The LG Nitro HD feels like a phone from the future. That future being about six or seven months from now, when most high-end phones are light and thin, have huge screens, and boast ultra-fast data connections. If you want a phone that won’t go obsolete overnight, this is your guy.

The Nitro costs $200 with a two-year contract and is one of AT&T’s first 4G LTE phones. LTE stands for long-term evolution, and it’s currently the fastest network speed you can get on a mobile device outside of a Wi-Fi hotspot. Verizon was the first of the major carriers to debut an LTE network in the U.S. late 2010, with AT&T following in fall 2011. Sprint has announced it’ll begin rolling out LTE in mid 2012.

AT&T’s LTE network is coming online slowly, though, and it wasn’t available in our market when we had the Nitro HD, so we weren’t able to test the LTE connection. Nevertheless, 3G data service was very good, running so fast at times it felt like 4G. That was thanks to AT&T’s HSPA+ 21 network, which the carrier also considers 4G. It was also probably helped by the 1.5GHz dual-core processor that powers the Nitro — fairly state-of-the-art as far as current smartphones.

If you’re not used to phones with big screens, you’re in for a treat as soon as you unbox the Nitro HD. The screen measures a relatively massive 4.5 inches (diagonal), with a screen resolution of 1,280 x 720 pixels. That equates to a pixel density of 329 ppi (pixels per inch) — which matches the so-called “retina” display of the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. However, I found the Nitro’s LCD screen to be not quite as eye-poppingly bright as today’s AMOLED phones, like the one on the Samsung Galaxy S II.

Still, the big, crisp screen is much appreciated when using the 8-megapixel camera. The Nitro’s built-in camera is performs extremely well in low light. However, it also has an annoying shutter lag when you snap a pic. (Perhaps that can be fixed with a software update.) Although the screen is 720p, the camera can can capture full HD in 1080p format. Regardless, videos look great on the big screen.

The Nitro’s implementation of Android (version 2.3 “Gingerbread”) is pretty straightforward, and will be familiar to anyone who’s used one of the Google OS-based handsets before. The Nitro neatly groups downloaded apps below the several that come preloaded. The bloatware is pretty annoying — it would be nice to be able to delete some of the pre-installed clutter or create folders. There may be ways to do this through other apps, but for the average Android user, it’s not obvious.

Benchmarks

Although it’s not specific to this phone, Google’s integration of its cloud services is getting better and better. First-time Android users will be thankful for the automatic cloud uploading of pics and videos, making them easy to share via Google+ or some other service. And it goes without saying cloud-based email and calendars sync seamlessly — even ones from non-Google services (Hotmail, for example).

Did I forget something? Oh, yes, phone calls. As a phone, the LG Nitro is unremarkable, though it’s served very well by the slim form factor. I must say, it’s impressive to see 4G LTE connectivity built into such a thin and light device. We thought customers might not see phones like this until later in 2012, when the combined LTE chipsets would become available, but engineers have found ways to innovate with design, and it shows in the Nitro.

The Nitro is an excellent modern smartphone, and it should keep its owners in the cutting-edge of mobile tech for at least a few months, and then keep them satisfied for a lot longer. It would have been nice to test the 4G LTE connection, but that’s because the phone is such a good vehicle for it. With a gorgeous screen, slim design and powerful processor, the Nitro is ready for anything you want to throw at it — even the future.

Editor’s Rating:

4 out of 5 stars

Great

Bottom line: The LG Nitro HD is a cutting-edge smartphone, with an big, high-res display that looks amazing. If you like — or are thinking about — Android, and LTE is in your area, you can’t lose.

Pros

• Huge screen
• Very light and thin
• Fast connection, fast processor. Did we mention it’s fast?

Cons

• Plenty of bloatware
• Camera has frustrating shutter lag
• LTE not in all areas

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There are good phones and there are great phones. It’s rare to get one that’s just an absolute joy. That’s exactly what the Galaxy S II is.

Samsung’s Galaxy S II is actually one of three devices; like last year, Samsung built multiple models some slight differences. On AT&T (tested), the Galaxy S II has a 4.3” display and runs on an HSPA+ (standard 4G, not LTE) network. Sprint’s model (named the Epic 4G Touch, to be reviewed soon) has a 4.5” display and has access to Sprint’s 4G network. T-Mobile’s Galaxy S II is a mix of both, with a 4.5” screen and an HSPA+ antenna.

Like last year’s Galaxy S phones, Samsung has seriously improved on last year’s design with sharper screens, better and faster components, and overall better performance and feel. The improvements are across every aspect of the phone, and I am convinced that the Galaxy S II, specifically the AT&T model, is the best phone design available with Android. It’s not as stylistically or artistically built as the iPhone, but it feels great in the hand, it’s very lightweight and very comfortable and slim, and it just looks slick.

Hardware

The Galaxy S II is thin and light. It’s just 4.3 ounces and 0.33” thick, 0.6 ounces lighter and 0.04” thinner than the iPhone 4S. It’s one of the lightest and thinnest phones available, while still being one of the most powerful handsets.

From left to right: Motorola Droid Bionic, Galaxy S II, HTC Rezound

The 4.3” display uses stunning SuperAMOLED+, which is supposed to be an improvement over last year’s SuperAMOLED, but that difference is generally hard to see. Like OLED displays, the Galaxy S II provides excellent color and light contrast, far better than the LCD display on the iPhone 4/4S. OLED displays also lack brightness, and typically are unusable in direct sunlight. That’s where the + in SuperAMOLED+ comes in: the display is clearly visible in direct sunlight. Contrast drops to nil, but the screen is easy to see, text is still easy to read, and you can clearly take pictures even in blistering-bright conditions.

It’s a small point to include, but the screen also appears to have some sort of oleophobic coating. Fewer fingerprints and smudges stick to the screen, and those that do are easier to clean than on other Android phones.

Like all Samsung Galaxy devices, the power button is on the right of the device, a comfortable place to activate or put the phone to sleep instantly. On the left is the volume rocker. Both sets of physical buttons feel good to press, and don’t accidentally get pressed in the pocket. The MicroUSB port is on the bottom of the phone, which is exactly where it should be to accommodate docks, and the 3.5mm audio port is on the top right. The front-facing camera is a 2MP shooter.

On the back is the 8MP camera and single LED flash. The rear cover looks good but is actually a cheap plastic cover, which is easy to put on and take off. Under that is the SIM slot, MicroSD card slot and battery. For some reason the battery covers the MicroSD card slot.

The overall design of the Galaxy S II is spectacular. The cheap plastic cover and blocked MicroSD port and slight missteps, something Samsung has done properly on other devices in the past and shouldn’t have failed to fix this time around. For this phone though, they are almost inconsequential.

Internally, the Galaxy S II sports a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, 1GB of RAM, and 16GB of internal NAND memory. With expandable memory the Galaxy S II can reach 48GB total (using a 32GB card). The Galaxy S II also runs on an ARM Mali-400 GPU, which is important (we’ll get to that later) and powers the 800×480 display.

The Galaxy S II is also one of the first phones to feature NFC (near-field communication), which can be used in tandem with Google Wallet and certain phone-payment applications and services. Unfortunately, unless you live in a big, modern city like New York or San Francisco, chances are you won’t run across shops or restaurants that use NFC. I haven’t in Los Angeles.

What has been problematic is Wi-Fi. The Wi-Fi antenna does not reach very far, and compared to every other phone I’ve tested over the past two years, the Galaxy S II just stinks at reaching Wi-Fi radios. Signals that, on the iPhone 3GS, HTC Rezound and Droid Bionic averaged -86, the Galaxy S II showed one bar signal but would bounce in and out of range and not have any ability to upload or download data. Even when plugged into a dock and stationary it had trouble just streaming music. Thankfully the cellular antenna worked, and HSPA+ is fast enough to make up for the poor Wi-Fi reception. Of course, that will cost a lot more with no unlimited plans.

Software & Battery Life

Android 2.3.4 runs very well on the Galaxy S II. Applications open and close smoothly, games run quickly, load times are minimal; the phone as a whole is fast and snappy. Few things are slow in any way, with a notable exception to the camera, which takes pictures quickly but immediately after stalls for 2-3 seconds.

As you can see in the benchmarks below, the Galaxy S II doesn’t only run everyday applications well. The ARM Mali-400 kills in benchmark tests, and is the fastest GPU available on smartphones today, period. Whether all that graphical power is useful on an Android device with limited games and graphics-intensive applications is questionable, but the point stands: the Galaxy S II isn’t playing around. It’s a legitimately powerful handset.

