Fly is proud to present a brand new line of devices with longer battery life - smartphone Fly IQ440 Energie, running platform Android 4.0, complete with a productive dual-core 1GHz, 3G, Wi-Fi, 5MP camera and WVGA IPS 4,0 "display. New products will be available in the shops in early October for a suggested price of 7290 rubles.
New Fly IQ440 Energie includes a battery of high capacity (2500 mAh), which will save its owner from having a daily recharge your mobile assistant that is especially true for smartphones running Android. Fly IQ440 Energie is able to work for much longer, even with active use. Maximum talk time is 7 hours, standby time - up to 500 hours.
With platform Android 4.0.4 ICS and MTK6577 Dual Core 1GHz new Fly IQ440 Energie will work effectively. 4-inch capacitive WVGA-IPS display with a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels has a high precision and realism, a great depth of color, good readability and wide viewing angles.
The smartphone supports two SIM cards on standby. The user can easily share work and personal contacts, as well as choose different carriers and operate tariffs in cases where it is really needed, thus saving money.
The amount of RAM Fly IQ440 Energie is 512MB, and the built-in flash memory 4GB is enough to store a large collection of multimedia content. MicroSDHC memory card support up to 32 GB will comfortably use Fly IQ440 Energie as a flash drive.
Fly IQ440 Energie adepterami equipped with wireless 3G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 3.0, receiver GPS + AGPS, two built-in cameras - front with a resolution of 0.3 megapixels and basic with 5MP (2560x1920 pixels)., with digital zoom, flash and video recording in HD ( 1280 x 720 pixels.).
Music Player Fly IQ440 Energie with FM-tuner works with all the most popular formats of music and the ability to create playlists, and the presence of the universal 3.5 mm jack lets you connect your own headphones. Thanks to high-capacity battery, the total time of the phone while listening to music increased substantially (up to 10 hours).
MIUI.us is the most beautiful ICS based rom i had ever seen. It has loads of features but less bugs. As O1 is an ARMv6 devices it requires new drivers from Qualcomm to get perfect ICS.
What's Working :
Boot
Touchscreen
MIUI Apps and Launcher
Sd-Card
Wifi
Sms and Call -2g/3g
Bluetooth
Accelerometer
Audio
headphone
Superuser root updated and works
Installing Apps
GPS
Virtual Keys
Led
Brightness
Sensors
Charger
* *Camera
* *USB Connection
Browser
Other's
What's not working :
HD video playback
Panaroma
You must root your phone to install this ROM. To know how to root your phone click here.
Samsung Galaxy Note II can be pre-ordered on Samsung's India e-store for an advance payment of Rs 5,000. The cost of the phone would be Rs.39,990 which gives a tough competition to iPhone 5 priced at Rs 48,000.
The New smartphone-tablet hybrid , Samsung Galaxy Note II features 1.6GHz quad-core processor with 2GB of RAM, 5.5-inch Super AMOLED HD display, a 3100mAh battery and 16GB internal storage expandable up to 64 GB via microSD card.
Samsung Galaxy Note II is the company's first smartphone with Android Jelly Bean.
Keep Updated with RK World for more News , Reviews, etc about the latest gadgets. Like us on FaceBook for updates.
With just two announcements at CES and two more at Mobile World Congress, Sony hasn't exactly buried us in new smartphones this year. But considering that the company enjoys big showcase events at tech trade shows, we also weren't surprised that it used IFA to introduce a few more.
Joining the Xperia Tablet S on the Berlin stage were the new Xperia T, V, and J Android handsets. Though the devices look largely alike, they run the gamut in power and features, with the T out in front, the V in the middle, and the J bringing up the rear. As such, it's the T that's the most exciting of the three and the one I'll talk about here. Oh, and by the way, Sony played a clip from the upcoming James Bond movie "Skyfall" when presenting the Xperia T. No, the phone won't open a safe or shoot a poison dart, but it will play a starring role in Daniel Craig's hand.
