As is always the case, the field of wireless communications is developing rapidly. Is now the time to buy that wireless phone or PDA?
"The buzzword these days is convergence," says Jim Barry, spokesperson for the Consumer Electronics Association. "It's becoming common for a single device to combine aspects of a wireless phone, pager, personal organizer and Internet device."
As a result, the price drops for devices that don't offer as many features. Which means that if you just want a straightforward phone, now is a relatively cheap time to buy.
And while some fun new features such as voice recognition (no dialing -- just tell your phone to "call Mom") are becoming available, there's no killer application on the horizon that makes it worthwhile to hold off on a purchase. So if you're ready to take the plunge, here are some things to keep in mind:
Decide what you need beforehand. It's easy to get dazzled by the 4,000 makes and models once you step into a store -- and find yourself walking away with an expensive gizmo you'll rarely use. Before you go in to make a purchase, figure out when, where and how you're going to use it, says Barry.
Shop for service first, then the device. There are literally hundreds of option plans offered by the phone companies, many of which come with a free phone. Are you going to use the phone as a de facto replacement for your home phone, or just in emergencies? Figure out what you need, shop around for the best plan that meets that need, and you may just find a deal that negates the need to buy a phone separately.
Do try to avoid being locked into a two-year plan unless absolutely necessary. Things change extremely quickly in the wireless world, and you don't want a device that's overpriced or no longer useful.
