The cell manufacturers are certainly spending millions on research to provide evidence that radiation levels from cell phones are not harmful. They are bringing out phones that limit radiation but the fact remains that all cell phones currently on the market today omit some radiations. Let’s face it, no cell phone manufacturer is going to come out and tell you that their product may be harmful. If there is no harmful side affects why are cell phone manufacturers constantly trying to bring out new cell phones that omit less radiation? Come to your own conclusion.

Overview:

Radiation from cellular phones is harmful if enough is administered into the body but the debate remains on how much is omitted from the cell phone and if that level is a danger. What is evident is the fact that since the introduction of cell phones tumor related cancerous diseases have increased. Neurologists in Ireland have expressed concerns over the growing number of neurological patients treated there since the spread of mobiles.

You need to be sensible and limit your exposure. As mentioned before headsets, earpiece and car kits are all ways to avoid dangerous exposure to radiation. It may take many years to come before we see the real results of cell radiation exposure. Look after your children now and do not regret what could be evident in ten or twenty years. Encourage children to send SMS text instead of constantly chatting on the phone.

We all use cell phones and some more than others, they are reliable, convenient and a technological master piece but with all master pieces “handle with care”.

About the Author Declan Tobin is a successful freelance writer providing advice for consumers on purchasing a variety of
Cell phone plans which includes
Cell prepaid plans,
Carriers,
and more! His numerous articles provide a wonderfully researched resource of interesting and relevant information for all of your phone interests and needs.