Battery life on the S II isn’t great. The new benchmark I’m implementing for Android reviews doesn’t paint a pretty picture, but bare in mind the phones listed aren’t all high-end models like the Galaxy S II. The only high-end model that scored better, thus far, is HTC’s Evo 3D (and the Epic 4G Touch, another Galaxy S II phone). As more phones come in for testing, the scores will average out more appropriately.

Still, it’s what I’ve come to accept from smartphones today, about a full day of use under any condition. What’s interesting is that it will last almost as long under heavy use as it does under moderate use. That’s probably due to the GPU’s lack of optimization in Android 2.3.4, which means the phone’s graphics processing is always fast but the battery life will suffer, even under light use. In a 9am-10pm day, the phone will be at 10-20% battery life under most conditions.

Benchmarks

The Galaxy S II is one of the fastest phones available. The 1.2GHz CPU doesn’t match today’s top speed, but the combination of a fast CPU, lots of RAM and the best GPU available on an Android device make the Galaxy S II a speed demon. Take a look at these scores.

In tests like Quadrant Standard, the Galaxy S II doesn’t just beat the competition, it destroys it. I don’t doubt that there won’t be an Android phone to beat the Galaxy S II for a few months, which nowadays is a big deal. And not only can it handle native applications well, the Galaxy S II processes Javascript and web browsing almost as fast as high-end tablets. The only faster phones, at least in the Browsermark test, ran 320×480 displays, so they processed less than half of the screens the Galaxy S II did.

Furthermore, some of the graphics-intense benchmarks were completely blown away by Samsung’s latest. The Galaxy S II can handle 720p graphics processing on a separate display at over 30FPS, something literally no other phone tested could do.

Camera

The camera on the Galaxy S II is highly capable. It’s an 8MP shooter capable of 1080p video, and it’s one of the best cameras I’ve tested on any phone this year. Take a look at some of the pictures taken.

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Photos are very detailed, and look great. Stills taken in daylight, in good conditions, are as good as you find on mid-range point and shoot cameras. So if you go for a day trip, no need to pack a camera. The Galaxy S II is all you need.

The bigger problem is with how slow the camera is, or rather, with how long it takes for the camera to process the shot and move on to the next one. The pause between each photo is anywhere from 3-5 seconds long, which if you’re trying to capture a lot of action quickly, is a big problem. Lowering the resolution, even to just 640×480, doesn’t speed up shot-to-shot time significantly.

Night photos and low-light situations also tend to have noisy pictures, though if there is a lot of light contrast present, pictures can come out fairly clear. However, even with good lighting under standard incandescent bulbs photos can be very pixelated. The flash is powerful and works well, as you can see in the flash-images above. With decent lighting, the Galaxy S II takes some great night shots.

1080p video recording has good quality. Colors are accurate, picture quality is good, though sounds are muted and hard to hear. The front facing 2MP camera also takes adequate shots.

Conclusion

The Samsung Galaxy S II is one of the fastest phones available today. It’s one of the lightest and thinnest too. It’s got an excellent display, a solid camera, and has access to HSPA+. It feels good in the hand and in the pocket. These are the qualities we all want in a phone, and Samsung has done a tremendous job getting that all in a tidy package.

It isn’t perfect, however. Battery life, while decent, lasts a day only. So if you’re off and forget a charger, turn the phone off until you need it. Battery drain is strangely consistent under both regular and heavy use. A weak Wi-Fi antenna is also a huge problem, though based on my research it isn’t clear whether this is widespread on all Galaxy S II phones (I haven’t experienced the problem with the Sprint model), but it is a serious issue. Besides for some minor gripes, everything else about the Galaxy S II is just great. It’s one of the few phones I’ve tested that has just been an absolute pleasure to use, one of the few that I would happily replace with my personal phone.

There’s only one conclusion: the Galaxy S II is one of the best Android phones available. I highly recommend it for anyone.

Editor’s Rating:

4.5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

Bottom Line: It’s one of the best Android phones, period. The Galaxy S II can take on the iPhone, take on newer phones like the HTC Rezound and Motorola Droid Bionic, while still lighter, thinner, and less expensive than all of the above.

Pros:

• It’s the fastest Android phone, period.
• Well designed; feels great in the hand, in the pocket
• Great picture and video quality

Cons:

Across the pond LG has chosen to adorn their latest line of phones with multiple variations of the Optimus name.  Confusing?  You bet.  And that’s why they’re latest handset to launch in the US is called the LG Nitro HD (the Optimus LTE in the EU).

If you’re gunning for the price and launch date, we’re glad to report it will hit AT&T on December 4th for $250.  That’s just a few weeks away.  However, expect that price to rapidly drop – case in point Amazon’s penny pincher sale that is still going on, which includes the just announced RAZR and Rezound.

In the specs department you can expect a dual-core 1.5 GHz processor matched by LTE and HSPA connectivity (i.e. 4G).  If that isn’t enough bigness to warm the cockles of your heart this holiday season, consider that it sports a 4.5-inch True HD AH-IPS display.  In other words it’s got a huge display that should be viewable from a wide angle and can play back HD content at a resolution of 1280×720.  Too boot the display boasts 500 nits of brightness, which LG says is viewable in direct sunlight.

And to complement the Nitro’s HD screen capabilities, you can capture full HD video using the 8-megapixel camera (front facing 1.3MP for video chats).  When finished, you can beam it to your HDTV using WiFi Direct or DLNA.  You can of course expect Bluetooth 3.0 and a 1830mAh battery.

Despite boasting a 4.5-inch display, the Nitro HD is just 0.41-inches thick, while the rest of the body measures 5.27-inches long and 2.67-inches wide.  A tad large for anyone who plans to tote it around in their pant’s pocket, but we’ll let hipsters and thugs decide for themselves.

Unfortunately, it won’t ship with Ice Cream Sandwich.  Instead Android 2.3, but you can expect an upgrade sometime in early 2012.

The arrival of Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus will bring a whole new era to the Android-based smartphone market, specifically the beginning of the Android 4.0 era that’s been nicknamed Ice Cream Sandwich. It’s been talked about for months as the replacement, or really upgrade, to the current OS system for Androids 2.3.4 Gingerbread, and the Nexus will be the first phone to done the highly anticipated operating system. As the newest phone to come onto the scene of the already oversaturated Android smartphone market within the past three months, the Nexus is pegged to be the “iPhone Killer,” but will it really kill the iPhone 4S’ popularity? Here’s a helpful comparison that might help you decide whether or not to ditch the Apple and head on over to the Android side or stay an everlasting Apple fan.

Size

The iPhone 4S fits some pretty big features into a small package with its latest smartphone that measures in at 115.2 mm x 58.6 mm x 9.3 mm (H x W x D) and weighs only 140 grams. The Samsung Galaxy Nexus sports some heftier dimensions of 135.5 mm X 67.94 mm X 9.47 mm and is only 10 grams heavier than the iPhone at 150 grams.

Winner: Apple’s formula can’t be beat on size as the iPhone 4S is lighter, smaller and thinner than the new Galaxy. While both can be easily maneuvered with one hand, the iPhone’s compact dimensions are a highly desirable quality since it can also easily fit into a small purse, a back pocket and more.

Appearance

The iPhone 4S is sleek thanks to its glossy exterior that was carried over from the last model and still comes in black and white color options. In the looks department, the Galaxy Nexus looks like a grand competitor for the iPhone, but is really more of a coy given its cheap plastic feel. However, it does sport a gentle curve on its body that does give it a bit of style.

Winner: Apple really knows how to dress up its gadgets and the iPhone 4S is no exception with its glossy and sleek exterior. While it’s not always about looks (remember, you can’t judge a book by its cover), sometimes cheap plastic doesn’t always get you a great first impression.

Display

The Galaxy Nexus may be larger than the iPhone 4S, but it’s for a purpose, which is a larger screen that measures 4.65 inches compared to 3.5 inches that Apple place on the latest version of its popular phone. But Apple also added a 640×960 Retina display that sports 330 ppi on the iPhone 4S, while the Nexus has a 1280×720 HD Super AMOLED contoured display (curved glass, really) with 316 ppi.

Winner: While both will provide crisp and sharp images, the iPhone’s 330 ppi seems to still reign higher. 

Operating System

The centerpiece of the Galaxy Nexus is that it will ship with Ice Cream Sandwich or Google’s Android 4.0 that’s supposed to represent a huge leap forward for the highly popular OS system. Said to bring an entirely new look and feel to Android phones with simple layouts, subtle animations and an entirely revamped home screen, web browser, email and everything in between. But this still in the beginning phases and the kinks haven’t been worked out yet (or really seen), leaving the iPhone 4S’ iOS 5 still easier to use. It also has 5 GB of free cloud storage so that you can sync your photos, contacts and more with your other Apple products.  The Nexus has Google’s Gmail and its cloud services, so it’s a win-win situation there.

