Samsung Galaxy Note II Full Review

You know the Samsung Galaxy Note was one of our top picks last year, right? Well, the Samsung Galaxy Note II, a 5.5" smartphone or phablet is even better. It has a bigger display, a much faster CPU than our US first gen Note, a better camera and more S Pen features. The Note II is available on all major US carriers, with a $299 price tag with contract ($369 on T-Mobile). The question is: though the Note II is certainly much improved, does it have what it takes to compete with other large Android smartphones that have stepped up their game since the original Note shipped?

Specs at a Glance

The Sprint, AT&T and Verizon versions have LTE 4G along with 3G, while the T-Mobile model has 3G HSPA+ (which T-Mo calls 4G and is decently fast). A very fast Samsung Exynos 1.6GHz quad core processor powers the phone with 2 gigs of RAM. Other goodies include NFC, dual band WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, a front 1.9MP camera and rear 8MP camera with BSI sensor and fast lens (same as the excellent Galaxy S III camera). The phone has 16 gigs of internal storage and there's a microSD card slot as well. And yes, the whopping 3100 mAh Lithium Ion Polymer battery is removable: go Samsung!

The Samsung Galaxy Note II and the Samsung Galaxy S III.

Design and Ergonomics

In this review, we look at the Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon versions, though all Note II variants have identical hardware (other than cellular radios and logos) and carrier-added apps. The Note II is available in white or titanium, and in either case it's finished in Samsung's beloved amazingly glossy plastics. The phone is a little bit taller and ever so slightly narrower than the first gen Note, so it's no more difficult to hold in one hand. That said, this is a very large phone, though not as ungainly as the 4:3 aspect ratio LG Intuition on Verizon. It makes the Samsung Galaxy S III look dainty and the iPhone 5 seems like a mini-phone.

This is a slippery phone, and regardless of color you get the same ultra-glossy plastic that wants to slip through your fingers or slide off uneven surfaces. It's a bit maddening, and adding a case to improve grip makes the phone even bigger and heavier. We love the phone, but we'll keep harping on Samsung's glossy finishes that scream plastic until they improve.

The iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note II and LG Intuition.

The phone has two capacitive buttons for Menu and Back, and a hardware button for Home (the Verizon version has a most unfortunate Verizon Logo plastered on the Home button). The micro USB port is on the bottom, and as per usual for Samsung the power button is on the upper right side while the volume rocker is on the left. The microSD card slot is under the back cover (no need to remove the battery to swap a card) and the micro SIM card is under there as well.

Samsung Galaxy S III Full Review

The Samsung Galaxy has turned into a yearly event. Why? Because Samsung's flagship Android smartphone is offered by nearly every major carrier and it sells by the millions. It has great features for the price and a decent selection of third party accessories. It's 2012 and the year of the Galaxy S III, a phone with top specs and Samsung's signature thin design and light weight. The 4.7 ounce phone runs Android OS 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich with Samsung TouchWiz software. In fact, there's a lot more than TouchWiz here: Samsung adds a host of new "S" apps like S Voice and S Beam as well as wireless sharing services for photos and presentations. There's almost too much software here to keep track of, but even if you use just a fraction, you'll probably find something new and useful.

In this review we look at the US model in the form of the Sprint and T-Mobile versions. Sprint, AT&T and T-Mobile launched this phone on June 21 for $199 with contract for the 16 gig model (Verizon's is coming very soon). The hardware is identical except for the cellular radio and the software is the same other than carrier-added apps. The Galaxy S III has a 4.8" HD Super AMOLED 720p display and it runs on a 1.5GHz dual core Snapdragon Krait CPU, which is one of the fastest mobile CPUs on the market. It has 2 gigs of RAM rather than the usual 1 gig. Some carriers will offer a 32 gig internal storage version at a higher price. Since the phone has a microSD card slot, you really don't need boatloads of internal storage. There's a front 1.9MP video chat camera and a very good rear 8MP camera with flash. The phone has dual band WiFi 802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.0 plus a GPS. So is the Samsung Galaxy S III worth all the hype? Read on to find out.

Design and Ergonomics

While HTC has taken chances and evolved their high end One phones with unibody polycarbonate casings and a new look, Samsung sticks with what works. The phone is made of plastic and it has the usual paper thin back cover. Both the Pebble Blue and Marble White models have a high gloss finish that looks attractive even if it doesn't look chic and expensive. The blue model has light blue sides that morph into a darker metallic, striated back. It looks cool but attracts fingerprints like mad. The white model is more organic looking (Samsung was going for curvy, humanistic design with the GS3) and it shows fingerprints much less. Despite the 4.8" display, the Galaxy S III is about the same size as a 4.5" smartphone and it's nearly identical in size to the HTC One X. It's by no means a behemoth like the Samsung Galaxy Note.

