We've reached the halfway point of 2012 – high time
to look back on how the smartphone space has progressed so far this
year. Here, you'll find the year's most notable, most interesting
smartphone releases – our favorites, as well as the devices that turned
our heads or made us scratch our chins.
As has historically been the case, enhancements to mobile operating
systems have made just as big of an impact on mobile computing as the
arrival of the devices themselves. Ice Cream Sandwich – a release that
many (including us)
see as the first version of Google's mobile OS to display serious mojo –
now powers all the top-tier phones. And Google has already debuted Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, which will start arriving on devices in the coming months.
Microsoft is buzzing: Windows Phone 7.5 Mango is showing up in
flagships and budget phones alike, and it will see another bump for
Microsoft's mobile OS when Windows Phone 8 arrives in October. Meanwhile, Apple's iOS 6 is widely expected to rear its head this fall, along with a new iPhone.
Even with much of the action still labeled "coming soon," 2012 has
seen its share of innovative and forward-thinking smartphones. Here are
the biggest newsmakers of the year, so far.
HTC One X
The HTC One X
is one of the best smartphones on the market, and the best Android
phone you can buy right now, period. It's fast, it's gorgeous, it's
lightweight and it has a stellar battery that lasts all day. The camera
is also outstanding – the best I've seen on an Android phone, though it
falls just short of the camera on the iPhone 4S.
It's a handset worthy of being a flagship device for both HTC and
AT&T. In fact, the one thing I really don't like about the One X is
its exclusivity to AT&T, the only carrier that sells the phone in
the U.S. It's a shame this exact same phone isn't available on T-Mobile,
Sprint and Verizon. The Sprint version, the Evo 4G LTE,
is very close, but Sprint's 4G network isn't widely distributed enough
to make it an attractive buy, and the T-Mobile version, the One S, has a weaker screen.
–Nathan Olivarez-Giles
Samsung Galaxy S III
The Galaxy S III
(available for $200 on AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon and U.S.
Cellular) is Samsung's most ambitious smartphone yet, and it serves as a
testament to the company's growing stature as a premium handset maker.
However, the S III isn't quite an iPhone killer, nor does it dethrone
the One X
as the best Android handset. While it's a fine smartphone, it's not the
unqualified success it aspires to be, and it's regrettably held back by
software that never works as well or as easily as it should.
The hardware is great, though – you get Qualcomm's 1.5GHz dual-core
Snapdragon S4 processor, 2GB of RAM, and a massive, 4.8-inch, 1280 x 720
pixel, Super HD AMOLED display. The screen is sharp and bright, but the
colors feel a bit over-amped. The phone 0.34 inches thick and weighs
just 4.7 ounces, and a thin bezel around the display keeps the body from
feeling oversized.
But the software is iffy. The voice-recognition system, S Voice,
doesn't work that well. The built-in file sharing features are cludgy
and counterintuitive, and they require your friends to own Samsung
Galaxy S III phones to work properly – even though Android has its own
similar sharing features that let you use a mix of devices. –Nathan Olivarez-Giles
Nokia Lumia 900
Rather than build a specced-out superphone for early adopters,
Microsoft and Nokia have decided (wisely), to focus their Windows Phone
endeavors on a different audience – the booming ranks of first-time
smartphone buyers just entering the market, and the millions of us
looking for a solid smartphone at a budget-friendly price. The Lumia 900
runs on AT&T's fast 4G LTE network. It has a lively, user-friendly
operating system. And it's only $100 with a two-year AT&T contract, a
price that betters other flagship handsets by at least half.
The 900 shares the same bold polycarbonate shell as its smaller cousin the Lumia 800,
but in a larger 4.3-inch package. The bright 800×480 AMOLED screen
isn't as pixel-packed as a Retina display or one of Samsung's stunners,
though the only time the Nokia 900's resolution really showed its
weakness was in watching streaming video.
I've never handled a Windows Phone Mango device that wasn't
pleasantly zippy and responsive, and the Lumia 900 is no exception. The
phone's 1.4GHz processor keeps games and videos humming, and the system
doesn't seem to be slowed by multi-tasking apps. Subtle animations
appear at every turn: things like text folding into or away from the
screen when you tap a link or navigate to a different feature, or a
springy physicality when you flick to the end of a list. –Christina Bonnington
Samsung Galaxy Note
On paper, the Samsung Galaxy Note
is rich with top-of-the-line features: 1.4GHz dual-core processor, 16GB
of internal storage and an 8-megapixel camera, all tied to AT&T's
speedy 4G LTE network. It also comes with a stylus (Samsung calls it the
S Pen) that can be used in conjunction with some smart, system-wide
apps.
