Smartphone Buying 101

A mobile phone is more than just something to talk and text with these days. Business people use these for making appointments, booking flights and hotel rooms, finding their way to appointments, and much more. Phones can be extremely delightful or terribly frustrating and the daunting task of purchasing a new phone will send some folks into bouts of heart palpitations practically. Here's some points to consider when buying a smartphone.

• Phones are either GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) or CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access). GSM comprises 75% of the global market but in the USA, CDMA rules. Here's an easy way you can tell which one your phone is.  If you can take your phone to another mobile provider and it still works, it's GSM. If you can't, it's CDMA. Some folks want to have the freedom to switch mobile companies without buying a new phone. If you are one of those people, you'll need a GSM phone. Sometimes you have no choice because you are bundling a package deal or you are given a phone. Perhaps you've been with a CDMA company a long time and are happy with them. If that's the case, go ahead and get their CDMA phone. At least now you are aware there is a difference. In the CDMA phones, network information is stored on the phone circuit board. In GSM phones, the network information is on a removable SIM card. Verizon and Sprint are CDMA. AT&T and TMobile are GSM.
• Some phones come with antivirus protection and some do not. Some utilize a technology called sandboxing and are protected by that technology. When buying a phone you need to ask, "How is this phone protected?"  If it's android, it's not protected and you need to install antivirus. A smartphone is a computer that you call make phone calls with. All computers need protection therefore all phones need protection. I also recommend getting antitheft protection for lost/stolen phones. It's bad enough when you lose your phone to be without it, but you don't want to fall victim to identity theft and financial loss at the same time.
• Smartphones come in different speeds. From slow to fast there is: 3G,  EVDO/1xRTT, 4G. If all you do is text, talk, and answer emails, then speed isn't a huge factor. But if you watch movies while waiting for clients to show up, then speed is.
• Smartphones need cases to protect them. Phones get dropped all the time. I recommend Otterbox cases, but there are several brands of "tough cases" to choose from. They are worth the money. Many mobile phone companies don't insure against breakage. If you are a frequent beachgoer, I suggest getting a waterproof case. (Or leaving your phone at home.)
• Smartphones come with many apps installed, but there is an abundance of free and paid apps at the Apple and Play stores. An app is a program. An installed app is a downloaded program. Just like you have to be careful downloading programs, you have to be careful downloading apps. Check them out before you install them on your phone.
•  Smartphones need to be charged more often than their dumbphone predecessors. It's the screen that takes up the huge amount of power. Add wifi, bluetooth, etc and you have a big power piggy.