Okay, so Android and iOS just don’t fulfill your needs when it comes to a smartphone.  So what’s a tech aspiring, smartphone shopper to do?  If you so dare, you could opt for a Windows phones.  Microsoft has made great strides since previous iterations, and while we’d steer clear of anything that isn’t iOS (we like the idea of hardware and software under one roof) many a folks have been waxing poetic about Microsofts mobile platform.  And if you happen to be in the market, you might want to wait until March 18th, which is supposedly when the HTC Titan II will hit AT&T stores.

So what can you expect from this phone?  First off, it supports AT&T’s LTE network, which means 4G speeds.  It also packs in a 4.7-inch 480×800 screen, a  massive 16MP camera with 720p HD video and dual LED flash, a 1.5 GHz Scorpion Snapdragon processor, aGPS and a 1730mAh battery.

However, before you get too excited, word on the Net is that Nokia’s Lumia will also launch sometime soon and possibly at half the price; $99.99.  The Lumia 900 is said to be a solid Windows phone despite that the fact that is comes from the crumbling Nokia.

The most prominent feature of the HTC Titan was it’s size.  It was huge. HTC just announced the Titan II, which at first glance doesn’t appear all that different: same screen size, same processor, possibly the same 512MB of RAM (unknown as of yet, will confirm tonight). But there are two major changes that make it an upgrade, but not quite a new and improved phone: the camera to a whopping 16MP (which is more than most DSLRs and Point and Shoots), with an f/2.6 lens (pretty damn fast, but not the fastest for smartphones), and it’ll also be the first LTE Windows phone.

This is both great and sad. On the one hand, the Titan II will pave the way for very high density photos on smartphones, and it also opens up the playing field for Windows Phone 7 devices to come standard with LTE. Yet with the same processor, same build and design, and same everything else, it’s not even a new phone really. Hell, even with a 16MP camera it only shoots 720p video.It’s more like the Titan 1.5, like HTC wants to phase out the older model (only a few months old still) in favor of features it left out in the first place.

I’ll check ou the Titan later tonight, so stay tuned for a hands-on. The Titan II is expected to release “within the next few months”.

Sprint has been the #3 cell provider in the US for years now, but has somehow managed to have one of the best networks and least dropped calls, which combined with the first nationwide 4G network has made the company adored by business users everywhere. Plus their truly unlimited plan is the only one left, where AT&T and Verizon both only offer limited data and T-Mobile slows down data speeds after 2GB/m. The company hasn’t managed to pick up the pace when it comes to new smartphones, and likewise has been losing ground to LTE networks in data speeds, but more and more customers are switching over, and for good reason. Take a look at the best the company has to offer.

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

Apple iPhone 4S

While the other carriers were pretty cut and dry with the best phone, Sprint’s was a doozy, between the iPhone 4S and Epic 4G Touch. The iPhone 4S, while a better overall device than Sprint’s version of the Galaxy S II, doesn’t have 4G or the great design of the S II, but the Epic 4G Touch is literally too big, something that makes it a tad uncomfortable for users. Comfort is extremely important when it comes to the device you use daily, and the iPhone 4S has a tried and true design, even if it lacks the data speed of its closest competitor.

Samsung Epic 4G Touch (Galaxy S II)

Like last year, Sprint’s version of the Galaxy S phone is different from all the others, although this time it’s not because of a slide-out keyboard and 4G connectivity. Instead, the Epic 4G Touch touts a 4.5″ display and very slight modifications over the standard Galaxy S II models. The Epic 4G Touch is a little bit faster, has a lighter better battery, and it’s just a little bit bigger. It’s a great handset, though frankly some users may find the width a bit much. It’s still one of the best phones out there, but make sure it’s comfortable for you.

HTC Evo 3D

The first 3D phone on the market, the Evo 3D had a lot to live up to, and for the most part it does. With two 5MP cameras, the ability to shoot HD and 3D video and stills, the Evo 3D is a solid platform to bring 3D out of the home and into the world. But even if 3D isn’t your thing, HTC based the phone off of their award-winning Evo 4G, and improved on the design, the 4G functionality, battery life and everything else. So don’t worry if you aren’t interested in 3D or any of that mumbo-jumbo extra dimension stuff. The Evo 3D is a great handset without any of that.

LG Marquee

This is an odd one. The Marquee is a low-end Android handset that in benchmarks is completely unremarkable in all ways but one: it has excellent battery life. As I discussed in the review of the LG Doubleplay, that’s not such a bad thing, especially if you aren’t interested in graphically-intense apps or heavy-duty processing on the phone, but just need something to get around, stay on calls, and last more than a day. If that sounds like you, the Marquee is an excellent device. It not only will last over a full day of heavy use, the NOVA display is extremely bright, and manages to be completely visible even in direct sunlight and the brightest conditions. It’s a phone first, and that’s what’s important.

Interested in a new smartphone from Verizon? The nation’s largest cell provider isn’t a bad choice. Verizon has the largest 4G LTE network in the country, the best data speeds, and some of this holiday season’s best phones exclusively for Verizon customers. So if you’re on the ropes about which provider to sign up with, want to switch, or are already a Verizon customer looking to upgrade, check out this handy guide of tested Verizon smartphones and find one that suits you.

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

Apple iPhone 4S

It almost sounds like a copout to day that the iPhone 4S is the best phone available, but that’s my opinion and I’m sticking to it. iOS is still simply better than Android as an operating system, and while the iPhone isn’t the slimmest, the lightest, nor the fastest phone around, it is the best overall package you can get on a smartphone today. You can’t go wrong with the 4S, even if it lacks access to Verizon’s LTE network.

Motorola Droid Bionic

The Droid Bionic is the first Motorola handset to upgrade above and beyond their typical Droid series, and those changes really shine. It’s fast, the enhanced UI is sleek, and as a handset the Bionic stands out with a great gunmetal finish and top-of-the-line charm. You really can’t go wrong with the Droid Bionic thanks to it running 4G LTE, a great Super AMOLED display, and some of the best UI upgrades seen this side of Android.

HTC Droid Incredible 2

The Droid Incredible 2 isn’t what you’d expect in a lineup of high-end devices, but this mid-range phone isn’t to be taken lightly. It’s impressively fast, smaller than most of today’s phones but great in the hand and pocket, and it feels simple but isn’t. The internal hardware is powerful beyond the phone’s needs. It may lack LTE, but the Incredible 2 is, like the name implies, pretty darn incredible.

