Searching for the right mobile phone can be a daunting task; there are so many options to choose from. Of course, nowadays cell phones are expected to do much more than before. Today's models come with features that allow the user to take pictures, record video, play video games, surf the World Wide Web, download and listen to music... and that's just the beginning. Trying to find the one which is best suited to your own needs can be a challenge. Of course, there's also the very important issue of how much it will cost. Finding out as much as you can up-front about the phone you're thinking of buying ensures that you'll get the most "bang for your buck."

The Nokia 6300, released in January 2007, is a slim, lightweight phone, available in black, silver, white-silver and red-silver. It has a two-inch screen that comes with downloadable games, ringtones, wallpapers and screensavers. It can store a record of up to 20 dialed, 20 received, and 20 missed calls, and offers Short Message Service, Multimedia Message Service, Email, and Instant Messaging.

By contrast, the Samsung G600, which is only available in black, doesn't come with wallpaper, screensavers, or Instant Messaging, but allows for more call histories (up to 30 dialed, 30 received, and 30 missed calls) and comes with a slightly larger screen. Both phones offer Bluetooth and USB connectivity, although only the Samsung G600 offers Bluetooth printing capabilities as well. However, while both of them allow you to store up to 1000 entries in the address book, only the Nokia 6300 has the Photocall feature, which lets you view a photo of the person who is calling. It also has a slightly longer battery life -- 348 hours versus the Samsung G600's 300 hours. Both are equipped with an FM radio, and both phones allow for equal talk time -- up to three hours and 30 minutes.

Perhaps the most significant difference between the Nokia 6300 and the Samsung G600 is the camera. The Nokia 6300 phone camera has a lower resolution of two megapixels, as well as QCIF video capabilities, which is the standard format for videoconferencing. By contrast, the Samsung G600's camera weighs in at a resolution of five megapixels, and also offers LED flash, autofocus, and image stabilization. In addition, the Samsung G600 uses the standard VGA video hardware supported by all PCs. It's pretty much like having a complete digital camera in your cell phone. The Bluetooth printing feature allows you to edit and share your images on the fly.

Both the Nokia 6300 and the Samsung G600 are comparable in price, although the Nokia is more widely available in online stores, some of which offer considerable discounts. If you're looking for a basic cell phone with a few extra features at a lower price, the Nokia 6300 would be an acceptable option. However, if you need a device which offers superior photograph and print capabilities, as well as a video format universally recognized by any PC, then the Samsung G600, while more expensive, may offer more possibilities and could prove to be a very worthwhile investment.