Thursday 12 June 2014

Smarthone buying guide

The smartphone market is heating up once again as Microsoft and Nokia finally have a hero device out to push the Windows Phone platform, and it's priced quite competitively to boot. Also a handful of Android devices announced back in CES and MWC are finally seeing the light of day.
In the near term, the U.S. smartphone market is shaping up to become a three horse race. The iPhone is topping sales charts on every carrier it's available from, quite an accomplishment considering it does have some formidable competition. Android devices from Samsung and Motorola are selling well -- especially the Galaxy S II, Galaxy Note, and Razr -- while the Lumia 710 briefly broke into the top three at T-Mobile. Nokia is hoping to repeat that feat with the Lumia 900 on AT&T. BlackBerry devices have failed to impress lately, so you'll note they are all but absent on this update.
Without further ado, check out our selection of the hottest devices currently out there (or those that are a short few weeks away from release). Each phone is listed alongside its feature highlights, specs and prices, from newest to oldest. To further aid you in making well-informed decisions on your next purchase, we've also added metascores from our Product Finder along with links to reviews besides each phone.
Samsung Galaxy S III
Available: May 29 in Europe, TBA in US
Samsung has officially taken the wraps off of the long-awaited Galaxy S III smartphone. The new flagship handset packs a quad-core 1.4GHz Exynos processor and a GPU that is said to be 65% faster than the chip found inside the Galaxy S II, along a 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED screen (1280 x 720 resolution) with a 306 ppi density, 1GB of RAM, an 8MP rear shooter, 1.9MP front camera and storage options in the neighborhood of 16GB, 32GB and 64GB. There’s also a removable 2,100 mAh battery, a micro-SD card slot, support for Bluetooth 4.0, WiFi Direct, DLNA and NFC. Samsung also included a Siri-like voice assistant as well as a technology is called Smart Stay to detect if you are reading the phone's screen and prevent it from going to sleep. The phone will ship with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich with a TouchWiz layer on top.
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Carrier: TBA Talk Time: -
Price: TBA Standby Time: -
Manufacturer: Samsung Weight: 4.69 ounces
Platform: Android 4.0 with TouchWiz Wireless: 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC
Network: GSM, HSPA+, LTE (coming soon) Storage: 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, expandable via microSD

HTC Evo 4G LTE
Available: May 18, 2012
The successor to the popular HTC EVO 4G released in 2010 is a doppelganger of the HTC One X arriving soon on AT&T. It has the same 4.7-inch HD Super LCD 2 screen, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 8MP camera, and Android 4.0 with Sense UI. However, HTC threw in a few extras that make this device stand out. That includes a shift from the One X's plastic body to anodized aluminum, the familiar Evo kickstand, a dedicated camera button, an improved battery, a microSD slot, and dual microphones to support Sprint's new HD Voice feature, which promises to reduce background noise and deliver the best audio quality possible. Pre-orders for this phone begin on May 7.
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Carrier: Sprint Talk Time: -
Price: $199 with two-year contract Standby Time: -
Manufacturer: HTC Weight: 4.73 ounces
Platform: Android 4.0 with Sense 4 Wireless: 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC
Network: CDMA, EV-DO Rev. A, LTE Storage: 16GB, expandable via microSD

HTC One X
Available: April 2012 in Europe, May 6 in US - Review 87 108 Reviews HTC's new flagship smartphone features a beautiful 4.7-inch, 720 x 1280 resolution display and single-piece polycarbonate body that's unique in the Android world. It will ship with the latest Ice Cream Sandwich release of Google's mobile OS and a refreshed Sense UI on top. Keep in mind that there will be some critical differences between the European phones announced recently and those coming to the U.S, however. Most notably, the AT&T model will have a Qualcomm processor instead of a quad-core Tegra 3 chip and supports LTE.
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Carrier: AT&T Talk Time: -
Price: $199 with two-year contract Standby Time: -
Manufacturer: HTC Weight: 4.59 ounces
Platform: Android 4.0 with Sense 4 Wireless: 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
Network: GSM, HSPA 21.1 Storage: 32GB

