December is finally here. That time of the year when gifts are exchanged between friends and family, and mobile phones are not left out. If you’ve decided you’re going to be giving phones this year, making a choice of the right phone gift can often prove to be a rather daunting task, considering the plethora of devices out there.
Below are 7 of the most “giftable” devices for 2013. I should probably point out that I only considered devices that are officially available in Nigeria for a number of reasons. First, because the devices should readily be available for purchase within this period. Second is for the price – unofficial release listings go for as much as double the actual retail price.
Nokia Asha 210
With Whatsapp, Facebook, Twitter and Email pre-installed – all with working push notifications – the Nokia Asha 210 will make a perfect gift for the elderly and all those who aren’t fixated on the smartphone craze. It is available in a dual SIM variant and an array of bright colours to pick from. It does limit one to 2G/EDGE connectivity but it more than makes up for that in great data compression and Wi-Fi connectivity.
Tecno Phantom A+
The Tecno Phantom A+ has been the champion for the Tecno re-branding cause in 2013 and it’s no surprise why – Nigerians love to have the premium device feel on a budget. The Tecno Phantom A+ will give you more than its price worth and should not be a hard choice of gift as it is in very popular demand.
Blackberry Q5
For those those legacy Blackberry- thumbing friends and family who will love to upgrade their Blackberry experience without compromising on physical QWERTY keyboard availability, look no further than the Blackberry Q5. It is the more cost-efficient of the 2 available Blackberry 10 devices with physical QWERTY keypads, the Q10 being a bit too pricey for what it offers.
Samsung Galaxy Ace 3
The Samsung Galaxy Ace is set to become the budget android phone of budget android phones. For its price range, the specs and available features are impressive and it will make a perfect introduction to the android experience for newcomers.
Blackberry Z10
Perfect for the more adaptable ones who won’t mind giving up the physical keyboard to get a richer Blackberry 10 experience, look no further than the Blackberry Z10. It offers the best value, hands-down, for any Blackberry 10 device. In comparison, the Q10 and Q5 don’t have much more going for them, other than the QWERTY keypad and Z30 is (arguably) just a bigger, costlier Z10.
Google Nexus 4
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Yes the Google Nexus 4 is over a year old – and now has a predecessor in the Nexus 5 (which so happens to be unofficial in Nigeria) – but the hardware is still very relevant and, more importantly, it is guaranteed the always have the latest Android version – for at least another year (or 2?). All these combine to make it a future proof device that will make a perfect gift for your geeky friends.
Nokia Lumia 520
A contender for, and I dare say the, budget phone of the year. If you’re looking to get a budget phone with premium look-and-feel and performance that near trumps every device in its price range (and even some above), look no further than the Lumia 520.
So there you have it. 7 of the best mobile phones to give as gifts this Christmas 2013. Let me know in the comments section what you think. Would you be getting any of these devices as gifts for friends, family or even yourself? And which other devices do you feel should have made the list?
Photo Credit: Thomas Hawk via Compfight cc