Design On the outside, the Xperia T breaks from recent devices like the Xperia P, Xperia U, and Xperia S (you have to wonder if Sony will eventually hit all the letters of the alphabet) by ditching the lighted band at the bottom of the handset. In fact, it's more akin to the Xperia Ion, but it's just a vague resemblance.
As simple as it is, the candy bar phone has a trim profile with clean lines and slightly rounded corners. It won't stand out in a crowd, but it's not unattractive. The 4.6-inch HD Reality display runs on Sony's Mobile Bravia Engine. I haven't held it in my hands personally, but CNET's team on the ground in Berlin reports that it's sharp and crystal-clear. And from the photos that CNET's Stephen Shankland shot, it certainly looks that way.
Otherwise, there's not much to say about the Xperia T's style, though I may feel differently once I get it in my hands. I'm just hopeful that a high-end phone like this will come in aluminum rather than plastic. It will be available in black, silver, and white versions.
Features Inside there's a bigger story to tell. The star attraction will no doubt be the 13-megapixel camera with 1080p HD video recording and a second 720p HD front-facing shooter. Sony says that the camera will be able to go from sleep to snap mode in just over a second. Other features include a media player, PlayStation certification, and the ability to connect to an Xperia TV Dock for viewing photos and videos on an HDMI-enabled television.
The promised near-field communication (NFC) features should also win some fans, provided that you have other NFC devices. Though mobile payments have developed as a popular NFC implementation, the Xperia T also will focus on wirelessly transferring media back and forth. As CNET UK's Rich Trenholm describes it, a pairing with NFC-enabled speakers could be one use. By pairing the handset with a set of Sony speakers you can play music on the speakers without a wired connection. Also read Rich's post for some awesome James Bond puns.
Deep inside there's a respectable 1.5GHz dual-core processor to keep things running. Sony says it will deliver "improved battery life, fast performance, and ultrasharp graphics," but we'll have to see how it fares for ourselves. The Android OS is 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich, though the company says it will be upgraded to Android version 4.1 Jelly Bean following launch. That's all we've got, so I trust that Sony will keep its users in mind when planning that schedule.
Outlook Sony's recent crop of handsets have been hit or miss. Brian Bennett liked the Xperia S, for example, but the Xperia Ion and Xperia P weren't quite as hot. Still, NFC and the high-powered camera (provided it takes good shots) warrant a closer look.
Fortunately, the device also offers more power and a more updated Android OS than its immediate predecessors, and there's that eye-popping display (pretty screens are a typical Sony trademark). So, yes, the device holds some promise, but there's no escaping the fact that it will face heavy Android competition from the likes of HTC, Motorola, and Samsung. So besides ensuring that the Xperia T will perform well, Sony also needs to get to enough carriers, including one in the United States, and give it a reasonable price (no more than $199 with service). Note that in some markets Xperia T will be known as Xperia TX.
The LG Optimus G has arrived, and comes complete with a whole new level of smartphone technology.
It's another evolution for the Korean brand, with the new handset the second quad core option the firm has released. However, it's the first to use Qualcomm's S4 Pro chip, which will bring an LTE-ready quad core handset to the masses for the first time.
When you pick up the Optimus G, you can tell it's a handset that's worthy of being dubbed a flagship by LG. There's a real weight to it (well, only 145g, but it's much heavier than the Samsung Galaxy S3) but that adds to the premium feel rather than feeling overly heavy. The design language is impressive, if a little bland. The plastic casing feels a little slippery in the hand, and while the white casing with silver inlets looks impressive, the front of the phone is still the faceless black slab we've come to expect from most handsets these days.
It's not LG's fault, as there's only so much you can do to innovate on the design front, but with the Optimus G its definitely decided that minimalism is best, with a silhouette that mimics the iPhone 4S. The layout of the buttons is familiar too, as it mirrors the Galaxy S3 almost perfectly in terms of button placement. LG has moved the power button to the top right-hand side, to make it easier to hit with the thumb, and the volume keys, headphone jack and microUSB port are all in the same place.
