Mobile Phones Buying Guide

Don't be mystified by jargon or fooled by hype. Our comprehensive Buying Guides help you choose the right products.

What you need to know, from the kind of user you are to current technologies:

ACCESSORIES FOR YOUR PHONE

Accessories help you personalise your phone and add new features, but you need to make sure any accessory you buy is supported by your particular phone. If you're ordering over the Internet, check the returns policy in case it doesn't fit or won't work with your handset.

Cases, faceplates, lanyards and danglies

Some phones allow you to swap covers, giving your handset a quick facelift. Belt clips and leather cases are also handy accessories that protect your phone from scratches while adding a touch of style. Lanyards are cords that let you wear the phone around your neck or dangle it from your wrist. Danglies are like decorative keyrings that hang off your phone -- make sure you choose these carefully as they can scratch your screen if they have sharp edges.

Expect to pay anywhere between £5 and £30 for these accessories.

Headsets and car kits

A hands-free headset is essential when driving (holding the phone in your hand is illegal), and can increase your comfort level when you're speaking for long periods. You can get a headset with a boom-style microphone that rests close to your mouth or an earbud-style unit that places the mic either on the cord or above the earpiece itself. Wireless Bluetooth headsets are also available.

Another option is to install a car kit that connects to your mobile via Bluetooth and provides a speaker and mic for hands-free calls. Some car kits have built-in rechargeable batteries and others plug into your car's cigarette lighter socket. Expect to pay between £50 and £200 for a car kit.

Memory

Some mobile phones let you add memory via an expandable memory slot, however before you go shopping, make sure you know which type of memory card your phone supports. The most common types are MMC (MultiMediaCard), RS-MMC (Reduced-Size MultiMedia Card), SD (Secure Digital), miniSD (mini Secure Digital), microSD (micro Secure Digital, formerly known as Transflash), Memory Stick Pro Duo and Memory Stick Micro.

Ringtones

Having a distinctive ringtone helps distinguish your phone from the crowd when you're receiving a call, whether it's the latest single from Robbie Williams or a famous classical melody. You can also assign specific ringtones to different people in your phone book so you know who's calling without having to look at the phone. Ringtones typically cost around £2.

If you're downloading a ringtone from a downloading service or club, make sure you're only paying for what you want. Some downloading services will make you pay a weekly or monthly fee after you've bought just one ringtone.

Games

Playing games on your phone can help pass the time when you're stuck on a train or waiting for a bus. You'll want to know if your phone supports mobile Java (J2ME) or BREW, as game availability will vary. If you plan on playing lots of games on your mobile, look for a device with a joystick-type navigation button and a comfortable keyboard layout. Many phones come with games, but you can almost always download more.

Again, if you're downloading a game from a downloading service or club then make sure you're only paying for what you want. Some downloading services will make you pay a weekly or monthly fee after you've bought your first game.

Images

Wallpapers, whether cartoon characters or thematic backgrounds, give your phone a distinctive look. Some phones also let you link pictures with your contacts to create graphical caller IDs.

If you have a camera phone, some carriers let you manage photos online. You may also be able to upload images from your PC to the site, then download them to your mobile. In addition, you can download screensavers that turn on when your phone is idle.

If you're downloading a screensaver or wallpaper from a downloading service or club then make sure you're only paying for what you want. Some downloading services will make you pay a weekly or monthly fee after you've bought one screensaver or wallpaper.

Batteries

Buying an extra battery is a sensible idea if you constantly find yourself running out of power when you need it most. You should, however, swap batteries regularly so both get used equally. Buying an extra battery to stash away in your sock drawer is not such a good idea -- it will deteriorate over time. If you drag it out after a couple of years, it won't hold the same amount of charge as it did when you first bought it. For more on battery life, see our feature on extending your mobile phone's battery life.