HTC Rezound

Closing up the bottom of the list, the HTC Rezound has three major first: the first 720p display, the first phone with Beats Audio integration, and the first 1.5GHz processor (in the US). Running on LTE, the Rezound is a speed demon, though all those features kill the battery real quick. It’s literally packed to the brim with features, and prospective buyers won’t be disappointed.

But What About…

Motorola Droid Razr

It’s the thinnest smartphone out on the market today, but we haven’t had a chance to get our paws on it yet. From all reports, the Droid Razr is one of the best Android phones to ever release (which isn’t?). If it’s as similar to the Droid Bionic as I’m told, then it’s likely an excellent buy, but without some hands-on time I can’t recommend it just yet.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus

Due out sometime this week (or perhaps next week, or sometime soon…there’s no set release date), the Galaxy Nexus has already received rave reviews because of it’s excellent design, great 720p display, brand new Android 4.0 software, and a slew of other things. However, with no word on when it’s due to release, as well as never having tested it ourselves (but expecting to shortly), we’ll keep the Galaxy Nexus under wraps. All I do know for sure is that it’s not quite as powerful as the Galaxy S II, but is intended to be the next “Google” phone, so to speak. Meaning that it’ll receive instantaneous updates to the operating system before most other phones and have limited interference from cell providers (in this case, Verizon) or handset manufacturers (Samsung). But once again, we’ll have to wait and see.

The smallest and perhaps soon-to-be part of AT&T, T-Mobile has for years dominated the Android smartphone marketplace with the latest phones from Google. Recently that’s changed, with more and more phones heading over to the larger carriers. However, what T-Mobile may lack in brand-new devices it makes up for in excellent pricing, with inexpensive plans on and off contract. If the tough economy has hit you hard but you still want a decent smartphone, look no further than T-Mobile.

Samsung Galaxy S II

By far the best phone available on T-Mobile, the Galaxy S II is everything that is right with Android and smartphones. Excellent build design, an exceptional display, great speed and some of the fastest processing available on a mobile device, the Galaxy S II is a phone you’ll be happy to own and use for at least two years, if not more. The 8MP camera, capable of 1080p video, takes great shots. It may be a bit on the hefty side with a 4.5″ display, but it also runs a faster CPU than the other Galaxy S II phones (1.5GHz vs. 1.2GHz) and a slightly bigger battery. You won’t regret the Galaxy S II.

HTC myTouch 4G Slide

The myTouch 4G Slide is a powerful phone, one that belies it’s design. I questioned including it in the gift guide, but because it has such a good camera, I couldn’t pass it by. The Slide has one of the best cameras available on smartphones today, as well as on T-Mobile in general. The Slide is by no means the best phone out, and there are definitely better devices, but few compare when it comes to sheer photography prowess.

T-Mobile myTouch /myTouch Q

Slider phones aren’t exactly in these days, but T-Mobile has two newer phones that boast exceptional battery life as lower-end smartphones. The myTouch and myTouch Q will both last at least two days between charges, but the Q (the slider) includes a physical keyboard that’s great to type on and has better battery life, faster processing, and is generally a better Android handset. The differences are small, but there; the Q is better, faster, and stronger, but also heavier and twice as thick. The trade-offs may seem moot, but if you’re willing to sacrifice several extra hours of battery life for a smaller handset and don’t want a physical keyboard, take the myTouch. But if you want a slightly beefier phone, one more powerful and larger, then stick with the myTouch Q.

Wait, that’s it?

Sadly, yes. T-Mobile has had very few new smartphones come out in the past months, and fewer still that we’ve reviewed. Of course, because T-Mobile is a GSM carrier, any unlocked phones that aren’t sold subsidized with two-year contracts can and will work on T-Mobile, which is a clear advantage over CDMA competitors. However, this holiday season all of the major Android releases have been on T-Mobile’s three major competitors.

Amazon is offering an astounding deal for this HTC Rezound 4G Android Phone for Verizon Wireless!

We’ve seen this phone for $200 just last week but now Amazon has undercut their own discount and brings it to you for nearly nothing! The HTC Rezound is one of the most powerful phone’s we’ve seen yet as it includes a blazing fast 1.5Ghz Dual-Core processor and 1024MB of RAM to handle any task you can throw at it. With Android 2.3 Gingerbread you have the most stable mobile platform yet and the HTC Sense interface connects all of your most important applications and friends together on front. Its 4.3-Inch HD display adds to the overall experience of course and so does its 16GBs of internal memory combined with a 16GB SD card for an effective 32GBs of memory right out of the box. Stereo Bluetooth 3.0, GPS Navigation and Wi-Fi connectivity are all possible here as well and as a bonus this phone includes high quality beats headphones in it for a truly great sound experience.

Just a few days ago this phone cost $100s more, now Amazon has it for $0.01 after a 2-year contract signing.  That’s a sick discount that won’t last.

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.

Amazon Wireless has a super discount on this new HTC Rezound 4G Android Phone for Verizon Wireless!

Get ready for a whole new way to experience portable connectivity! With this brand new and powerful HTC Rezound available at this kick-ass price you can enjoy the freedom and functionality that Android 2.3 offers with stunning speed. This phone comes with a large 4.3-Inch HD Touch display and has 16GBs of internal memory Plus an included 16GB MicroSD for 32Gbs of space total. It’s powered by an all new 1.5Ghz Dual-Core processor which allows you to soar through tasks, and also includes an 8MP Camera which can capture full 1080p High Definition videos. It also has full Stereo Bluetooth 3.0 Connectivity, GPS Navigation, Wireless-N Wi-Fi and the kicker 4G connectivity. The HTC Sense experience makes it easier to share and see your friends and as a bonus it includes Beats Audio with Beats earbuds and a carry bag.

Get this new phone, with Beats sound, for $199.99 when you sign a 2-year contract.  That’s $600 off the retail price.  S&H is free

How do you sell even more smartphones than the next guy?  Simple, you partner with a lifestyle brand, such as Beats by Dr. Dre.  That’s what HTC did earlier this year.  It’s a logical move since the smartphone has become today’s must have device amongst those young and old, so it will surely end up being a cynergistic relationship that will pay dividends to both companies.