Like most Samsung smartphones, the power button is on the upper right side and the volume controls are on the opposite side (making it easy to hit both power and volume at once by accident). Despite that complaint, on a tall phone like the S III, it is easier to reach the power button when it's on the side rather than on the top like most other brands. The micro USB port is on the bottom and the headphone jack is up top. The microSD card slot is under the back cover and there's no need to pull the battery to swap cards. GSM models with a SIM card slot have a micro SIM card slot near the removable battery. The GS3 has a notification LED--a rarity on Samsung Android smartphones. If you turn the LED feature on, the light will blink until you've taken care of whatever it's notifying you about.

While the Samsung Galaxy S III falls far behind the HTC One X and One S in terms of materials and aesthetics, it is a solidly built phone that's decently attractive. And for those of you who love the hardware home button (the kind that moves and clicks) that Samsung offers on many overseas models, it's alive and well here. Two capacitive buttons flank it for Menu and Back, similar to Gingerbread phone models. Rather than a dedicated ICS multi-tasking button, you'll press and hold the home button to see a list of recently run applications. Double-tap the home button to launch S Voice (voice command).

HTC Titan II Full Review

The HTC Titan II is the manufacturer's latest flagship Windows Phone on AT&T, and while it may arguably have the best hardware among Windows Phones, it's overshadowed by the Nokia Lumia 900 that launched on the same day. For those of you who are willing to look beyond the Lumia 900, and don't mind spending a bit more up front, the Titan II might just have a perfect storm of features: an impressive 4.7" Super LCD display, LTE 4G and a 16 megapixel camera with backside illuminated sensor. That's right: 16MP in a US camera phone. And yes, it takes awesome photos.

Much of Windows Phone 7.5 specs are written in stone thanks to Microsoft's requirements. The phone runs on a 1.5GHz Snapdragon S2 single core CPU, it has 512 megs of RAM, 16 gigs of storage and an 800 x 480 capacitive display. The CPU type, RAM and resolution are MS requirements. Manufacturers can use the cameras, display size and storage allotment of their choosing. The Titan II has a front 1.3MP video chat camera that works with Tango and Skype Beta for video calls and it has the usual WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR and a GPS that works with Bing Maps and AT&T Navigator.

Design and Ergonomics: Unibody Elegance

The 6.2 ounce Titan II has HTC's popular and proven unibody design. It looks elegant, classy, understated and it has a little flair--a curved chin and curved glass. The phone's casing is mostly aluminum, with plastic over the antenna area. There are no creaks here, no ugly seams and the back has a rubbery soft touch feel though it looks like metal. The gray metallic color changes as you move the phone, and a small door at the bottom has a stippled texture to improve grip. That door covers the full size SIM card slot; there's no access to the 1730 mAh battery and like most Windows Phones, it has no microSD card slot.

Despite the huge 4.7" display, the Titan II is barely bigger than the 4.3" Nokia Lumia 900 and it weighs about the same. It's actually lighter than the original Titan. We're impressed with HTC's design skills: somehow they managed to make a 4.7" phone that's close to the size of the Lumia 900 and 4.5" Samsung Galaxy Skyrocket.

The headphone jack and power button are up top and the micro USB sync/charge port is on the left side. The volume controls and dedicated camera button are on the right. The controls work well, as do the capacitive front buttons. Despite its size, the phone feels good in my admittedly large hand, and I appreciate the curved and tapered sides that make it more palm-friendly. The grippy back is another plus.

Calling and Fast LTE 4G Data

Call quality wasn't tops with the first Titan, released at the end of 2011. We're happy to report that the Titan II has very good call quality for both incoming and outgoing voice, and reception that's comparable to the very good Lumia 900. Incoming voice volume is average while outgoing voice is very loud (speak softly!). The phone has LTE 4G on AT&T, and it falls back to AT&T's also zippy HSPA+ 21Mbps network that the carrier also calls 4G (technically it's part of the 3G standard, but carriers play loose and fast with that 4G label).

We're in an LTE coverage area and speeds are impressive and every bit as good as our LTE Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket and a tad faster than the Nokia. We averaged 19 Mbps down and 5.8Mbps up according to the "Bandwidth" test app available on the Windows Phone Marketplace. The smartphone has the mobile hotspot feature so you can use it as a wireless high speed access point for your laptop or tablet. This feature is included with AT&T's 5 gig, $50/month data plan.

HTC Titan Full Review

HTC knows about livin' large, after all they created the once mammoth and ground breaking HTC HD2 and HD7S. Now that big phones are the trend, they've once again made one of the largest screen phones on the market, the 4.7" HTC Titan running Windows Phone 7.5 Mango. Despite that operating system's max resolution of 800 x 480, it's still a good platform for huge screens given the high quality graphics and typography used in the Metro UI and Windows Phone's multimedia focus. Movies look simply awesome at 4.7", for example.

The Titan joins the Samsung Focus S and the Samsung Focus Flash on AT&T as their first wave of Mango smartphones. It has a 1.5GHz Snapdragon CPU, an excellent 8 megapixel rear camera and a front 1.3 megapixel video chat camera. Like the Focus S and Focus Flash, it has HSPA+ 4G 14.4 and the usual WiFi, Bluetooth and a GPS that works with Bing Maps and AT&T Navigator.

