Glide or Snap?: Accessing Your Cell Phone.

Can we even conceive of getting by without cell phones? What once was an unbelievable extravagance is now an unexceptional accessory. Selections are numerous and the phone's functions are becoming more sophisticated. Because of the availability of wholesale cell phones, costs are also highly competitive. The wholesale cell phone buyer must make some determinations before buying a mobile phone. Features will, of course, be the dominant concern, but the type matters, too. One choice will be how the cell phone is accessed: flip, slide, bar, or touch screen?

The flip phone opens using a pivot: the cover snaps open, revealing the buttons and display. Think about a clam shell. A number of consumers like this approach because with the keypad covered, they are not likely to accidentally dial and make those "who-is-this?" calls. The cover also shields the screen from damage. Some users who have always used old-fashioned cradle phones like the feeling of speaking into a two-part device, which the flip phone supplies. Cell phone wholesalers advertise the compact size of these flip phones as one of their most desirable features.

The slide phone style also guards the buttons because the top simply glides away. The keypad may be accessible either in landscape or portrait orientation. Some designs permit the phone to slide out from either side of the base. These phones also tend to be slim. The screens are usually not protected, but the accidental dial-up is unlikely to happen with these styles. Some consumers find these phones easier to access single-handed.

The older model bar phone is just a rectangle shape without a shield of any kind. Easy to answer, but a bit more cumbersome than their slimmer counterparts, these phones are unprotected from the inadvertent call or damaged screen. The buttons can be secured, but who reminds themselves to do that and who wants another hassle? But the rectangular phone does have a lasting quality and one less hinge or pin to shatter. Cell phone wholesalers continue to offer this somewhat less popular model.

Currently, the most popular wholesale cell phone is the touch screen. Originally, the touch screen did not have any shield or guard, but that is rapidly changing as makers have added covers for the keypad and screen to create a more flexible product. Many touch screen stylesfeature full typewriter keyboards but are still small. Cell phone wholesalers scramble to keep up with the demand for these newer styles.

In some ways, the advantages of a slide or flip model -- guarding the screen and avoiding inadvertent hits on the keypad -- can be achieved in other ways. Wholesale cell phone cases are available. These leather or cloth cases provide the same benefits as a cover. For purefun, cases can also make a robust fashion statement. Some come in eye-popping shades. Others offer eye-catching patterns or photographs of celebrities or other popular figures like Hannah Montana. Cases have become something of a fashion je-ne-sais-quoi, especially foryouth. But it is occasionally harder toanswer the phone or use the keypad when the cell phone is in its case.

A buyer who is selecting a wholesale cell phone should begin by identifying how he or she wants to access the phone's keypad and features.