2010 Techmas Guide: Phone Edition

Christmas is almost upon us and everyone is scrambling to get that perfect gift. If you’re still scratching your head about what to buy for the techies in your life, a smartphone could be the ticket. With such a wide selection of makes and models to choose from across the different carriers, a snazzy new phone under the Christmas tree can bring a smile to even the biggest technophobe.

The following is a list of phones that will make perfect stocking stuffers this holiday season.

For the Texter

Whether its a younger niece, nephew, cousin or maybe your own child, we all know one. That person whose fingers move a mile a minute as the text back and forth with people in their vast social network. The onslaught of OMGs, LOLs, and other digital abbreviations are an English teacher’s worst nightmare. For the avid texter, check out the Pantech Laser (AT&T), Samsung Reality (Verizon Wireless), or Samsung Messager Touch (Alltel Wireless). Every phone comes with full, durable QWERTY keyboards that can withstand the most brutal of texting assaults. Be sure to include an unlimited text plan when gifting these phones or deal with an astronomical bill later.

For the Social Network Butterfly

Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, hi5, you name it and these folks are probably on it with tons of followers, friends, etc. For the digital debutante in your circle check out the BlackBerry Torch (AT&T) Nokia N8 (with its amazing 12 megapixel camera), or HTC Desire (U.S. Cellular) for phones with both processing power and seamless social networking integration.

For the Workaholic

You know the type, married to their work and all that. Make the marriage a little smoother with one of these phones. Combining style and function, the BlackBerry Bold 9700 (T-Mobile), Droid Pro (Verizon Wireless), and Samsung Epic 4G (Sprint) can help your executive make the deal of the decade. All three phones have 3G connectiity (the Epic has 4G), fast processors making them ideal for hitting those killer deadlines, and can handle the barrage of emails that comes with any businessperson’s workload.

For the Entertainment Lover

Forget work and an endless stream of emails, these smartphone lovers are all about the fun. They want videos, games, movies, and music instead of spreadsheets and conference calls and some cool apps couldn’t hurt either. The Samsung Vibrant (T-Mobile), Samsung Captivate (AT&T), and Droid Incredible (Verizon Wireless) have the storage space, speed, and power to stream the latest videos and get a couple of rounds of “Angry Birds” in. They’ll thank you for it…when they can pull their eyes away from the screen.

For the Jack-of-all-Trades

Some people need a phone that handle business and pleasure without any hiccups. These jacks and jills are plugged into everything and their gear has to keep it. They like their tech stylish and ahead of the curve. For the techie with the discerning taste, check out the iPhone 4 (AT&T),  HTC EVO 4G (Sprint), Motorola Droid X (Verizon Wireless), T-Mobile G2 (T-Mobile), and the Samsung Focus (AT&T). Chocked full of features and app stores to back them up, there’s little these phones can’t do.

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About the Author
Sherri is a freelance writer that has a love of all things fun and geeky including gadgets, gaming, anime, and comics. When she isn't writing or out on the town living it up, she loves doing 10-12 hour marathon sessions on her Xbox 360 or one of her older consoles. It's not an addiction, it's a way of life!
See all posts by Sherri L. Smith.