The Titan feels and is fast. It's currently the fastest Windows Phone with a 1.5GHz second generation Snapdragon CPU with Adreno 205 graphics. Windows Phone doesn't support dual core CPUs, but honestly it doesn't need one. The OS runs very fast, video playback is very smooth and XBOX Live 3D games run perfectly. The Titan has the standard 512 megs of RAM (again, a Microsoft standard spec) and 16 gigs of internal storage with no microSD card slot (they're an extreme rarity on Windows Phones).

Honestly, the Titan doesn't feel faster than the 1.4GHz Samsung Focus S, and you're not going to notice 100MHz in every day use. But it feels faster, particularly when gaming, than the 1GHz first gen HTC HD7S and the original Samsung Focus.

Design and Ergonomics

Let's get this out of the way: yes, it's a large phone. Among today's 4.3" to 4.5" smartphones, it's not all that much bigger or harder to handle. The Focus S is just a few millimeters smaller, and the LG Nitro HD is a hair taller but a little narrower. But if tight jeans and traveling light are your thing, this isn't your phone.

Build quality and materials are both impressive and aesthetically pleasing. I'd say that HTC's unibody design and metal back have really contributed to brisk early sales (most AT&T stores sold out quickly after the phone's launch). This feels and looks like a quality piece, and it's weighty at 5.64 ounces but not heavy. The back cover wraps around the sides of the phone, just like the HTC Sensation 4G and HTC Amaze 4G. Remove the cover and you've got the core of a naked phone with side switches and internal bits viewable. The antenna is embedded in the back cover, and you'll see copper contact points on the phone that make contact with the back cover when it's on. That means if you remove the back cover, you'll lose most cellular and WiFi signal, so make sure you've got it completely snapped on. We noticed that if you squeeze and cover the plastic lower section of the cover (hard to do unless you have large hands), the cellular signal drops a bar. This is the area where the antennas are located and apparently it suffers a mild case of death grip. So don't cover the entire plastic section of the back cover, OK? If that bugs you, don't get this phone.

The power button is conveniently located up top and it's a little less difficult to press compared to other recent HTC smartphones. The large volume rocker is on the upper right side and the 3.5mm stereo headphone jack is up top. The micro USB port for charging and syncing with the Zune desktop software in Windows and the Windows Phone 7 Connector for Mac OS X is on the left side and there are dual mics for noise cancelling at the phone's top and bottom.

HTC Radar 4G Full Review

The HTC Radar 4G is T-Mobile's first Windows Phone 7.5 Mango smartphone. This is a second generation Windows Phone with middle of the road specs and a price to match. It's $99 with contract and it has a 1GHz second gen Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU with 8 gigs of storage and HSPA+ 4G. The phone has a front video chat camera that works with Tango and a rear 5 megapixel camera with a fast f2.2 lens with an illuminated backlit sensor.

Though the Radar isn't expensive by smartphone standards, it gets HTC's high end unibody aluminum treatment, and the phone looks like a miniature HTC Flyer. The color scheme (white and silver) looks good and sets the Flyer apart from the hoard of uniform black rectangular slabs on the market. The drawback of the unibody design is that the 1520 mAh Lithium Ion battery isn't removable. You get access to the SIM card slot and nothing more when removing the small plastic endcap that also houses antennas.

Despite the not class leading 1GHz clock speed. The second gen Samsung Focus Flash, Focus S and HTC Titan get 1.4 to 1.5GHz Snapdragon CPUs. The real gotcha is the 8 gigs of internal storage with 6.5 gigs free. If you're a music fanatic ready to go to town with your fresh new Zune pass, or a Mac user looking to sync lots of iTunes music via Windows Phone 7 Connector, keep this in mind. With the exception of the last generation Samsung Focus, there's no microSD expansion card slot in Windows Phones (due to file system and media DRM management complexities). That means you can't expand the Radar 4G's storage.

HTC HD7S Full Review

AT&T is no stranger to Windows Phone 7 smartphones. Among US carriers, they offer the broadest selection with 3 models, the Samsung Focus, HTC Surround and LG Quantum. Make that 4 models on June 5 when the HTC HD7S joined the team. This is a tweaked an improved version of the HD7 that launched with T-Mobile and overseas carriers. While the HD7 had an old-fashioned basic LCD that looks washed out by today’s standards, the HD7S boasts a thoroughly modern Super LCD. It has better color saturation, wider viewing angles and looks as good as its Android cousin, the HTC EVO 4G. 

The camera is improved too, with quicker focus and snaps, our other complaint about the original model. Everything else we loved is still here: a super-sized 4.3”, 800 x 480 capacitive display, an elegant and extremely slim design, excellent materials with metal and soft touch finishes and a metal kickstand that turns the HD7S into a tabletop video player. I know many of you on AT&T really wanted the HD7; it’s one of the best sellers worldwide among Windows phones and it’s heartening to see it finally make its way to AT&T with a few tweaks and updates in tow.

