Cell Phones Emporium

Its seems like new phones come out on the market everyday. From Verizon Wireless Phones to AT&T wireless phones to T-Mobile wireless phones. But there is a large overseas cell phone market of phones that many US cell phone users do not know about. A popular one is the Panasonic 921P camera phone.

The newest cell phone addition for Panasonic is the 5.1 megapixel 921P released in Japan in the beginning of August 2008. The camera with this phone is quite advanced for a mobile phone and includes sports auto focus and hand-shake detection. Far from being a slim line phone, this model measures 50 mm x 108 mm x 17.5 mm and weighs in at 124 grams. Of course, that is an advantage for those who are adverse to the smaller camera phones that tend to become easily lost or drop out of your pocket.

The Panasonic 921P comes with a 3.1 inch screen, has Bluetooth capabilities, GPS function, and worldwide roaming service and a slot for memory expansion up to 8 MB. The phone is available in gold, silver, black, purple, mint, green and pink. It’s a great phone for those who prefer the larger sturdier phones instead of the trimline and lightweight small flip phones. The larger size makes the display screen easier to read and with auto focus camera capabilities, you are sure to have sharper and clearer pictures. Since the phone has just recently been released in Japan, there are no specifics about how its popularity may affect the North American market.

One the newest editions to the Pantech lines of cellular phone is a Mexican release, Pantech C600. Also available as an Unlocked Cell Phones. Now that 3G communication services are available in Mexico, it opens a new potential for cell phone companies like Pantech to tap into the Mexican market. Although this is Pantech’s first entry into the Mexican market, it plans to sell more 3G phones in the growing Mexican market in the future. The C600 includes an MP3 player, dual camera, movie player and other customized features for the average Mexican consumer.

Before they released this phone in Mexico Pantech researched the needs of the Mexican consumers. This allowed them to determine what they were seeking with the popularity of 3G technology before them. This is a great phone on Pantech’s part and the first of many 3G phones that Pantech tends to release in Mexico. The popularity of this phone makes it inevitable that many more 3G phones with similar capabilities will be released in Mexico throughout the rest of 2008 and into 2009 as well. As Mexican consumers join the rest of the world in wanting a phone with camera, music and video capabilities, Pantech will need to keep an eye on the market so it can keep on top of what consumers want.

It seems that almost every time I watch television, I see an advertisement for the iPhone that talks about some of their new, cool applications. In fact, some could argue that the success of the iPhone is a direct result of the numerous applications (apps) that one can download and use on the phone. It isn’t much different than having a mobile computer that fits in your pocket, really. However, other companies have recognized the consumer interest in app-ready phones and are beginning to release phones and applications for phones that are not the iPhone.

The first apps developed for cell phones were meant to provider users with more information, better organization, and so on….essentially ways to improve productivity and efficiency. However, today there are apps available for just about anything that you can imagine. The purpose of this article is to highlight a few of the apps that are available for most phones (not just the iPhone) and explain ways that users without app-friendly phones can get them at a reduced cost – by purchasing used cell phones.

Apps from Google

A while ago, Google released a cell phone, called the G1, that had apps designed for it by Google. However, they’ve expanded their reach by designing apps that function on a number of phones. Their most popular apps are a Gmail app and GoogleMaps – which can help people stay in touch and in the right place at all times.

Skype

Chances are, you’ve either heard of or even used Skype. Skype is an internet based phone service that allows users to make free “phone calls” using their computer and internet connection. Well, now the same service is available on any internet-enabled cell phone. Of course, mobile carriers are not exactly thrilled about this app as it allows users to make phone calls without using any minutes, but they do earn some profit on the call by charging people for data-transfer plans. However, in cases like international calls, the Skype application can be a great way to make calls on your cell phone without paying international fees.

Weatherbug

A number of people are familiar with Weatherbug, a desktop application that supplies subscribers with weather reports in real time, including any severe weather alerts. Now a similar app is available for internet-capable cell phones, which allows users to stay on top of the weather wherever they are at, at all times, in real time. This can be helpful for people that do a lot of travel, for example.

Radio Applications

If you prefer to listen to the radio instead of MP3s, you’ll be excited to learn about the numerous radio applications that are available. These apps function using the streaming feature of the station’s internet broadcast. This provides an alternative to filling up your phone with MP3 files and allows you to do things like listen to your favorite local morning show during the commute when you’re across the country on business.

