Gone are the days when phones were used only for voice communication. Advancement in cell phone technology now allows you to send text messages, take pictures, set reminders for daily chores and pay your bills. With the wide range of features available, choosing the right cell phone can become quite mind-boggling.

Currently, Nokia, Motorola and Samsung are the market share leaders for the global cell phone market, and offer a wide selection of cell phones to meet every person's needs. Cell phone costs range from less than $100 to more than $400, depending on the specifications. Your choice of cell phone should be dictated by the features you would like your cell phone to have. The first thing to consider is the cell phone size. As your cell phone will be carried with you most of the time, a slim and lightweight cell phone is the best choice. Cell phones also come with or without flip covers, and nowadays all cell phones allow text-messaging services.

Cell phones come with varying storage capacity for contacts ? from as low as 50 to more than 200. If you want to use your cell phone to take pictures, then in-built camera phones of more than one mega pixel should be considered. Multimedia phones also offer short-duration video and voice recording features. These phones also have slots to attach to external devices for additional storage of your favorite pictures, music and videos. Another important thing to consider is the cell phone battery life. Battery life is the hours of talk time the battery supports. Many cell phones normally come with 250 minutes of talk time.

Other cell phone accessories include hands-free or speakerphone features. These would allow you to make or answer calls even while both hands are occupied, especially while driving. Cell phones with bluetooth or infrared technology allow the phone to connect wirelessly to your PC without having to invest in an expensive data cable. WAP enabled cell phones allow you to check emails even when you are on the move. It also enables you to use your phone as a modem. Medium-range phones come with in-built radio and MP3 features. Some phones also provide the option of changing cases to match your clothes to the occasion.

Cell phone ringtones have become popular nowadays and are a great way to add style to your phone. All phones come with preset ringtones but some phones come with options that allow you to compose ringtones. Many websites provide ringtone download services for free or at nominal charges.