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A short while ago I was splitting cellphones into 3 main categories - flip phones, slide phones and the standard phones. With the release of the iPhone and all the copies it has spawned I now include touchscreen handsets as a fourth classification.
If you’re trying to decide on a mobile phone then it might be worth considering the benefits (and drawbacks) of each of these models because some people are quite surprised by how much they grow to favor one particular style over the other.
Flip Phones
Flip phones, also known as clam shell phones, are those that “flip” open and closed. They are essentially a phone that folds in half around a hinge.
There are two big benefits to flip-style cell phones. Firstly when they are closed both the screen and the buttons are safely protected inside so not only will you avoid scratching the screen but you also won’t accidentally call anyone!
The second benefit is that flip phones are typically very small when they are closed up so fit neatly into a pocket or bag but when opened up they can offer a very decent-sized screen and butons to allow for ease of use.
On the downside, it generally requires two hands to open or close the case (and hence answer the phone) which some people find inconvenient.
Slide Phones
If you like the idea of a small phone with the buttons ptotected so you don’t accidentally ring anyone but you don’t want to use both hands to answer a call then a slide phone may be the answer.
Here, the handset is still in two pieces but rather than them opening on a hinge, they slide apart. Typically the top part houses the screen and the bottom houses the keys and so what this means is that when the phone is lid closed the keys are protected but the screen may still get scratched.
For me, the slide phone is my favorite model because I like the combination of small size and ease of use.
Standard Cell Phones
The old classic “brick” or “chocolate bar” style of mobile phone protects neither the screen nor the buttons. You can of course still manually “lock” the keypad so you don’t accidentally make a phone call but a surprising number of people either forget to use it or find it very annoying.
These phones are also often the most bulky phones but some people prefer the larger footprint as they can be easier to find in handbag for example.
Touchscreen Phones
Lastly we have the touchscreen phones like the Palm Treo and the Apple iPhone. These tend to be the largest phones of all - bigger even than the standard cell phone design because of the touch screen that needs to be a decent size to be of use and because of all the technology typically built into these handsets.
They are, in short, usually the most technically advanced phones going but also tend to suffer from a poor battery life for that very reason.
If you want the latest features but don’t mind the drawbacks of a chunky phone with less than great battery life, the touch screen phones may be perfect for you.