The Best Android Phones

Android phones are becoming more and more popular. When Google's Android OS first launched, the software was available on a single phone. Today, however, Android is available on dozens of handsets. But not all Android phones are created equal. Here's a roundup of the best Android phones available today.

1. Motorola Droid X

Verizon Wireless

The Motorola Droid X is big and beautiful, with an incredibly roomy 4.3-inch touch screen. It runs on Verizon's speedy 3G network, and boasts excellent call quality. And it packs in plenty of multimedia features, too.

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2. HTC EVO 4G

HTC

Even without its 4G capability, the HTC EVO 4G boasts an impressive list of features: a 4.3-inch screen, 8-megapixel camera, HD-capable video camera, and version 2.1 of the Android OS. But the fact remains that it's the 4G part of the EVO 4G that has people so excited. This is the first phone to run on Sprint's 4G WiMax network, which delivers download speeds up to 10 times faster than a 3g network.

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3. HTC Droid Incredible

HTC

With a name like the Incredible, this smartphone has a lot to live up to. But the HTC Droid Incredible manages. Like the EVO 4G, it runs the latest version of the Android OS, and also offers a 3.7-inch display and an 8-megapixel camera. The Droid Incredible is available from Verizon Wireless.

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4. Samsung Captivate

Samsung

The Samsung Captivate is just one of the four Galaxy S phones introduced by Samsung in the summer of 2010. The Captivate, available from AT&T, sports a 4-inch Super AMOLED screen, a powerful 1-GHz processor, and the ability to capture videos in HD.

5. Samsung Vibrant

Samsung

The Samsung Vibrant is T-Mobile's offering from Samsung's Galaxy S series of Android phones. Like its AT&T sibling, the Captivate, the Vibrant is an all-touch-screen device featuring a 4-inch Super AMOLED screen and a powerful 1-GHz processor. And, like the Captivate, it features Samsung's own TouchWiz interface on top of the Android OS. The Vibrant also packs in some impressive entertainment features. The phone is pre-loaded with a full-length version of the movie "Avatar," as well as the Sims 3 game, the Amazon Kindle app for Android, and MobiTV, a mobile TV app.

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6. Samsung Intercept

Most of today's new Android smartphones are all about being bigger and better than past models. That's fine, if you want a smartphone with all the bells and whistles -- and don't mind paying for it. But you do have another option in the Samsung Intercept. This full-featured Android smartphone may lack the flash found on some of its higher-profile rivals, but it's still a very capable device -- and one that comes at a very affordable price.

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7. T-Mobile myTouch 3G

T-Mobile

The T-Mobile myTouch 3G was the first Google Android-based phone that was equally as beautiful on the outside as it was on the inside. It was just pretty enough to make you forget how boxy and bland many Android phones were -- and still are.

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8. Motorola Backflip

Motorola

Early Android phones were bland and boxy devices, not well suited for a young crowd. But not the Motorola Backflip. This phone features a unique design: the keyboard flips back, so that when the phone is closed, both the keyboard and the screen are facing out. The unusual design isn't its only fun feature: the Backflip also features the MotoBlur interface, which syncs information across your e-mail account, social networks, photo sharing services, and more.

Samsung Intercept Review: Android on a Budget

When the Samsung Intercept is closed, you see its 3.2-inch touch screen.

Sprint

Most of today's new Android smartphones are all about being bigger and better than past models. Take the HTC EVO 4G and the Motorola Droid X, for example. Both pack in oversized screens and flashy features.
That's fine, if you want a smartphone with all the bells and whistles -- and don't mind paying for it. But you do have another option in the Samsung Intercept. This full-featured Android smartphone may lack the flash found on some of its higher-profile rivals, but it's still a very capable device -- and one that comes at a very affordable price.

Price and Availability

The Samsung Intercept is available from Sprint for $99.99 when you sign a new two-year service contract. That price is $100 less than what most carriers are charging for the Intercept's Android-based rivals, such as the Droid X, HTC EVO 4G, and Droid Incredible. It's also $100 less than what AT&T is charging for a 16GB iPhone 4.

