Seems like everyone has a cell phone – even kids. Truth be told, it isn’t a bad idea either. Giving your ‘tween or teenager a cell phone is a great way to keep track of them. If they are involved in a lot of after school activities or simple ‘busy,’ a cell phone will allow you to keep in contact with them, no matter where they are. You can purchase a pre-paid cell or simply add them to your family plan – a option that is growing in popularity.
If you are like most parents, and you want to be able to control how your child uses their phone, you will want to pick a phone with excellent parental control options. Firefly is one of the best. The phone is small and easy to use. Best part is? No text messaging, so there is no chance of your tween or teen running up a huge cell phone bill! You can also use this phone as a learning tool by having them keep track of their minutes. The phone only has End and Talk buttons, a mom and dad button and a contact list button (also the ‘ok’ button). The phone book can store twenty names and numbers and had a security PIN option. Service is available through Firefly. Cingular also has an option – $49 with a two-year commitment. There are six hours of live ‘talk’ time, but the battery will last 8.5 days in standby. The phone comes with 30 minutes free, but you can purchase more as need.
• 40 minutes for $10
• 100 minutes for $25
• 200 minutes for $50
Another great option is Samsung’s Juke. The phone comes in several different colors and is even bluetooth capable – allowing your teen or tween to be ‘hands free’ during drive time or whenever. There is a ‘chaperone’ feature, camera and music feature as well as a few others (subscription based). Verizon offers this phone for 2-year contract at the cost of $69.99.
Nokia offers the 6205 – and a lot of movie lovers opt for the Dark Knight edition. There is an awesome 1.3 megapixel cam and it is bluetooth capable. This phone also has a ‘chaperone’ feature if you want to add it and the memory is actually removable if you ever change phones. This limited edition phone can be purchased through Verizon for $119.00 if you sign a two year contract; however, they currently have a $50 discount!
As always, the BlackBerry is ever popular. While originally designed for adults, it has recently seen a surge in popularity among younger people. The Black Berry Curve is especially popular with tweens and teens. It has nearly 4 hours of talk time and a standby of 17 days. A 2.0 megapixel camera and easy photo messaging make it a fun phone. Get it through T-Mobile for $449.00. If that is too steep, sign a 2-year contract and get the phone for $249.00.
Perhaps the best choice for tweens and teens is the LG Scoop. Available through Alltel, this phone comes in several different colors and has the sliding keyboard for easy texting. Chat style texting, a built in camera and video capable, this $9.99 phone is a steal!
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