Winner: Until it’s been tested, the iOS 5 still seems to be easier to use since it’s been proven. But this can always change as more and more Androids upgrade to the new OS.

Processor

Both pack some powerful dual-core processors, so neither smartphones will be slow. The iPhone 4S has Apple’s A5 1 GHz processor, while Samsung’s phone carries a 1.2 GHz from Texas Instruments (the first time Samsung’s used such a processor. It also has 1 GB of RAM, while the iPhone 4S only has 512 MB of RAM.

Winner: Samsung’s 0.2 GHz is a bit more than the iPhone’s and that’s enough to beat it out on this category!

Storage

Both phones feature 16 GB and 32 GB internal storage options, but the iPhone 4S comes with a 64 GB option. Neither come with a SD Card slot.

Winner: The iPhone 4S has that 64 GB option, making it the winner here.

Wireless Connectivity

The iPhone 4S can still only get 3G, while the Galaxy Nexus will sport 4G speeds thanks to its LTE status since it’s debuting on Verizon. So the Nexus will have faster download speeds. They’re both Bluetooth-enabled with Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n.

Winner: The Galaxy Nexus’ LTE status says it all!

Camera and Video

The iPhone 4S packs a 8 MP rear camera and is capable of 1080p video. It can also produce high quality images in medium to low lighting with its f/2.4 aperture and features face detection and image stabilization The Nexus only has a 5 MP rear camera and boasts Panorama photos, zero shutter lag, and “silly faces” (think Apple’s Photo Booth software on the Mac and iPad).

Winner: The iPhone 4s’ camera is the clear winner here.

Battery Life

The Nexus sports a standard li-ion 1850mAh battery that has up to 270 hours of stand-by time and up to about 18 hours of talk time. The iPhone 4s claims 8 hours of talk time on 3G or 14 hours on 2G.  They say it will standby for up to 200 hours, will playback video for 10 hours and you can surf the web for up to 6 hours on 3G and 9 on Wi-Fi thanks to a 1432mAh battery. But remember that 4G is a battery drainer, so expect a lot less from the better connectivity.

Winner: Since the Nexus has a 1850mAh battery vs the iPhone’s 1432mAh one, we gotta give it to Samsung’s newest smartphone.

Carriers

Verizon will be the first to carry the Galaxy Nexus while the iPhone 4S is already available on Verizon, AT&T and Sprint.

Winner: More customers can enjoy an iPhone since it’s on more carriers.

Extras

The Galaxy Nexus come equipped with Android Beam, which allows you to share contacts, web pages, videos, directions and more just by touching two NFC-enabled Android phones back to back. The phone also introduces a new way to unlock your phone with its Face Unlock. The facial recognition feature lets you turn on your phone with your smile. On the other hand, the iPhone 4S features Siri, the “smart assistant” that helps make life a bit easier thanks to its useful information and quirky sayings.

Winner: The Android Beam is pretty cool and beats Siri for now, given Google is probably working on their own voice app comparable to Siri.

Price

The iPhone 4S is priced according to its GBs, with the 64 one the most expensive. So The 16 GB is $199, the 32 GB is $299 and the 64 GB is $399. Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus is said to debut at $199.99 and will require a two-year contract with Verizon.

Winner: Since the iPhone 4S is price according to its storage, the price differences makes it more affordable for those with varying incomes.

Overall Winner

One of the best Androids on the market, definitely. An iPhone killer, not this time. Sorry Samsung, looks like your Galaxy Nexus didn’t exact have the gusto to take out the iPhone (at least not yet, anyways). While it may sport some very impressive abilities and be the beginning of a new generation of Android phone, it still didn’t make the cut standing up against the highly popular iPhone 4S.

I don’t know about you, but I’m an AT&T user. Partly because I owned the original iPhone, and partly because Ma Belle has the best local service in my area. While other companies built up their line of Android phones to compete with the iPhone, AT&T waited until their exclusive contract with Apple ended to pile on all the major manufacturers to develop serious handsets for them that are competitive with the Cupertino device. How does AT&T fare? Pretty damn well, with some of the best phones available to date.

And Amazon Wireless has an amazing deal on all AT&T phones that don’t start with the letter “i”: they’re a penny each! Offer ends November 28th at midnight, so don’t wait!

Samsung Galaxy S II

Last yea’rs Galaxy S phones were exceptional, and by far the best competition to the iPhone. This year Samsung’s done it again with the Galaxy S II, a 4.3″ phone with a brilliant Super AMOLED+ display, a great 8MP camera, a brilliantly thin design all in a sleek 3.5G package. The Galaxy S II is truly a sight to behold. There is no better pocket companion from AT&T than this device, with the possible exception of it’s slightly larger brother, the Galaxy S II Skyrocket, which boasts access to AT&T’s LTE network available mostly in the east coast.

Apple iPhone 4S

The iPhone is still the most complete package you can find out of any smartphone. The 4S may not be a gigantic improvement over last year’s model, but the upgraded camera, antenna, processor and the Siri personal secretary are just a few reasons why Apple is the largest company in the world today. And on AT&T versus other carriers, the 4S has access to 3.5G download speeds, which is much faster than typical 3G speeds (albeit nowhere near LTE). If you’re going to get an iPhone 4S, AT&T’s the only company that offers those data transfer rates and the ability to use data and be on a call at the same time.

LG Thrill

The Thrill is the second 3D-ready smartphone in the US, and the first to feature a Nintendo 3DS-like depth slider. Compared to the Evo 3D, the Thrill has some very neat 3D options, such as instantly turning 3D pictures and video into 2D, and automatically adjusting the depth when both shooting and viewing pictures. Plus it’s the only 3D-ready phone on AT&T, so if going into the 3rd dimension is your thing, the Thrill is your phone.

Amazon is offering a big price drop on this Samsung Galaxy S II 4G Android Phone (AT&T)!

We’ve seen this phone on sale before, but never like this. Now you can grab this powerful Samsung Galaxy S II for almost nothing. This phone comes in with a large 4.3-Inch HD Touchscreen which delivers 50 percent more sub-pixels than its previous generation for much better color quality. It’s powered by a 1.2Ghz dual-core processor as well as running on the latest Android 2.3 for superior speed and stability. 4G connectivity to AT&T is here as well, allowing you to blaze through everything from calls, video chatting and even Internet usage while Wi-Fi Wireless-N is also there for when you’re at home. You also have Bluetooth 3.0 Connectivity, GPS Navigation, 8MP Camera with 1080p HD capture and much more. Don’t miss out on this hell of a sale!

Take $599.98 off the retail price of this phone, which means you’ll get it for $0.01 when you sign a 2-year contract.  Keep in mind you’ll be charged an activation fee that gets added to our first month’s bill. Compare this with other stores that sell it for $199.99.

It seems that the plot thickens in the race for smartphone superiority with the entrance of a new challenger, the HTC Rezound. With some pretty stiff competition in the marketplace, the Rezound boasts some pretty cool capabilities and specs, but how does it measure up amongst Apple’s still popular iPhone 4S, who entered the market strong with its release last month, but still disappointed many when it wasn’t the highly anticipated (and rumored) iPhone 5? Here’s how these smartphone titans size up amongst each other!

Size

The iPhone is the smaller and lighter of the two, weighing in at 140 grams and measuring 115.2 mm x 58.6 mm x 9.3 mm (h x w x d), while the Rezound is 164 grams and 129 mm x 65.5 mm 13.65 mm (h x w x d). However, keep in mind that the Rezound boasts a bigger screen, which means a larger overall form factor and generally speaking more weight. But since this category largely relates to portability, the iPhone wins without question.

Winner: The iPhone is tiny and fits easier into pockets, purses and tight places. It’s also thinner and lighter.

Appearance

The iPhone 4S is practically a split-image of the iPhone 4S, with its black and white color options and sleek, glossy exterior. The iPhone is looking as sophisticated as always with its minimalist exterior. The Rezound seems to share this with the iPhone, supporting minimal button/port placement and a black exterior. However, where the iPhone is sleek on both sides, the Rezound features a sleek top and some soft-touch plastic on the battery cover. While soft to the touch, it does make one worry less about scratches to both sides and makes it more grippable. But some can also see this as cheap, preferring the exterior of the iPhone 4S because of its sleekness.

Winner: It really comes down to personal preference on this one, so it’s a tie. Having a sleek exterior like the iPhone 4S has both good and bad traits. Sure it looks great, but it’s easier to scratch and the appearance of fingerprints can by annoying without a cover. The Rezound sports a soft-touch plastic back, which eliminates the aforementioned nuisances.  But they both are sleek and let’s be honest, you know you’re going to probably get a cover for either, so really, does it matter?

