With hundreds of different mobile phones and call plans available, it can seem like a never-ending task to wade through the options to find the right one for you.  It’s easy to get swayed by the latest high-tech advertisement, or by what friends have opted for, without thinking enough about what you are really looking for. 

However, thinking about the decision logically can make things much clearer. 

Firstly, what kind of call plan are you looking for?  Do you want to be able to pay as you go, eliminating the need to commit to an ongoing contract, or are you looking for a monthly payment scheme?  Work out a rough, realistic budget; if you are only looking to spend around £25 a month, your pool of handsets to choose from will be considerably smaller than if you can afford two or three times that amount. 

Secondly, think about what you really need the phone for.  If you just need something that does reliable voice calling and texting for keeping in touch when out and about, then you really have your pick of the crop, and which precise device you choose will be dictated largely by how much you want to spend.  A basic handset on a pay as you go tariff could set you back just a few pounds. 

However, if you have other demands from a phone, work out a priority list.  If entertainment is your key driver, look for a set with a tip top screen and decent processing power, as well as good battery life when used to listen to music, play games or watch video.  Business users will prioritise easy to use email, calendars and organising tools.
 
Finally, look up relevant mobile phone reviews on a site such as Recombu to narrow down your choices, before visiting a store for a hands-on demo for the final decision.

Gone are the days when a phone was simply for calling or texting family and friends.  Many users these days use their phone as a mobile entertainment device, listening to music, watching videos and playing games on the one device.  Which phones out there in the UK market today are best for this kind of use?

The Samsung Galaxy S2, for example, offers virtual 5.1 surround sound, as well as an equaliser allowing you to adjust the audio.  The large, crisp screen is perfect for watching video, and having a control bar on the main navigation bar means you can control your audio wherever you are in the phone.  A huge 16GB internal memory allows for plenty of media storage, and the video player supports a wealth of video types.

The Apple iPhone 4S also takes entertainment seriously, coming with up to 64 GB of internal storage, seamless wireless syncing with your iTunes account and impressive sound and audio playback quality.  The App store also allows easy downloading of thousands of games, many of which are free.  The HTC Sensation offers a super-fast processor that is perfect for playing games, as well as a large 4.3 inch screen. 

At the cheaper end of the market, many Windows Phone devices offer impressive music and video features, though often with a smaller built in memory capacity or a slower processor.

As with any major purchase, to make sure you make the right choice, keep in touch with what other users think by reading the latest mobile phone reviews online at sites such as Recombu before making any final purchase decisions.

Built by ZTE but exclusive to Orange, the original Orange San Francisco handset set a high benchmark for low-cost smartphones in 2011.  Our Orange San Francisco II review now reveals whether the 2012 upgraded model will do the same this year.

The Orange San Francisco II is again a rebranded set from ZTE, unique to Orange.  It comes with an upgraded version of the Android operating system, as well as a fast 800MHz processing chip and a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, a significant improvement on the previous flashless 3.2 camera on the first version.  A front facing camera is also installed for video calling.  The camera will also shoot video in a variety of formats, so you can tailor your videoing to suit your playback devices. 

The screen boasts 480 x 800 pixels across a 3.5 inch panel, offering the users a clear and crisp screen, very comparable to others in this market aiming at the same low-budget buyer.  The handset comes with Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth and HSDPA all as standard, as well as Documents To Go which allows users to read (though not edit) Microsoft Office documents. 

This handset also comes with something Orange call Signal Boost, which could be very attractive if you live in an area with a patchy signal; Signal Boost will enable Orange to route your mobile phone calls via your home broadband connection, bypassing their network if that gets you a better call quality.

As an Orange exclusive design, the handset is skimmed by Orange quite comprehensively  – icons and wallpaper all have that distinctive Orange flavour to them, and Orange widgets are separated out in the navigation from Android ones.  Overall, it’s a good looking, high performing handset and well worth a look for those browsing for a handset for less than £100.