The TechGuySmartBuy Guide To Buying A New Or Your First Smartphone

One of the many questions we get asked always is: What phone should I get next?   We decided to break down all of the details and focus on factors that should be important to you, the consumer, when making your next purchase.    We aim to assist in that decision whether you are ready for an upgrade now, have one coming in the near future, or making your first smartphone purchase.   While the iPhone may not be everyone’s weapon of choice as a daily user – the same applies to the Galaxy Nexus or the Galaxy Note or the Radar 4G or the Epic 4G Touch, there is a smartphone out there that fits your needs and with this guide you shall find it.

 

 

Most consumers are using a carrier that they are comfortable with and have been with them for years.   Some of you may have had a string bad experiences with your current carrier and looking to see what the others may have to offer.   Many wireless subscribers will go by the old saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” but you may venture elsewhere and get better pricing with the same if not better wireless coverage.   Although you can go somewhere else and get just the opposite.   We got details on the four major carriers in regards to their selection of smartphones, what their starting rates are for single and family plans will be, and helpful links for coverage and more below.

AT&T is the newest kid on the LTE block that is offering just as fast as Verizon’s LTE speeds within select coverage areas.  The carrier offers a variety of great devices from Android (Galaxy S II Skyrocket) to BlackBerry (Bold 9900) to Windows Phone (HTC Titan) as well as the iPhone.  Once the original home of the iPhone, AT&T still has the best version of it with faster data speeds and capable of simultaneous voice & data while the other carriers cannot due to cellular technology restrictions.   They offer great reception coverage throughout the US but Verizon still beats them in comparison.   Other than that AT&T has great single line plans w/ rollover minutes starting at $39.99 for 450 minutes, $30 for 3GB of data, & $20 for unlimited messaging and family plans starting at $59.99 for 550 shared minutes, $30 for 3GB of data per line, & $30 for unlimited family messaging.  For AT&T’s full listing of their individual rate plans and for family plans.  Check out their coverage map in full detail to make sure they offer service in your area.

Sprint is your last and final stop for truly unlimited data plans while every other carrier has tiered plans mostly starting 2GB per month.   The trade off with Sprint is that you get unlimited data but they currently offering the slowest 4G speeds of any carrier right now.   The carrier is prepping to have their faster LTE network up and running by the end of summer but in the meantime, you have to deal with WiMAX speeds which is around 5-7Mbps.   If this is not a big deal or deciding factor for you, Sprint offers a more moderate selection of devices that are mostly Android (like the EVO Design 4G, Epic 4G Touch, Photon 4G) w/ one WP7 (the HTC Arrive), a few BlackBerry devices (Bold 9930, Curve 9350), and recently added carrier are both the iPhone 4 & 4S.  Sprint’s single line plans start at $79.99 for 450 minutes and unlimited data & messaging and family plans start at $129.99 for 1500 shared minutes, unlimited messaging,& unlimited data.  You can browse through Sprint’s individual plans and family plans as well as the carrier’s coverage map.

T-Mobile, unfortunately, is the only carrier without the iPhone but that doesn’t mean the carrier has nothing to offer.  The carrier offers great value by using another version of 4G with HSPA+ which can be just as a fast as LTE (depending on device and location).  You stellar devices like the Amaze 4G, Galaxy S II, Radar 4G, or the BlackBerry Bold 9900 to choose from for a high-end experience in whatever platform you decide to go with.   T-Mo offers customers the option of a contract or contract-free plan with smartphones to match your needs.  The carrier’s contract-free individual plans start at $49.99 for 500 minutes, unlimited text, and 2GB of data.  Magenta’s individual contract plans start at $69.99 for 500 minutes, unlimited text, and 2GB of data and their family plans start at $119.98 for 1000 minutes, unlimited text, and 2GB of data.  You can check out T-Mobile’s full listing of contract-free plans, individual contract plans, and family plans along with their coverage maps.

Verizon is the carrier that is offering the best support and coverage of the four…for a price.   There is a toll to pay for being with Verizon as it is the most expensive of the major carriers.  Sometime this year, the carrier will be the first to implement shared data plans for subscribers with family plans.  It is the birthplace of commercial 4G LTE and offers plenty of great, high-end Android devices like the Galaxy Nexus, Rezound, the Droid Razr Maxx and the entire Droid family of devices to name a few.  You still have options like the iPhone 4S or the BlackBerry Bold 9930 choose from as well.  VZW’s single plans starts at $39.99 for 450 minutes, $30 for 2GB of data, and $20 for unlimited messaging and family plans starts at $69.98 for 700 shared minutes, $30 for 2GB of data per line, and $30 for unlimited family messaging.  Check out Verizon’s full listing of individual plans, family plans, and their coverage map for further consideration.