And to kick off that partnerhip, HTC yesterday announced the Rezound.  It packs in Beats audio tuning, a 4.3-inch screen, Android OS and 4G LTE connectivity.

According to HTC, the Rezound will let customers “hear music the way the artist intended” by delivering unprecedented audio playback.  They’ve also tossed in a pair of light weight earbuds that are exclusive to the Rezound and are designed to complement the audio tuning they’ve worked so hard to achieve.  Integrated directly into the cord is a mic for hands free calls and a remote for pausing, playing, skipping tracks and changing the phone’s volume.

The screen on the Rezound is from ordinary, as it can achieve true 720p HD playback.  HTC is hoping this will prime their movie download service, which boasts a progressive download feature allowing Rezound owners to watch HD movies without completing the download first.  Arrive home and you can connect the Rezound to an HDTV using the device’s Mobile High Definition Link (MHL) connectivity, which has to be a proprietary HDMI port, which mind you can pass 5.1-channel surround sound along with SRS WOW HD surround.

In the speed department the Rezound is no slouch.  Under the hood is a 1.5Ghz dual-core processor, which should be put to work with not only HD movies and games, but Verizon’s 4G LTE network.

And no smartphone of this caliber would be complete without a high end camera.  HTC has stuffed in an 8 megapixel camera with autofocus, an f/2.2 and 28mm lens and a dual LED flash.  It can capture full HD video and stereo sound.

Other features include HTC’s Sense skin, which sits on top of the Android OS.  And speaking of Android it will ship with Android 2.3, though it is upgradeable to 4.0 when it launches sometime next year.  In the memory department the phone comes standard with 16GB of on board storage and 1GB of RAM.  The former can of course be upgraded using a microSD card, though it does ship with a 16GB one.  There is also Bluetooth 3.0, WiFi b/g/n, GPS, a 1620mAh battery and Mobile Hotspot functionality.

The HTC Rezound will be available November 14th at Verizon stores and online for $299.99 with a 2-year contract.

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!

After the announcement of the Nintendo 3DS, everyone knew that the next logical step for 3D technology was our phones. This has been for some a blessing, and for many others a curse. 3D technology has grown significantly in the last three years, and HTC’s Evo 3D is the first 3D-capable handset that not only has two 5MP cameras and a no-glasses-required 3D display, but 4G data through Sprint’s network. But does the 3D really work, and more importantly, does it work as an everyday handset?

Hardware

The HTC Evo 3D is very similar to its predecessor, the Evo 4G. It’s still brick-shaped and large, with a 4.3” screen and a small glass bezel. There are a few key differences, like the camera’s shutter release button and a 2D-3D switch for shooting in either mode. The rubberized back panel is stitched for better grip and feels better in hands that sweat easily. Little else has changed. The receiver is large, the screen dominating, and all the buttons in standard Android placement.

The display is highly reflective, which is great for Johnny Bravo moments but bad in direct sunlight. It’s not possible to view the screen in bright conditions even at maximum brightness. Viewing media on the display is just fine in dimmer surroundings, and screen quality is high.

The Evo 3D beside the Samsung Galaxy S II. Both have 4.3″ displays.

The microUSB port is right where users thumbs rest when holding the Evo 3D in the left hand, which feels awkward, but more importantly is uncomfortably for charging. The Evo 3D has no latch so the phone can stay upright, which is odd considering how heavily 3D films are being marketed for devices such as this. Charging the phone or using Android docks is inconvenient because the phone must be on its side. Under the back panel HTC included an 8GB microSD card, though the battery must be removed to reach it.

Finally, the 5MP lens on the back is doubled, as is the LED flash. The cameras are surrounded by a tasteful red metallic bezel, and it sticks out a quarter inch off the back panel. The panel is also surprisingly difficult to remove, even though it’s easy to dislodge, a strange combination. The speaker sits directly below the cameras.

From top to bottom: Droid Bionic, Galaxy S II, Evo 3D. Only the Evo has uniform thickness

Internally, the Evo 3D runs a 1.2GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM, which powers Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and the 960×540 display. This screen size is slightly denser than the more traditional 800×480 most Android phones have, but pixel density is hard to differentiate between such devices because of the larger screen size. Compared to the Droid Incredible 2, for instance, the Evo 3D looks sharper, but compared to the iPhone 4 or 4S, it pales in comparison.

Software & Battery Life

Even running on Gingerbread, the Evo 3D is fast, but noticeably sticky. It unlocks smoothly, opens and closes applications with ease, but tends to stall here and there. There are occasional quirks in the software as well, such as the weather widget displaying the image for night in the middle of the day. Under heavier loads, with lots of apps open or a number of apps in the background, the Evo 3D becomes very slow, to the point where I was opening the task manager regularly to kill apps I wasn’t using right then. I’m unsure whether there’s a memory leak causing the slowdown or whether HTC’s TouchSense software isn’t quite optimized for the device, but there is definitely something slowing it down.

The software has been better optimized for high-stress battery workloads, and battery life is improved compared to previously tested 4G devices. This is for two reasons: first, the 4G antenna doesn’t activate until users choose to activate it (through pop-up alerts), and over Wi-Fi the Evo 3D is very efficient. In fact, it’s almost like to the Palm Pre, which at the time stated the phone was built to be even more efficient, power-wise, on Wi-Fi than on a standard 3G cell signal. I can’t confirm that the same is true with the Evo 3D, but battery life is surprisingly resilient over Wi-Fi.

Battery life on 3G lasts a solid day and a half under regular use, though it’ll go on for a day under heavy stress. As a 4G hotspot, users will average just over 4 hours. Using the 4G antenna under a heavy workload, battery life depends. I managed to get a full day’s worth while in 4G areas, but throw in GPS and constant music streaming and the phone will last around six hours. On a recent trip to San Francisco I used the Evo 3D very heavily, as my sole email, GPS, and computing companion, and it lasted the whole day, sans the 1-hour flight. This was with utilizing 4G when available, which is impressive.

Performance

Overall performance of the Evo 3D based on benchmarks is good for graphics processing, but average overall. The 1.2GHz dual-core CPU is powerful, though the Evo 3D stays in the middle in every benchmark, almost always between the two older and two newer devices. This would be fine, since technology always improves, except that the gaps in performance are huge, from 10-25%. Take a look.

Overall the benchmarks show that the Evo 3D is slightly more powerful than last season’s handsets, but not nearly as fast as the best of this current season’s. And with upcoming holiday smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and Motorola Droid Razr, the Evo 3D will look very aged, very quickly.

