The cell phone is rapidly evolving into a portable entertainment center. You can now watch more than 30 TV channels -- including CNN, Cartoon Network and ESPN -- depending on your plan. Many phones are also iPod-style players that let you download and listen to tunes anytime, anyplace. Games? Absolutely, and with three-dimensional, high-definition graphics.
Naturally, this amusement isn't free. A Sprint video package with live shows and clips from ABC News Now, Fashion TV, Fox Sports and other channels costs $4.95 a month. Verizon Wireless charges $15 a month for its V Cast VPak, a video service with news, weather, sports and entertainment clips from NBC, CBS and VH1. Music and games cost extra, too. You'll pay $1.99 to download a song using your Verizon phone; Sprint charges $2.50. Games such as Madden 06 3D and Tony Hawk PS 3D cost Verizon users $2.50 a month or more.
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | Fabulous Photos in a Snap |
| Row 1 - Cell 0 | In the iPod Zone |
| Row 2 - Cell 0 | The Big Screen at Home |
| Row 3 - Cell 0 | Protect Your Wireless Network |
Both Sprint and Verizon estimate that their high-speed services reach about half the U.S. population. Cingular's nascent Cingular Video service is available in just 16 markets, including Boston, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. (but not Los Angeles and New York City). And T-Mobile won't launch its high-speed network until next year.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Currently, Sprint's Power Vision service is the best buy because Sprint offers the broadest mix of video and audio content. For example, a plan that delivers live TV and streams 21 channels of Sirius satellite radio is $6.95 a month. By contrast, Verizon and Cingular offer only repackaged video clips.
Best phones
Multimedia-ready phones aren't expensive, as long as you're willing to ink a two-year contract with a cellular provider. Our favorite is the Samsung MM-A920. It lists for $350 but costs $119 with a two-year Sprint contract, which starts at about $30 per month. The flip-top A920 is just an inch thick and weighs 3.8 ounces. Its brilliant and colorful 2-inch-diagonal display does justice to Sprint's live TV and video clips, although image quality varies. Other A920 features include an integrated MP3 player with toggle controls on the outside of the case (handy for playing music while the phone is closed), a 1.3-megapixel digital camera and Bluetooth for connecting with a wireless headset.
If you are addicted to e-mail and text messaging, the LG VX9800, also known as The V in Verizon stores, is a good choice. This chunky handset has a miniature keyboard with proper key spacing for hunt-and-peck typists. Its internal screen, slightly larger than 2 inches, is sharp and colorful, and it's flanked by a pair of tiny speakers that deliver good-quality, if occasionally scratchy, audio. One gripe: The LG phone would occasionally pause a video clip while retrieving more data. The V also plays and stores MP3 files, and it includes a 1.3-megapixel camera. It's priced online at $150 with a two-year Verizon plan or $200 with a one-year deal.
-
Aging: The Overlooked Risk FactorSponsored Elder care is a personal and financial vulnerability many people fail to plan for.
-
AI vs the Stock Market: How Did Alphabet, Nike and Industrial Stocks Perform in June?AI is a new tool to help investors analyze data, but can it beat the stock market? Here's how a chatbot's stock picks fared in June.
-
Roth IRA Contribution Limits for 2025Roth IRAs Roth IRA contribution limits have gone up. Here's what you need to know.
-
Four Tips for Renting Out Your Home on Airbnbreal estate Here's what you should know before listing your home on Airbnb.
-
Five Ways to a Cheap Last-Minute VacationTravel It is possible to pull off a cheap last-minute vacation. Here are some tips to make it happen.
-
How Much Life Insurance Do You Need?insurance When assessing how much life insurance you need, take a systematic approach instead of relying on rules of thumb.
-
Five Reasons You Shouldn't Shop on Amazon Prime DaySmart Buying Think twice before getting lured into buying a bunch of stuff you don't need just because it's on sale.
-
When Is Amazon Prime Day? Everything We Know So Far, Plus Early DealsAmazon Prime Here are the key Amazon Prime Day dates and details you need to know, plus some of our favorite early deals to shop ahead of the sale.
-
How to Shop for Life Insurance in 3 Easy Stepsinsurance Shopping for life insurance? You may be able to estimate how much you need online, but that's just the start of your search.
-
Five Ways to Shop for a Low Mortgage RateBecoming a Homeowner Mortgage rates are high this year, but you can still find an affordable loan with these tips.