In fairness, there are only so many places you can put these elements, and placing the phones side by side you'd definitely not think much in the way of copying had gone on.
There is one big difference though: the 13MP camera sensor (which may only arrive on Korean models, according to hints dropped by LG) juts out slightly at the rear, which led us to worry it may get slightly scratched. There's an extra lip to help protect the lens though, so it may survive a fight with the desk every day.
There's no removable battery, no expandable memory through a MicroSD slot – although at least there's 32GB of internal storage to help out on the media front, which should be more than enough for most people.
To summarise: it's a well-designed phone with plenty to be proud of from an aesthetic standpoint. However, while it doesn't come under the same 'cheap-feeling' category as the Galaxy S3, it doesn't have the premium feel of the HTC One S or the iPhone 5 in our opinion. Add to that it's pretty anonymous when viewed straight on, and you have to wonder how LG plans to make this leap of the shelves when placed next to the competition. However, if you do pick up the phone from the melee, you'll be in for a nice surprise, as it's one of the fastest we've encountered so far. That's not surprising when you consider it's got one of Qualcomm's most advanced CPUs inside, which has been teamed with 2GB of RAM.
This meant that no matter what we threw at it, the LG Optimus G was able to open and flick between apps with aplomb. This is down to Cross Tasking, as LG calls it, which means each core is able to operate at different speeds to enable more efficient multi-tasking.
We know it's been said before with phones like this that speeds are mind-blowing, but it seems the LG Optimus G was able to beat all the benchmarks out there too, so there's more than a little hope that this is one of the world's quickest handsets.
LG has been hard at work refining its UX overlay as it, like so many, works to create differentiation in a saturated market. We'll state our case now: we're definitely not fans of LG's Android overlay, as it's still similar (especially in layout and font) to the less-than-successful earlier smartphones and the irritating S-Class handsets. But beyond the iconography and general feel of the system, with its overly colourful widgets and geometric design, there are so many little tweaks that make it a joy to use.
These same tweaks will probably annoy those that love simplicity, but then again, they're generally happy with a six year-old iOS platform.
Opening the lock screen is the early winner, with a little dew bubble revealing what lies below as you unlock. There are four icons along the bottom of the phone which allow you to activate quick apps too, which makes it handy when loading the camera.
From there, it's pretty standard Android 4.0, which is a good thing for those that are upgrading from another Google-powered phone.
There's no word on when we'll be seeing Android Jelly Bean for the Optimus G, although LG has hinted it may drop by the end of the year (read: some point in 2013). But there are several other neat touches on top that we really like, and will help differentiate the LG Optimus G if people actually give it a decent play in the shop.
For instance, being able to pinch outwards on the home screen to just look at your wallpaper will please those looking to show off their cat, and a new feature called Q-Slide really takes Samsung's Pop Up Play to the next level.
Q-Slide allows you to be watching a video or using the internet (as LG puts it: any app it can control) and place any other on top. This may sound slightly pointless as it's nigh-on impossible to concentrate on more than one task on a smartphone, but it stops the video getting in the way as it does on Samsung's option.
The other, more useful, trick is the ability to resize or personalise icons. This means that if you drag an icon around the home screen, if it has a widget attached it will grow larger to offer things like bookmarks or media. And if it doesn't have a larger option, you can place any picture you like as the app instead, making it a really personal experience.
The rest of the phone is mostly impressive, so we can almost whip through it. The browser is pretty much stock Android Ice Cream Sandwich, but is pretty fast over 4G – although not as quick as some out there, it's important to note this isn't final software and such things often get optimised for launch.
The keyboard is still pretty poor though – while the lag we saw on the Optimus 4X HD has disappeared, it's still pretty inaccurate at predicting what words were trying to tap out.
We often try to see how long we can last before installing something like Swiftkey in these scenarios, but it was only a couple of hours with the Optimus G.
The final thing we'll look at is the screen (well, it's the first thing you'll probably look at) as LG is touting both its clarity and power efficiency.