Design

The Intercept doesn't feature the most eye-catching design; in fact, it looks a whole lot like many of Samsung's other phones. When the phone is closed, you see its 3.2-inch touch-screen, below which sits four touch-sensitive keys for navigating through the Android OS. Underneath those keys, you get a square-shaped optical trackpad, which doubles as a select button, as well as send and end keys.
The Intercept's 3.2-inch display isn't roomy, especially when compared to the 4.3-inch screens found on the Droid X and the HTC EVO 4G. It also lacks the sharpness of the 3.5-inch screen found on the Apple iPhone 4. But the screen is big enough to be serviceable.
Far more impressive is the Intercept's slide-out QWERTY keyboard, which appears when you slide the display to the right. The keys are well spaced and have a rubberized texture that makes them easy to press for accurate typing. The Intercept's keyboard is, by far, the best hardware keyboard I've seen on an Android device so far.

Making Calls

I was very impressed with the Intercept's quality during my test calls. Voices came through loud and clear on both ends of the line, even in areas where I had a weak Sprint signal. I heard little to no distortion and experienced no dropped calls.

Software

The Samsung Intercept has a very roomy slide-out keyboard with keys that are rubberized for easy and accurate typing.

Samsung

The Samsung Intercept ships with Android 2.1, which was the latest version of the Android OS when the phone launched. Android has since been updated to version 2.2, though, which is already available on Google's Nexus One.
Android has come a long way from its earliest versions, though, and even version 2.1 offers a refinement that previous versions were lacking. Navigating through the OS's many options has gotten easier, though I found the Intercept a bit sluggish at times, when switching screens or launching apps. And Android is still a bit geeky enough to overwhelm some newbies. For more details on Android, read my complete review of the mobile OS.

Web Browsing

The Intercept supports Sprint's high-speed 3G network, but not its fastest iteration. The Intercept supports Sprint's EvDo Rev. O, not the speedier Rev. A version. It does not offer support for Sprint's fastest 4G network, either. But you do get support for Wi-Fi wireless networks, so you have another option for speedy Web browsing.

In better news, the browser on the Samsung Intercept is quite good. In the past, Android's browser required you to dig through menus to access simple functions (like the address bar or the back button). That doesn't seem to be the cast on the newer batch of Android phones. Like the Droid X and the Droid Incredible, the Intercept features a browser that just makes sense.The address bar is just where you'd expect to find it, and you can use the handy back button below the display to move back through Web pages. The 3.2-inch screen does feel a bit tight when you're Web browsing, but you can pinch and spread the screen to zoom in and out as needed.
What you won't find on the Intercept -- yet -- is support for Adobe's Flash technology. You'll get this support, which will allow you to view multimedia Web pages as you would on a desktop computer, when the phone is updated to the next version of Android, version 2.2.

Camera

Samsung's Intercept features a 3.2megapixel camera, which is something of a disappointment when compared to the 8-megapixel shooters found on the Droid X and the Droid Incredible. It also lacks a flash, and picture quality, overall, wasn't very impressive. Many of my images were blurry, especially when I tried to capture moving subjects. I experienced a noticeable delay between the time I pressed the shutter button and when the camera actually snapped the photo, so that I often missed the subject I wanted to capture.

Multimedia

The rest of the multimedia features found on the Intercept are more impressive. Like most Android phones, the Intercept offers a basic, but very usable, music player and the standard YouTube app. But you also get a good selection of services from Sprint, including Sprint TV, which lets you view live TV broadcasts right on the phone. You also get Sprint Radio, Sprint Football Live, and NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Bottom Line

The Intercept isn't as flashy as many of today's best Android phones. If you want speedier data access or a bigger screen, you'd be better off with the Droid X, Droid Incredible, or EVO 4G. But if you're looking for a budget-friendly Android phone with the best keyboard around, the Samsung Intercept could be just what you need.

