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Intro 

What the? Is it time to shop for holiday gifts already? You betcha. With the holiday shopping season officially kicking off this week, Phone Scoop has prepared its annual buyer's guide to help you navigate through the dozens of phones that are available at each of the major carriers. We've looked long and hard at what AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless are offering and picked the cream of the crop.

We did our best to keep prices low, and with the recent price drops, you'll be able to find quite a bargain this year. Many of the phones on our list this year retail in the $50 to $100 range, with a few of the most capable devices topping out at $200. Holiday sales may drop prices even lower.

Phone Scoop believes the first step in choosing the right phone for someone is to choose the right carrier. Finding the right device is important, but picking the carrier with the best combination of coverage and calling plans is often the best place to start. Also, keep in mind that many people are invested in their relationship with a carrier and might want to stick with what they have.

Because even the most basic phones have tons of features, Phone Scoop has decided that the best way to pick phones for people is based on how that person will use their phone. Is the person on your shopping list a music nut? Then a phone that puts music features first might be the right way to go. Are they linked into every single social network on the planet? In that case, a phone that handles all the social networks with aplomb is vital. As long as you know the person you're shopping for and what they tend to like, you should have no problems picking the right carrier and the right phone for him or her.

After you've picked out the perfect phone, there's still one more thing to do. When you or the lucky person you're giving a phone to has moved everything off of the old phone, don't just toss it in your junk drawer or a closet corner, recycle it. If you want to know anything about phone recycling, from reasons to do it to where to take your phone, check out our Cell Phone Recycling Guide.

Staying Connected

Kids 

Emergency Only: Phones for young kids that are more for parents' piece of mind.

Though children are being given phones at younger and younger ages, most of the time it is more so that parents and kids can remain in touch than it is for kids to socialize with. Keeping that in mind, we've picked out phones that provide basic features along with a few extras tossed in for good measure. These phones are likely going to be free if tacked onto a Family Plan, but shouldn't cost more than a few bucks if there is a price tag. They are also a bit on the smaller side to better match the smaller hands that will be using them.

Young Teens 

For those aged 12-15 who are slightly more serious about being in contact with friends.

What's most important to younger teens? Being able to reach out to their friends if and when they want or need to. That means they would like a phone that is good at text messaging, but also provides a slightly more rich feature set than just a simple entry-level device. The devices listed below all have full QWERTY keyboards for messaging as well as cameras, simple web browser, and access to some apps for a little bit of extra added fun. Because looks are also important, they each have a bit of style and panache that gives them their own identity.

Texting Nuts 

A texter's primary use for their phone is texting. Making calls? Pshaw!

These days, many people use their phones to send text, picture or instant messages more than they do to make phone calls. What makes texting easier? Having a full QWERTY keyboard, of course. Luckily, QWERTY keyboard phones are widely available from all the carriers. These devices all have a full array of messaging services on-board, which includes mobile email, MMS, SMS, and IM and some even include social networks, too. Any of the devices below will help your loved one get (and give) the message!

Social Networkers 

Robust Facebook, MySpace and Twitter apps a must, solid browser a major plus.

It seems everyone is on Facebook, Twitter and Myspace. The most interesting posts we see day in and day out on those networks are sent from mobile phones. This list of phones provides full clients for the major social networking services or at the very least a solid browser alternative. People who feel the need to send status updates wherever they happen to be will be pleased that they can also attach photos not only to Twitter and Facebook posts, but also upload to services such as Flickr and Picasa. If your shopping list includes someone who is constantly sharing their experiences, this is the type of phone they need.

Dedicated Devices

Workaholics 

Exchange email support is mandatory; must also be able to support business apps.

If your friend or loved one checks their email before they hit the bathroom first thing in the morning, they are probably a workaholic and need a phone such as one of these. This collection of smartphones is for the busy professional who needs to not only have constant email flowing to their phone, but access to corporate calendar and contact databases, as well. But that's not all. Their phone also needs to run business-grade applications that help them remain productive throughout the day. These phones all do that. They all also have a rich set of media features so that special someone can relax for a few moments and browse the web, enjoy a tune or play a game in between meetings.

Music Lovers 

Users whose primary interest is having a phone that offers a solid music experience.

Though MP3 players are cheap and widely available, many people want to carry only one device. That means the music fan wants a device that offers not just a media player, but music software that's easy to use, somewhat interactive, and even helps them discover new music. These devices all have highly capable music players and provide some fun extras such as links to music-sharing and music-streaming services. That doesn't mean they can't handle other features, too. Each includes a camera, browser and messaging capabilities.

Camera Lovers 

A "camera phone" doesn't cut it for this crowd. They want a camera first and a phone second.

The shutterbug would prefer to have an SLR around their neck at all times, but that gets to be impractical and uncomfortable, too. That means they have to have a solid alternative nearby at all times, and luckily these phones can provide that alternative. This list is made up of devices that have cameras rating at least 5 megapixels, which are increasingly common. Not only do they score high on the megapixel front, they also have good software controlling the camera and produce good photos. Access to photo-sharing services is also included, so those Kodak moments can be uploaded at whim. These phones may not match the capabilities of a huge Canon or Nikon, but they are the next best option when in a pinch.

No Commitments 

Suggestions for those who need or want no-contract or pre-paid services.

If your friend or loved one is shy about signing a two-year contract, then perhaps pre-paid is the way to go. Not only do these devices offer decent feature sets, they provide the type of flexibility that some people need when it comes to their monthly budget. We've included devices that are available from the four major network providers plus a couple of the near-national pre-paid carriers.

view article organized across multiple pages

Eric has been covering the mobile telecommunications industry for 17 years at various print and online publications. He studied at Rutgers Newark and University of Kentucky, and has a degree in writing. He likes playing guitar, attending concerts, listening to music, and driving sports cars.

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