But see the Note in the flesh and you'll notice one thing above all
else: its massive 5.3-inch display. The screen is positively gigantic.
Comically huge to the point of shame. Closer to a tablet than a phone,
the Note dwarfs the iPhones and Droids around it. Hold it up to your
face to make a call and everyone around you laughs. Seriously, it never
gets old.
It's not all punchlines, though. Watching videos and playing games
are amazing experiences, and it's more comfortable to read web pages and
e-books on the Note than on any other phone I've tested. The large,
bright, HD Super AMOLED screen requires more power to run, but since the
phone is bigger, Samsung could slip in a beefier 2,500mAh battery
battery.
But it's just too big. The Galaxy Note's girth makes it tough to
carry in your front pocket comfortably while walking around or riding a
bike. Stick it in your back pocket, and its bulkiness requires you to
take it out when you sit down. Will I have to resort to a man-purse? --Michael Calore
HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE
The newest Droid Incredible
is a phone with one foot stuck in the past. Interior components like
the processor and camera are stellar, and they're on-par with other $200
smartphones on the market right now. But the smaller, 4-inch display
isn't a true HD screen. And the design, dominated by a stubby and chunky
chassis, feels like it was drawn up a few years ago when the Droid
brand was first launched.
I applaud HTC and Verizon (the new Incredible, like its namesakes, is
a Verizon exclusive) for having the stones to offer a new 4-inch
Android smartphone. The world needs more smaller smartphones, honestly.
The Samsung Galaxy S III,
with its 4.8-inch screen, is damn near impossible to use with one hand.
The Droid Incredible 4G LTE, meanwhile, is a breeze to use
single-handedly. The super LCD display looks sharp, detailed and flatly
better than any other screen I've seen with a 960×540 "qHD" resolution.
But at this point, the standard on phones at this price range is to
offer an actual HD screen, not a fake HD screen. I'm talking at least
720p, not 540p. It's not good enough. And while it looks good, 720p
would look better.
On paper at least, the CPU is also lagging. It's a 1.2GHz dual-core
Qualcomm processor, while HTC's other big-name phones -- the One S, One X
and HTC Evo 4G LTE – all pack 1.5-GHz dual-core Qualcomm CPUs. However,
the Droid had plenty of horsepower to take on the daily tasks I threw
at it: multitasking apps, web browsing in Chrome, games and streaming
videos. HTC's Sense 4 wrapper over the top of Ice Cream Sandwich ran
smoothly, and HTC's skin remains one of the best alternatives to stock
Android. So while the new Droid Incredible may be slightly slower than
HTC's other flagships, it's an unquestionably capable and speedy phone,
and a good place to look if you don't want a giant screen. Just don't
expect the design – a simple update to an aging formula – to wow you. –Nathan Olivarez-Giles
HTC Evo 4G LTE
Is the HTC One X by any other name just as sweet? In the case of the HTC Evo 4G LTE, no, not quite. But almost.
The One X is our current pick as the best overall Android phone on the market right now. And HTC's Evo 4G LTE is essentially the same phone as the One X, as far as the guts and the display. But the two phones are not equals.
Some small differences in styling and materials are apparent, but the
biggest difference is invisible – the Evo's 4G LTE status. Sprint's 4G LTE
network isn't up and running anywhere other than a handful of test
markets: Atlanta, Baltimore, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City and San
Antonio. For now, that means the new Evo is essentially a 3G phone
outside of six cities. While Sprint's 3G network offers great service
and the Evo never felt slow, the Evo 4G LTE doesn't yet live up to the
4G LTE part of its name.
Otherwise, it's great. It has one of the best displays and cameras
out there, and it is blessed with beastly power and speed. HTC's Sense 4
interface isn't as good as stock Android, but it's the best
alternative. Bonus: It has a built-in kickstand. –Nathan Olivarez-Giles
Motorola Droid Razr Maxx
With the Droid Razr Maxx's
supercharged battery, Motorola goes a long way toward solving what is
arguably the biggest issue in mobile devices today: longevity. It packs a
huge 3,300 mAh cell that makes for a seriously plus-sized phone. But
the extra junk in the trunk comes with a payoff – a purported 21 hours
of talk time and over 350 hours on standby.
The phone stood up to Moto's claims, serving up 12 hours of
continuous YouTube video playback – more grueling than voice calls – in
my testing before running out of steam. And on a full charge under
regular-use conditions (the occasional call or three, light web
browsing, playing around with an app here and there), I literally went
for three whole days without having to plug it in.
