Mobile phones have brought about a great renaissance to the whole concept of communication. Earlier it took hours to communicate with people from far off places. But, mobile phones have made it possible to hold the whole world at the finger tips.

When mobile phones were first launched, people toiled hard to acquire one at any cost. Today with the incorporation of latest technologies and upcoming of lot many manufacturers, mobile phones have become quite affordable as well as more sophisticated. The mobile phones today are more like computers than only a simple communication gadget.

Think of those handsets of a decade back which only had a limited set of features like making and receiving calls and sending text messages? Today things are not so. Almost all modern mobile phones have entertainment functionalities. And the recent PDA phones include everything ever imaginable in a single handheld device–from calculating to document viewing, browsing the Internet to taking photographs and videos.

Things are entirely different today. Now a mobile phone can work like an Internet browser, a camera as well as a music player. We have handsets for every purpose. We have business phones that have computer like facilities which work on Windows platform and some other phones which are excellent music players that can play a plenty of music formats.

Also with the incorporation of a wide range of advanced connectivity options like Bluetooth, Infrared, GPRS, 3G and USB, mobile telephony has become easier and faster as well as hassle free. Unlike those days when telephone was first introduced you need not have to book a call and wait for hours to communicate with someone abroad. Most mobile phones facilitates Internet browsing and sending and receiving e-mails. You can listen to live music through FM radio in the mobile phones, download videos from Internet and also keep updated about the latest happenings through the Internet. For doing so you need not roam physically, but a single click on your mobile can help you to reach out the world within seconds, that too in a cheap price.

Not only handsets, the market also abounds with a wide array of phone deals which are cost-effective. So, mobile phones are no longer confined with the elite and the rich alone.

If you have plenty of extra money in your pocket, you can buy anything you like. However, it’s wise to know that so many brand new cell phones or hardly used phones are cheaply threw or stolen and resold to second hand store. Sometimes you should know that buying a second hand cell phone will save you a lot of money. Needless to say, there are some seemingly authentic dealers who turn out to be quite dishonest both about the age, the origin and the condition of the phone. Just to help everyone, here is a handy list of items to check when buying a second hand phone

Firstly, check IMEI.The IMEI is a code that identifies each phone. No two phones have the same number and manufacturers use this number to verify stolen phones and the amount of warranty that your phone has. Check that the IMEI number on the phone corresponds to the number on the box and receipts. If the numbers differ, there could be several reasons. The first is that the phone is a stolen one or the phone had been sent for servicing and had the main board replaced. Both situations are warning signs of a problematic phone.

Secondly, examine the original receipt.Get a receipt from the seller. If it comes from a reputable retail outlet, then you do not have to worry much. The receipt will be able to tell you when the phone is bought and how much warranty is left. Phones usually have only 1 year warranty. However if you see a receipt that is of dubious origin, be very wary. The receipt might be faked to make the phone look younger than it actually is. It might even be from a second hand dealer trying to sell off the phone again.

Closely inspect the exterior.This step is rather simple and should give you an idea of how old the phone is. Wear and tear will occur. Usually this means the buttons’ paint will peel off. For PDA phones, the paint near the Stylus slot will also peel off. Ensure that the condition is what you expect to pay for. Ratings by sellers are very subjective therefore when no photos are uploaded, buy only when satisfied of the condition.

Test the keypad. Press all the buttons many times. Phones should be able to withstand multiple presses without giving away.

Do a detailed check of the functions. After you are done with the exterior, it is time to check the phone itself. Try every function that the phone has. A laptop or another phone will come in handy at this time.

Is there scratches on the display? Check the LCD display. Dead pixels are rare in phones unlike LCD monitors. But for phones, try to see if there are scratches on the screen. Scratches are expensive to repair and most people should buy a lcd screen protector to ensure the high resale value of their phone.

Check moving parts.Some phones have sliders, flippers. Try them to test if they are flimsy. Moving parts tend to be easily damaged by drops and frequent use.

How long is battery life? Batteries drop in performance as they age. However even a second hand phone should not use more than 10% of its battery in the time you are testing. This point is hard to check and the best solution is to get a personal warranty from the seller so that you can test the battery life later.

One last thing… Is there a Warranty? Get the warranty card. See if it has been sent in. Some manufacturers will not honor their warranty if the card has not been sent in within a few days of purchase. Some brands will also have their users register their warranty online. Prior to meeting the seller, get the IMEI number and do a warranty check online. Also ask the seller for a 7 days personal warranty so that you have time to interact and ensure that the phone is in working condition.

This is unlikely to be an exhaustive list of what to check when buying a second hand phone. However, you stick to the tips above, it is difficult to get ripped off.

Gone are the days when you had move with your laptop here and there to accomplish the official task. Now it’s time for the equipment that is easy to handle, compatible and more of all having all the necessary and latest features that you need for your official purpose. It’s the PDA that is enabled with the latest communication technology and can work superbly for you. Exactly, if you want to purchase a PDA phone, it will cost you more than a cell phone. But think about it’s multi tasking facility! PDA phones are equipped with latest communication technology that can allow you to work for your office wherever you are. With such equipment you can access net and can send emails. You can listen to music and can watch movies in your free time. It allows you to come closer to your office laptops or desktop even when you are away from them. Due to this reason PDA phones are now getting into demand. At the same time PDA manufacturers are releasing their freshly designed PDA phones into the market at a regular interval. These days, in the market you can find a variety of PDA phones and every single one of them consists of some unique feature to drag more amounts of customers for the manufacturer.

The demand and the growing competition among the entire PDA manufacturers have propelled them to release cheap PDA’S for better customer attraction and satisfaction. Using this enhanced communication weapon can be mentioned as a wonderful step towards being more productive and executive.

So all you need to know that what else can a PDA accomplish for you? Well, you will be glad to know that it is capable of managing a perfect day for you with its advanced communication technology. It’s very easy to access the Internet using your PDA. Want to make some calculations or to browse through several websites, with a cheap PDA you will find it easy than anything else? Now you can also play computer games, record video footage, take some pictures, type and write with spreadsheets with your PDA phones. If you need to store any kind of information then PDA is the most compatible and supported communication weapon for you. It’s the time to go to the market and have a cheap PDA.