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cellphone picksfor your teens [Virginian - Pilot](Virginian - Pilot Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) CNET.com Parents often have a lot of questions when it comes time to buying their preteen or teenager his or her first cellphone. More often than not, the conversation goes like this: "My child wants a top-of-the-line smartphone, but I don't want to pay that much. What do I do?" We get it, and we're here to help. Sometimes you have to balance price and practicality with coolness, and your offspring might not always like the compromise. But that's why you're the parent. To help you make the right decision, we've rounded up a selection of phones - all that we rate either "very good" or "excellent." The selections cover a range of needs. Sidekick 4G The rating Excellent The cost Starting at $79.99, depending on plan The carrier T-Mobile The good The latest version of this phone is impressive, with its addition of a touch screen and the Android operating system. The Sidekick also offers enhanced messaging features, great call quality and a good camera. The bad The user interface won't appeal to everyone, and the smartphone can occasionally be sluggish. The bottom line The Sidekick 4G continues the Sidekick's legacy as an excellent messaging device and also serves as a great entry- level smartphone. LG Optimus S The rating Very good The cost Nothing to $299.99, depending on plan the carrier Sprint The good It has an attractive, slim profile with features that include GPS, EV-DO Rev. A and Wi-Fi with tethering capabilities. The phone also has a 3.2-megapixel camera, and it ships with Android 2.3. The bad The phone's slower processor means it doesn't have Flash video in the browser. The camera doesn't have HD video capture or an LED flash. Call quality is mixed. The bottom line The LG Optimus S is an affordable yet full- featured Android smartphone, but we wish the call quality were better. HTC Status The rating Very good The cost 1 cent to $399.99, depending on plan The carrier AT&T The good It's a well-made phone with a fantastic keyboard and a slight bend to the body that makes texting much easier. The Facebook button works as advertised, and that could be a great asset to anyone who's a social-networking fanatic. The bad The phone has a tiny screen, with hard-to-read text and tedious scrolling. It also has an odd landscape-mode screen as a default, which makes portrait-only apps rather problematic to use. The bottom line The HTC Status offers stellar hardware and a fantastic Facebook experience, but it's hampered by a tiny landscape- oriented screen. Samsung Intensity II The rating Very good The cost Nothing to $279.99, depending on plan The carrier Verizon Wireless The good The phone has a full QWERTY keyboard, solid messaging and email tools, and handy search and navigation extras. The attractive, compact design is a bonus. The bad The navigation keys are a little cramped, the 2.5- millimeter headset jack is inconvenient, music can't be downloaded directly and the call quality could be better. The bottom line The Samsung Intensity II is a good midrange phone for teens, thanks to its various social networking and communications tools. While there are some drawbacks, the moderate price is a draw. (c) 2011 ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved. |