HTC One S
Available: April 2012 in Europe, April 25 in US 84 80 Reviews The One S features an ultrathin (7.8mm) single-piece aluminum body, a 4.3-inch qHD (960 x 540) AMOLED display, an 8MP camera, and is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual-core SoC clocked at 1.5GHz. In terms of specs it almost matches the US version of HTC's One X flagship, save for the lack of LTE (it supports T-Mobile's fast 42Mbps HSPA+ network), lower-res display and a slightly smaller battery. The device will ship with Android 4.0 and HTC's newest Sense UI.
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Carrier: T-Mobile Talk Time: -
Price: $199 with two-year contract Standby Time: -
Manufacturer: HTC Weight: 4.22 ounces
Platform: Android 4.0 with Sense 4 Wireless: 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
Network: GSM, HSPA+ 42.2 Storage: 16GB

Nokia Lumia 900
Available: April 2012 - Review 78 75 Reviews The Lumia 900 is one of the most affordable flagship devices AT&T has ever sold thanks to what is reportedly a huge investment from Nokia and Microsoft. It features 4.3-inch ClearBlack AMOLED display, a 1.4GHz processor, 512MB of RAM, an 8-megapixel Carl Zeiss camera lens, a high capacity 1830 mAh battery, and a sleek single-piece polycarbonate body. The phone ships with Microsoft's Windows Phone 7.5 OS and is compatible with AT&T's LTE network.
If you you prefer a smaller 3.7-inch display, the Lumia 800 has everything that the 900 has save for a 4G radio. However, in the US at least, it's only available without carrier subsidies as part of an expensive (~$899) bundle deal in Microsoft stores.
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Carrier: AT&T Talk Time: 7 hours
Price: $50 with new two-year contract ($120 extension) Standby Time: 14.6 days
Manufacturer: Nokia Weight: 5.6 ounces
Platform: Windows Phone 7.5 Mango Wireless: 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1
Network: GSM, HSPA 21.1 Storage: 16GB

Sony Xperia S
Available: February 2012 in Europe, US TBA 81 95 Reviews The Xperia S is Sony's first smartphone since it parted ways with Ericsson. The device's stand-out features are its pixel-dense 4.3-inch 1280 x 720 HD screen and a 12.1-megapixel camera featuring Sony's Exmor R sensor. It also packs a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM. However, the absence of ICS (an update is reportedly on the way) and its plastic enclosure detract from what would otherwise be a nicely designed phone. A larger, 4.6-inch Xperia Ion model with LTE and unibody construction is scheduled to arrive sometime this summer.
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Carrier: TBA Talk Time: 7.5 hours
Price: TBA Standby Time: 18.8 days
Manufacturer: Sony Weight: 5.08 ounces
Platform: Android 2.3.7 Wireless: 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC
Network: GSM, HSPA Storage: 32GB

Motorola Droid 4
Available: February 2012 76 15 Reviews The venerable Droid QWERTY line has admittedly lost its luster in recent years but for those that can't live without a physical keyboard the newest model is a solid choice. Now equipped with 4G LTE speeds along a host of minor spec bumps, the Droid 4 delivers great overall performance and decent battery life. That said, there are a few compromises to be made. The slide-out keyboard makes it a bit bulky, the 4-inch, 960 x 540 PenTile LCD display isn't quite as nice as those found on other Android phones, and it lacks the latest version of Google's OS.
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Carrier: Verizon Talk Time: 12.5 hours
Price: $50 with new two-year contract ($150 extension) Standby Time: 8.5 days
Manufacturer: Motorola Weight: 6.31 ounces
Platform: Android 2.3.5 Wireless: 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
Network: CDMA, EV-DO Rev. A, LTE Storage: 16GB, expandable via microSD