In real-world tests, the Evo 3D functions very well, though it has a tendency to crash applications. I’ve noticed this in recent HTC devices running Gingerbread. Future software updates will level out these bugs, assuming HTC and, in this case, Sprint, support frequent updates for the device. If the Evo 4G is any indication of future support for the Evo 3D, users can rest assured knowing that they’ll be receiving plenty of firmware updates.

The handset is speedy and runs apps quickly and smoothly, and also performed well on the new streaming test. I streamed via Amazon Prime two episodes of Arrested Development (at 480p), one over 4G and one through Wi-Fi. Over 4G, even with 5Mbps down and 2Mbps up, the video was blocky, shuttered, and when skipping sections audio and video weren’t in sync. Over Wi-Fi there were no such problems, which means that the network speed in this case is the culprit. The capacity of the network is certainly enough to stream a single TV episode, but the bandwidth just wasn’t available.

The larger concern I had with the benchmarks performed are for HD content. The Evo 3D crashed regularly when attempting a 720p graphics benchmark, meaning the phone cannot handle streaming 720p video to an outside device. While the option isn’t available on the phone, interested buyers should know that heavy 3D graphics may not work on the Evo 3D.

3D & Camera

Perhaps the defining factor for many buyers, 3D on the Evo 3D is surprisingly different from what is available on many 3D devices, such as the Nintendo 3DS. There is no slider that adjusts depth. Instead, the Evo 3D uses a one-size-fits-all display, where if the depth doesn’t match your eyes, too bad. As bad as that sounds, keep in mind that every 3D theater and a lot of 3DTVs are exactly the same.

However, in the case of the Evo 3D, actually using the 3D camera for photography and video can be an eye-hurting experience. If you don’t have extreme depth differences and if objects aren’t too close to the cameras, videos and pictures will look just fine. If you do, be prepared for self-induced eyestrain and headaches.

One note I will make is that this issue of depth extremes is a problem which NVidia showed me over two years ago with the first 3D cameras, but has since been fixed. In a brief test with LG’s competing 3D phone, the LG Thrill 4G, depth extremes caused no eyestrain. The Thrill, however, uses a depth slider.

3D on the 4.3” display has an extremely limited viewing angle. If you aren’t looking at the screen straight on, then the 3D effect is severely limited, if at all noticeable. This, technically speaking, is no different from 3D on a big screen, but it effectively means you won’t be watching any 3D content on the phone with a friend. The full 3D effect is very hard to share on the handset.

I watched the included film The Green Hornet in 3D, as well as a demo for the game Spider-Man 3D, and both provide good 3D depth that isn’t strenuous. 3D stills and video I recorded range from painful to surprisingly pleasant, though the former is more often the case. Users planning to shoot in 3D often must take time and learn just how depth works. More 3D videos can be viewed here on YouTube, though you’ll need a 3D-capable device or glasses.

Picture quality is good. 3D images are harder to tell the quality of, mostly because they pop so much (compared to their flat counterparts) that as long as objects are in focus, they look good. 2D stills look good, but lack the sharpness and clarity I expect in handsets today. For 3D shooting that’s just fine, because the 3D effect makes bits stand out. However, as you’ll see in the samples below, colors are accurate and the 5MP shooter can produce some great images.

Video quality is good, though the Evo 3D is one of the last phones of this generation with 720p video (likely). Audio quality is also excellent. The microphone picked up voices even over the sound of heavy wind and waves at the beach. 3D quality is likewise good, and when ported off the phone appears as an MPEG4 file, where the video appears split, showing the two views of the camera. With proper software and a 3D display the video can be viewed in 3D.

Conclusion

Some months back a friend asked whether he should upgrade to the Evo 3D when it came out. At the time, he was using the Evo 4G, but needed to upgrade his father’s phone and wanted to hand-me-down it and upgrade his own handset. Because of the obvious similarities between the two phones, I said it depends on whether he cares about 3D and how heavily he’s already used the Evo 4G, because of wear, use, and battery life.

That stance was wrong, mostly because 3D isn’t the most important aspect of this phone. Prospective buyers shouldn’t forget that it’s an Evo first, and 3D-capable second. As a device, the Evo 3D isn’t the fastest or best, but it is consistent, highly capable, and boasts a better battery than the Evo 4G. 3D is good, and it may be a selling point for 3D fanatics, but everyday consumers should not forgo the Evo 3D just because of the second word in it’s name.

Call quality is good, apps are fast, battery life is strong for current 4G devices, and it has strong performance overall. With practice users will enjoy taking 3D photos and videos, and individuals can enjoy 3D films and shows on the handheld just fine. The Evo 3D is a definite step up from the Evo 4G, and a very good smartphone for anyone to enjoy.

Pros:

• Improved battery life, good 4G lifespan
• Phone quality is exceptional – maintains a strong signal, good voice quality
• 3D capabilities are good…

Tablets right now aren’t business ready. They are great for media, games, and basic mobile communication. As tablets become more powerful, the complexity of applications will expand and the overall ability of these handheld devices will work for more situations. Today, even the best tablets are still highly limited. I agree with Bill Gates’ original premise: tablets need a pen. His mistake, basing operating systems around the mouse-like stylus, was Steve Jobs’ success. But we still need a pen.

The HTC Flyer attempts to remedy both of these issues with a tablet that works with a pen stylus and specialized software to run both Android and the company’s proprietary Scribe Technology software to write anywhere, anytime. In theory, this may seem superfluous to current tablet owners, but in reality it is the holy grail. Students could write notes in digital textbooks, professionals can work without requiring a keyboard, doctors can walk around the hospital and keep up-to-date on patients with a tablet, etc. The possibilities are endless.

Does the Flyer live up to the hype?

Hardware

The Flyer side by side with the Samsung Galaxy Tab

HTC built the Flyer small, with a 7” display, but packed it thick. The tablet runs on a 1.5GHz single-core Qualcomm processor and 1GB of RAM, with 16GB of space to play around in. The build is akin to a handful of HTCs smartphones, and in fact looks like a larger version of the Sensation 4G. On the right is a volume rocker, on top is the power/standby button, and the single proprietary charging port is on the bottom.

