Mobile phones can do as much or as little as you need them to. If you only need them to make calls and send text messages then there are basic models to suit. If you want something that's more like a handheld computer then again there are models that can enable you to send email, browse the web and play games.

No matter what you want to use them for there are handsets at every price point, no matter if you want to pay as you go or pay monthly. We've put together an easy to follow guide to the type of phones that are available, what you might need to use them for and the types of tariffs that can go with them. Just follow the guide through and by the end of it you should be a phone guru or at least have an idea of the phone you want to use.

To start it helps if you can decide what type of phone will suit you best and what you want to do with it. After this we can worry about the price and looking for the best deal.

You need to ask yourself how you are going to be using your phone and how you want to carry it around. As an example, if you are just after a phone to make calls and send text messages then a plain bar, slider or clamshell type model would serve you best.

Bar phones can be very small, which is great for storage, while a slider or clamshell can offer larger screens while staying portable. Alternatively you may want to browse the web, access all of your email and play games, in which case a touchscreen smartphone is the obvious answer.

Similarly you need ask yourself if a good camera is important, whether you want to take all of your music or watch videos on the move. Knowing these things can help you narrow down the selection.

If you're planning on taking your phone abroad then making sure it's compatible with foreign networks is also important. A tri-band phone provides good compatibility in Europe and the USA, while a quad-band offers the best overseas support and should work in most countries.

Just be careful to pick a tariff with cost-effective roaming charges. Finally, there's the software the phone will run. Much has been made about the Apple App store found on its iPhone. There are five main phone operating systems and we've outlined their strengths above. While they're all good at providing phone functions some definitely provide their services with more aplomb than others.

This will give you a good knowledge of the all terms used and provides an excellent overview of the different features phones can provide.