We saw tests that compared it to Samsung's Super AMOLED HD screen, which showed that it was able to use less power at higher brightness, as well as offering more natural colours thanks to a full matrix of RGB colouring.
In truth, it's a screen that looks great and is as sharp as a pin, but doesn't have the same 'wow' factor as the AMOLED, which offers better contrast ratio and brightness. There are many display snobs out there that don't believe Samsung's favourite screen type offers 'true' images, but in our eyes its still the more impressive.
That's not to say LG's is poor by any means – but we do prefer watching movies on the S3, and not just because we can pop them over on a microSD card.
Early verdict
Is the LG Optimus G the phone of the year? It's too early to say, for a number of reasons: the first being that we won't see it in the US until later in 2012 and may never see it on European shores at all.
Then there's the issue of price, or lack of one. While LG usually undercuts its competitors, it will need to do so pretty strongly here to make sure it stands out of the throng of top-end smartphones available today.
It's a well-designed handset with plenty of interesting features we can't wait to get our teeth into, as well as more grunt than most other phones out there. We're not sure it will be the phone to propel LG back to the front (there needs to be a phone that takes the user by surprise with a new UI or fantastic design to achieve that) but it's one of the best the Lucky Group have come up with in a long while.
At one of the sites dedicated to the design and the new concepts, the designer Abel Verdezotto presented September 14 original concept for the new smartphone Sony Xperia X.The idea aroused attention and controversy, so we decided to share it with you and get your opinion.So, meet: high-end phones, the design of which was inspired by the tablet Sony Xperia S.
The design of the tablet itself is constantly repeated in detail in the latest tablets and smartphones.This time, the author tried to use it to the maximum.Rounded at the top and on the sides of the inside, the smartphone should go well in the hand.He has a stand that holds the device equally well in vertical or horizontal position, so you can comfortably watch videos - well, what else do the phone on the desk.
Features include new items 4.6-inch screen, connector mini-HDMI, a slot for SIM-card, back and front camera.Xperia logo placed front not only for beauty.He repeats in the normal state the color of the device (color, by the way, the five - and they are all pretty gentle and pleasant, at least in the photo) and works as a signal of the Notification, using different colors for different applications.
Swedish company Handheld Group announced smarfton Nautiz X1, which is presented as "the strongest smartphone in the world."The reason for such a statement is that Nautiz X1 protected by the military standard MIL-STD-810G and is not afraid of falling, vibration, humidity and temperature changes.In addition, he certified to IP67 - his terrible dust and immersion in water to a depth of one meter for 30 minutes.
Handheld Nautiz X1 can run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich or Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5, equipped with a 4-inch display with WVGA resolution, Wi-Fi adapter and Bluetooth, GPS-receiver, a dual-core processor clocked at 1GHz, 5MP camera, 512MB of RAM and 2GB of internal memory.The smartphone works in GSM or CDMA, and is equipped with various optional battery, so you can work all day, depending on environmental conditions.
Dimensions of the device are 125 x 65 x 15 mm and weighs 180 grams.Smartphone will cost € 699 ($ 899) - It can be ordered now, but it will be available only after January 2013.
HTC on Wednesday unveiled two smartphone models running Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 operating system and said the devices would be available in November through more than 150 service providers in over 50 countries globally.
The two brightly coloured phones - the Windows Phone 8X and the Windows Phone 8S - will pit HTC directly against key Microsoft partner Nokia, which earlier this month also launched two colorful Windows phone models and also Samsung which recently unveiled the Aitv S, the first Windows Phone 8 smartphone.
Like Nokia, HTC is under a lot of pressure to generate strong sales from its next round of smartphones as it has lost significant ground to Samsung Electronics and Apple. With Apple boasting 2 million pre-orders of its latest iPhone before it hits store shelves on September 21, Reticle Research analyst Ross Rubin said, it's going to be challenging for HTC to catch up.
However, HTC, which has generated most of its sales from phones based on Google's Android software in recent years, will be able to count on marketing help from Microsoft.