The HD7S is a 3G HSDPA phone that runs Windows Phone 7 with the NoDo update that has copy and paste and an improved Marketplace search among other things. Like all Windows 7 phones, it will be eligible for the Mango OS update that brings 500 new features including multi-tasking this fall. The phone has WiFi 802.11n, Bluetooth and a GPS that works with Bing Maps and AT&T Navigator.

Windows Phone 7 may not be selling like hotcakes yet, but we still love the elegant and simple Metro UI. The phone is as friendly and easy to use as the iPhone, and in fact mimics some iOS features such as USB syncing of music using the Zune desktop app (or Windows Phone Connector that hooks you up with your iTunes library on a Mac), and a heavily vetted Marketplace. It also supports DRM and that means not just Zune videos but the ever-popular Netflix.

The hardware features we loved on the HD7 are here in the HD7S: an elegant and classy looking design with a metal kickstand, a simply capacious 4.3”, 800 x 480 capacitive touch screen and designer slimness. HTC has improved the buttons so they don’t wobble as on the HD7, and we like them, though they’re a bit hard to press because they stick out so little beyond the casing and require a firm touch.  The large volume rocker is easier to operate than the dedicated camera button and power button and the backlit capacitive buttons work well.  The HD7 and HD7S are our favorite Windows 7 Phones from a design and quality perspective. We also confess to love the large display for watching videos and reading web pages comfortably without much zooming; and the HD7/HD7S are the largest display Windows Phones on the market. That said, the Samsung Focus’ 4” Super AMOLED display has richer colors and deeper blacks—nothing beats Super AMOLED if you love extremely vibrant colors.

HTC Trophy Full Review

We like Windows Phone 7, even if it's off to a slow start. It's fun and easy to use, and surprisingly gifted at gaming thanks to XBOX titles and music and video thanks to Zune. This is Verizon's first Windows Phone 7 smartphone, and like all other Windows 7 phones, it sticks with the standard specs that including a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU, 16 gig of storage, an 800 x 480 capacitive multi-touch display, Bluetooth, a GPS that works with Bing Maps and 802.11b/g/n.

Like all Windows 7 phones, the HTC trophy is responsive and quick. It plays videos with ease, has good music quality and top notch 2D and 3D gaming with a great selection of titles. You can load your own music or try out the Zune service that offers a monthly $15 subscription plan that includes 10 DRM-free MP3 tracks you'll get to keep each month. The phone supports Neflix (that's another standard Windows Phone 7 feature), which is a big plus.

HTC Surround Full Review

You really can't go wrong with any of the 4 initial launch Windows Phone 7 smartphones in the US. Thanks to Microsoft's high minimum requirements and the quality of manufacturers on board, each smartphone is very fast and solidly built, features a 5 megapixel camera with HD video recording and has a high resolution 800 x 480 capacitive multi-touch display with accelerometer, ambient light sensor and proximity sensor. All have a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU, lots of storage, WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth and a GPS. In fact, since manufacturers stuck with Microsoft's basic specs, variation comes in form-factor tweaks and display improvements. The Samsung Focus on AT&T has a 4" Super AMOLED display and a super-slim design, the HTC HD7 on T-Mobile has a huge 4.3" display and chic design, the LG Quantum has a slide-out hardware keyboard (the only carrier-offered Windows 7 Phone with a hardware keyboard) and the Surround's claim to fame is its slide-out speaker bar with Dolby virtual surround and a kickstand that turns the phone into a baby boom box.

The enhanced audio features make sense since this is a Zune phone-- all Windows Phone 7 smartphones sync with the Zune desktop software and can partake of all Zune music and video offerings. That said, the speaker bar's slider mechanism makes the Surround as big and heavy as landscape QWERTY sliders, and while hardware keyboards have proven utility and consumer demand that offset detrimental added bulk, we're not so sure about speakers. Especially in a $199 with-contract smartphone that's priced more for adults than tweens and teens who are the likely candidates for out-loud music and video sharing with friends.

Happily, there's lots to like about the HTC Surround beyond its capable if not miraculous audio system. HTC has a strong fan base because they've made quality Windows Mobile and Android phones, and we know a lot of you will buy the HTC as your first Windows 7 phone even if you could care less about the speakers. In terms of build quality, the HTC is excellent: metals and plastics are solid and the slider is sturdy. The non-gloss back is a welcome escape from Samsung's fingerprint loving high end Android phones and the Focus: the HTC Surround looks professional and understated rather than glossy and plasticky. Unlike the HTC HD7 on T-Mobile, we wouldn't say the Surround is beautiful, and its design is utilitarian rather than sexy. Even the HD7 suffers a little since it's a recycled HTC HD2, but HTC's surface and materials tweaks have kept the design appealing.