Samsung Vibrant Review: Pretty, Polished, and Plenty of Fun

The Samsung Vibrant is slim and very comfortable to hold in your hand.

Samsung

The Samsung Vibrant sure does make a great first impression. As soon as I pulled the phone out of the packaging, I was impressed with its thin profile, big screen, and how comfortable it was in my hand. And, the more I used the Vibrant, the more impressed I was with its functionality, as well.

Price and Availability

The Samsung Vibrant is available from T-Mobile for $199.99 when you sign a new two-year service contract. That price does factor in a $50 mail-in rebate, but it's the same as what Sprint charges for the HTC EVO 4G, Verizon charges for the Motorola Droid X, and what AT&T charges for a 16GB iPhone 4.

Design

The Vibrant is an all-touch-screen phone -- no hardware keyboard here -- which allows for its thin and sleek profile. The phone measures 4.8 inches tall by 2.5 inches wide by .4 inches thick, just slightly bigger than an iPhone 4 on all counts.
Like all of Samsung's Galaxy S phones, the Vibrant features a Super AMOLED touch screen, which is, in fact, vibrant. Colors pop off the screen, and, with its 800 by 480 resolution, everything from images to text looks crisp and clear. The touch screen is nicely responsive, too.
The display measures 4-inches diagonally, noticeably larger than the 3.5-inch screen found on the Apple iPhone , but smaller than the mammoth 4.3-inch displays found on the Droid X and the HTC EVO 4G. The screen felt very roomy when using the phone, though, as I never had any trouble viewing Web pages or typing with the on-screen keyboard.
The overall design of the phone is very appealing; it's one of the best-looking Android phones I've seen. In fact, my only complaint about its design is the plasticky casing on the back of the phone. When compared to sturdier devices like the Droid Incredible or the iPhone 4, the Vibrant's backing looks a bit cheap.

Making Calls

I live in an area with poor T-Mobile coverage, but I was impressed with the Vibrant's call quality in my tests. Voices sounded loud and clear on both ends of the line, and I heard little distortion or background noise.

Software

The Samsung Intercept ships with Android 2.1, which is no longer the latest version of the Android OS. Android has since been updated to version 2.2, though, which is already available on Google's Nexus One and will ship on the forthcoming Droid 2.
Android has come a long way from its earliest versions, and even though version 2.1 is not the latest version, it does offer refinements that previous versions were lacking. Navigating through the OS's many options has gotten easier, and the Vibrant performed well when I was zipping around the phone, checking out its many options. Keep in mind, however, that Android is still a bit geeky enough to overwhelm some newbies. For more details on Android, read my complete review of the mobile OS.

On top of its Android OS, the Vibrant features Samsung's TouchWiz interface, which has been nicely updated. When I tested it on the Samsung Behold II, I found that TouchWiz didn't mesh well with the Android OS; so many of its features were already offered by Android that it just felt superfluous. But the new version of TouchWiz blends into the Android environment nicely, offering new widgets that are more useful. I particularly liked the "Feeds and Updates" widget, which offers easy access to various social networks.

Web Browsing

The Vibrant supports T-Mobile's high-speed 3G network, as well as wireless Wi-Fi networks. T-Mobile was the last of the four major nationwide carriers to launch a 3G network, but its reach is growing. In my tests of the Vibrant in and around the Boston area, T-Mobile's network delivered speedy page loads and downloads.

I also liked the browser on the Samsung Vibrant. In the past, Android's browser required you to dig through menus to access simple functions (like the address bar or the back button). That doesn't seem to be the cast on the newer batch of Android phones. Like the Droid X and the Droid Incredible, the Vibrant features a browser that just makes sense. The address bar is just where you'd expect to find it, and you can use the handy back button below the display to move back through Web pages. The 4-inch screen felt very roomy when I was browsing the Web, too, and I liked that you can pinch and spread the screen to zoom in and out as needed.

What you won't find on the Vibrant -- yet -- is support for Adobe's Flash technology. You'll get this support, which will allow you to view multimedia Web pages as you would on a desktop computer, when the phone is updated to the next version of Android. version 2.2.

