When looking for GSM cell phones, get only one that will really be useful to you. Okay, so that’s not earth-shattering advice, but it bears repeating for that’s really all you need to know when it comes to not wasting your money on something that looks good but doesn’t do much for the money. Strange enough, it may be that having so many options on the marketplace to choose from contributes to this situation: what the French call an embarass de riches. That is, the cornucopia of choices out there seem to confuse people more than anything else.

People who research consumer behavior know all about this situation. From GSM cell phones to just about anything else, folks simply have a tough time dealing with too many options, feeling anxious and ever more confused. It may be surprising, but it’s not entirely counter-intuitive, if you think about it. Consider that about half of humanity — those typically called “guys” — hate to shop. Now why should this be? Generally, it has to do with instant gratification. Guys usually want to “get it over with.” They’ll feel this way no matter how simple the purchase, no matter if it’s as innocuous as getting toiletries or running out for sundry supplies. So just think how much more aggravating it is when something as complex as electronics is involved!

Yes, guys like their toys and so they will love electronic ones, too. They like objects they can manipulate. But modern technology offers a bewildering array of capabilities, with feature-sets that no one but true geeks and nerds would really like to spend time studying…and few people of either sex really want to spend so much time over what is basically a common everyday object, which most consumer electronics are.

That’s not even to mention the other half of the human race known as “girls!” Those who usually enjoy shopping, unless it’s for electronics and such.

And so here’s a population of folks who are not jumping with joy when it comes to buying a cell phone. Is it any wonder, then, that they fall prey so easily to marketing hype? And so people may wind up with thingamajigs that not only do not help them, but may actually hinder their actual wireless communications needs!

This means that a bit of self-awareness is important when looking to buy a cell phone. What exactly do you need to do with a handset anyway? Do you need to send audio-visual material? Surf the web? Receive e-mail? Will you need WiFi capabilities as well, or would the data stream of your carrier’s cellular network suffice?