ToP 5 iPHoNE RiVaLs
1. Motorola Droid X
If you want a rugged and powerful phone with all the bells and whistles, Motorola's Droid X is a tough option to turn down. The Droid X boasts a 4.3-inch display and packs a superspeedy 1-GHz processor.
The phone captures 720p HD-quality video. And on the software front, the X is scheduled to get Google's Android 2.2 upgrade any day now -- "by early September," Motorola says.
2. Samsung Galaxy S
Who knew one phone could have so many different personalities? Samsung's Galaxy S is slowly invading America, with pimped-out handsets making their way to all the major carriers.
The Galaxy S phones are sleek, powerful Android devices that'll meet nearly any user's demands. The phones' smaller profiles should provide a worthy alternative to Android converts looking for something less bulky, and with the various features added in by each carrier -- Sprint's edition will have a slide-out keyboard and front-facing camera, for example -- there's no shortage of options to choose from.
Samsung Captivate available through AT&T; Vibrant from T-Mobile; both $199.99 with a two-year contracts. (Also now available for $49.99-$99.99, with contract, from Amazon.com.) Samsung Epic 4G available starting August 31 from Sprint; $249.99 with a two-year contract. Verizon's Fascinate -- pricing and availability not yet announced.
3. Motorola Droid 2
The newest phone to enter the Android family is a fresh take on an old favorite. Motorola's Droid 2 is the younger brother of the original Motorola Droid. Verizon unveiled it just this week.
The newest phone to enter the Android family is a fresh take on an old favorite. Motorola's Droid 2 is the younger brother of the original Motorola Droid. Verizon unveiled it just this week.
The Droid 2 has a 3.7-inch display and a completely redesigned slide-out QWERTY keyboard. And it's the first device to ship with Android 2.2, or Froyo.
Under its hood, the Droid 2 features a fast new 1-GHz processor and twice the RAM of the previous model. Plus, its battery was boosted big-time: The Droid 2 offers an estimated 9.6 hours of talk time on a single charge. The iPhone 4, for perspective, offers seven hours of talk time.
4. HTC Evo 4G
HTC's Evo 4G is a true powerhouse that's sure to please any multimedia-minded smartphone fan. The Evo has a plus-sized 4.3-inch screen and features 720p HD-quality video recording. It's also one of the few Android phones that offers a front-facing camera, making on-the-go video chatting a snap.
The Evo is capable of running on Sprint's 4G data network -- if you're in a city that supports it -- and can be turned into a mobile hot spot for an additional monthly fee. (You can also tether it to a single device for free, if you know how.)
In terms of software, the Evo 4G was just upgraded to Android 2.2 this month. It has HTC's popular Sense user interface on top of the stock operating system, giving you seven home screens, a special "Leap" navigation function, and an aggregated social network streaming tool.
5. HTC Droid Incredible
It may be overshadowed by other newer models these days, but HTC's Droid Incredible is still, well, pretty incredible.
You can think of the Incredible as a halfway point between the Droid X and the Droid 2: You get the slim, slate-like form of the Droid X with the small, manageable size of the Droid 2. And of course, you get the same 1-GHz processing power both those phones possess.
The Incredible, like the Evo, uses HTC's Sense interface. It currently runs Android 2.1 and is expected to be upgraded soon.