Display

Given that the Rezound is larger than the iPhone 4S it might be bad in the size department, but it’s a major plus in terms of display. The iPhone 4S has a 3.5-inch 640×960 Retina display, while the Rezound has a 4.3-inch 1280×720 Super LCD HD screen. Where the iPhone boasts that it features the highest pixel density and resolution despite having a small display, the Rezound can now take that claim away since it beats the iPhone 4S with a 12-point difference with its 342 ppi against the iPhone’s 330 ppi, so the Rezound has a higher pixel density.

Winner: The Rezound’s 342 ppi knocks out the iPhone’s 330 ppi and does so with a larger display, making for a quite amazing viewing.

Operating System

It’s another Android vs OS challenge. The Rezound sports Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread with an HTC Sense 3.5 skin (but can upgrade to 4.0).  The iPhone runs iOS 5.0, Apple’s latest and greatest operating system. The HTC Sense 3.5 has come along way and features stuff you won’t find anywhere else on Android-based phones. When Ice Cream Sandwich becomes available next year, expect a significant upgrade to the Android platform in terms of features. But many find apple’s iOS to be easier to use and its 5.0 version is definitely the most advanced yet. And let’s not forget that iOS 5 includes 5GB of free cloud storage allowing you to sync your photos, contacts and more.

Winner: Since the iPhone 4S’ iOS 5.0 is easier to use and includes 5GB of free iCloud storage, Apple takes this one.

Processor

Both feature a dual-core processor but the Rezound’s 1.5 GHz Qualcomm MSM8660 processor beats the iPhone’s 4S by 0.5 GHz. The Rezound also has more 1 GB of RAM besting the iPhone 4S’ by 512 MB.

Winner: Ummmm, the numbers don’t lie.  The Reszound’s chip is 50% faster, thus providing faster browsing speeds and multitasking compared to what the iPhone 4S offers.

Storage

The iPhone 4S comes in three options: 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB with no extra SD cards allowing you more. So as you go up in storage, you go up in price, too. For the Rezound, it comes with 16 GB of internal memory, but you can get a microSD card to provide you up to 32 GB of additional space.

Winner: Sorry Rezound, but the 64 GB option can’t be beat for many who like to have the biggest storage capacity available for all their apps, games, files and stuff. That built-in storage capacity plus that iCould service provided really can’t be beat.

Wireless Connectivity

So the Rezound is capable of true 4G speeds thanks to its LTE status, where as the iPhone 4S is technically 3G only. They’re both Bluetooth-enabled, though the iPhone boasts version 4.0, and the Rezound V3.0. The iPhone 4S is a world phone so it can work anywhere you go and has Wi-Fi a/b/g/n.  The Rezound isn’t a world phone and is capable of  two frequencies(850/1900 MHz) and single-band LTE (700MHz) with the same Wi-Fi capabilities as the iPhone 4S.

Winner: 4G speeds on the Rezound make it the definite winner.

Camera and Video

So this is a tough one.  Both smartphones include an 8 megapixel camera and can capture 1080p video.  While we have yet to test out the Rezound, we do know that the iPhone 4s takes stunning photos and video for a handset device.  But based on numbers alone, the Rezound does have two up on the iPhone 4s, which is a larger, 2mp front facing camera and a bigger f-stop of 2.2.

Winner: We’re gonna go on numbers alone on this one since we haven’t had a chance to get a hands on with both handsets.  So the Rezound is the winner in this bout.

Battery Life

This bout is moving target since it largely depends on how you use your phone.  Also, keep in mind that 4G is a huge battery suck when compared to 3G, but at the end of the day we have to look purely at specs.  The iPhone 4s claims 8 hours of talk time on 3G or 14 hours on 2G.  They say it will standby for up to 200 hours, will playback video for 10 hours and you can surf the web for up to 6 hours on 3G and 9 on WiFi.  The Rezound however claims a standby time of 261 hours, besting the iPhone 4s by 61 hours and 404 minutes of “usage.”

Winner:  Again, without real world testing we can only gauge this one objectively, and since the Rezound sports a 1620mah battery vs iPhone’s 1432mAh battery, we gotta give it to the Rezound. Furthermore, the Rezound’s battery is user replaceable.

Carriers

The iPhone 4S is available on Sprint, AT&T and Verizon.  The Rezound will be the first smartphone to hit the U.S. market with a true 720ppi screen on Verizon. But since it’s on Verizon, it will compete with not only the iPhone, but with the new Galaxy Nexus and Droid RAZR.

Winner: For those who aren’t part of Verizon can’t get the Rezound unless they break their contract with one of the other carriers or are on a month-to-month plan, making the iPhone 4S the winner here since has more carrier offerings.

Extras

The iPhone 4S come with Siri, which is a pretty advanced and unique voice activated system that’s witty and useful. It’s what’s really making the iPhone 4S as popular as it has become since it first dropped. But the Rezound has some extra goodies, too, boasting some awesome sound quality thanks to optimized hardware that has Beats by Dr. Dre (software AND some expensive ass headphones that are free with the phone). This is great for music lovers who really want to have amazing sound when listening to music from their phone.

Winner: We gotta give it to the Rezound.  Nothing beats (pun not intended) a pair of quality headphones included in the deal and chances are Google will roll out a comparable voice app very soon.

Price

The Rezound will set you back $300 bucks, while the iPhone 4S varies in price, making it a bit more flexible. The 16 GB is $199, the 32 GB is $299 (about the same as the 16 GB Rezound without the extra microSD card) and the 64 GB is $399 (but this all depends on contract status and goes higher when you’re not eligible for an upgrade).

Winner: The iPhone’s price flexibility is still pretty cool, making it available to those at different income levels, while the Rezound is $300 off the bat. This makes the iPhone 4S the winner here.

Overall Winner

Sorry Apple, it seems your iPhone 4S has some stiff competition with the HTC Rezound that boats a number of impressive capabilities like its display, processor, camera and video, price and more. It seems to be the Android that could really cause a dent in Apple’s iPhone 4S sales and popularity. While once a Mac lover always a Mac lover, those who want the latest and greatest will definitely want to top for the Rezound that has a better overall package.

The iPhone 4S has barely been out not even a full month and it already has loads of competition, with HTC’s 4G LTE smartphone Vivid its newest opponent. For devoted Apple heads, the iPhone 4S can do no wrong, even if it wasn’t the 5 version everybody hoped and wanted. Since both smartphones are offered via AT&T, they’ll be going head-to-head in new costumer showdown and for those on the cusp of an upgrade. See how each size up against each other as they fight to become the carrier’s top seller this holiday season!

Size

HTC Vivid weighs 135 grams and has a dimension of 135.5 x 67.9 x 8.9 mm. On the other hand, iPhone 4S comes with measurements of 115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3 mm and weighs 140 grams. with that said, both are about equal with the Vivid being a bit taller than the iPhone, which usually means a larger screen, which isn’t always a bad thing.

Appearance

Like any other iPhone version, it’s available in either black or white and are know for being sleek and shiny. However, the Vivid will also be available in both colors, but the glossy plastic around the sides and back of the phone might turn some fans off, given HTC has used a lot of soft-touch rubber-feel materials or aluminum on some of their past phones and the changes are quite noticeable to those HTC fans.

Display

The Vivid features a 4.5-inch Super LCD (updated per the comments) multi-touch display with a resolution of 540×960 pixels and has a Proximity Sensor, Accelerometer sensor for UI auto-rotate and an ambient light sensor.  The  SuperAMOLED allows users make better use of 4G network to browse the web or watch videos online and the multi-touch screen sports the HTC Sense 3.0. This touch interface supports many functions, such as multiple  unlock modes with gorgeous dynamic effect; new improvement on the aspect of weather display; different voice background and excellent animation effect.

While the iPhone 4S has a slightly smaller screen at 3.5 inches, but boasts a Retina multi-touch display of 960×640-pixel resolution at 326 ppi. The retina display is actually supposed to be highest-resolution phone screen ever, with the  pixel density is so high that the human eye is unable to distinguish individual pixels. The iPhone also features fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating on front and back.

Operating System

It seems that Apple’s iOS is, once again, up against the latest and greatest Android OS, with the HTC Vivid running off of Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS with HTC Sense UI on top of it. However, after the holidays are over, it’s supposed to have an OS upgrade when Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is released. Apple’s iPhone 4S has on the newest iOS 5 that packs 200 new features that include an improved Notifications System, Newsstand, iMessage and the much talked about Siri.

Processor

The iPhone 4S, which comes in an A5 chipset, is powered by 1GHz dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 CPU, PowerVR SGX543MP2 GPU. This means more power and faster graphics, making the iPhone 4S pretty quick and responsive if you’re one of those who like to launch all sorts of apps at once. On the other hand, Vivid has a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor that also boasts optimum performance and quick response times just like Apple’s. Wireless devices built with Snapdragon, like the HTC Vivid, maximize 3G or 4G wireless network technology to deliver the best the Web has to offer. Here, both are pretty even.

