A cell phone, mobile phone or simply cell, phone, sometimes shortened to just cell, phone or hand phone, can simply make and receive phone calls on a short-range radio frequency signal while the user is in a phone service area. This type of phone is used mostly for making and receiving calls but can also be used to make calls over a wider area by going through a wireless service provider such as AT&T. There are several sizes and models of phones to choose from when shopping for cell phones. The range of a cell phone varies and depends upon the frequency of the signal it uses and the amount of memory it has. There are some cell phones that are specifically for children and there are others that are made for adults and teenagers who use them for various reasons.

In the past, the size and weight of phones were so restrictive that they were mostly used by adults and teenagers. However, with the advances in mobile technology, even kids these days enjoy the comfort of owning a palm-sized smart phone like the Sony Ericsson XPERIA Arc and the HTC Desire S. Nowadays, even seniors or infants can use smartphones and tablets like the Blackberry Storm and the Lenovo IdeaPad 300 to run errands and do homework. With smartphones and tablets, parents can keep track of their children’s whereabouts at all times.

In addition to these phones, there are several other devices available for users to use with mobile data plans including tablet PCs and netbooks, USB dvds, Wi-Fi enabled laptops, PDA and Smartphone applications and digital camera gadgets. These devices can be used to access the internet and to get connected to the world wide web. Mobile apps are also widely available in different markets that allow users to access various services and features not available in their traditional desktop computers. Some of these apps are classified as games, application software, utilities and social networking applications.