The 1024×600 glossy display is surrounded by a silver bezel that protrudes above the glass, a smart detail if the capacitive display extended all the way to the bezel. A 960×720 front-facing camera is seated on the right, while three navigation buttons light up on the bottom when the Flyer is activated. Like recent handsets including the Droid Incredible 2, the Flyer is designed for one landscape mode, 90° counterclockwise, and the navigation keys on the left light up when the tablet is turned. A fourth pen button is also accessible on the far right, but only reacts to the pen-stylus and not to touch.

From top to bottom: Sony Reader Wi-Fi, Samsung Galaxy Tab, HTC Flyer

The back panel is an aluminum plate with two white plastic slabs on the top and bottom, the former which hides the 5MP rear camera and microSD slot, and the latter which is inaccessible. Like the iPad 2, the Flyer is comfortable to hold and doesn’t feel cold to the touch for more than an instant, though the aluminum plate feels thinner. The overall design is very light at just 420g, much lighter than larger competing tablets but still heavier than the older Galaxy Tab. In the hand, the Flyer feels solid. Good to hold and comfortable one- or two-handed.

Pen & Writing

When it comes to the pen, the design feels completely different. The once firm and light tablet suddenly becomes small and cumbersome. Writing on a digital display has always been one of the biggest challenges for tablet designers over the past twenty years, and even today there hasn’t been a serious competitor to good old fashioned paper and the friction of a pen or pencil. Using the stylus on the Flyer has a number of problems, some of which likely couldn’t be solved by HTC at this time (such as making the display feel more like writing on paper), and some of which could have been easily remedied.

The biggest problem stems from the small display. As a culture we’ve accustomed to writing on 8.5×11” paper, and that’s not likely to change anytime soon. Some differences in size are fine, but moving to a 7” diagonal display is a huge change. Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1, or even the iPad 2’s 8.9” display, would be far better suited for handwriting. On the Flyer, I found every handwritten note hindered by the dimensions of the screen. HTC could have easily made the Flyer a larger tablet. Rumors are that HTC is currently planning a 10” Flyer, but the company has released no word on it thus far.

HTC’s Scribe Technology is also severely handicapped. When I heard about using a tablet with a stylus, I imagined all of the troubles with signing documents to fax/scan and send, writing notes on PDFs, and all the other activities so many of us don’t need on a daily basis. I imagined them gone, easily remedied with a pen-tablet system. The Flyer doesn’t fix anything.

For a quick example, I often sign loan agreements for products to review. These are usually PDF or Doc files, which I print, sign, and fax. I’m also given the option to print, sign, scan and email, or even digitize my signature and email that. The latter has security issues, and plenty of professionals won’t use digital signatures except on secure systems. I tried using the Flyer to sign a loan agreement, but it’s not possible. That’s because the Scribe Technology software only takes a screenshot and then allows users to edit it in a Microsoft Paint-esque app. When finished, the image is saved on the device or stored in the cloud through Evernote. There is no option to save it on the PDF or Doc directly.

That means if you want to write directly on documents, pictures, or even websites, too bad. All users can do is take a screenshot and edit that, which is frankly a poor man’s excuse for tablet software. There’s nothing intelligent or revolutionary about it, and hardly anything useful either. Only through the include eBook reader software (see below) can users write on individual pages and have those notes saved on specific pages, without saving a screenshot image. Students taking notes may enjoy the easy Evernote synching, but professionals won’t have any reason to ever use the Flyer for work.

Software & Performance

The Flyer runs on Android 2.3 with HTC’s TouchSense, though updated for the Flyer and stylus. The bottom of the display has five buttons: apps, Notes, Reader, Watch, and Personalize. Notes is the selection of saved pen-written notes, while Reader is Kobo-driven eBook reader store and application, which works in conjunction with the stylus. Pages written on will retain notes, and the Flyer ships with eight classic titles like Bram Stoker’s Dracula and The Art of War. Finally, Watch is a video-viewing app.

Overall the software itself isn’t very different from what is available on HTC smartphones, let alone Android devices as a whole. There are some graphical differences, like the spinning home screen in landscape, which don’t improve on the design but are nice touches. Some applications have a tendency to crash, like Notes, while others won’t run at all, including one of the new benchmark suites I’ll be employing for future Android reviews.

If you plan on using the Flyer like any standard tablet, to use apps and view media, the software and performance is good, but not great. With a firmware update the Flyer would be much more stable, though for now it won’t be a problem for most users.

Performance on the Flyer is very good. It consistently posted high scores on benchmark tests thanks to the 1.5GHz processor and 1GB of RAM, though some more recent smartphones have already begun to overshadow it in graphical performance. Take a look at the graphs below to see performance comparisons.

The Flyer performed very well, though it couldn’t beat out the iPad 2 in a number of tests, both at processing standard web functions and javascript (Browsermark and Sunspider, respectively), and actually was slightly slower at processing basic graphics than two newer handsets, the Motorola Droid Bionic and Samsung Galaxy S2. However, in single thread processing, the Flyer’s 1.5GHz processor smoked the competition by a wide margin.

In graphics processing the Flyer also has strong performance, though the 1024×600 display is unique, and it can’t accurately be measured when framerates on GPU-focused benchmarks rely heavily on similar display resolutions. However, when it came to more detailed graphics processing, the Flyer was far under 30 frames per second, the standard requirement for games.

Everyday performance has proven to be sufficient for a tablet and current Android device. However, it runs Android 2.3 and not the current standard for tablets (3.1 or higher). The upcoming Android 4.0 (codenamed Ice Cream Sandwich) is expected to release later this month, presumably for both smartphones and tablets, and because of the Scribe software, the Flyer likely won’t see such an update. However, performing every tasks and running apps that don’t require two cores (which are rare already) is a fast and smooth process. If you’re interested in an Android tablet that is quick, and don’t care about the rest, based solely on performance the Flyer is an excellent option.

However, if you plan on using the Flyer for heavy gaming or graphic-intense processes, every GPU-heavy benchmark I’ve run has ended with poor results or crashing the tablet entirely.

Poor Camera and Battery Life

Tablets are not viewed as devices which require a camera at all, but the Flyer is one exception. Because of the promise to take notes with the device, and the option of easily taking photos and dropping them into notes, camera quality should really be there. However, this 5MP shooter is very poor. Certainly good enough for the device, much like the Nintendo DS cameras are, but put them on a computer screen and colors are washed out and noisy, and overall picture quality is poor to awful. Take a look specifically at the fountain image, one of the standards I use for all camera tests.

