Choosing a cell phone for someone else is a tricky business, though. It is sort of like gifting someone a dog or cat, in that you have got to be one hundred percent sure the recipient will like what you choose. It has to fit his or her personality and his or her needs.

So a teenager, for instance, is likely going to want a phone with instant messaging capabilities, one that supports text messages and has email connectivity. A parent or grandparent, aunt or uncle, may prefer something standard and easy to use.