There is an abundance of information about wireless devices and what they can do. You have Smartphones, messaging phones, basic phones, Android phones and much more. I will focus on comparing and contrasting features of 3 wireless phones and highlight the differences between them. It can be an overwhelming task selecting the right phone as new releases are almost a daily occurrence. The first step in determining which phone is the right one is to know what your wireless needs are. Do you want a phone with Wi-Fi, or perhaps a phone with GPS and camera? These are just some of the things I will cover in this summary.

Wireless phones have one thing in common and that is they allow you to make calls, text and in most cases utilize the internet. Simple but true. It is the features of a phone that distinguishes one from another. An example is the Samsung Galaxy S3, an Android phone offered by AT&T, Team Mobile and Verizon.  This device is considered a high end Smartphone as most of the features of this phone you will not find on messaging and basic phones. One of the features of the Galaxy S3 is that it is mobile hotspot capable, which means you can use the phone to connect your Wi-Fi  enabled devices and use the phone as a Wi-Fi modem. Additionally, you need  an appropriate data plan in order for this feature to work. The pricing and data capacity on a mobile hotspot plan may vary per carrier.  One of the biggest features of the Galaxy S3 is the ability to record and take still images at the same time.  Another intriguing feature of the Galaxy S3 is its near field communications (NFC) ability. This basically allows you to transfer files with other NFC enabled Smartphones by simply touching them. The Galaxy S3 features 4G HSPA+/LTE, 3G and 2G networks. Although 4G LTE is expanding, it is important to note that 4G LTE is not available everywhere so this should be factored into your decision making before purchasing a 4G LTE device.  Often times the blur between specifications and features are not that clear. If we use the example of the Galaxy S3 we see it has a Quad-core  1.4 GHz processor. This is a specification of the phone or something that is intrinsic to the device itself. Conversely, a feature of the Galaxy S3 is face and smile detection. It is an extended function of the phone that provides a benefit to you the user. Smartphones are very useful and with a tremendous amount of apps available, they allow you to do virtually anything from using your device as a barcode scanner, to receiving faxes on your Smartphone. You might not need a powerful phone like the Galaxy S3 and may want something more straightforward such as a messaging phone.

 The Pantech Link II is a stylish messaging phone, offered by AT&T and features a front side keyboard, 2 megapixel camera and expandable memory through a Micro SD slot up to 32GB.  For someone, not in the Smartphone market, this is a good messaging phone for the price. The Link II is a 3G phone and features Bluetooth 2.1 technology that allows the transfer of files from your device to the computer without a data transfer cable. This phone resembles the style of the Blackberry Curve however a data plan is not required. If a physical keyboard isn’t what you are looking for and you want a basic phone for talk and minimal text you can consider an easy to use phone like the Motorola Tundra.

The Motorola Tundra is a flip phone, great for someone who’s on the go and needs a sturdy phone. It is designed to withstand the elements and is designed to military specifications. So if you are looking for durability without the bells and whistles, this phone fits the bill. It is a 3G phone and also features Bluetooth 1.2 technology that allows you to transfer small files from the phone to your computer. The Tundra also has an expandable Micro SD slot, up to 8GB and comes with a 2 megapixel camera.

These are examples of 3 different phones that have distinct and different features. It all depends on what you want your phone to do for you as well as other considerations such as price. Smartphones are very prominent and heavily advertised, however a Smartphone is not the only choice. Some of the features of Smartphones such as Turn by Turn directions and Tethering require a different data plan and subscription altogether. Once you know the different features between phones, it makes navigating through the maze of purchasing a better experience.