Battery life on the Flyer is decent, about a week’s worth with moderate use. With no 3G option, even on Wi-Fi the Flyer only needs a charge about once a week, though under heavy use I did need to charge it every other day. That’s with 4-5 hours of continuous use.

Conclusion

The HTC Flyer is a tablet with a lot of promise, and it’s also the fastest CPU available (albeit with just one core). However, the pen software that was meant to revolutionize tablets has failed to do so, and unless you buy all your books through the special Kobu store and really like writing notes on those books, there is little reason to purchase the Flyer for writing alone. It has no practical applications outside of book notetaking.

However, if you’re looking for a tablet that is quick and capable of running general apps, the Flyer is a great option. The Android Marketplace still doesn’t stand up to Apple’s App Store, especially for tablet-specific apps, but I’ve found one demographic that HTC hasn’t marketed towards that would particularly enjoy the simplicity of the Flyer’s design: children. Kids between the age of 2-7 can easily enjoy many of the functions built directly into the Flyer, such as the drawing application, and even the included Kid Mode app, by Zoodles. This one simple web-based app offers games, its own drawing app, books (which can be created and voiced by parents), and even a rudimentary email service that supports video mail.

For that audience, the Flyer is capable of being even stronger than the iPad 2, which can be too big and clunky for a child to handle. Adults, however, may struggle to find adequate uses for the Flyer, but young parents may come to love it, especially with more and more kid-friendly apps coming out daily.

Pros:

• Small form factor and pen design is excellent for children
• The 1.5GHz processor is blazingly fast, even for a single-core CPU
• The pen ($50 add-on) functions well and is highly accurate

Cons:

• Software doesn’t solve any pen-tablet expected functions, and is not suitable for professionals
• Small size makes writing on the device more of a hassle than it’s worth
• There is nowhere to keep the stylus on the Flyer
• Prices vary greatly between retailers (from $300-$500)
• Pen is sold separately, also for varying prices

2.5 out of 5 stars

Fair

Bottom Line: The Flyer is a solid tablet, but professionals shouldn’t confuse it with a serious business tool. It’s a solid media device, and has the neat pen, but it isn’t going to help you work or run a business. Kids, however, will love it.

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.

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.

Wirefly is offering some big savings on this HTV EVO Design 4G for Sprint!

If you’ve been looking for a tech overload that goes with you wherever you go then check out this new discounted price applied to a brand new HTC EVO Design! This 4G phone comes with a large 4.0-Inch qHD display for perfect Web Browsing along with a super fast 1.2Ghz processor which combos well with its 4G connectivity. The Android 2.3 Operating System provides access to over 250,000 different apps along with fully featured Web Browsing that includes support for flash 10. It also comes with a built-in front-facing 1.3MP Camera and a Rear-Facing 5MP camera with HD recording. Bluetooth and GPS connectivity are all in check as well, along with 3G/4G mobile hotspot with up to 8 other devices at once for shared connectivity.

This $600 phone sells for $49.99 if you sign a new 2-year contract.  S&H is free

Still mulling over that smartphone purchase?  Well, not to confuse you all the more, but Sprint just dropped the HTV EVO Design 4G into the mix.  Design 4G what?  Okay, naming convention aside, this handset actually is looking pretty tasty considering the price.

At the center is a 4-inch qHD (960540) touchscreen, supported by HTC Sense UI, which is laid on top of Android 2.3.  The phone’s processing is powered by a 1.2Ghz Qualcomm MSM8655 CPU and while there is no mention of on board storage or RAM, we do know it sports two cameras (a 5-megapixel for capturing HD video and another for video chats), 4G connectivity, world phone support and mobile Hotspot functionality.  All this is wrapped inside of an aluminum unibody, though HTC hasn’t made mention of the slimness in the press release and rightfully so, since the DROID RAZR has set a new bar.

The HTC EVO Design 4G hits Sprint retails outlets (web and stores) on October 23rd for $99.99 after a 2-year contract and $50 mail-in-rebate.

Sprint Expands Award-Winning HTC EVO Family with HTC EVO Design 4G, First EVO with World Phone Capabilities

HTC EVO Design 4G debuts Oct. 23 for less than $100 – offering high-end 4G capabilities at an easily affordable price

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., & SEATTLE (BUSINESS WIRE), October 19, 2011 – Sprint (NYSE: S) continues the award-winning HTC EVO™ family legacy with the addition of HTC EVO Design 4G™, the first EVO family member touting World Phone capabilities. HTC EVO Design 4G boasts many of the “must-have” features of its predecessors, including Sprint 4G and a large touchscreen display, while sporting a slim, pocket-friendly aluminum unibody design at an easily affordable price.

HTC EVO Design 4G goes on sale Oct. 23 for just $99.99 (excluding taxes) with a new two-year service agreement or eligible upgrade and after a $50 mail-in rebate via reward card1. It will be available in all Sprint sales channels, including Sprint Stores, Web Sales (www.sprint.com) and Telesales (1-800-SPRINT1).

“Priced at under $100, HTC EVO Design 4G is the perfect device for consumers looking for both the benefits of 4G and the latest in device style,” said Fared Adib, Sprint vice president-Product Development. “When matched with one of the Sprint Everything Data plans, our customers will unlock the value of unlimited without worrying about the cost or surprises on their monthly bill.”

Designed for customers who want to stay connected and be entertained, HTC EVO Design 4G combines the acclaimed HTC Sense™ experience with a stylish and robust feature set to make the 4G experience more accessible than ever. Other key features include:

* Android™ 2.3, Gingerbread

* HTC Sense – Award-winning user experience taking social networking, navigation and customization to new levels

* Aluminum unibody design gives HTC EVO Design 4G a slim, streamlined profile –guaranteed to get attention and is nicely compact in your hand, pocket or bag

* 1.2GHz processor

* 4-inch qHD capacitive touchscreen display

* Dual cameras: 5MP rear-facing camera/camcorder with flash and HD video recording and 1.3MP front-facing camera for video chat

* World Phone capabilities to make and receive calls and texts, and to access email and news from locations around the globe

* 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot, supporting up to eight Wi-Fi enabled devices on the Sprint 3G or 4G network

* Wi-Fi® b/g/n capable

“With HTC and Sprint working together, the smash-hit HTC EVO 4G introduced the world to the possibilities of 4G,” said Martin Fichter, vice president, product management, HTC America. “With the introduction of the fifth addition to the EVO family – HTC EVO Design 4G – HTC is expanding its diverse portfolio of 4G smartphones on Sprint’s powerful 4G network.”

