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Holiday Gift Guide 2004

Intro Consider Prepaid Keep on Talkin Feature Focus Comments 27

Showoffs Texters Shutterbugs Emailers

Some people are always on the phone, but you can't every remember them talking into it. These people are probably using it to send text messages or log into an instant messaging client or even send email. Like showoffs, voice calls are far less important than other features to these people, but in their case what's important is written communication. We've selected phones that come pre-loaded with an AIM client, and usually can log onto at least one other IM service as well as send text messages and access most email accounts. Also like the showoff phones, these are still adept at regular voice calls in addition to their specialized abilities.

Cingular: Motorola A630

Sprint: N/A
(Sprint offers browser-based access to AOL, Yahoo! and MSN instant messengers to all PCS Vision users. However, no phones (other than expensive smartphones) come with a dedicated IM client. Since any newer model Sprint handset is equally capable of instant messaging, and no smartphones are sufficiently affordable, we can't recommend a specific phone for this user.)

T-Mobile: Sidekick II

Verizon: LG VX-7000

Next page: Shutterbugs

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