children's back-to-school lists. But in today’s wireless age, students need more than the typical school supplies. Cell phones are now on the list of necessities, and the new generation of techno-savvy students is not satisfied with having just any wireless device. Teens and young adults want the most-current, up-to-date cell phones with specific features and capabilities before they head back into the classroom.

Wirefly the online leader in one-stop comparison shopping for cell phones and wireless phone plans, announces its Top 10 hottest selling “Back-to-School” cell phones for 2008. Among the most popular include touch-screens such as the LG VU920 and music phones such as the Sony Ericsson W580i and Nokia 5310.

“Not surprising, the phones that made our Top 10 list include feature-specific models geared towards the next generation of cell phone users with easy SMS text capabilities, cameras, music, games, cool colors, and of course, new and improved batteries for longer talk time,” says Brian Westrick, Wirefly’s President. “However, at the same time, these devices are all still affordable. Typically, it is the parents, not the students, who are purchasing the devices. They want to stay connected to their children, but in the current economic environment, the phones cannot cost a fortune.”

According to Wirefly, the Top 10 Back to School Cell Phones:

1. AT&T LG Vu CU920 (Black) – This sleek touch-screen phone has a large display and a matte black finish, with 3G data speeds, wide-screen virtual keyboard for texting, and streaming live TV.

2. Verizon LG enV2 VX9100 (Black, Maroon) – The highly anticipated LG enV2 is slimmer and lighter than the original enV, and operates at EV-DO speeds; its large QWERTY keyboard and 2-MP camera help complete the package.

3. Sprint PCS LG Rumor (Black, Green, White, Blue) – Sprint’s LG Rumor was designed to deliver a top-notch messaging experience, and it does. A full keyboard and a built-in music player are among the features hidden inside the small shell.

4. T-Mobile BlackBerry Curve 8320 w/ myFaves (Titanium, Sunset Red) – The best-selling BlackBerry is available for all carriers, with internet browsing, texting, instant messaging, plus camera, music, and video.

5. AT&T Sony Ericsson W580i Walkman (Black, Pink, Grey, White, Red and Green) – The W580i is Sony’s best-selling Walkman phone, and it’s equipped to handle all of your music needs; features like Shake Control and Track ID set this phone apart from the competition.

6. Sprint PCS Palm Centro Onyx – The slimmest and best Palm ever is power-packed with Microsoft Windows applications plus high-speed internet, camera, video and music player.

7. Verizon Motorola W755 (Black Slate, Purple) – The solidly constructed Motorola W755 is housed in an elegant metallic shell with smooth touch-sensitive buttons, and supports V CAST, Bluetooth, and turn-by-turn directions.

8. AT&T BlackBerry Pearl 8110 (Red, Titanium) – As BlackBerry’s slimmest offering, the Pearl combines the power of a productivity device with the stylish look of a compact cell phone. The 8110 model adds GPS to a strong set of features.

9. T-Mobile Nokia 5310 XpressMusic (Red, Orange, Purple) – The Nokia 5310 XpressMusic is an eye-catching music phone with sleek external controls, support for 8 GB of expandable memory, and an FM radio built-in.

10. A&T LG Shine CU720 (Red, Black, Silver) – The LG Shine’s unmistakable 2.2” mirrored QVGA display will attract attention anywhere, but its streaming TV & radio, video sharing, and 2-MP camera deliver more than just good looks.

Wirefly.com customers can utilize our exclusive Wireless Rate Plan Wizard, a comparison tool that assists cell phone users in determining the most appropriate rate plan based on their past cell phone usage. For instance, studies have found that text messaging is prevalent among teens and young adults ages 13-24. The Wireless Rate Plan Wizard will allow parents to input their teenager’s text message usage from prior months to determine the most cost effective rate plan with unlimited text messaging.

Link to Wireless Wizard: (http://www.wirefly.com/resources/wireless-wizard/)

About Wirefly.com

Wirefly.com is the online leader in one-stop comparison shopping for cell phones, wireless service plans and wireless accessories. Owned and operated by Simplexity, Wirefly.com is an authorized dealer for every major cellular carrier in the U.S. Wirefly.com also offers discounts and services not available in retail wireless stores, including real-time online order status and tracking, and the guaranteed lowest price - online or anywhere else -- on cell phone devices from Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, LG, BlackBerry and many other cell phone handset manufacturers.

Information Source:    Business Wire

Images courtesy of Wirefly.com