Don't cell yourself short - find the perfect phone for you

Not too long ago someone would listen to music on her Walkman, write birthday reminders in her day planner and draw maps to help navigate from Point A to Point B. But, oh, these times are changing.

Today that same gal can walk into any cell phone store and purchase her music player, her day planner and, yes, even her maps in one small, handheld device.

Some people may want to resist this. After all, it's a cell phone. Who really needs all those bells and whistles? You'd be surprised to learn — you do.

You don't have to be a cutting-edge teenager to utilize the features on your phone. Charm met with representatives from Verizon Wireless, Alltel Wireless and Cingular Wireless who showed us what phones can really do.

smartphones

Palm Treo 650

talk time: 4 hours
standby time: 12.5 days
the highlights: QWERTY keyboard, stylus pen for touch-screen commands, Bluetooth capable, Windows Mobile supports MC Word, Excel and PowerPoint, music player, voice recognition, functions as high-speed modem for laptop, video recorder, memory card slot, 1.3 megapixel camera with 2x zoom

"Bluetooth technology is something to look for. It lets you connect to other electronic devices without cable clutter, letting you share all kinds of data like contact numbers and photos. With a Bluetooth car kit you can wire your phone to your car and talk hands-free. You can operate the phone with your voice, like your cell phone's speakerphone, but with less road noise. It's so much safer."

Motorola Q

talk time: 4 hours
standby time: 9 days
the highlights: thinnest QWERTY device in the world, thumb wheel to scroll through content, Bluetooth capable, Windows Mobile supports MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, music player, Wireless Sync to access e-mails and calendar, text messaging, 1.3 megapixel camera with flash and 6x zoom, video recorder, memory card slot

entertainment and style

LG Chocolate

talk time: 3.5 hours
standby time: 16 days
the highlights: this slider has a unique look, with a round touch pad used to browse playlists and scroll through content, Bluetooth Stereo capabilities, 1.3 megapixel camera/camcorder with 2x zoom, music player with manageable playlists, memory card slot and mobile Instant Messaging, text/picture/video messaging.

MOTORAZR V3xx

talk time: 3 hours
standby time: 12 days
the highlights: sleek and stylish, features 1.3 megapixel camera/camcorder with 8x zoom, music player with manageable playlists, Bluetooth Stereo capabilities, video recording, playback and streaming, mobile Instant Messaging, text/picture/video messaging and a memory card slot

"Cell phones have become extensions of our personalities, and this phone keeps you connected in style," said Keith Ables, regional manager at Cingular. "It looks like a RAZR, but with a serious upgrade. Along with allowing high-speed connectivity for internet access and music downloads, it has a 1.3 megapixel camera for taking some crisp shots."

basic phones

Motorola W315

talk time 3.5 hours
standby time: 8.8 days
the highlights: the highlights: speakerphone, voice recognition, enhanced text messaging, personal tools (alarm clock, calculator, calendar, voice memo, games)

LG VX8300

talk time: 4 hours
standby time: 16 days
the highlights: 1.3 megapixel camera/camcorder with 4x zoom, Bluetooth capable, music player, memory card slot, stereo speakerphone, voice recognition, Chaperone and Chaperone Parent capable, e-mail, mobile instant messaging, text/picture/video messaging, VZ navigator capable

"This phone is great for a mom who needs to stay in touch with friends and family while she's traveling out of town for a kid's sporting event," said Steve Woodlee, regional manager at Verizon. "It's easy to use, and it's compatible with VZ Navigator and Chaperone. The navigator is a GPS system that gives turn-by-turn directions to anywhere in the U.S. With Chaperone, a parent can locate a kid's phone at anytime."