This longevity is only compounded by Moto's Smart Actions management
system, the company's ingenious software-based approach for tracking and
adjusting feature usage and energy consumption. It switches certain
functions on and off automatically when the phone's sensors detect a
specific set of user-defined conditions. Pretty nifty stuff. –Mike Isaac
Samsung Focus 2
Nokia has committed wholly to the Windows Phone platform with its
flagship Lumia line, but it isn't the only manufacturer investing in
Microsoft's mobile OS. Samsung's Focus 2 is the company's fourth Windows Phone device, and it's a smartphone worth your attention.
Best of all, it's a really good deal. At $50 with a two-year AT&T contract, the Focus 2 is only half the price of the Lumia 900, and a third of the cost of HTC's Titan II,
even though all three phones run on the same AT&T 4G LTE network.
And since the Windows Phone platform is consistent across the devices –
you'll see a few pre-loaded manufacturer and carrier apps, but not much
else – you're not sacrificing much software experience with the low
price tag. The Samsung Focus 2 was just as quick and responsive as any
other Windows Phone Mango device I've used.
It has just 8GB of storage, a single-core Qualcomm MSM8255 1.4GHz
processor and no MicroSD card slot. But the Samsung Focus 2 gets you
access to AT&T's 4G LTE in a compact and cheap device that's plenty
capable. –Alexandra Chang
Huawei Mercury
If you already have an iPhone, a Galaxy Nexus or some other head-of-the-class smartphone in your pocket, the Huawei Mercury
isn't the phone for you. But if you're upgrading from a feature phone,
or if you're loath to sign a two-year contract and would prefer a
pay-as-you-go plan, it's likely the perfect phone for you.
Huawei's handset – available on Cricket's smartphone plans, which
start at $55 per month with no contract – is a mid-level Android device
that makes a great first smartphone, and it performs solidly enough even
though it lacks the specs and polish of the latest top-tier hardware.
Besides, any shortcomings are easily overlooked if you're in the
pay-as-you-go club and you're craving a modern Android experience.
The Mercury (also known as the Huawei Honor and Huawei Glory
elsewhere) is a little bit wider and slightly thicker than the average
Android. The build is mostly plastic and the quality of the case is kind
of cheap-feeling. The touchscreen is nice, though – a 4-inch Gorilla
Glass panel that's durable and scratch-resistant. The display is also
bright and relatively clear, with a FWVGA 854×480 pixel resolution
screen that can display 16 million colors. –Maurizio Pesce
Nokia Lumia 710
Aside from being a 4G phone, most of the Lumia 710's
specs lean towards "good enough." But at $50, and with the ability to
pair it with a low-cost data plan from T-Mobile, it's cheap enough that
even those living paycheck-to-paycheck wouldn't bat an eye.
Windows Phone Mango seems like a lightweight OS compared to something
like an HTC Sense-skinned Android. Why do I say that? The 710 runs on
merely a single-core 1400 MHz Qualcomm processor with 512 MB of SDRAM,
and yet the experience is quite smooth – just as you'd expect it would
run on stronger hardware.
The 710's 3.7-inch, 800×480 resolution ClearBlack LCD display isn't
as bright as that of its big sisters, the Lumia 800 and 900. But unless
you held the two Nokias side by side, you wouldn't really feel like
you're missing anything. Colors are rich and images are sharp, but there
just isn't that Pow! you get from something like a Super AMOLED screen. –Christina Bonnington
Nokia 808 PureView
There is nothing compelling about the 808 PureView's
software -- it runs Symbian, Nokia's outdated operating system that the
company is leaving behind in favor of Windows Phone. Rather, this phone
is notable because of one feature, and one feature alone: the on-board
41-megapixel camera.
Most highest-end smartphones have 8-megapixel cameras. Compared to
those cameras, a 41-megapixel camera sensor seems totally over-the-top
and unnecessary. But what Nokia has developed with its homegrown
PureView imaging technology is, by far, the best camera I’ve seen on a
smartphone.
That doesn’t mean the 808 PureView a good phone. It’s actually a
pretty terrible phone with an outstanding camera. You should only
consider buying the 808 PureView if you really love mobile phone
photography. Even then, you’re probably better off waiting until Nokia’s
PureView technology comes paired with a better OS, like Windows Phone
(which should happen “very soon”). Also consider that, in the U.S., the
phone is currently only available as an unlocked device for AT&T and
T-Mobile networks at the high, unsubsidized price of $700.
Source : wired.com 
10:17:00 AM
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