Storage

While the iPhone 4S has various GB models, with the cheapest coming in at 16 GB and the most expensive being 64 GB, the Vivid will include 16 GB of on-board memory, and a microSD memory card slot means this can be expanded up to 48 GB. Not too shabby for those who would love to buy the 32 GB iPhone 4S but can’t afford it.

Wireless Connectivity

The HTC Vivid is one of the first smartphones able to utilize both LTE and HSPA+ 4G speeds, which allow owners of the smartphone reliable connection in both areas where applicable. A major plus for those looking for some fast connections. Up until now, Verizon has been the only major carrier with the “true” 4G technology, but AT&T will begin its 4G LTE coverage in cities such as Boston, D.C., and Baltimore next week, expanding to 15 markets by the end of the year. With both technologies, devices stand to be always tethered to an optimal connection. It also has Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and Wi-Fi hotspot.

The iPhone boasts 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 wireless technology and is truly a global phone, so you can use it almost anywhere. Whether you’re a GSM or CDMA customer, you can roam GSM networks in 200 countries around the world.. It’s the first phone  phone to intelligently switch between two antennas to transmit and receive, so call quality is better. Depending on what carrier you get it on will also determine what type of network speeds the phone will get.

Camera and Video

The Vivid’s 8-megapixel rear-camera with dual-LED flash with a f2.2 28mm wide angle lens for low-light photos and is also capable of capturing 1080p video at 60 frames per second, while its front-facing camera features 1.3MP. So the iPhone 4S sports what Apple claims to be the “best camera ever on a phone.” It now features an f/2.4 lens and 8-megapixel resolution, which is way better from the iPhone 4, with HD video recording, up to 30 frames per second with audio. Other cool features include: LED flash, video stabilization and a front camera with VGA-quality photos and video at up to 30 frames per second

Battery Life

The iPhone 4S has a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery and has a talk time of up to 8 hours on 3G, and 14 on 2G (GSM). Its standby time is up to 200 hours and with Internet use up to  hours on 3G, up to 9 hours on Wi-Fi. For video playback expect up to 10 hours of use. The Vivid has a removable and rechargeable lithium-ion battery, 1620 mAh.

Carriers

Apple’s iPhone is now on Verizon. AT&T and Sprint, with the HTC Vivid on AT&T, which is where the competition will really heat up!

Price

The long-awaited 4G LTE smartphone HTC Vivid is not available on AT&T and be available starting November 6 at stores and online for $199 under a two year contract. The iPhone is priced according to how many GB you want.  It starts at $199 for the 16 GB, then goes up to $299 for the 32 GB and finally $399 for the 64 GB. But this all doubles in price when you don’t can’t upgrade and don’t want to wait until you can to get the new iPhone.

Winner

The latest smartphone from Apple received an overwhelming positive response and sold 4 million units during the opening weekend. But as many expected the iPhone 5, only the  iPhone 4S was left in its place and actually missed some prominent specs like edge-to-edge design, a larger display, 4G LTE and Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. But you really can’t knock a lot of its upgrades that really do make a difference to iPhone users and Apple lovers, so you can’t really complain too much. Besides, the iPhone 5 is probably dropping before we know it.

But the Vivid is claimed to be “a powerhouse in your pocket,” and it actually lives up to HTC’s statement given the impressive specs that pretty much competes on the same level as the iPhone 4S. So what it really comes down to is if you’re a iOS person or an Android fan. Whichever phone you choose, you’ll most likely be just as content with one or the other!

Size

The iPad weighs in at 1.33 lbs., while the Kindle Fire is only .09125 lbs., so the Fire wins here. But it’s smaller, with size specs that look like: 7.5 x 4.7 x 0.45. The iPad measures in at 9.5 x 7.31 x 0.34. Amazon’s claim to fame here is that it’s “easy to hold in one hand, so it’s small enough to fit anywhere….but so is an iPad, really.

Appearance

Apple likes black and white, so guess what? Those are the two colors available for the iPad 2! Amazon kept it simple and left the Kindle Fire in only a black option. But it did give it a sleek appearance that somewhat resembles the iPad 2.

Display

Amazon didn’t want to make the Kindle Fire too big, so it opted for a pretty standard 7-inch 1,024 x 600 touch screen. On the other hand, Apple’s iPad 2 boasts a 9.7-inch screen that’s almost about the same in terms of resolution, coming in at 1,024 x 768. But Amazon is claiming that its Fire display is state-of-the-art and is “chemically strengthened to be 20 times stiffer and 20 times harder than plastic,” making it very durable. Another feature worth mentioning is that the Kindle Fire and an IPS display while the iPad is LED Backlit AND IPS. This IPS screen allows you to lay the Fire down and still be able to look at it from the edge and see everything clearly since IPS screens have a 178-degree viewing angle.

Operating System

Amazon’s Kindle Fire is Android-based, running a customized version of the OS, but it’s unknown just how customized it is. It has a proprietary web page processing system that’s part of the OS though. So everybody knows that Apple’s stuff runs off of the iOS, so knowing that fact puts the iPad 2 over the Kindle since there are no surprises when it comes to the OS. Also, iOS is a lot easier to navigate and is much more user friendly. But Amazon does have some cool web processing stuff going on with its new Kindle Fire thanks to its “Amazon Silk.” It’s claim is that it’s a “revolutionary, cloud-accelerated browser” that uses a a “split-browser” architecture, which leverages the computing speed and power of Amazon’s Web services cloud. It also learn which sites you visit most and saves them, sort of like how Amazon stores what you look for and then suggests things to based on what you buy most. Oh, and it supports Adobe Flash Player, too!

Processor

Like most of Apple’s products at the moment (or at least their latest ones), the iPad 2 features an A5 process. Amazon decided to put a dual-core TI OMAP 4 processor in the Kindle Fire. Really, both are based on the same dual-core ARM processor, so it’s pretty even here.

Storage

Well, Apple is known to have various options when it comes to storage capability for its devices and its iPad 2 is no different. It comes in various versions, including 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB options. The Fire has only 8 GB of internal storage (with no micro SD slot to ad more, which is a bummer). However, you might not be able to save that much stuff on the tablet itself, but Amazon is offering unlimited storage on its cloud service, but you’ll need Wi-Fi to access it though. With that said, the Kindle Fire has 16,683 apps available, while the Apple iPad 2 has a whopping 500,000 with 90,000 made for the iPad alone!

Wireless Connectivity

The Kindle Fire is Wi-Fi based with no 3G option. Apple offers BOTH a Wi-FI and 3G option on all of its iPad 2 GB models, but the 3G ones increase the price. Both have Wi-Fi specs of 802.11 b/g/n. Oh, and if you’re wondering about Bluetooh ability, the Fire has none while the iPad is Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR.

Camera and Video

Sadly, Amazon skipped putting in a camera so that obviously means no video, either. The iPad 2 has a front and rear camera, allowing you to take pictures and more. The back camera has HD video recording (720p) up to 30 frames per second with audio, as well as a still camera with 5x digital zoom. The front camera features: Video recording, VGA up to 30 frames per second with audio; VGA-quality still camera.

Battery Life

Amazon made its Kindle Fire have an 8-hour battery life, but the iPad boasts up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching video or listening to music.

Carriers

So far, Verizon and AT&T are the only carriers for the iPad 2, with Sprint later jumping on now that they offer the iPhone so who knows. But, with carriers, there is extra data plans, which means more money to your monthly bill! There’s no carrier for the Kindle Fire, with Amazon being the main and only place that can light your Fire…literally. But Amazon offers this “Prime” membership ting where Kindle owners can enjoy: unlimited instant videos, Kindle Owners’ Lending Library and more for a yearly price of $79 a year and a one-month free trail.

Price

Amazon has priced its Kindle Fire reasonably low at only $199 for a tablet of its caliber, which features a heavily modified version of Android, can download books from Amazon’s huge store and is designed to be an e-reader and more! Although Apple has been dropping its prices on many of its older gadgets, the iPad 2 didn’t get that price drop and goes for $499 all the way up to $829 depending on the size of GB you want and if you want it to be 3G or Wi-Fi.

Winner

The iPad is by far a more impressive tablet, but that doesn’t mean anything to a lot of users. For those who want an e-reader disguised as a tablet, the Kindle Fire will rock your world! But for those that want more from their tablet, might still want to ask Santa for the iPad 2. The Kindle Fire ships November 15, but it’s now available for pre-order now.

Still hoping for a 4G LTE smartphone on AT&T’s network?  Well, you don’t have to hold your breath much longer.  The carrier will start to sell the HTC Vivid online and in store on November 6th for $199.99 on contract.