Camera

The Vibrant features a 5-megapixel camera, which is something of a disappointment overall. For starters, it lacks a flash, which should be standard on a high-end smartphone by now. Picture quality was just so-so. Many of my images were blurry, and colors didn't look as bright (or as vibrant) as I expected them to.

Multimedia

T-Mobile is hyping the Vibrant as a multimedia smartphone, and they are right: this phone knows how to have fun. It comes with a full-length copy of the movie "Avatar" loaded on the device, and it looked stunning when viewed on the Vibrant's screen. I found the sound to be a bit low over the speakers, but it did improve when I used headphones.

The phone also comes with the MobiTV application installed, which allows you to view live mobile TV stations right on the phone. I found MobiTV's performance to be very good, when viewed over both T-Mobile's 3G network and over my own Wi-Fi network at home. Video looked very good, and I experienced no stuttering or pixilated images.

Other multimedia features include Slacker Radio, the Sims 3 game, Amazon Kindle for Android, the standard YouTube app, and access to Amazon's MP3 store.

What the Vibrant S -- like all Android phones -- is missing is the kind of connected eco-system that Apple's iPhone and iTunes offer. iTunes allows you to easily purchase or rent movies for viewing on your phone, offers a simple way to download music, and lets you transfer content easily between your iPhone and your computer. Right now, Android phones offer access to Amazon's MP3 store for purchasing music downloads, but the experience doesn't extend beyond that. That should change later this year when Samsung launches its Media Hub, which will allow users to purchase music and video. The Media Hub will be a definite advantage for Samsung's phone, provided it offers enough content.

Bottom Line

With its attractive design, stellar screen, and impressive multimedia offerings, the Samsung Vibrant is a top-notch smartphone, well deserving of a place on my list of today's best Android phones and my list of today's best smartphones.

The Best Blackberry Phones

There are dozens of BlackBerry smartphones available today. But just because they're all called BlackBerry phones, that doesn't mean they're all created equal. So, which BlackBerry phones can be called today's best devices? Here are the phones that top my list.

1. BlackBerry Bold 9700

T-Mobile

There are a lot of BlackBerry smartphones on the market, but only one can be the best. And, right now, the best BlackBerry smartphone is the Bold 9700. It's sleek and attractive. It's small, but the keyboard and display are just big enough. It offers Wi-Fi support -- something too many BlackBerry phones still lack. It's affordable, and it's available from two different carriers: AT&T and T-Mobile.

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2. BlackBerry Tour 9630

RIM

There's a lot to like about the BlackBerry Tour 9630 smartphone. It has a gorgeous display, a sleek design, excellent e-mail handling, and offers voice and data service both inside the U.S. and outside the country. In fact, the BlackBerry Tour really has just one major flaw: a lack of Wi-Fi support.

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3. BlackBerry Curve 8900

RIM

RIM's BlackBerry Curve smartphones have long been among my favorite devices. They offer the excellent e-mail handling that BlackBerry phones are known for, but in a sleek, curved device that's appealing to consumers. And few Curves are more appealing than the 8900: it features a slim design, an excellent camera, and an absolutely gorgeous screen.

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4. BlackBerry Storm2 9550

RIM

When the original BlackBerry Storm debuted, the phone was not well received. Many critics maligned its unique clickable touchscreen, and disdain for its lack of Wi-Fi support was nearly universal. RIM took these criticisms to heart, and released the new and improved BlackBerry Storm2. Finally, it's a touch-screen BlackBerry smartphone that makes sense.

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5. BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230

RIM

You don't have to give up all the advanced features of a smartphone to get a device with the convenient flip phone design. Take the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230, for example. The Pearl Flip packs the best features of a BlackBerry phone -- including its excellent e-mail handling -- into a small, sleek handset that flips open and closed.