Sprint Expands Award-Winning HTC EVO Family with HTC EVO Design 4G, First EVO with World Phone Capabilities
HTC EVO Design 4G debuts Oct. 23 for less than $100 – offering high-end 4G capabilities at an easily affordable price
OVERLAND PARK, Kan., & SEATTLE (BUSINESS WIRE), October 19, 2011 – Sprint (NYSE: S) continues the award-winning HTC EVO™ family legacy with the addition of HTC EVO Design 4G™, the first EVO family member touting World Phone capabilities. HTC EVO Design 4G boasts many of the “must-have” features of its predecessors, including Sprint 4G and a large touchscreen display, while sporting a slim, pocket-friendly aluminum unibody design at an easily affordable price.
HTC EVO Design 4G goes on sale Oct. 23 for just $99.99 (excluding taxes) with a new two-year service agreement or eligible upgrade and after a $50 mail-in rebate via reward card1. It will be available in all Sprint sales channels, including Sprint Stores, Web Sales (www.sprint.com) and Telesales (1-800-SPRINT1).
“Priced at under $100, HTC EVO Design 4G is the perfect device for consumers looking for both the benefits of 4G and the latest in device style,” said Fared Adib, Sprint vice president-Product Development. “When matched with one of the Sprint Everything Data plans, our customers will unlock the value of unlimited without worrying about the cost or surprises on their monthly bill.”
Designed for customers who want to stay connected and be entertained, HTC EVO Design 4G combines the acclaimed HTC Sense™ experience with a stylish and robust feature set to make the 4G experience more accessible than ever. Other key features include:
* Android™ 2.3, Gingerbread* HTC Sense – Award-winning user experience taking social networking, navigation and customization to new levels* Aluminum unibody design gives HTC EVO Design 4G a slim, streamlined profile –guaranteed to get attention and is nicely compact in your hand, pocket or bag* 1.2GHz processor* 4-inch qHD capacitive touchscreen display* Dual cameras: 5MP rear-facing camera/camcorder with flash and HD video recording and 1.3MP front-facing camera for video chat* World Phone capabilities to make and receive calls and texts, and to access email and news from locations around the globe* 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot, supporting up to eight Wi-Fi enabled devices on the Sprint 3G or 4G network* Wi-Fi® b/g/n capable
“With HTC and Sprint working together, the smash-hit HTC EVO 4G introduced the world to the possibilities of 4G,” said Martin Fichter, vice president, product management, HTC America. “With the introduction of the fifth addition to the EVO family – HTC EVO Design 4G – HTC is expanding its diverse portfolio of 4G smartphones on Sprint’s powerful 4G network.”

Amazon Wireless is basically giving away this HTC ThunderBolt 4G Android Phone Verizon Wireless!

Now here’s the price you’ve been waiting for on this feature packed and super powerful Smartphone! Then HTC Thunderbolt holds true its name and provides you with lightning fast operation and that’s thanks to its 1Ghz Snapdragon Processor and Android Operating System. This phone comes with a large 4.3-Inch HD display which includes both a rear-facing 8MP Dual-Flash camera with 720p video recording and 1.3MP Front-facing camera which makes video chat simple and easy. The Full Web experience is all here thanks to its Webkit based browser which has Flash 10.1 installed on it and it gets even better with its stereo speaker enhanced with SRS WOW HD. You also get 8GBs of integrated memory along with a large pre-loaded 32GB MicroSD card!

A 2-year contract cuts the price of this phone to $0.01!  That’s the most amazing deal we’ve ever seen for this phone

Wirefly has a killer deal available on this HTC Sensation 4G for T-Mobile!

If you’re looking for the latest and greatest in smartphone technology then this is the deal for you! Now you can grab the brand new HTC Sensation which is powered by the latest version of Android and the 4G T-Mobile network for a new low price! This phone comes packed with a large 4.3-Inch Super qHD display along with being internally powered by a super fast 1.2Ghz Dual-Core Snapdragon processor. 4G connectivity means super fast Internet connectivity which also works on Wi-Fi. Mobile hotspot allows you to share that connectivity over 8 other devices as once. Also new is the Wi-Fi calling, which allows you to make and receive calls over Wi-Fi. To top it all off this phone has an 8-Megapixel Digital camera which is also capable of capturing 1080p High Definition video at 30 frames per second with stereo sound.

$89.99 with free shipipng.  The original retail price is $599.99 but sign a 2-year contract and you’ll enjoy this massive discount.

We’ve definitely had a wide range of products get sales hit in the past week. From video cameras to HDTVs at record breaking low prices and even smartphones and tablets. Here’s we’ve compiled a list of the best ones that are still around to take advantage of:

10. Panasonic HDC-TM41H Camcorder – $200

Beach Camera offered this sale on eBay and regardless of the nice price docking here it’s still around. This portable camcorder from Panasonic has everything you need for taking videos everywhere and of course comes in at 1080p. It has 16GBs of internal memory to take advantage of along with slots for SD cards which allow for much more. It even boasts an impressive 135 minute recording battery life to boot.

9. Yamaha RX-V471 5.1-Channel Receiver with Free Apple TV – $330

Now this is certainly an impressive one. Not only do we get a sweet discount deal on this powerful 5.1-Channel receiver system but it even comes with a free Apple TV (Which is a $98 value by itself!) This receiver has full support for the latest technologies like 3D and ARC while also presenting us with 4 HDMI inputs, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD encoders and an included iPod dock for pumping your music through your system.

8. Dell Ultrasharp U2412M 24-Inch Monitor – $320

Now this may seem like a high price from Dell, but this is no ordinary monitor. First off an $80 Coupon (XD5W7S1JRP52C8) bring this Dell LED Display down to this price. The monitor itself features IPS technology bringing out truly realistic and stunning visuals along with an incredible viewing angle which makes it easy to look at from anywhere in the room. And you also get a wonderful 16:10 resolution of 1920 by 1200 which gives you more than enough room for multitasking to be very easy, both vertically and horizontally.

