Help Desk

Get talking with a mobile phone

Mobile phones keep you in touch every moment of your life. Mobiles keep you connected when you're out and about, using the networks you already know.

Today's mobile phone handsets do everything from simple phone calls to web surfing and email  and take great pictures, too. Take a look below and decide which features fit your lifestyle best.

Cameras and MP3 players

Many people take snapshots with their mobile phone, so it's no surprise they want a great built-in digital camera. Today's mobile phones – with digital cameras of up to 8 mega pixels – take great snapshots, and many can shoot short video clips, too.

Some mobile phones also contain radios and MP3 players, so you can listen to music when you're not making calls. In addition, many models can do smart stuff like pausing the music if a call comes in, meaning no fumbling.

Style and Shape

The smaller the mobile phone, the handier it is to carry around.There are three main styles: candybar (the standard bar-shaped traditional phone), clamshell (with a flip cover) and the slider (where the keypad slides out from under the screen).

Candybar designs are all-in-one, with screen and controls on a single rectangular block. They're robust and easy to use, so look at candybar designs if your phone gets the odd bit of rough treatment. Clamshell mobile phones are also good for this, as the screen is protected from scratching.

Clamshell designs have a screen that 'folds over' the keyboard, which you open up to use it. They're fun to use, and often have bigger screens and keyboards than candybar designs despite being smaller when folded up. Also, having the buttons protected means the phone won’t accidentally dial your friends when it bumps against something in your bag!

You’ll also see variants of clamshells like ‘twist’ phones, where the screen can turn around 180 degrees to keep everything on display without having to open it up.

Like clamshells, slider designs also protect the screen by keeping the keypad retracted underneath. This often means the screen can be bigger – handy if you're planning to use your phone as a PDA (personal diary and organiser) too. Mobile phones also come in a range of colours, so you can pick one in your favourite colour or that matches your favourite outfit!

Screen size

Today's mobile phones have excellent clear, full-colour screens. The main factor determining screen size is how you'll use your phone. Do you mostly make calls, and just need clear digits and contact names on the screen? If so, go for a smaller screen, since it should increase battery life and 'talk time'.

If you expect to use your phone for web surfing and email on the go, then look for a larger screen. A screen with a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels is ideal for checking email or looking at mobile web pages – and it'll show your To-Do list, calendar, or contacts list if you want, too. A large phone screen, suitable for use as a PDA or for reviewing photos.

Other features

All phones connect to the UK's GSM network as standard. Many also connect to the GPRS data network for light email and data, and increasingly phones are able to use 3G – a high-speed data network. So if you'd like to use your phone as a pocket-sized Internet and email device, look for 3G.

Bluetooth is another useful option if you travel a lot. It's how your phone connects to a wireless headset or satellite navigation device in your car – keeping your hands free and your eyes on the road. (Remember it's illegal to make calls while driving without hands-free). A Bluetooth connection also lets your phone exchange data
with other devices like your sat nav, and at zero cost!

Mobile accessories

It's a good idea to buy a spare charger, so you can keep one at work or in the car as well as at home without carrying it around all the time.

And if you drive, a hands-free car kit is essential – it lets you make calls without having to stop. Remember, holding a mobile phone and talking while driving is illegal in the UK. A Bluetooth headset is ideal – all Bluetooth headsets work with all Bluetooth phones, so there's no need to match your models.

Or perhaps you like to listen to music, using your mobile as an MP3 player? A memory card will expand the space on your phone for storing music. Of course, it can store other data too, such as photographs or video clips. Different phones take different cards: when buying a card (Mini-SD, Micro-SD, and M2 are the common ones) make sure it'll fit your phone.

Ways to buy your mobile

PAYG – Pay As You Go – is the easiest way to get connected, but there are pay monthly (contract) options too.

A Pay As You Go (PAYG) mobile. You buy 'top up' credits at countless corner shops, petrol stations, and of course Argos stores, and it's ready to use. Most Argos customers choose this option – it's easy and great value.

A Pay Monthly phone. Your calls are totalled and invoiced to you each month, payable by direct debit, so you never have to worry about running out of credit. If you're interested in a pay monthly phone, just click