 

HTC HD7 Full Review

Sometimes the world of mobile tech is wonderfully full of surprises. Take Microsoft and their smartphone OS that became a dirty word in a world captivated by the iPhone, Android and even a somewhat OS 6-revived BlackBerry. It's been many months since a Windows Mobile device was released, and no one (beyond us tech reviewers) seemed to notice or care. Windows Mobile devices disappeared from the parade of new releases because Microsoft has been hard at work on a completely new OS, Windows Phone 7, and it's finally here, at least on GSM carriers. CDMA users (Verizon and Sprint in the US) will have to wait until Q1 of 2011 for a Windows 7 Phone.

The screen looks more faded in photos than it does in person thanks to
screen glare that the camera picks up.

At launch, T-Mobile US offered up the HTC HD7, an HTC HD2 reborn with a new OS. Why can't you upgrade your otherwise capable HD2 to Windows Phone 7? Because Microsoft has strict minimum hardware and design specs, and these include a hardware camera button that the HD2 lacks. Storage is also handled differently with all but the Samsung Focus on AT&T omitting the user-accessible microSD card slot (more on that later). Your other November 2010 T-Mobile option is the Dell Venue Pro, a QWERTY portrait slider that Dell will sell direct (it likely won't be in T-Mobile stores).

Design and Display

The HD7 is a lovely piece of hardware with judicious use of metal and techno-modern design elements that give it a classy look and feel. The HD7 is the highest end looking Windows 7 phone at launch in terms of materials and design (the Samsung Focus is great looking but screams plastic). Like the HD2 and HTC Evo 4G Android smartphone on Sprint, it's a beast of a phone since it has a 4.3" capacitive display. If you're looking for a cuddly and pocketable smartphone, the HD7 shouldn't be your first choice. But if you want big screen movies that actually do fit in a roomy pocket, easier to read text and a bigger and badder phone than your buddies carry, the HTC HD7 is it.

The display is indeed large and movies and videos take on a whole new level of enjoyment when you add those extra tenths of an inch vs. 3.7" and 4" smartphones. But the story is bittersweet because the HD7's display looks, feels and is in fact the last generation TFT used on the HD2. It isn't just the fierce competition from Samsung's Super AMOLED display and Apple's Retina Display that makes the HD7 look a bit dull on the color front and faded. In comparison to the HTC's T-Mobile G2 display (a recently released Android smartphone on T-Mobile), the HTC Surround and the Dell Streak, which use current gen SLCDs, the HD7's blacks aren't as deep and the colors are faded, especially if you shift your viewing angle. Part of the problem is the excessive glare because this is one of the glossiest-screened phones on the planet-- it's truly a mirror. That said, when not viewed next to a phone with a superior display it looks OK and it's quite sharp. The HD7's display is leagues ahead of Motorola's recent QVGA Android displays and resistive displays on old Windows Mobile phones.

HTC Droid DNA Full Review

Look out Samsung Galaxy Note II, there's a new kid on the block, at least if you're a Verizon Wireless customer, and that's the HTC Droid DNA. Variously rumored as the HTC DLX and Butterfly J overseas, the HTC Droid DNA is one of our top smartphones for 2012. It has a slim and elegant design and it's relatively narrow, which makes holding this 5" Android smartphone easier than you might think. It trounces the Note II and every other smartphone on the market with its 1920 x 1080 Super LCD 3 display. That's 440ppi pixel density; significantly higher than the iPhone 5's Retina display and the lovely Nokia Lumia 920 332ppi display. Colors are more balanced and natural compared to Samsung's Super AMOLED HD display and letters and images look painted on the screen, much like the HTC One X and iPhone 5. Gorilla Glass protects the curved glass display.

Performance and Horsepower

But it doesn't stop there; this 5 ounce phone runs on a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU. The "Pro" is important, it indicates that this is the quad core variant of the S4 previously found on the speedy LG Optimus G and Nexus 4. The HTC DNA, running Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean with the HTC Sense UI absolutely flies. It feels noticeably faster than other high end Android phones, despite pushing all those extra pixels. It has 2 gigs of RAM and 16 gigs of storage. That's a sore point for us: we'd really like to see more than 16 gigs of storage since there's no microSD card slot. Of that 16 gigs, our phone had 11 gigs available after installing a few apps (none of which were particularly large).

The HTC DNA has no trouble playing 1080p MPEG4 high quality video or playing today's cutting edge 3D games. Since this isn't a Tegra CPU, you won't get the special effects like water reflections and splashes in TegraZone games, but we can live with that.

More Specs at a Glance

The phone has a 2020 mAh battery, dual band WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, a GPS and NFC that's not compatible with Google Wallet. As you'd expect from HTC, it has Beats audio that kicks in when you plug in headphones and there's a 2.5v audio preamp inside. The DNA has 3G EV-DO Rev. A and 4G LTE on Verizon and it's a world phone than can handle GSM/HSPA roaming abroad. The Droid DNA has a wide angle front 2.1MP camera and an excellent rear 8MP camera with BSI, fast f/2.0 lens and 28mm wide angle lens.

The Samsung Galaxy S III, HTC Droid DNA and Samsung Galaxy Note II.