In addition to ultra fast download speeds, the Vivid packs a 4.5-inch qHD (540×960) display, a 1.2Ghz dual-core processor, 16GB of built-in storage expandable by microSD card slot and an 8-megapixel camera with an f2.2 28mm wide angle lens that can capture 1080p video at 60fps.  There of course will be the usual assortment of standard features, including HTC’s Sense UI, WiFi, Bluetooth, Mobile Hotspot functionality and the Android OS, though we don’t know what version the handset will ship with.

And on that same day, AT&T will launch their 4G LTE service in Boston, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and Athens, Ga. adding to a few other markets.  But fear not if you don’t live in one of these locations, as the Vivid can utilize both LTE and HSPA+, which means you should be connected to a 4G signal most of the time.

The iPhone 4S is the talk of the town right now, but a new challenger has emerged on the latest and greatest smartphone scene. With more than 4 million units sold in the first three days, it seems as if Apple is the big winner when it comes to smartphones. But meet the Droid Razr, Motorola’s new device begins pre-order today at Verizon stores and online. While many Android lovers might be very excited at the new Droid offering, the question is if Motorola ‘s Razr can compete against the almighty iPhone 4S? Here’s a nice comparison to help you weigh the pros and cons if you should splurge for the new iPhone or go for the good old Android-based new Razr.

Size

The new iPhone measures in at 4.5 x 2.31 x .37 (all inches, HxWxD) and weighs 4.9 ounces. But Motorola is claiming that its Droid Razr is the thinnest 4G LTE smartphone, coming in at only 0.28-inches thick. It’s also 2.71-inches wide and 5.15-inches in height. It’s a bit taller than the iPhone 4S, but it’s a lot thinner, setting a new standard for slim smartphones. It weighs in a 4.48 ounces, which is lighter than the iPhone.

Appearance

The iPhone 4S looks exactly like the regular 4 version, but features some new enticing features and a new OS which means it comes in both white and black options, with a flashy premium finish that sports a glass front and back. Apparently, the new Razr is also a revamp from the original one, but now flaunts a stunning design with stainless steel, some Kevlar backing and sculpted glass, making it quite a beauty. Did we mention it’s also equipped with water-resistant material? Major plus for all those clumsy peeps, but that’s not all. It also sports Corning Gorilla Glass that defends the screen against scrapes and scratches.

Display

The Razr’s 4.3-inch Super AMOLED qHD screen is super slick and vibrant images. Movies, photos and more look crisp and clean thanks to its 960×540 resolution and 256 pixels per inch. So the iPhone 4S features a 640×960 resolution, creating a pixel density of 326ppi on it’s 3.5-inch (diagonal) widescreen multi-touch display. It also sports a retina display and fingerprint –resistant oleophobic coating on the front and back.

Operating System

The iPhone 4S’ iOS 5 (and dual-core CPU) is zippy and very responsive, meaning no lag when it comes to games, videos and the like. The new OS has new upgrades and features like:  iMessage, Twitter integration, camera enhancements, better photo editing options, PC free, and Siri, the voice-control feature that’s selling buyers on the new iPhone.

It seems like the Razr will be getting the new Ice Cream Sandwich OS, but in early 2012. Originally designed with the Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread OS, the company will update it to the new ICS at the start of next year.

Processor

The Razr is piloted by a 1.2GHz dual-core processer, which allows you to blast your music, check your email and more…all at the same time without any delay. The 1 GB of RAM keeps you rocketing through all that multitasking on the Razr, making for a very fast and reliable phone. As for the new iPHone, Apple provided its new version with an A5 dual-core chip that provides 800MHz.

Storage

The Razr comes with 16GB of internal memory and a preinstalled 16GB microSD card, providing 32 GB of storage for your convenience. As for the iPhone 4S, it comes in three different capacity versions: 16GB, 32GB and 64GB, with each a bit more expensive than the next. The Razr clocks in at only 32GB for one price!

Wireless Connectivity

The Razr come with a mobile hotspot support for up to eight Wi-Fi devices. It also sports a free MotoCast app from Motorola that lets the phone stream your music, pictures and documents from your home or work computers — virtually anytime, anywhere — so your content is always within reach. No uploading to a third party means no wasted time, and everything stays protected, right on your computer.

The iPhone’s wireless abilities include being able to print wirelessly and wirelessly stream what’s on your phone to your HDTV and speakers via Apple TV, due in part to Apple’s AirPlay and AirPrint.

Camera and Video

Motorola is allowing you to create some cinematic awesomeness of your own with an 8MP rear camera and 1080p HD video recording that it’s built into its Razr. Ready for all conditions, the phone has image stabilization technology for less blurry videos, too!

One big change from the 4 to the 4S is that Apple upgraded the iPhone’s rear-facing camera, which has been increased to 8MP from 5MP, and it also has a custom lens with a larger f/2.4 aperture. Cool features include: tap to focus, autofocus, face detection in still images, LED flash and more!

Battery Life

For the Razr, battery talk time is up to 12.50 hours of 3G talk time, 8.9 hours of video playback with stand-by time clocking in at 204 hours on average. Thanks to some software tweaks and the ability to accommodate a larger battery for its size and has 30% more battery life than its competitors.

The iPhone 4S has a talk time of up to 8 hours on 3G. Standby time is up to 200 hours, while Internet use is up to 6 hours on 3G and up to 9 on Wi-Fi. It also feature video playback is up to 10 hours and audio playback is up to 40 hours.

Carriers

The iPhone 4S is now available on AT&T, Sprint and Verizon, while the Droid Razr is only on Verizon. This means customers can have more of a choice in terms of carriers with the iPhone 4S.

Price

The Droid Razr smartphone will be available in the U.S. for $299 from Verizon Wireless with a two-year contract and devices shipping no later than November 10. The iPhone 4S starts at $199, but gets more expensive as you increase GB, with pricing at $299 for the 32GB and $399 for the 64GB.

Winner

For the price, the new Razr sounds like a steal, given all its new features, its new appearance and the fact that it’ll be getting an even better OS come early next year. By that time, Apple’s iOS 5 will be yesterday’s news! But its only downfall is that it’s not offered on many carriers, so the iPhone still provides more users to switch over from their Android phones if they have Sprint and AT&T.

With Google’s announcement of Android 4 (Ice Cream Sandwich), users are now chomping at the bit to update to the latest OS. And while Google did say that that most if not all phones with Gingerbread would see an upgrade to Android 4.0, it’s not a given. So, here is our concise “How-To” on getting you a scoop of Ice Cream.

1. Have the right phone

The rule of thumb here is that the newer your phone, the more likely you’ll get it – and you should definitely be running vs. 2.3 (Gingerbread). Here is the list of phones that should, however, be upgraded: HTC Amaze 4G, HTC Droid Incredible (maybe), HTC Droid Incredible 2, HTC EVO 3D, HTC EVO Shift 4G, HTC G2, HTC Inspire 4G (maybe), HTC Sensation 4G, HTC ThunderBolt, LG G2x, Motorola Atrix 4G, Motorola Atrix 2, Motorola Droid 3, Motorola Droid Bionic, Motorola Droid RAZR, Motorola Droid X2, Samsung Galaxy Nexus (out of the box), Samsung Galaxy S II – (Galaxy S II, Epic 4G Touch), Samsung Infuse 4G, Samsung Nexus S (Nexus S 4G), and the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play.

Now, of course, this largely depends no your air carrier and if your phone has an overlay like Motoblur or TouchWiz. Usually, this causes delays in rolling out these updates and as such, it could be later than sooner that your phone gets upgraded. And if your phone isn’t on the list because it’s too old, then it becomes less likely you’ll get Ice Cream Sandwich if you haven’t been given Gingerbread yet. So now may be the time to look for a new phone if your contract is up.

2. Do nothing, be patient

But the good news is, that if your phone is on the list above, sooner or later you’ll get an over the air update to Android 4. That’s because Android phones have the benefit of having their updates done automatically. You wake up one morning and you find that your carrier stocked your phone’s freezer with Ice Cream Sandwich while you were sleeping. And that’s cool. All you will need to do it confirm the installation and let it go. Once installed, you can confirm by going to your phone’s device information screen to see that the latest version of Android is now on the phone.  BTW – it’s always a good idea to back up your phone first, just in case, and to plug in your phone via USB or AC adapter during the upgrade.  The last thing anyone wants is for their update to go bad because the phone battery died.

3. Do it the hard way

If you’re impatient and want to know if your phone’s update is available, you can manually check for Android updates. Do this by pressing the “Home” key, then the “Menu” button and go to the “Settings” option. In settings, you’ll see the option “About phone” near the bottom. From there, select“System updates” and your phone will look for any new Android updates to download and install. To streamline this process, download the app ANYCUT and you can create a shortcut on your main screen which will do all that with a quick tap.  Another way to find out when updates are available is to follow your handset manufacturer and wireless carrier on Twitter.  They will usually announce dates so you can be on the lookout.