The new devices will be marketed as the "signature" Windows Phone 8 smartphones, Jason Mackenzie, HTC's global head of sales, told attendees on Wednesday at the company's New York launch event, where Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer also came on stage.
"Consumers are going to love these phones, and we're committed to reaching them in a manner that's clear and direct," Ballmer said.
The HTC Windows Phone 8X includes a 2.1mp, f/2.0 aperture, 88° wide angle front-facing camera, that also supports 1080p video capture. The 8X comes with an 8 megapixel rear camera and the 8S has a 5 megapixel sensor.
The HTC 8X has a 4.3-inch HD-resolution super LCD 2 and the HTC 8S' super LCD screen measures 4-inches. The 8X and 8S screens have Gorilla Glass protection. Weighing 130 grams, the HTC 8X is powered by a dual-core 1.5 GHz Qualcomm processor. The phone has 1GB RAM and comes with 16GB of storage and an 1800 mAh battery. The comparatively lower speced and lighter at 113 grams, the HTC 8S is powered by a dual-core 1 GHz Qualcomm processor. The 8S has 512 MB RAM and has 16GB of internal storage and a 1700 mAh battery.
The Windows Phone 8X will come in California Blue, Graphite Black, Flame Red and Limelight Yellow colour options. The Windows Phone 8S by HTC will be available in Domino, Fiesta Red, Atlantic Blue and High-Rise Gray.
The success of HTC and Nokia Windows Phone 8 devices this holiday shopping season will be crucial to Microsoft, which has been left far behind by Apple and Google in the smartphone software market in the last several years.
Gartner analyst Michael Gartenberg said HTC and Nokia were smart to distinguish the appearance of their devices from iPhone with bright colors as it could make them stand out to customers who want an iPhone alternative.
"The best thing about these device ranges is that neither looks like an iPhone," said Gartenberg, who added that competition between Nokia and HTC will also help to generate some publicity around Windows Phone 8 software.
Carrier support Taiwan's HTC was able to share more signs of success at its device launch event in New York than did Nokia at its phone launch here earlier this month.
While Nokia did not name any customers for its latest Lumia phones, HTC said that together its two new phones would go on sale at 150 operators in 50 countries around the world.
Until now, HTC has been betting on its One series of phones, but so far this year sales of those phones have failed to keep pace with the Apple's iPhone and Samsung's Galaxy range.
Up to the second half of 2011, when it suffered a sharp decline in its fortunes, HTC, a former contract smartphone maker, had build a strong brand around the world with phones based on Android software.
HTC saw its profit more than halve in the second quarter from a year ago. It also warned of a revenue decline of as much as 23 per cent in the third quarter from the previous three months due to macro softness and competition.
The smartphone maker is set to announce third-quarter results on October 5.
Samsung’s Champ Neo DUOS is a new compact and cute mobile that brings touch convenience to your mobile life at the same time. Dual SIM introduces amazing convenience and flexibility by turning you single phone into two - ideal for separating work and personal calls or for greater coverage while traveling. Housed in a compact and neat design with a full touch screen and enhanced connectivity, this mobile is always on to receive calls, access social networking sites, download apps, play music and much more!
6cm Full Touch Screen
The ergonomic design of Samsung Champ Neo DUOS includes subtly rounded edges for a form that looks great and feels comfortable in the palm. The full touch screen is intuitive to use and enables users to get full and enhanced use out of features such as apps, social networking and more. The attached stylus pen makes navigation and text input easier and more accurate.
Dual SIM – Hot Swap
Dual SIM enables Samsung Champ Neo DUOS to have the convenient functionality of two mobiles without the hassles. The flexibility of using two SIM cards with a single mobile allows You to separate work and personal calls and have larger coverage when traveling. The Hot Swap function means that switching the 2nd SIM card (or even the 3rd or 4th one!) is so easy to do; you don’t even need to reboot the mobile!
