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5 Best Android Phones [September 2010]

admin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:48:34 +0000

2010 is truly the year of Android. Not only has Google been able to steal the mobile scene in terms of some of the summers hottest cellphones, the Android has officially passed the iPhone in terms of sales. Not only that, but the Android Marketplace is boasting over 70,000 apps and is currently the fastest growing mobile application platform.

So if you have chosen your next phone to be an Android powered device, you’re making a good choice. But which is the best Android phone currently on the market? We’ve rounded up the top five and give you the pros and cons of each.

HTC Evo 4G (Sprint)

When it comes to phones, you can’t get much better then the HTC Evo 4G. This beast of a phone features a 4.3 inch AMOLED display as well as an 8 megapixel camera, HD video capture (at 720p) and not to mention a 1Ghz Snapdragon processor and as the name would suggest, a 4G wireless radio.

Having a brother who owns one, ithe only major faults I have with the device is the battery life which is a bit under average and a screen framerate of only 30fps. Other then that, it is a solid device.

Samsung Epic 4G Galaxy S (Sprint)

Launched yesterday, the Epic 4G from Samsung has really gotten a lot of attention. Not only is it the second ever 4G phone, it also sports a 4.0 inch Super AMOLED screen which is the only display on the market that is almost nearly as perfect as Apple’s iPhone. Being an Epic 4G owner as of yesterday I have to say that it is a great phone. The Hummingbird processor that sports 1Ghz is beautiful to say the least and media on the phone as well as the screens frame rate, totally trumps that of the Evo 4G. (Check out our Samsung Epic 4G review HERE!)

Only drawbacks I have to the device is the battery life, while better then the Evo is still not the best. The phone feels a bit light in the hand, not as a solid feel as say the iPhone, Palm Pre or Evo 4G, and Sammy could take a few cues from HTC and their beautiful keyboard on the Touch Pro 2. However, if you need an Evo with a keyboard, the Epic is the way to go.

Motorola Droid X (Verizon)

Think of the Droid X as Verizon’s version of the Evo, albeit, without the 4G’s and a better battery life. The Droid X has all the things that the you’d want from a Droid including a 4.3-inc, AMOLED screen, Android 2.1 and all the things that go along with it.

The not so good features is a UI from Motorola that needs work, camera app lags (unlike the camera which is stellar) and not as ergonomic to hold as the Evo 4G. Other then that, it’s a solid Android phone that many Verizon customers will definitely want.

Motorola Droid 2 (Verizon)

The original Droid was Verizon’s answer to the iPhone. It was well received and pacified the complaining of Verizon’s customers for some time. With the Droid 2, Verizon is well on track to increase its smartphone share dominance. While not as feature rich as the Droid X, The Droid 2 does bring some nice features and a few good upgrades. It now supports mobile hotspots, has an improved keyboard and an overall more handsome hardware design.

Only drawbacks is minor issues with signal strength, an unappealing UI skin and in a day and age where all the major phones are doing it, we gotta wonder why there is not a 720p video shooting on this thing. Other then that, solid piece of hardware.

HTC Droid Incredible (Verizon)

Before the Droid X, it was the Droid Incredible on Verizon. Even though it is a little old, the Droid Incredible is one of the best Android phones on the market. Sporting a slick UI, one that deserves major props, 1Ghz processor and blazing fast 3G speeds, it’s hard to deny that those not wanting something as big as an Evo or Droid X should not look farther then the Incredible.

Only major drawback is the media performance which is behind the competition. Other then that, solid device with great battery life and stellar performance.

OFFICIAL: Motorola Droid 2 announced

admin — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 14:04:08 +0000

It’s not like it’s been a secret that an update to Verizon’s flagship smartphone was in the works. However, the company along with Motorola decided to keep mull about the whole idea of an update to the Droid. That is until today when Verizon has made it official as to the specs, price and release date of the Droid 2.

Said device will be shipping with Android 2.2 (Froyo), mobile hotspot, though the latter will require a $20 monthly plan. Flash Player 10.1 anda n updated keyboard are included as well. One of the more awesome features is it ships with Swype pre-installed. Spec wise, we’re dealing with a 3.7-inch multitouch display along with a 5 megapixel camera on back, DLNA streaming, 16GB of total memory (8 internal and 8 on a microSD card).

As for price and release date, that is pegged at a cool $199.99 on a two-year contract and pre orders start today with in-store availability waiting for Thursday. In other news, the R2-D2 edition of the Droid 2 is legit and will be available with exclusive Star Wars content. In case you’re wondering, if your contract ends by December 21, 2010, you are allowed to upgrade now to the Droid 2 or any other smartphone without receiving that nasty penalty. So you know what to do.

VIDEO: First major Verizon ad for the Pre

admin — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:28:58 +0000

According to Verizon, yesterdays’ ways are over, and it’s time to bring in something new. Having to deal with multiple dates on multiple calanders, I have to agree that the Pre does simplify this task. But go ahead and check out the video below if you disbelieve me.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Palm Pre Plus and Pixi Plus now on Verizon’s online site

admin — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 05:34:23 +0000

Guess what folks? Verizon has put both the Pixi and Pre Plus on it’s online site. So as of now, you can order your Pre or Pixi Plus with all the beefed up specs you were promised. Check it out at the read link below.