Design and Ergonomics

The Droid DNA has a sealed unibody design with a soft touch charcoal black back. It’s a stunner and feels great in hand, though it doesn’t look quite as interesting as the polycarbonate unibody design of the One X. At 0.38” it’s extremely slim for a big phone and we love the metallic red stripes on the side along with the red rear camera lens ring and top power button. The DNA makes the shiny plastic Note II and Galaxy S III look a little cheap: HTC has always been good at premium materials. Where does the Note II pull ahead? For those of you who enjoy the Wacom digital pen, you won’t find that here. You also won’t get the Note II’s neato side-by-side app view or the ability to play video in a floating window on top of any app.

Unlike the HTC One X and One X+, the camera lens is flush so the phone doesn’t wobble when resting on its back on a desk or table. The perforated red metal side strips might look like incredibly thin speaker grilles, but the speaker is actually located on the back near the bottom where you’ll find it on most phones.

The red metal power button sits on the top edge, and while it looks very nice, it’s also hard to press because it’s nearly flush with the casing and has little travel. The same is true of the volume controls on the upper right side. The 3.5mm audio jack, micro SIM card slot (requires the included tool or a paperclip to open) and two mic holes live up top. The micro USB port and another mic hole live on the bottom edge.

HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE Full Review

Is bigger always better? Not for those of you who simply can't stand carrying today's gargantuan phones. The Droid Incredible 4G LTE is all about livin' small. Downsizing. Less is more. OK, this 4" Android smartphone isn't all that small compared to the now diminutive iPhone 4s. But you will notice that your pocket doesn't have as embarrassing a bulge, and you won't need hand stretching exercises to train for your next phone.

The third generation Droid Incredible by HTC may be smaller than the 4.8" Samsung Galaxy S III and other big boys on Verizon Wireless, but it has plenty of top notch features. A sharp Super LCD display running a qHD resolution, a 1.2GHz dual core Snapdragon S4 Krait CPU and a sharp 8 megapixel camera with BSI sensor and simultaneous 1080p plus still photo recording grace the feature list.

The Droid Incredible 4G LTE runs Android OS 4 Ice Cream Sandwich with HTC Sense software. Unlike the HTC One X, it has a removable back so you can access the 1700 mAh battery and there's a microSD card slot to expand on the 8 gigs of built in storage. There's no dedicated imaging chip here, but the phone is a capable shooter.

The Droid Incredible 4G LTE and the HTC One X.

The phone has that distinctive Droid Incredible look with a sculpted waterfall back and red accents (power button, lens ring). The red Beats logo fits right in, and like HTC's other recent Android phones, the Incredible 4G LTE has Beats Audio that enhances audio.

The Droid Incredible 4G LTE sells for $199 with contract, though Verizon's website has a web special for $150. The Incredible's biggest problem on Verizon? The Samsung Galaxy S III that sells for $199 and has every feature except a virtual kitchen sink.

HTC EVO 4G LTE Full Review

The first HTC EVO Android smartphone was huge for Sprint. No, we don't mean it was a really big phone (though it was), but it had the right mix of high end features to ride as Sprint's flagship phone for quite some time. Follow up EVO models haven't been as hot, but with the HTC EVO 4G LTE, we've once again got an iconic device for Sprint from HTC.

The EVO 4G LTE shares a lot of DNA with the HTC One X, but Sprint EVO-ized it with a two-way kickstand and an industrial modern design look that's less curvy than the One X. Inside you'll get the same excellent 1.5GHz dual core Snapdragon S4 CPU that smokes the competition for performance and battery life. There's a gig of RAM, 16 gigs of internal storage and a 2,000 mAh battery. The phone runs Android OS 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich with HTC Sense 4. The software experience is once again very close to the HTC One X, and you even get the same default wallpaper. Like other recent Sprint smartphones, it has NFC with Google Wallet.

Design and Ergonomics

Though the gloss black section on the back will no doubt be a point of contention, we think the EVO 4G LTE is one stupendous looking smartphone. Plastic phones abound, even at higher price points, and the LTE EVO is a breath of fresh metal. It looks like a quality piece and the cool feel of the metal sides and back are reassuring. Though large, this is a skinny phone that measures 0.35". HTC does a great job of making their 4.7" phones about the same height and width as some 4.3" and 4.5" phones, so we're not complaining about the size. But those of you who detest today's popular big phones might disagree.

The phone has 3 capacitive buttons that are masked in white for good contrast, and the controls are where you'd expect on an HTC smartphone. The power button is up top and the volume controls are on the right. The buttons don't rattle like some 2011 HTC phones. The micro USB port is on the left side as it is on the HTC One X, and it's located there to work with HTC's desktop cradle that holds the phone in landscape mode. Thanks to the two-way metal kickstand design, you can charge the phone when the kickstand is deployed (just flip it so the USB port is on top).

The back is metal except for the slide-off gloss black plastic panel that covers the microSD card slot. Why plastic? It allows for better reception. Why gloss? We assume Sprint liked the texture contrast and it does look good until it gets grimy (which happens quickly). The kickstand and its surrounding band are metallic red and look cool.