Apps Just for Fun

Not all applications for cell phones are aimed at being productive or useful, some are simply designed to be silly or fun. Of course, there are a number of games that can be downloaded and played. Another funny app is the Light Saber application that functions using the accelerometer installed on most new cell phones. This app lights up the screen like a light saber from Star Wars and emulates the sounds one would hear during light saber fights as the phone is moved around.

In conclusion, be warned that not all apps are free and that some apps that are free to download cost money to use. Be sure you understand all terms and conditions of each app that you download to keep yourself from having to pay additional charges down the road. Also, if you don’t currently have an app-ready phone but would like on, you may find that app-ready phones are pretty high end and expensive. One good way to have your cake and eat it, too, is to buy a used or refurbished cell phone from used cell phone vendors that is app-ready. In many cases, these phones can be found as much as 50-60% cheaper than they cost at full retail price.

Introducing the Nokia N95 Unlocked Cell Phones. This Nokia N95 cellular phone has all the features anyone could ever want, and possible even more.

The Nokia N95 Cell Phone has built in memory of 128 megabytes, an internal memory capacity of 160 megabytes, plus the 4 megabytes of shared memory.

All this memory allows you to store more files in your mobile phone. Files such as those for music, for games, for pictures, and for videos.

The Nokia N95 Cell Phone also supports your favorite interactive games and applications with its Java technology feature.

And with color screen of 16M, The Nokia N95 Cell Phone assures you will have an amazing visual display for clearer browsing and easy reading of text messages.

This phone also features a 5.0 megapixel camera. The 5.0 Megapixel camera enables this mobile phone to allow you to capture every moment with your loved ones and friends anywhere through pictures and videos with extreme clarity.

The Nokia N95 Cell Phone through its Bluetooth and infrared capabilities, allows you to send these moments you captured with the 5.0 megapixel camera, to anoyone. Alternatively you can also do this via the multimedia messaging services.

You can also enjoy longer hours of calls and games because its battery lasts to six and a half hours.

The mobile phone is stylish, using materials inspired from leather, and beautifully etched metal, making it stand out against all other models being displayed.

By purchasing used cell phones from a third party, you avoid the need to sign up for a new contract with a cellular provider (typically 1 or 2 years). Instead, you can approach the provider with a phone that you buy on your own and have them activate it and completely bypass any conversations about a contract – allowing you to move to a different provider at a later date if you choose to without paying steep cancellation fees.

Sound like a good idea? Did I mention that used phones are significantly cheaper than new ones? Before buying a used phone, you need to understand the different types of technology that are used in cell phones before you buy a refurbished or used cell phone. More importantly, you need to know what technology your preferred provider operates on.

Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) technology has long been the dominant technology for mobile networks in North America and Asia. However, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) technology us currently used in both North America, Asia, and the majority of other continents. It is estimated that 85% of the global market uses phones on a GSM platform, meaning that there are many more phones made for that technology.

It is not too hard to tell one type of phone from another. GSM phones use a SIM card and CDMA phones do not. If you buy a used blackberry made for GSM networks, activating it is as simple as putting your SIM card (which you get from your provider) into the new (used) phone. The phone will then be able to connect to the network that the SIM card is associated with. This is particularly advantageous for people that do a lot of international travel as you can avoid expensive roaming fees by getting a prepaid SIM card for the international network you plan to operate on.

Activating a used CDMA cell phone is slightly more difficult, but still relatively simple. The process is simple enough to explain, but the reality is that you will either need to visit a local store for your provider or call their customer support, who will walk you through the process.

Not sure what type of phone is best for you? Well, that choice will ultimately come down to your own personal preference or may be impacted by the fact that you already have an existing line with a certain provider that you want to keep. Alternatively, you can compare the carriers based on your criteria of needs and pick the best fit before you begin searching for a phone that is compatible with the technology that they use.

In terms of service, both technologies offer similar levels of coverage area, call quality, and data transfer speeds. Of course, the amount of coverage you get will be dependent on your provider, not necessarily the phone that you choose. If you do a lot of traveling, make sure that you ask your provider about roaming fees, as these can get expensive.

Last but not least, you need to keep in mind the features and applications that you plan to use on the phone. Certain features or phones are only able to work fully on one network (like the iPhone) and some providers charge extra to use certain features, so make sure you know what you’re getting yourself in to up front to avoid surprises on the bill down the road. And, remember to only buy used AT&T phones from reputable dealers (like those that offer a warranty) and/or trusted sources.