 

 

With stepping into a new carrier, you also have the option to choose a new OS platform.  When venturing elsewhere to have the opportunity to switch up your OS or get into one if this is your first smartphone purchase as your choices are mainly Android, iOS (except for T-Mobile), BlackBerry, or Windows Phone.   Each of them possess their own strengths and weaknesses as there is no one OS that will satisfy everyone and their needs.

 

Starting with Android, Google open-sourced mobile OS that givers users almost complete control over nearly every aspects of your device to customize or even hack with ease.   Android is one of the few OS that allow full ‘true’ multitasking to do more with your device and relies on hardware buttons along with touchscreen navigation.   Plenty of manufacturers have gotten behind it to craft a device using the OS along with their own custom UI/skin over it as a differentiating element.  Android’s app selection is currently 450,000 strong within the Android Market with a selection like Cut The Rope, Plants vs. Zombies, an Asphalt 6 to name a few.  Currently its a popular choice among them so is…

 

Apple’s iOS mobile platform which is not a open and customizable as Android.  This platform offers a simplistic, minimalist design and UI along with multitouch gestures & sliders for navigation with few hardware buttons involved.   Apple’s iOS uses limited multitasking with using only several types of apps (music, phone, & location-based to name a few).  As iOS uses iTunes as its central hub for apps, movies, music, ringtones, & books.  Apple is the only one making the iOS device that can be used as a phone, the iPhone.   Apple has the biggest App Store with over 500,000 apps with a wide variety of apps to choose from like Temple Run, Instagram, and Minecraft to name a few.  Definitely just as popular as Android as some might say even more so.

Next up is the BlackBerry OS by RIM.   Though its popularity appears to be fading amongst most the general public, it may still suit your needs as a smartphone.  RIM’s OS uses most hardware buttons & trackpads for navigation as the newer devices are equipped with touchscreens.  Best known for their proprietary messaging service BlackBerry Messenger and high-security/instant push emails, offering the best physical keyboard for consumers and business folk alike.   BlackBerry’s App World offers a wide variety of apps at 60,000 and counting but most of them are unfamiliar to many but there are still a select few of notable apps like Pandora, Doodle Jump, and Foursquare to name a few.

Last but not least is Microsoft’s reinvented mobile OS with the Windows Phone platform.   Windows Phone offers a newly designed Metro UI as the mobile OS places it features into Hubs like Zune, Facebook, People (contacts), etc. and gives its apps Live Tiles that update emails, messaging, weather, etc. in real time.   WP provides a full mobile version of the Microsoft Office suite on-the-go also has limited multitasking as well but works just as well the competition.  Making it ideal for consumers new to the smartphone world or those looking for an alternative to the other platforms with Windows Phone.   The WP Marketplace provides 70,000 apps like Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja, and Tango to name a few.

So many factors to choose from in order to make your decision, maybe our next section can help narrow down your decision with…

Choosing a preferred form factor for your new smartphone.   With the selection of smartphones out there, you have the option of: all-touchscreen, touchscreen w/ sliding physical keyboard, or a no touchscreen w/ keyboard.  If you are currently with a particular form factor like a keyboard w/ no touchscreen and looking to experiment with an all-touchscreen device, you have to make sure you can adjust to typing on it.   Some people can type out long emails or write books on their iPhone or Android device and some may put a strain on their hands and maybe more comfortable with a touchscreen w/ slide out keyboard instead.

Another thing to consider is the size and feel of your new device.   Plenty of consumers may not be comfortable with device bigger than a 4.3inch display as this would eliminate devices like Galaxy Note or the Galaxy Nexus in the run of your choices.  It is just as an important factor as the rest of the guide as you have to be completely/somewhat at ease with the size of the device.  For women, it can’t be too big in order to fit in a purse or a clutch and for guys, you don’t want your phone to be bigger than your face or smaller than your hand for calling.  These are deciding factors you want to keep in mind when choosing a smartphone that you will be locked into for two years with a carrier.  And lastly…

After you have gone through all of the previous steps and narrowed down your decision to a single device or even select few devices, visit your local carrier retailer.   Spend some time with the device(s), try doing things you already do on your current device.  If you are going from physical keyboard to all-touchscreen, try typing a few messages.   Ask a salesperson any questions you might have in regards to battery life, reception, recalls, or any concerns you may have.

If you are content with your decision, there is no reason to not walk out with the device in hand.   You have 14 days in case you change your mind but you will be charged a restocking fee though.

Enjoy your new device and don’t forget add insurance  because you don’t want to pay for a new smartphone in case it is damaged or lost.  Also, visit our lessons to get up to speed on any tips & tricks for your device.

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