Motorola Droid Razr Maxx
Available: January 2012 78 37 Reviews Motorola upset a few people by releasing a follow up to the Razr just three months after the latter was launched. The two are practically identical -- same 4.3-inch AMOLED display, 1.2Ghz processor and 1GB of RAM, 16GB of integrated memory, and the same Moto-flavored version of Android Gingerbread. The only real difference, however, is the enormous 3300mAh battery that will keep you going longer than pretty much any other smartphone, let alone one that supports 4G LTE network speeds. It's thicker than its predecessor but not by much.
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Carrier: Verizon Talk Time: 21.5 hours
Price: $199 with new two-year contract ($229 extension) Standby Time: 15.8 days
Manufacturer: Motorola Weight: 5.11 ounces
Platform: Android 2.3.5 Wireless: 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
Network: CDMA, EV-DO Rev. A, LTE Storage: 16GB, expandable via microSD

Pantech Burst
Available: January 2012 76 6 Reviews The Pantech Burst is an affordable LTE phone (actually, free on contract) that packs a few welcome goodies for a device in its price range. It may not match up to the latest Samsung and Motorola devices in terms of design or hardware, but it still has a terrific 4-inch Super AMOLED display, a good 5-megapixel camera, a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, and some interesting design touches. It runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread but an update to ICS should arrive "in the coming months", according to AT&T. Battery life isn't its strong suit, though.
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Carrier: AT&T Talk Time: 4.5 hours
Price: Free with two-year contract Standby Time: 10 days
Manufacturer: Pantech Weight: 4.32 ounces
Platform: Android 2.3.5 Wireless: 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0
Network: GSM, HSPA, LTE Storage: 16GB, expandable via microSD 

Other Current Popular Smartphones

Nokia Lumia 710
Available: December 2011 - Review 77 66 Reviews The Lumia 710 represents Nokia's first Windows Phone 7.5 smartphone in the U.S., despite the fact that the Lumia 800 model has been available in other parts of the world for some time. Thanks to a fast processor and Windows Phone's snappy interface, the 3.7-inch display, entry-level handset is no slouch, and it benefits from solid call quality, decent battery life, and a usable 5MP camera.
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Carrier: T-Mobile Talk Time: 6.9 hours
Price: $99 with two-year contract Standby Time: 16.7 days
Manufacturer: Nokia Weight: 4.43 ounces
Platform: Windows Phone 7.5 Mango Wireless: 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1
Network: GSM, HSPA 14.4 Storage: 8GB

Samsung Galaxy Nexus
Available: November 2011 - Review 83 89 Reviews Samsung's Galaxy Nexus was the first handset in the world to run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, introducing a whole new look and feel for Google's mobile platform. The device features a curved 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED display running at 1270 x 720 resolution, a 1.2GHz dual core processor, 1GB of RAM, NFC, a 5MP rear camera with zero shutter lag, backlit-illuminated sensor, built-in stabilization and LED flash and a 1.3MP front-facing camera for video chat. It is powered by a 1,750mAh battery and is 8.9mm at its thinnest point.
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Carrier: Verizon Talk Time: 8 hours
Price: $79 with new two-year contract ($229 extension) Standby Time: 12 days
Manufacturer: Samsung Weight: 4.76 ounces
Platform: Android 4.0 Wireless: 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, NFC
Network: CDMA, EV-DO Rev. A, LTE Storage: 32GB

Samsung Focus Flash
Available: November 2011 76 7 Reviews The Samsung Focus Flash combines a slim, elegant design with a 3.7-inch WVGA super AMOLED display and a fast 1.4GHz processor. Although AT&T bills this as a 4G device, it doesn't run un the carrier's LTE network but rather on the three-and-a-half G HSPA+. Still, it's a solid budget option at one cent on contract to both new and existing AT&T subscribers. Then again, if you are looking for a Windows Phone, the Nokia Lumia 900 is around the corner and won't cost you that much more.
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Carrier: AT&T Talk Time: 6.5 hours
Price: Free with two-year contract Standby Time: 10 days
Manufacturer: Samsung Weight: 4.10 ounces
Platform: Windows Phone 7.5 Mango Wireless: 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1
Network: GSM, HSPA 21.1 Storage: 8GB

Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket
Available: November 2011 - 10 Reviews Samsung’s Galaxy S II Skyrocket includes a 4.5-inch SuperAMOLED Plus display running at 800 x 480 pixels, a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, 16GB of on-board memory with a microSD card slot that can add an additional 32GB, an 8MP rear camera with 1080p support and a 2MP front lens for video chatting. Those familiar with Samsung's Galaxy S II handsets will feel right at home with the Skyrocket. Of course, the big differentiator here is that the Skyrocket supports LTE speeds.
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Carrier: AT&T Talk Time: 7 hours
Price: $99 with two-year contract Standby Time: 10.4 days
Manufacturer: Samsung Weight: 4.60 ounces
Platform: Android 2.3.5 Wireless: 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0
Network: GSM, HSPA 21.1, LTE Storage: 16GB, expandable via microSD

Apple iPhone 4S
Available: October 14, 2011 - Review 88 95 Reviews The iPhone 4S features an upgraded A5 dual-core processor, a faster wireless network, an 8MP rear camera with improved optics, and the same 3.5-inch high ppi 'Retina Display'. The 4S retains the same size and shape of the iPhone 4, categorizing it as an evolutionary upgrade rather than a revolutionary device. Its standout feature is a new voice assistant program called Siri that's described as an "intelligent assistant that helps you get things done just by asking."
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Carrier: AT&T, Verizon, Sprint Talk Time: 8-14 hours
Price: $199-399 with two-year contract Standby Time: 8.3 days
Manufacturer: Apple Weight: 4.93 ounces
Platform: iOS 5 Wireless: 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
Network: GSM, CDMA, HSPA+ 14.4 Storage: 16GB, 32GB, 64GB

Samsung Galaxy Note
Available: October 2011 - Review 83 88 Reviews This 5.3-inch Galaxy device is actually a phone -- in case you were wondering. It sports a Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1280 x 800 and it runs on a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. It also supports LTE speeds on AT&T and comes equipped with a special type of stylus called the S Pen, which is meant to make it easier to mark down data on the go and tucks away neatly on the bottom of the handset when not in use.
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Carrier: AT&T Talk Time: 26 hours
Price: $249 with two-year contract Standby Time: 40 days
Manufacturer: Samsung Weight: 6.28 ounces
Platform: Android 2.3.5 Wireless: 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, NFC
Network: GSM, HSPA+ 21.1 Storage: 16GB, expandable via microSD

HTC Amaze 4G
Available: October 2011 78 10 Reviews Equipped with a beautiful 4.3-inch, 960-by-540 qHD Super LCD display, a great 8 megapixel camera, and blazing HSPA+ 42 speeds, the HTC Amaze is a top choice for Android smartphones on T-Mobile. The device itself is constructed of brushed aluminum, glass, and soft touch black plastic. Although it looks pretty sleek and feels very solid in your hand, it's also a bit thicker and heavier than competing devices. Battery life is another weak point for the Amaze 4G.
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Carrier: T-Mobile Talk Time: 6 hours
Price: $199 with two-year contract Standby Time: 11 days
Manufacturer: HTC Weight: 6.10 ounces
Platform: Android 2.3.4 Wireless: 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0
Network: GSM, HSPA+ 42.2 Storage: 16GB, expandable via microSD

Samsung Galaxy S II
Available: April 2011 in Europe, October 2011 in U.S. - TechSpot's Review 91 106 Reviews The Galaxy S II is one of the sleekest smartphones in the market at just 0.33 inches thick and weighing 4 ounces. Samsung's hot selling Android handheld features a 4.27-inch (800x480) Super AMOLED Plus display, dual-core 1.2GHz processor, an 8MP primary camera with 1080p video capture and a 2MP camera in the front, as well as integrated NFC support on some versions. There's also Bluetooth 3.0+HS and HSPA+ connectivity, as well as Samsung's custom UI TouchWiz 4.0.
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Carrier:AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint Talk Time: 8.5 hours
Price: $0.01 (Sprint), $50 (AT&T) with new two-year contract ($150/$90 extension) Standby Time: 25 days
Manufacturer: Samsung Weight: 4.1 ounces
Platform: Android 2.3 Wireless: 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0
Network: GSM , HSPA+ 21 / CDMA, EVDO Rev. A Storage: 16GB/32GB

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