VIA: Verizon

OFFICIAL: Palm Pre coming to Verizon January 25th

admin — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 15:51:24 +0000

Confirming months of rumors that the Pre would be heading to Verizon, Palm has officially confirmed that the Pre will be heading to America’s biggest wireless network.

Dubbed the Pre Plus, the device has three major differences from the current Pre sold on Sprint and other networks. For one, the center button is missing (which was practically useless we might add), the back of the device comes fitted with the matte cover needed for the Touchstone charger instead of the finger print-glossy version currently on the Sprint version. Last but not least it ups the internal storage from 8GB to a full 16GB.

The device has not been hampered by the lack of WiFi and as we said before it will be arriving on Verizon’s network January 25^th.

VIA: Palm

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OFFICIAL: Palm Pixi Plus heading to Verizon January 25th

admin — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 15:28:45 +0000

It’s official folks. All those rumors about Verizon getting a webOS device namely the Pixi were true. Our good friend Jon Rubinstein made it official that Verizon is getting the Pixi and it will be called the “Pixi Plus.” The major difference between this version and Sprint’s version is the inclusion of WiFi, more storage space (bumped up to 8GB from 4GB) and of course it runs on Big Red’s network.

No price has been revealed yet but we do have a date, January the 25^th. Check out the full press shots below.

VIA: Palm

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Verizon Pre and Pixi Plus specs leaked at CES

admin — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 14:29:39 +0000

Pre Plus & Pixi Plus Specs

It has been known for quite some time now that the Pre and more recently the Pixi were heading to Verizon. As of yesterday we know what it will be called and what features it will sport. So far we’re hearing that the Pre will be called the “Pre Plus” and will double the memory on the current Sprint Pre (which sits at 8GB). The same thing goes for the Pixi which will be called the “Pixi Plus) and will also double the memory (up from 4GB to 8GB).

Last but not least, the Pixi Plus will bring Wi-Fi into the picture, something the Pixi from Sprint lacks. Check out the graphic above for the full features.

VIA: PhoneArena

BillShrink.com pits Pre vs. iPhone, Nexus One and Droid

admin — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 14:05:31 +0000

Click to Enlarge

The graphic is pretty self explanatory so we’ll be brief in our explanation. But we would just like to point out two things. First of all BillShrink fails to mention Sprint’s “Everything Mobile” plan which is an industry first and a lot better then any of the offerings from T-Mobile. Secondly, they fail to mention that T-Mobile still has the least 3G coverage. Other then that, the graphic is pretty accurate. Check it out.

VIA: BillShrink

The Complete Guide to the Google Nexus One

admin — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:15:03 +0000

No doubt you’ve heard about the Nexus One. It’s the phone that’s supposed to be Google’s masterpiece, a device that promises to heat up the cellphone market. Made official yesterday after weeks of speculation and rumors, Google has laid out its idea for the Nexus One.

First of all the device is Android powered. In fact it runs on Android 2.1, so the rumors about it being an in-house software were not true. Secondly the device is not solely Google branded. It has a huge HTC sign on it’s backside and while we’re at it, it’s packing a 5 megapixel camera. The full specs are listed below.

Size and weight
Height 119mm
Width 59.8mm
Depth 11.5mm
Weight 130 grams w/battery (100g w/o battery)

Display
3.7-inch (diagonal) widescreen WVGA AMOLED touchscreen
800 x 480 pixels
100,000:1 typical contrast ratio
1ms typical response rate

Camera & Flash
5 megapixels
Autofocus from 6cm to infinity
2X digital zoom
LED flash
User can include location of photos from phone’s AGPS receiver
Video captured at 720×480 pixels at 20 frames per second or higher, depending on lighting conditions

Cellular & Wireless
UMTS Band 1/4/8 (2100/AWS/900)
HSDPA 7.2Mbps
HSUPA 2Mbps
GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n)
Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
A2DP stereo Bluetooth

Power and battery
Removable 1400 mAH battery
Charges at 480mA from USB, at 980mA from supplied charger
Talk time
Up to 10 hours on 2G
Up to 7 hours on 3G
Standby time
Up to 290 hours on 2G Up to 250 hours on 3G
Internet use
Up to 5 hours on 3G
Up to 6.5 hours on Wi-Fi
Video playback
Up to 7 hours
Audio playback
Up to 20 hours

Processor
Qualcomm QSD 8250 1 GHz

Operating system
Android Mobile Technology Platform 2.1 (Eclair)

Capacity
512MB Flash
512MB RAM
4GB Micro SD Card (Expandable to 32 GB)

Location
Assisted global positioning system (AGPS) receiver
Cell tower and Wi-Fi positioning
Digital compass
Accelerometer

The complete specs can be viewed HERE!

The Nexus One will be available one of three ways. You can buy it sans a contract for a mere $549. On a two year contract from T-Mobile, the device drops to a manageable $179. Verizon is listed as a carrier of the device for Spring 2010. As for Europe, Vodafone is being listed as the carrier for an unspecified date. T-Mobile Pricing options can be viewed HERE!

According to Android chief Andy Rubin, Google will “consider” adding the feature to the device. But we wouldn’t have much quips with that as multitouch has been lacking from many touchscreen phones and they still perform flawlessly.

For a complete review of the device. Check out Engadget.

ORDER NOW!