Thinking of buying a phone to give as a gift? Then you need to know something about the person for whom you're buying it -- because phones have become personal devices, not just calling devices.

And they come in various flavors that make them uniquely valuable for often-used functions such as texting, music, video, navigating, and more.

First, consider the network that the recipient is already using -- whether that's Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Cricket or some other network.

Chances are he'll want to stay with that network, and the phone you buy will need to run on that network.

If he's not yet on a network, make sure you connect him to a network that has good coverage near his home -- and wherever he travels often. Most network coverage maps don't have enough detail to tell more than a general area -- but look at the maps anyway to see if there are significant holes in the coverage he needs.

If you're buying the phone simply for voice calls, and if the recipient is not comfortable with technology, buy a phone that looks and feels like a phone.

Two of the best that I have seen for these types of recipients are the Musiq (Sprint) and the Breeze (AT&T). They have big, easy to read keys and numeric displays.

If you're buying for a business person who wants to combine her phone with a personal digital assistant (PDA) to synchronize her calendar, task list, and e-mail with that on her PC, consider a Blackberry, HP iPaq, or Palm SmartPhone. These all-in-one devices help keep the user organized and connected without having to carry multiple devices.

More than any other phone, you'll want to consult the recipient on her preferences if you want one of these devices, because they differ so drastically. Among the available devices are the Blackberry Storm (Verizon), Blackberry Pearl (several networks), Palm Centro (Verizon) and htc Touch Diamond (Sprint).

Music fans will appreciate a phone that has good quality audio and large storage -- especially if it is made for music.

While the iPhone (AT&T) comes quickly to mind, there are also some good alternatives, including the Samsung HighNote (Sprint) and Samsung Juke (Verizon).

When looking at a music phone, make sure it has plenty of storage for songs. One or more GBytes of on-board flash memory is nice; but the ability to use a flash memory card is even nicer, because the recipient will be able to move his songs from phone to phone to PC more easily. These cards are usually microSD or miniSD -- and you might need to buy a card depending on whether it comes with the phone. When buying the cards, think in Gigabytes, not megabytes -- the more the better.

Since your gift will be compared to the iPhone, consider buying a cool looking one with a circular navigation wheel, or a touch screen like the Samsung Instinct (Sprint) which feels a lot like the iPhone.

Teenagers live to text -- so if you're buying for a teenager, make the phone one that can text easily with a good QWERTY keyboard. Many of them have full hidden keyboards that slide out or are inside a clamshell.

Among the picks are the Samsung Rant and LG Rumour (both Sprint) or Verizon Wireless Blitz.

Knowing what they want will make it easier for you to buy -- but you'll still need to make your own value judgments because the feature sets overlap between these phone types -- and you'll probably need to choose a plan too.