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6. BlackBerry Curve 8520

T-Mobile

The BlackBerry Curve 8520 is a top-notch BlackBerry smartphone that won't break the bank. While this budget-friendly BlackBerry does cut some corners (you won't find GPS or 3G support on this smartphone), you still get top-notch messaging and access to BlackBerry App World, where you can find plenty of apps to download.

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The Best Smartphones of the year 2010

1. Motorola Droid X

Verizon Wireless

Putting the Motorola Droid X on top of this list of the best smartphones was an easy decision. It's big and beautiful, with an incredibly roomy 4.3-inch touch screen. It runs on Verizon's speedy 3G network, and boasts excellent call quality. And it packs in more multimedia features than I've ever seen on a smartphone.

Read Review

HTC

Even without its 4G capability, the HTC EVO 4G boasts an impressive list of features: a 4.3-inch screen, 8-megapixel camera, HD-capable video camera, and version 2.1 of the Android OS. But the fact remains that it's the 4G part of the EVO 4G that has people so excited. This is the first phone to run on Sprint's 4G WiMax network, which delivers download speeds up to 10 times faster than a 3g network.

Read Review

3. iPhone 4

Apple

Sure, you've heard about those pesky antenna problems. But, let's face it: Apple's iPhone has never been lauded for its excellent call quality. The iPhone is more smart than phone, but, overall, it remains an excellent package, offering an ease of use that has yet to be duplicated. And the iPhone 4 remains the best iPhone yet.

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4. HTC Droid Incredible

HTC

With a name like the Incredible, this smartphone has a lot to live up to. But the HTC Droid Incredible manages. Like the EVO 4G and the Droid X, it runs version 2.1 of the Android OS, and also offers a 3.7-inch display and an 8-megapixel camera. The Droid Incredible is available from Verizon Wireless.

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5. Samsung Captivate

Samsung

The Samsung Captivate is just one of the four Galaxy S phones introduced by Samsung in the summer of 2010. The Captivate, already available from AT&T, sports a 4-inch Super AMOLED screen, a powerful 1-GHz processor, and the ability to capture videos in HD.

6. Samsung Vibrant

Samsung

The Samsung Vibrant is T-Mobile's offering from Samsung's Galaxy S series of Android phones. Like its AT&T sibling, the Captivate, the Vibrant is an all-touch-screen device featuring a 4-inch Super AMOLED screen and a powerful 1-GHz processor. And, like the Captivate, it features Samsung's own TouchWiz interface on top of the Android OS. The Vibrant also packs in some impressive entertainment features. The phone is pre-loaded with a full-length version of the movie "Avatar," as well as the Sims 3 game, the Amazon Kindle app for Android, and MobiTV, a mobile TV app.

7. BlackBerry Bold 9700

T-Mobile

When the first BlackBerry Bold debuted, I called it the best BlackBerry smartphone yet. Now, I've gotten my hands on the updated BlackBerry Bold, the 9700, and I like it -- a lot. Enough to call it the best BlackBerry smartphone available today. And enough that the BlackBerry Bold 9700 has bumped the old BlackBerry Bold right off of this list.

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8. Palm Pre Plus

Image © Palm

The Palm Pre Plus boasts something that no other phone on this list can offer: Palm's excellent webOS platform. The webOS software is fun to use (I love tossing apps off the screen to close them) and offers some impressive features, like true multi-tasking, so you can get more done.

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9. Apple iPhone 3GS

Apple

The first two versions of the iPhone set the standard for smartphones. Then along came the iPhone 3GS and raised the bar even higher. It's not as new as the iPhone 4 -- or as slick to look at. But it iPhone 3GS offers a good camera, great video recording, the best mobile browser around, and tons (and tons) of available apps. In short, there's not a lot not to like.

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10. BlackBerry Tour

RIM

The BlackBerry Tour offers an excellent QWERTY keyboard for easy typing, a beautiful display, BlackBerry's awesome e-mail handling, and support for high-speed 3G networks in a world phone that can be used in many countries outside the U.S. In fact, the only thing keeping it from earning a spot higher on this list is its one glaring omission: the Tour lacks support for Wi-Fi wireless networks.

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