Welcome to Engadget’s Back to School beam! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying as well as stressful for everyone, so we’re here to assistance out with the heartbreaking routine of gadget shopping for a school-aged throng. Today, we have mobile phones in our sights — as well as you can conduct to the Back to School hub to see a rest of a product guides as they’re added throughout a month.

Back in our day, the usually “mobile phone” during propagandize was the a single that pennyless off a dorm wall after our roommates got a small as well rowdy, though nowadays, a capable, high-power handset is fast becoming the must-have for students of all ages. Regardless of your bill, your parent’s bill, or your small one’s bill, we’ve got options that should assistance with studying, gaming, music, and maybe even the occasional call home.

On a poor

 
Palm Pixi Plus Sure, a Pixi wasn’t the most appropriate webOS-based phone even when it was code brand-new — though it’s unequivocally tough to disagree with a giveaway smartphone, particularly a single running the modern (read: non-WinMo) platform. Add in a actuality which both Verizon as well as AT&T are selling the Plus version with WiFi, as well as you might have all a makings of the perfect initial smartphone.

Key specs: 2.6-inch 320 x 400 display, 2 megapixel camera, 8GB memory

Full examination- Price: Free upon stipulate during AT&T as well as Verizon 

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Nokia Nuron
Like a Pixi Plus, a Nuron is a constrained preference especially because it’s free — and it includes Ovi Maps Navigation at no assign.

Full review, giveaway upon stipulate during T-Mobile 
 
BlackBerry Curve 8520
An visual pad, great set of keys, as well as BBM have this the great preference for the future corporate raider in your family.

Free upon stipulate during T-Mobile
 

Mid-range

 
HTC Aria AT&T’s locking down of Android is an ongoing annoyance, but when you consider a inescapable realities which the ton of people make use of AT&T and there really aren’t which many 850 / 1900 Android devices accessible, that puts things in viewpoint. We loved a Aria’s figure, distance, and lovable pattern touches, a modern midrange processor, and a actuality which HTC stranded with an HVGA display despite measure which probably could’ve let them justify stepping down to QVGA. And of course, Sense functions good as common.

Key specs: 3.2-inch HVGA display, 5 megapixel camera, 512MB expandable storage

Full examination – Price: $129.99 on stipulate from AT&T
 

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Samsung Intercept
Three difference: available in pinkish. For some back-to-schoolers seeking for a approach to get into Android, which might be the only thing you need to hear.

$99.99 upon stipulate from Sprint 
 
BlackBerry Bold 9650
The promise of the destiny BlackBerry 6 ascent creates this phone — considered RIM’s top-of-the-line QWERTY CDMA indication — value the look.

Hands-on, $99.99 upon contract from Verizon
 

Money’s no intent

 
HTC EVO 4G For our money, the EVO 4G is still one of the most appropriate phones you can buy, as well as it may really good be the most appropriate Android device currently sole anywhere in a world. And if you’re in a WiMAX marketplace, it only gets sweeter.

Key specs: 4.3-inch WVGA arrangement, 8 megapixel camera with 720p video recording, 1GB expandable storage

Full examination – Price: $199.99 on contract from Sprint
 

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Motorola Droid X
It’s tough to find a improved touchscreen typing knowledge than what a Droid X offers, interjection to a scarcely expanded display as well as multitouch capacity.

Full review, $199.99 upon contract from Verizon  
 
Apple iPhone 4
No back-to-school phone buyer’s beam would be finish but an iPhone discuss — but with a Apple Store quoting 3 weeks for smoothness, you’d improved sequence right away.

Full examination, $199 to $299 on contract from AT&T or Apple