Social Networking Apps
Users will never be off the social grid. Native apps for Facebook and Twitter deliver a seamless experience to the mobile, while instant messaging through MSN, Google Talk and Yahoo are all available. Email is kept up-to-date with ActiveSync, and is pushed to your phone as soon as it arrives users don’t have to keep checking their email. ChatON introduces a phone number-based instant messaging system that also enables group chat, personalised messages, and contents sharing.
Connectivity Experience
You will enjoy enhanced connectivity with Samsung Champ Neo DUOS from Bluetooth 3.0 wireless connectivity to USB 2.0 data transfers. Whether using a wireless headset for hands-free calls or connecting to mobile printers or PCs, Samsung Champ Neo DUOS connect your mobile for greater usability. The music player plays your favourite tunes whenever the mood strikes; the 3.5mm ear jack accommodates your favourite headphones. Listen away to as many songs as you like, they’re all easily accessible via microSD.
Let’s be honest, iPhone 5 is evolutionary, not revolutionary. It’s a clear improvement over the previous model but isn’t a huge leap forward, and in some places it’s just playing catch-up with rival devices.
While my colleague Mihaita Bamburic points out the downsides of the new handset, I’d highlight areas where it shines.
1. Speedier. The new Apple A6 chip is twice as fast as the old iPhone 4S's processor, both in terms of CPU and graphics performance. According to Apple, it will launch apps in around half the time. It’s rumored (and we’ll have to wait to see if it’s true) that the chip runs ARM Cortex A15 cores, beating Samsung to the punch.
2. Larger screen. Yes, fair enough, the new iPhone’s 4-inch screen isn’t as big as the Samsung Galaxy S III (4.8 inches) or the Nokia Lumia 920 (4.5 inches), but still is larger than its predecessor, and in a device that’s 18-percent thinner and 20-percent lighter than, too. In the hands of another company, the resized screen probably wouldn’t be much of a selling point, but Apple’s retooled all its apps, including iPhoto and Garage Band, to really make the most of that additional real estate, and as the old saying goes, it’s not the size but what you do with it that counts.
3. LTE/4G. The phone’s LTE connectivity is hugely welcome and lets you make the most of much faster speeds, provided your carrier offers it. A giant step forward for the iPhone. Yes, Samsung, which owns a large collection of LTE patents, may challenge the new phone, but it’s unlikely to succeed to get the device banned.
4. Better camera. The new iPhone is much thinner, but the camera is just as good, still offering 8 megapixels and 3268 x 2448 resolution. But it also has some great new features, including a dynamic low-light mode that can deliver up to two f-stops greater performance, combined with a new Image Signal Processor with spatial noise reduction. The camera’s sapphire crystal lens cover produces clearer images and won’t scratch easily. You can instantly share images on social sites using PhotoStream, plus the camera can now take panoramic shots (just like, ahem, the Galaxy Nexus), making it useful for creating cool Facebook cover photos.
5. Additional microphone. iPhone 5 has three microphones -- one built into the bottom, one at the front/top, and one at the back of the device. This helps to ensure good quality audio regardless of whether you're chatting on Facetime, using Siri or recording a video. It will also help with noise cancellation. I’m not going to pretend iPhone 5 is streets ahead of the competition, but the new improvements do put it back in the race, and for me at least, it’s a solid upgrade that will appeal to many. Plus that aluminum and glass design is really nice…
For those of us who own an HTC EVO 3D, we tend to be hit, from time to time, with questions about our investments. Questions like, “why did Sprint take over a year to release something that was ready to go way before?” or “Will we be getting JB like the other devices that are getting it?” However, a question that more often than not plagues my mind as an owner of this device is, “Where else can I use the 3D display?” Being able to watch a few movies and play certain games in 3D is cool, but there should certainly be other things that can be done to take advantage of the panel technology—like a 3D interface, 3D wallpaper, and so on.