Phone and Data

This is Sprint's third LTE phone, and yes it will be released before Sprint actually has an LTE network. We know this is confusing for some buyers who think they're actually getting 4G LTE right now, but we understand Sprint's awfully difficult position: they're moving away from WiMAX and thus won't introduce new phones with that service anymore. We wouldn't want them to sell a dead end service, but offering hot new phones with 3G just won't cut it. So they're jumping the gun and offering future-ready LTE phones, even though their network won't start lighting up until summer 2012. Six cities will get LTE this summer, with the rest of the country to follow at an undisclosed rate.

What does that mean to you? The HTC EVO 4G LTE is functionally an EV-DO Rev. A 3G phone now, and at some time in the future, you should be able to use it on Sprint's LTE network. I know: that's a little weak. Sprint's 3G service in our area of the Dallas metroplex is the slowest of the big 4 carriers, and that's a double ouch. The EVO LTE managed faster 3G download speeds than the Galaxy Nexus, and was on par with the LG Viper. In our area we averaged 650kbps down and 550kbps up, which is terribly slow, but if you're a Sprint customer who usually gets better speeds in your area, you should see your "normal" 3G speeds which may be better than ours.

Voice quality on the EVO 4G LTE is quite good and it will get better when Sprint enables Qualcomm's new HD Voice codec on their network. We tested HD Voice at the CTIA trade show a few weeks back, and it was noticeably better than standard cell voice. HD Voice only works if the feature is enabled on the carrier's network and if both phones have the HD Voice feature. Until Sprint releases more phones with this feature, this means EVO LTE to EVO LTE only.

But as we noted, standard non-HD call quality on both ends is quite good on the EVO, though not quite as impressive as the HTC One X (the One X is one of the best voice phones to cross our ears in the past year). Call volume is average and the rear firing speakerphone is clear though not terribly loud. Typical of HTC, if you turn the phone over and rest it face down on a desk, it will automatically switch to speakerphone mode. It also has HTC's pocket feature where it will increase ring volume if the phone senses it's in a pocket or bag and it has their quiet ring on pickup that deceases volume if you move the phone.

HTC One X Full Review

There's a lot riding on the HTC One X. After taking almost a half year breather from making Android smartphones, the One X is the paragon of HTC's new philosophy: make fewer but much better phones. HTC's thing was high end phones with excellent fit, finish and materials, but they diluted that with a mass of low to high tier phones. The One X, priced at $199 with contract on AT&T and $549 without contract, is one of their best efforts yet. It's insanely gorgeous, fast, runs Android OS 4.0.3 ICS and it has a superb 720p display. Available in white or gray polycarbonate, it has a distinct curvy HTC look that will never be confused with the polycarbonate Nokia Lumia 900.

The HTC One X is one of the first phones with Qualcomm's fourth generation Snapdragon S4 CPU based on the new 28nm process. It's a dual core but it benchmarks as fast or faster than the quad core Tegra 3. Overseas, the One X has a Tegra 3, but the AT&T version has the Qualcomm CPU because Nvidia and Qualcomm aren't playing well together for LTE radio integration and AT&T wants LTE in all their high end smartphones. We're not sad: it's super fast and power frugal.

Design and Ergonomics

The HTC One X looks much like its smaller brother the HTC One S on T-Mobile. Both have very thin curved bodies (the X's curve is more pronounced) and a unibody design. While the 4.3" One S has a metal casing, the One X's casing is made from a single piece of polycarbonate, a very durable material that's also wireless radio-friendly. We have the white version and the back is matte while the sides have a low gloss, likely to resist grime. Our phone hasn't gotten dingy or dirty in a week of use, but schmutz can be cleaned off with a damp cloth. My gut feeling: avoid contact with things that stain, like blueberries, ball point pens and cranberry juice.

The HTC One X, Nokia Lumia 900 and Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket AT&T LTE smartphones.

The 4.7" One X is surprisingly not much bigger than the 4.3" One S. HTC works miracles with their 4.7 phones--the 4.7" HTC Titan and Titan II Windows phones are likewise not significantly larger than some 4.3" and 4.5" phones. That doesn't mean this isn't a large phone: it is. But if you're used to 4.3" or 4.5" smartphones, it won't feel much different. What helps? Like Samsung Android smartphones, it's incredibly thin at 0.36". Like the HTC One S, it does feel tall relative to its width, and that swipe bottom-to-top to unlock gesture is a long trip.

The phone has a gentle curve that looks chic and modern, and we suppose it improves face contact and comfort as with the Samsung Nexus S. The Gorilla Glass is curved as well, and it wraps around the sides just a bit. Yum. HTC definitely has a strong counter to Samsung's excellent but plasticky Android phones. Controls are logically placed and easy to operate with the power button up top, volume controls on the right side and the micro USB port on the left side (dock-friendly location). Though Android 4.0 doesn't require hardware buttons for Home, back and Multi-tasking, HTC includes capacitive front buttons and we find them convenient.

