Why it's best: Available on two pre-paid carriers, the HTC Wildfire S is the perfect compromise to keep in touch with your teen. You won't worry about surprises on your phone bill and they will enjoy having a smartphone with an excellent set of features.... Read Full Review
Why it's a best pick: If you have a teen that absolutely, positively has to have an iPhone, the 99 cent (on contract) 3GS from AT&T balances adolescent butterfingers with the $200+ price tag of a new iPhone 4S. While it's an older model, it's still compatible with the newest iOS version and has most of the features of the latest iPhone.... Read Full Review
Why it's a best pick: As a Nexus model, the Samsung Nexus S 4G Android Phone was Google's flagship for its mobile OS. A year after its release, the phone is packed with features at an affordable price.... Read Full Review
Why it's a best pick: A step up from the iPhone 3GS, the iPhone 4 has almost all the same features as the newest 4S model for $100 less. If you're willing to spend a little more money on your teen, the iPhone 4 is the mobile device to get.... Read Full Review
Why it's a best pick: For parents with heavy texters, the BlackBerry Curve may be the perfect device for your teen. Better still is that if they text to other BlackBerries using BlackBerry's Messenger service, it could cut down on monthly texting costs.... Read Full Review
Amazon.com$187.00
Another great cell phone for teens is Trafone. I got my teenage son a Tracfone. He know has the ability to make phone calls but has to be responsible with his minutes and gives me the ability to control his talking usage. Tracfone gives me the safety and security of a wireless phone without the problems of a contract and monthly fees.