If you are thinking about these possible uses and more, here is a nice little app that will allow you to use 3D at all times during normal operation. Essentially, the app changes a value in the 3D panel controller, which turns it on and leaves it in that state. Due to rotation obviously being an issue with this (remember how the camera always complains whenever you try to take pictures while holding the phone vertically?), the app allows you to turn the 3D feature on either for landscape or portrait mode. The only one thing that can be somewhat cumbersome is that this app will render your light sensor useless and will boost and lock your brightness at 100%. This effect will go away as soon as you turn off the 3D functionality through the app. So, if the idea of having actual 3D wallpaper makes you salivate, make sure that you try out this simple yet fulfilling app and leave some feedback for the dev.
This app just echo’s a number in 3D_mode to enable complete device 3D. Either Landscape or Portrait.
Preorders for the iPhone 5 are underway, and show that despite some disappointment with the device's features (or lack thereof), it's going to be popular. But not everyone likes Apple, iOS, or the iPhone. The good news is the competitive smartphone market offers plenty of alternatives to Apple's latest and greatest. If you need a new device, consider these top choices from the top five carriers in the U.S.: AT&T, MetroPCS, Sprint, T-Mobile USA, and Verizon Wireless. These devices are available today.
1. AT&T. AT&T is sort of home base for the iPhone because it had an exclusive deal to sell the device until February 2011. But AT&T sells gobs of other smartphones. The HTC One X, though a few months old, is still my top choice of smart devices from AT&T. In fact, it is my daily driver. Everything about the One X is fantastic, from the look and feel, to the performance and features. It has a large HD display, excellent 8-megapixel camera, and, of course, LTE 4G. It's also a steal at $99.
2. MetroPCS. MetroPCS is the country's fifth largest wireless network operator and offers prepaid service. That means you might pay a little bit more for the phone up front, but you'll more than make up for it with cheaper service.
The LG Motion 4G is an excellent choice. It runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and comes in a compact little shell. It has a 3.5-inch screen, a 5-megapixel camera with 1080p HD video capture, a dual-core 1.2-GHz processor, and, of course, LTE 4G. The best part? It costs only $149 and doesn't require a contract.
3. Sprint. Sprint, number three in the market, is fighting its two larger rivals with everything it's got. The result? Its plans offer a lot of value--such as unlimited data--and a clean conscience, thanks to its environmentally friendly efforts. Its LTE 4G network is just getting underway, but it already has a few solid choices.
The Motorola Photon Q, for example, is a great alternative to the iPhone 5 for Sprint customers. It runs the latest version of Android, offers a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, a dual-core processor, and an 8-megapixel camera. The screen looks great, and performance of this device is top-notch. It costs $199 with a new contract.
4. T-Mobile USA. T-Mobile is the fourth-largest network operator in the U.S. and doesn't yet offer LTE 4G. It will next year. In the meantime, it has a ripping fast HSPA+ network.
The Samsung Galaxy S III performs very well on T-Mobile's HSPA+ network. The GS3 is one of the best Android 4.0 smartphones available and offers plenty of advanced features. It has a luscious 4.8-inch display, powerful 8-megapixel camera, capable dual-core processor, and plenty of software goodies. It's a bargain at $199.
5. Verizon Wireless. Verizon is the largest operator in the U.S. at the moment and offers a broad array of smartphones. Its LTE 4G network is the most pervasive and very fast.
The brand-new Motorola Droid Razr M is an impressive addition to Verizon's lineup. Motorola took everything that was attractive about last year's Razr and made it smaller. The Razr M might be billed as a mid-range device, but don't let its $99 price fool you. It's the best phone Motorola has delivered this year. It has a 4.3-inch screen, 8-megapixel camera, Android 4.0, and a raging dual-core processor.
Down the road, there will be other phones to consider, but we don't know when they will be available. The Nokia Lumia 920, for instance, looks like it will be a good smartphone alternative to the iPhone 5, but it probably won't be available until November. Same goes for the Samsung Galaxy Note 2. This follow-up phablet is like a GS3 on steroids, and the 5.5-inch screen offers an amazing canvas on which to scribble notes with the S Pen stylus. Late October is the earliest the Note 2 will reach the U.S. No carriers have announced support for these devices yet, so it is unclear where they will be sold.