LG Optimus G (AT&T and Sprint) Full Review

The LG Optimus G; it's hard not to be smitten even if you're not an LG fan. This high end Android smartphone is the first to ship with Qualcomm's new Snapdragon S4 Pro quad core 1.5GHz CPU with Adreno 320 graphics. It's fast, yes it is. The S4 dual core matched NVidia's Tegra 3 CPU on benchmarks, so we're excited to see what two more cores can do. In fact, it scored 7235 on the Quadrant benchmark, which is a new record for a stock Android phone (5,000 is the norm for the fastest phones and tablets). In this review we look at both the AT&T (LG-E970) and Sprint (LG-LS970) versions of the Optimus G, which sells for $199 with contract. The AT&T version will be available on Nov. 2 while the Sprint version will be available on Nov. 11.

The AT&T LG Optimus G.

The LG Optimus G has a front 1.3MP camera, dual band WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, a GPS, NFC and a 2100 mAh Lithium Ion battery that's sealed inside. Both models have 2 gigs of RAM. Though LG's track record for Android OS updates hasn't been impressive, we have hope for the Optimus G since LG is rumored to release the next Nexus phone (with similar specs to the Optimus G), and that should put them on a faster track for OS updates.

The Sprint LG Optimus G.

Design and Ergonomics

The smartphone has a gloss patterned "Crystal Material Finish" glass back that loves fingerprints. LG strove to marry the best of the iconic LG Chocolate and Prada phones with the minimalist, square black design. It's thin and squared-off, and the Sprint version re-introduces some of those chrome accents AT&T suppresses with their clean design. Honestly, both look quite nice but not as strikingly chic as the HTC One X, Nokia Lumia 900 or iPhone 5.

Both the Sprint and AT&T versions are very similar, with the same Optimus UI enhancements on top of Android OS 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich (4.1 Jelly Bean will follow with no set date). How do they differ? The Sprint version has that slim chrome ring around the sides and no SIM card or microSD card slot. The Sprint version has 32 gigs of internal storage vs. 16 gigs on the AT&T model. Sprint sticks with the 13MP rear camera while AT&T moves down to a still very capable 8MP camera. AT&T adds a microSD card slot (yes!) and includes a 16 gig card. The Sprint and international versions have no SD card slot.

The Sprint version of the Optimus G is a hair taller and narrower. Honestly, they're extremely close in dimensions. Both phones feel fairly wide among today's big phones in the hand thanks to the slightly wider than normal display, though in terms of dimensions they're similar to other big phones. If you have small hands, neither will be comfortable. I have large hands, so the G is manageable though perhaps not optimal for one-handed use. While Samsung and HTC taper the corners and sides of their big phones to make them look and feel smaller, LG's unabashed rectilinear design does nothing to fool the mind or hand into thinking you've got a smaller phone. If the iPhone 5 and Motorola Droid RAZR M with their 4" displays are your idea of ergonomic perfection, the LG Optimus G will feel unwieldy.

Both the Sprint and AT&T versions have controls and ports in the same location. The power button is at the upper right edge and the volume controls are on the upper left, similar to Samsung Android phones. The AT&T version has a tri-color LED ring around the power button rather than the front face, which I prefer. The micro USB port is on the bottom on both models, and the 3.5mm stereo audio jack is up top. The camera module on the Sprint version protrudes a bit while the AT&T model's is flush with the casing. Both have a loudspeaker that fires from the lower right rear of the phone, where your hand might cover it.

LG Viper 4G LTE Full Review

The LG Viper 4G LTE is Sprint's first LTE smartphone, and the Galaxy Nexus and HTC EVO 4G LTE soon followed to round up the high end. The one thing missing for now is a Sprint LTE network, but Sprint says they'll light up their first 6 cities in mid-2012 and cover over 100 million folks by year's end. In the meantime, you've got good old 3G EV-DO Rev. A and WiFi for your data needs.

The LG Viper is the most affordable in the pack, and it sells for $99 with contract. In addition you get free Dropbox cloud storage and a Google Wallet credit in your account. As you'd guess, the Viper is a mid-tier phone, but it has a few nice perks like NFC with Google Wallet and a 700 nit brightness IPS display that looks very sharp and colorful. The 4", 800 x 480 display isn't very high resolution, but it's a good match for the screen size. The phone runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread-- sorry, no ICS here.

The LG runs on a 1.2GHz dual core Qualcomm S3 CPU with a gig of RAM and just a smidgen of internal storage (1.4 gigs). Sprint includes a 4 gig microSD card. The phone has WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0 and a GPS that works with Google Maps, Sprint Navigation and other solutions. It has a front VGA camera and a rear 5MP camera that's actually pretty decent and it can shoot 1080p video.

The phone is a silver plastic chunky monkey. LG can make an attractive phone, but this isn't one of them. It looks somewhat dated thanks to the silver plastics and thickness. The phone has a 1700 mAh battery and we managed a not very impressive 4.3 hours of talk time on 1x/3G (LTE is turned off by default and we left it that way for our battery tests).