Other Noteworthy Alternatives
Available: June 8, 2011 - TechSpot's Review
The HTC Sensation 4G features a 4.3-inch qHD display (540x960 resolution), a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 1GB of internal storage, 768MB of RAM, an 8MP rear lens with dual LED flash capable of 30FPS recording at max 1080p resolution with full stereo sound. It can push download rates to a maximum of 14.4Mbps on T-Mobile's network and comes loaded with Android 2.3 Gingerbread and Sense 3.0.
Additional views:
Carrier: T-Mobile | Talk Time: 8 hours |
Price: $200 with two-year contract | Standby Time: 14.5 days |
Manufacturer: HTC | Weight: 5.2 ounces |
Platform: Android 2.3 | Wireless: 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0 |
Network: GSM, WCDMA , HSPA+ 14.4 | Storage: 1GB internal, 8GB microSD card included |
Available: May 8, 2011
This smartphone ships with Android 2.3 Gingerbread in its raw version without any fancy UI on top, which means that unlike most Android phones, the Nexus S 4G will always get timely updates directly from Google. It's also among the first with NFC technology for mobile payments. Other features include a front-facing camera, 4-inch OLED display, 1GHz processor, 5MP auto-focus camera, and 16GB of built-in memory.
Additional views:
Carrier: Sprint | Talk Time: 6.7 hours |
Price: Free with new two-year contract ($50 extension) | Standby Time: 17.8 days |
Manufacturer: Samsung | Weight: 4.55 ounces |
Platform: Android 2.3 | Wireless: 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR |
Network: CDMA, EV-DO Rev. A | Storage: 16GB built-in |
Available: April 15, 2011
Like its European cousin the LG Optimus 2X, the T-Mobile G2x features a large 4-inch WVGA capacitive touchscreen and Nvidia's 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 SoC under the hood. It strikes an impressive balance between performance and quality hardware, while offering plenty of multimedia features and HSPA+ speeds. Also, the G2x runs a plain version of Android without any skins and overlays so it should be easily upgradeable.
Additional views:
Carrier: T-Mobile | Talk Time: 7.8 hours |
Price: $200 with new two-year contract ($250 extension) | Standby Time: 16.5 days |
Manufacturer: LG | Weight: 5.0 ounces |
Platform: Android 2.3 | Wireless: 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR |
Network: GSM, WCDMA , HSPA+ 21 | Storage: 8GB internal, expandable via microSD |
Available: March 2011
The HTC Arrive (aka HTC 7 Pro) is one of the few handsets in the Windows Phone 7 family that sports a full QWERTY keyboard. Combined with a generous 3.6-inch display and a WVGA resolution of 480x800, the device is sure to find a sweet spot in the hearts of heavy texters. Specs include a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 576MB of RAM, a 5MP camera capable of shooting 720p video, and 16GB of internal storage.
Additional views:
Carrier: Sprint | Talk Time: 5.5 hours |
Price: Free with new two-year contract ($100 extension) | Standby Time: 17.5 days |
Manufacturer: HTC | Weight: 6.5 ounces |
Platform: Windows Phone 7 | Wireless: 802.11 Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1 |
Network:CDMA, EV-DO Rev. A | Storage: 16GB internal |
Available: June 2010
Even though the iPhone 4 is already 16 months old (which is a lot in smartphone time) it remains quite relevant in today's market with the latest iOS 5 release and recent price drop. The phone includes a high-resolution so-called 'Retina Display' that's able to squeeze in 326 pixels per inch of its surface, a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash and HD video capture, front-facing camera for video conferencing (Wi-Fi only), great battery life and Apple's A4 chip. Compared to the newer 4S model you're basically missing out on the faster A5 processor, improved camera optics, faster wireless network and Siri voice assistant.
Additional views:
Carrier: AT&T, Verizon, Sprint | Talk Time: Up to 7 hours on 3G (14 on 2G) |
Price: $99 with two-year contract | Standby Time: 12.5 days |
Manufacturer: Apple | Weight: 4.8 ounces |
Platform: iOS 5 | Wireless: 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR |
Network: GSM, HSPA 7.2 | Storage: 8GB internal |