4. Getting to the root of the matter

Finally, if your phone is too old, or your carrier doesn’t think you should get Android 4 Ice Cream Sandwich, or if you’re just too impatient to get it, you can always “root” your phone and download a custom ROM of Android 4 once it becomes available. Rooting means you get administrator access to your phone and can customize it’s functions. There is a very active community of Android fans who are constantly working on versions of Android – called ROMS – which make a new version or Android available to phones that don’t get them, or that streamline the OS – taking out overlays like Motoblur or TouchWiz. A good place to learn more are the XDA Developer Forums. There you can get custom ROMs, Boot Managers, and there’s a very helpful community who are happy to answer any questions and help you troubleshoot should a root and rom go dreadfully wrong.

The battle of the smartphones continues as the highly anticipated iPhone 4S goes head-to-head with Samsung’s latest and greatest Android, the Galaxy S II. For those looking to upgrade their phones or just want to know how each of the top smartphones (at least “top” for now given how fast upgrades are made), here’s a helpful comparison of the two!

Size

The Galaxy S II is one of the thinnest Androids out there, measuring 5.11 x 2.71 x .37 (all inches, HxWxD) and weighing in at 4.77 ounces. The new iPhone, on the other hand, measures in at 4.5 x 2.31 x .37 (all inches, HxWxD) and weighs 4.9 ounces. The Galaxy S II is considerably larger because of its display but it is lighter.

Appearance

Both share similar features in the looks department. They both come in white and black options, but the iPhone 4S does sport a premium finish with a glass front and back, while the Samsung Galaxy S II has a very thin and sort of flimsy plastic rear case…but this is what makes it so light, so it’s not necessarily such a flaw.

Display

The Galaxy S II has a larger screen than the iPhone coming in at 4.52 inches compared to 3.5 inches (but remember that the S II is lighter). So the iPhone 4S boasts a 640×960 resolution, creating a pixel density of 326ppi, while the Galaxy S II has a bright AMOLED display but it has 480×800 resolution, which means it has a pixel density of 216ppi. Looks like the iPhone wins here, but really, both are awesome touchscreen displays.

Operating System

Obviously, the iPhone 4S runs on IOS 5 and the Galaxy S II on Android. But all the hoopla with the new iPhone was about a new operating system and the latest version is touted as the “world’s most advanced mobile operating system,” as well as the easiest to use. New features with the upgrade include: notification center, iMessage, Twitter integration, reminders, camera enhancements, better photo editing options, PC free, Safari, Newsstand and Siri, the voice control feature that everybody’s taking about. The Multi-Touch interface in the new OS is easier since it was “designed for your finer,” making it finger friendly. But it still lacks flash support, which is a major downer!

The Samsung Galaxy S II runs Google’s Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS with its own Touchwiz interface. It’s claimed to be “more refined and polished,” which basically means a more intuitive user interface.

Processor

The iPhone 4S has received a processor upgrade, which is an A5 dual-core chip, clocked in at 800MHz and Apple says you’ll notice the upgrade with it’s faster responses that make all the difference when you’re launching apps, on the web and doing everything else you do on your smartphone these days. And because the A5 chip is so power-efficient, iPhone 4S has outstanding battery life (but more on that later).

Since the Galaxy S II has a wider screen, it was given a Qualcomm Snapdragon S3 Processor with 1.5 GHz dual-core CPUs so that it wouldn’t freeze while running multiple apps.

Storage

Storage is worth a quick mention with a new maximum capacity of 64GB available on the Iphone 4S. The Galaxy S II maxes out with just 16GB, and but it does redeem itself with the inclusion of a microSD card slot that can take a further 32GB, adding more storage for those who like to keep everything on their smartphones. This totals 48GB, so comes but it still comes in short of only 16GB of its rival.

Wireless Connectivity

They are both world phones, so globetrotters will be satisfied with both. The Galaxy S II is built and engineered to run on 4G networks, making it super fast, which means no waiting even when you have tons of apps open. Thanks to AllShare, you can also wirelessly share and stream videos, photos and music between your phone and TV, laptop and audio system. With a 4G connection you get up to 42 Mbps down speed and it’s Bluetooth 3.0 compatible.

The iPhone 4S also has WiFi abilities thanks to AirPrint and AirPlay, which allows you to print wirelessly and wirelessly stream what’s on your phone to your HDTV and speakers via Apple TV. It also boasts faster connections since Apple says that the new phone is the first to intelligently switch between two antennas to transmit and receive, making call quality better.

Camera and Video

Other than Sira, the other significant iPhone 4S upgrade is its rear-facing camera, which has been bumped up to 8MP from 5MP, and it also has a custom lens with a larger f/2.4 aperture. But the Galaxy S II 8MP camera matches that of the new iPhone 4S, making them even in this category. The details continue to be the same across the board with an LED flash, auto focus and digital zoom. The two are neck-to-neck on video abilities, too, with HD 1080p at 30fps. Both also come with software for photo and video editing.

Battery Life

Apple placed a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery in their new iPhone, with a talk time of up to 8 hours on 3G. Standby time is up to 200 hours, while Internet use is up to 6 hours on 3G and up to 9 on Wi-Fi. Video playback is up to 10 hours and audio playback is up to 40 hours.

Samsung added a rechargeable 1850 mAh lithium-ion battery with talk time pretty much the same with the iPhone so expect 8 hours to be the maximum.

Carriers

You can get the iPhone on AT&T, Sprint and Verizon, while the Galaxy S II is available on T-Mobile, AT&T and Sprint.

Price

The iPhone 4S will put you back $199 for the 16GB, $299 for the 32GB and for those big spenders, $399 for the 64GB…but this is for new contracts or those eligible for upgrades. Price jumps between $600-$800 depending on the carrier and GB variant.

With AT&T, the Galaxy S II starts at $199.99, while T-Mobile has it for $299.99. Sprint is carrying it for 199.99 also (all with a new contract).

Winner

Really, it’s a tie. Both the iPhone 4S and Galaxy S II sport the latest and greatest tech when it comes to smartphones and share a lot of the same features. So it really depends on whether you’re a devoted Mac fan or an Android lover. But whichever one you opt for, you’ll end up with an awesome smartphone that will entertain you for hours and/or  help conduct business when you’re away from the office. It’s a win-win situation!

The new iPhone has finally been released. While it wasn’t the iPhone 5 everybody wanted, the new iPhone 4S still boasts some cool qualities. One being that it’s now going to be offered by Sprint. If you’ve been wanting to leave your other carriers now’s a good time to head over to Sprint. You can score the new Apple iPhone 4S and some more great deals!

5. Google Voice

Sprint is a Google Voice partner, which means a number of things. First, your number can ring on up to six phones, there’s transcribed voicemail and even online voicemail that can be accessed via Gmail, cheap international calls, and you can screen callers so that you can listen in on a voicemail and join the call at any time. Users don’t have to port their number, either, so they can use their existing one without the transfer! It’s now free to all Sprint customers and used to cost $20.

4.Great Service

Since Sprint is trying to up its place among the rankings, new customers who switch over for the iPhone will probably be treated to top-tier. We all know what a pain it can be tying to deal with service or phone problems, so Sprint’s customer service might be super great since they’re going to want to work harder for your business…in the beginning anyways.

3. Threaten your Current Carrier About Switching

Since Sprint entered the game, you can threaten your current carrier that you’ll be switching over to Sprint and see what discounts they give you to stay and keep you as a customer. You might even want to bring some negotiations to the table like a discount on your next handset or a discounted rate on your monthly bill for a few months. Hey, it’s worth a try and you never know what you might be able to get away with!

2. Cheaper Introductory Packages

Sprint’s intro plan is just $69.99 with 450 minutes and unlimited data, with the Simply Everything unlimited calling and data running you $99.99. AT&T offers a $15/month plan that Verizon doesn’t, Sprint charges just $10 for unlimited data, and AT&T’s 2GB/month plan is $5 less than Verizon’s identical option.

1. Unlimited Data Plan

Newcomer Sprint has a major advantage over AT&T and Verizon since they’re the only ones that will offer an unlimited data plan to new iPhone 4S customers. So that means you’ll be able to tether, stream and download as much as you want without having to worry about how much you’ll be charged, going over your limits or having to upgrade in data plans because one month you’ve decided to go crazy in your streaming. With the other two carries, fees start kicking in for overage at 2GB.

AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint iPhones Compared

Sprint is the newest player in the iPhone game now that it will carry Apple’s latest version, the iPhone 4S. Before, only Verizon and AT&T were the two that carried it. Now that Sprint has it, you might be wondering if you should jump ship at one of the other carriers and sign up with them, right? Well, here are 5 reasons NOT to make the switch.

Update: Checkout out our complimentary article which provides 5 reasons to BUY the iPhone 4s on Sprint.

5. No Insurance

The iPhone is a costly device so insurance is usually a good thing, especially if you’re prone to losing things or breaking phones. AT&T and Verizon both offer insurance plans, but Sprint doesn’t seem to offer one for the iPhone at all, instead suggesting that customers buy Apple’s $99 AppleCare Plus Extended Warranty.

4. Headaches of Switching Carriers

Switching carries might not always be that easy. There’s early termination fees to think about, whether or not you want to take your old number to the new carrier and if you don’t, you’re going to have to alert all of your contact of the new number and so on. If you’ve been living with a month-to-month plan this won’t be a problem but those who want to jump ship for the Unlimited Data Plan will have to think about all this.

3. Trouble Providing Advertised Speeds

If Sprint does lure all these customers away from AT&T and Verizon, Sprint’s network might not be able to handle it all and might actually have trouble providing the speeds they advertised for the iPhone 4S.

2. Less Than Great 3G Coverage

Many have argued that Sprint has the worst 3G coverage from all three of the iPhone carriers, which might bother some costumers, especially if they switch over from either Verizon or AT&T. With that said, the Unlimited Data Plan that they’re offering might not be that great without better than average 4G coverage. Thanks to having less coverage in some areas it means that the iPhone experience on Sprint might be slightly worse than the iPhone experience on Verizon and actually a lot slower than the experience for folks using AT&T’s upgraded HSPA+ network.

1. Unlimited Data Plan Lure

While an unlimited data plan sounds great, it might just be way to lure customers away from AT&T and Verizon and then later to the data tier, putting you right back where you started or even worse, given you might be paying more in the long run. So even though it might seem like a great deal in the beginning, you should think about long-term effects. AT&T and Verizon first offered unlimited data plans in the beginning so Sprint might also repeat history.

AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint iPhones Compared

Sony Ericsson’s Xperia PLAY 4G will be hitting AT&T stores, and online, on September 18th for $49.99 after a 2-year agreement.  It will ship with Android 2.3.3 and is powered by a 1Ghz Snapdragon chipset and Adreno 205 graphics processor.

This phone isn’t exactly new, as it’s been making its rounds on Verizon’s network.  However, AT&T’s version will ship with an exclusive ‘stealth blue’ hue and include a DK300 multimedia dock and MC100 music cable.  They’re also packing in 7 free games:

• Dungeon Defenders Second Wave by Trendy Entertainment
• Asphalt 6 Adrenaline by Gameloft
• Star Battalion by Gameloft
• Madden NFL 11 by Electronic Arts
• The Sims 3 by Electronic Arts
• Tower Bloxx: My City by Digital Chocolate
• Crash Bandicoot by SCEA/Naughty Dog/Universal

Course, you’ll also be able to access up to 150 games if the above ones don’t satiate your gaming needs.  All of which can be played on the phone’s 4-inch 480×854 screen and a slide out controller including directional keypad, dual analog touch joystick, two shoulder buttons and the four PlayStation symbol keys.

And let’s not forget the typical phone features, such as a 5-megapixel camera, WiFi and HSPA connectivity.

Rumor is that Gamestop will not only start accepting iOS devices for in-store trade-ins, but that the massive videogame retailer will also begin selling iPhones for the largest technology company in the world, Apple. This rumor, coming straight out from the yearly Gamestop Manager’s Convention in Las Vegas, sounds ludicrous. Not for trading in old iPods, iPads and iPhones mind you – Gamestop already has an enormous used-game sales infrastructure and iOS devices easily complement that – but for selling new iPhones.

Today, there are only three ways you can get an iPhone without purchasing it directly from Apple: through AT&T Wireless, Verizon Wireless, or Best Buy. That is, the two carriers with a total of 200 million current customers, and the largest electronics retailer nationwide. Ma’ Bell has over 2,200 retail stores, Can-you-hear-me-now has 2,300, and Big Blue has over 1,150. Even combined (5,650+) that pales in comparison to the 6,500+ retail locations that Gamestop has, selling only products involved with the burgeoning videogame industry.

Should the rumors of Apple iPhones selling through Gamestop ring true, then wireless carriers need to be on their guard. With only 345 Apple stores, the fruity mega-giant may well be planning to use Gamestop stores as more than just a point of sale for iOS devices. What that is remains to be seen, though there are several possibilities. We’ve already seen Apple step away from the major wireless carriers in several ways, including making the iPhone available for Verizon (instead of just AT&T) and possibly Sprint with the iPhone 5, and the new messaging app found on iOS 5 which supersedes any wireless carrier.

What could Apple be planning? It’s possible that Gamestop wants a piece of the app pie, and is working with Apple to not only demo games (the most profitable type of iOS app) in-store but also to sell them. Kongregate, the flash-game site and subsidiary of Gamestop, may make its way to the iPhone (sans flash, of course). Just like Gamestop points can be used to purchase items through Xbox Live, they may be made to work with the App Store as well. Gamestop could also attempt to open their own iOS marketplace through the retailer’s website, though no major company has seriously pursued selling titles outside of Apple’s App Store, even if the apps don’t meet Apple’s requirements.

Or perhaps something more cunning is taking place. Consider the number of Gamestop locations. 11,000+ Starbucks locations in the US offer free Wi-Fi to iOS users plus recently played music. The same can happen with Gamestop through their 6,500+ stores, except with games. Apple can clearly differentiate iOS with Android by suddenly making the millions of Gamestop customers obscenely aware of the iPhone’s gaming capability. Gamestop’s Gameinformer Magazine doesn’t currently cover iOS gaming outright (it doesn’t even have a dedicated section to the platform, while many other major gaming publications do), and there’s no reason it won’t the second Gamestop starts selling iPhones.

I personally believe every major move Apple makes has much deeper implications, and in this case Apple will have over 15,000 contracted retail locations available to it. With all that extra money, I can only imagine what Apple could do. And even without Steve Jobs at the helm, the now-Chairman certainly had the vision to instruct his executive staff for years to come.

Image via Gadgetspider.info, from Jesus Diaz of Gizmodo

Dell via eBay has a new low price available on this Dell Venue Pro Windows 7 Unlocked Smartphone for only $299.99 + $0 S&H = $299.99!

With more Smartphones utilizing various UIs being released it’s no question why many hardware manufacturers are moving into the trend. Enter Dell with their Venue Pro Smartphone utilizing the still new Windows 7 Phone System. This sleek and stylishly designed phone comes in two flavors: AT&T and T-Mobile, and is impressive for the price considering it’s unlocked and out of contrast state upon purchase. Windows 7 Phone is a different take on smartphone which doesn’t clutter up the screen with apps but simple gives you access to the features you use the most; like connecting with your friends and family in social networks like Facebook or even utilizing either mobile Microsoft Office and even Xbox Live connectivity. It’s also super thin, includes a 4.1-Inch Multitouch display using scratch-free gorilla glass, slides out to a full QWERTY keyboard and has 16GBs of internal flash memory. Again for the price you simply go wrong, and it definitely won’t last long so jump on it while you can!

unlockedcellphonekings via eBay has a super low price available on this Palm Pixi Plus GSM Unlocked AT&T 3G Phone for $89.99 + no delivery = $89.99!

Get Cell Phones on your terms, when you buy unlocked you choose how you get your service, and now you can do that for a super low price! The Pixi Plus by Palm offers you a compact and feature packed mobile solution for connecting to friends and family alike. It contains a fixed QWERTY keyboard and a compact 2.63-Inch touch display operating on Palm OS. With this OS you can view all of your friends statuses on social networks from across the net all in one view and access it all with quick and intuitive gestures. This phone includes 8GBs of flash memory and also has a 2.0MP camera.

Amazon Wireless has an outstanding price available for this Motorola Atrix 4G Android Phone for AT&T which is now at $699.99 – $699.98 Instant Off + Free 2-Day Shipping = $0.01!

If the right Smartphone with you is one with PC power then check out the new Atrix from Motorola! This powerful phone combined an intelligent design with stunning performance and you will definitely notice this with its speedy Dual-Core Nvidia Tegra 2 processor paired up with 1GB of internal RAM. It operates with the highly customizable Android 2.2 Operating System and also has connectivity for GPS Navigation, Wireless b/g/n networking and Bluetooth 2.1 Connectivity. It includes 16GBs of internal memory which can be expanded with MicroSD cards of up to 32GB in size. And don’t forget the best part, it connects with the ultra fast 4G network so all of your high demand tasks will be done with effortless speed.