7. Canon Powershot ELPH 100 HS 12MP Digital Cameras – $130

Crutchfield’s coupon savings still apply on this super portable Canon Digital Camera. Using code: 3A825 will save you $20 off an already low price mark. This camera can take large 12-Megapixel shots with ease and also contains a 4x Optical zoom while each and every image is graced by its DIGIC 4 image processor which brings out the best of quality. It also has a 3.0-Inch touch display and is capable of taking full 1080p High Definition videos.

6. Blackberry Playbook 7-Inch 16GB Tablet – $299

Yes you heard right, this powerful and brand new Blackberry Playbook tablet has had its price reduced even more, and even now you’re able to take advantage of it. This tablet comes with a colorful HD 7-Inch display and utilizes the BlackBerry OS which allows for some great multitasking and Internet browsing freedom. It’s powered by a 1Ghz Dual Core CPU and has 1GB of RAM, which sounds more like PC specs than a tablet. This one also comes with 16GBs of Internal memory which can be expanded with SD cards.

5. Apple MC526LL/A iPod Nano 16GB (Current Gen) – $150

The price hit has come down for these super sleek and powerful iPod Nanos. You can grab any color you like at this new low price from Amazon. The newest Nano features a size similar to a shuffle, but includes a multi-touch display for controlling your music cravings. 16GBs of internal storage come from this model for plenty of music listening on the go and when gesture based controls are combined with its display its never been easier to listen to exactly what you want to hear.

4. Apple Macbook Air MC968LL/A 11.6-Inch – $950

Believe it or not you can still catch this super low price for the popular and super thin Macbook Air. This model comes complete with a super compact 11.6-Inch screen and comes powered by a speedy Intel core i5 processor and 2GBs of RAM. It also contains a 64GB solid state drive which gives it even more speed and impressing performance and includes support for Bluetooth 4.0, integrated HD Facetime webcam and a brand new Thunderbolt port.

3. Curtis LCD4686A 46-Inch LCD TV – $445

And here it is, if you’ve wanted to get your hands on a large TV for any room now’s your chance to make some awesome savings! This large 46-Inch Curtis TV has a full 1080p High Definition resolution and a 5,000:1 contrast ratio for deep colors. It also includes a wide variety of inputs which make it home theater friendly and these include HDMI, VGA, HD Component and several analog composites to fit all of your needs with ease.

2. Vlingo Voice Assistant for iPhone – FREE

We’re sure you’ve heard the saying If it’s free its for me, and iTunes has surely delivered on that by offering the powerful and flexible Vlingo Voice app for just that. This app allows you to speak your commands to your iPhone, which it will follow to a T and make life much easier on the go. You can tell it to do things such as texting your friend Mike, or updating your Facebook status or even ask it to locate a place of interest for you and a map will display. Eitherway it’s definitely worth checking out as it will cost you nothing!

1. HTC Droid Incredible 2 for Verizon Wireless – $0.01

Speaking of free, why not check out this new and improved Droid Incredible 2 for a price that may as well be free. With a contract deal you can experience the latest smartphone technology packed into this little phone. With a large 4.0-Inch HD display it graces you with the latest Android has to offer as well as SRS WOW HD sound to complete the experience. It includes an 8MP cameras as well and plenty of connectivity from Bluetooth to GPS and WiFI so you’re never left behind.

You’d be surprised how often it happens. You’re checking your email or updating your Facebook page on your iPhone and nature calls. You walk in, lift the lid and kerplunk! The iPhone is sitting at the bottom of the toilet laughing at you. It’s almost as if there’s a micro black hole that can tug on anything electronic and pull it into the bowl. Don’t panic, you can save it. Just grab it and do the following:

1. Turn it off … IMMEDIATELY

First, turn it off. The longer your iPhone is on, the more likely the moisture that has seeped into it will short circuit and cause permanent damage. Turning it off stops any electrical activity humming around the circuitry.

2. Remove the battery, if you can (applies to non iPhones)

If you have a phone that has a removable battery, you’ll want to take it out now and completely dry it off. Use a blow dryer set on low just to be sure. This will ensure that your battery doesn’t corrode later over time.  If you don’t, well, there’s really not much you can do but move on to step 2.

3. Bury your phone in uncooked rice

Rice?  Yes, I know it sounds strange, but the next thing you’ll want to do is fill a quart or gallon size Ziploc with a cup or two of uncooked rice and bury your phone in it. If it takes more, then fine. But completely cover it and seal it.Over a few days, the  rice will act as a desiccant to draw out any excess moisture from within the phone.  If you are in the habit of keeping those silica packets that come in electronics and shoe boxes, those will work, as well.  But you’ll need a lot of them.

4.  Time will tell

Now is not the time to be impatient. That phone is going to have to sit in the rice for a few days to get completely moisture free. So if you have an old backup phone, and your smartphone is a GSM phone, then you may want to remove the SIM and use that backup for a few days. Yeah, you won’t have your apps or music player, but you can live without it for a few days, right? Your patience will be rewarded.

5. Blow dry the finishing touches

While the rice will draw out most of the moisture, there may be a little bit left and it may show on your LCD screen in the form of a black area when you turn it on. Don’t panic. Just turn the phone back off and either place it back in the rice or, use a blow dryer on low for about 15-20 minutes to drive off the rest of the moisture. I had this happen to my iPhone 3GS and there was a small black corner on the LCD. So I just blow dried it in the rice until the corner came back. It didn’t come back completely, but over time, it gradually did. But don’t think that if you can do it on low for 20 minutes, you can do it on high for 10, or save yourself two days in a rice bath. The higher the heat, the more likely you could damage the interior or cause any glue used to secure parts to melt and loosen them. Again, your patience will be rewarded.

6. Living with it

While your phone will come back, it may not be perfect right away.  And there may be some minor annoyances over the long term. First, understand that depending on your smartphone, your mileage (results) may vary.  What will work well for an iPhone may not be the complete solution for your Android or Blackberry phone.  But it’s a good place to start.  Also, understand that there is a small dot in every smartphone that changes color to reflect water exposure. So if you have any problems with the phone – that is the first thing the technician will check. If they see that there has been water damage, the warranty will be voided and you’ll be out of luck. Some corrosion may also occur over time in areas like the on/off button.

Conclusion

But in the end, it should be manageable.  I dropped my iPhone 3GS in water about 2 years ago. Dried it out and it’s been working ever since. So don’t panic! Just remember RICE and TIME.  Patience is your friend.