I've used quite a number of phones in my life. When it comes to me and phones you can almost write a novel with a roller coaster plot and an over all theme being; ''Eric sucks at using a phone for long''. You'd be spot on! Its not a thing of pride, however, it has opened the door for me to a wide variety of experiences, and hence this gives me good authority to write this post.
So when it comes to phones and buying one so many things come to mind, the most profound being your financial capability and/or boundary; you want to be sure your money can acquire you a decent phone or atleast the one you're desiring. And while that is not a problem for some people for others, however, it can pose a real challenge. After all, nobody wants to be spending a sizeable sum on a bland device - that would be you slitting your own throat.
I'm assuming here your financial basis have being covered and just have a real dilemma picking a phone of choice. I'll list out MAJOR features I lookout for in a phone before buying it. Its not just about how fancy-looking it is but how durable, reliable and tenacious the device can/will be.
Without wasting much time, here are the few major things you have to look out for in a smartphone before plunging your money into it;
1. The Battery
The importance of having a device with a power-packed battery cannot be overemphasized. There's no point in having an out-of-this-world device with a battery that begs for its own life. Its quite frustrating. Over the years, what has disappointed many phone users is the life span of their phone batteries. The more sophisticated the phones got the less capable the batteries became. Although so much blame shouldn't be laid on phone makers since so many processes are running at the same time and phone usage is relative to each individual. However, one would still expect the batteries to be atleast capable of handling these processes in a stretch. Therein lies my problem with phone makers.
When buying a phone it's important you look for the battery capacity. Its the figure that has ''mAh'' (short for: milliAmpere hour)' written next to it usually imprinted on the body of the batteries. It translates to how long your device potentially lasts when under usage. ''Potentially'' because let's face it: phone usage is totally dependent on the user. How Mr. A uses his phone differs from how Mr. B uses his. But the general principle is; The higher the capacity(that is mAh) the longer it will last, relatively.
Fact: Do you know that phones use between or over 50 - 70 percent of battery life just being on Standby? And by ''Standby'' I mean when your phone is idle but is connected to a GSM network(not internet). Go to your phone Settings and check for yourself.
2. Camera
"I treat the camera like a person - I gaze into it. Photos are a flat thing and you need to put life into them'' - Cara DelevigneCara steals my heart here - photos are a flat thing - It is you who puts life into them. And how best do you capture yourself doing that? With a darn good camera! People purchase phones just for this reason. A friend once told me the reason she was using an iPhone 4 ''was just for the camera''. As humans we are very concerned about this. Why? Because pictures speak volumes, and so do the cameras that capture them(just ask the selfie generation). I recently snapped a selfie with a colleague's phone and I was immediately thrown back in disgust by how ''foggy'' it looked. Not that the camera wasn't good, but was actually suppose to be better after all the phone itself was supposedly a high-end device. For once there I thought there was a sinister plot to make me look uglier than I already am.
Having a decent camera, as well as the flash light that accompanies it, has alot of benefits. Sometimes it can be the difference between you having goosebumps munching your skin a few years time or being filled with regret for even attempting to capture a moment. A phone with a very good camera is all you need to give you that crisp-looking appearance with appealing allure. This is where Megapixels(MP) comes to mind. To put this in perspective, the higher a phone's Megapixels(MP) the better the quality of your pictures. Phones with 2 - 5MP will provide good looking pictures, but maybe not quite as defining as an 8 or 13MP camera(which some low-end devices have). The difference in quality will be prominent.
Thus buying a phone with a good camera is a smart way of investing in your happiness. Pictures are of great importance to the human race, so too are the cameras that capture them.
3. Screen Size
Size is relative. And it is a great determinant in deciding to purchase a device since appreciation for phone size varies. Some persons like big phones, others like medium sized phones while a few appreciate smaller phones. Where one sees the cubersome act/process of handling a big sized device, others see a treasure to flaunt. While the keyword for modern technological advancement is ''mobility'' it doesn't exactly translate to everybody. The iPhone is regarded as ''sexy'' loosely because of its small size; making it easy to carry around in the comfort of our pockets and small purses. However, the Samsung galaxy tab leave people in awe because of how intimidating the size is.
In essence, the size of phones largely represents the personality of their owners. So when it comes to phone and size, whatever taste suits your bud, go for it.
4. Memory Card Slot
If you're keeping up with the trend of new devices you'd notice that the memory card slot has started to disappear gradually. This is a big turn off for alot of persons especially when one has a load of pictures, music and videos rearing to go on an SD card. While the reasons phone manufacturers give for removing this feature is understandable(like it causes phones to run slow or stop working, apps crashing or users losing data, although not for all devices) it however poses serious doubt when buying a new device without an SD card considering the internal memory isn't even that worthy. For some persons they can utilize and manage the internal memory well but for some it just doesn't even scratch the surface of satisfaction. The internal memory gives limitations on the amount of files or applications one can have. With a memory card inserted one can easily move apps so as to free up space for more, but without it you face real challenge having all your favourite files and apps in your phone.
Other feature(s) you consider when buying a phone is the;
- RAM:
So after having a price range you wish to spend on a phone, spend a few minutes to examine the features. You don't have to buy a phone because it looks good, looks can be deceiving you may end up regretting. Also, you don't have to spend a lot of money on a phone, thanks to the Chinese good quality phones are now being made for a relatively low sum.
