Price: $695
Website: www.samsung.com
Ratings: 5/5
Samsung
Galaxy S III
The most hyped handest since the iPhone 4S
has lived up to the hoopla, toppling not only Apple's ageing starlet but all of
its Android rivals too. The Galaxy S III offers the slickest Android Ice Cream
Sandwich experience we've seen, thanks to a 1.4Ghz quad-core Exynos processor,
which eats 1080p movies for breakfast and can even play them in a pop-up window
while you browse the web. Extras such as the microSD slot and larger battery
give it the edge over HTC's One X, and the 4.8in Super AMOLED screen is sharp
and vibrant. We can't wait to see how Apple responds.
Killer feature
A quad-core engine that never gets
flustered
Verdict
Packed to bursting with high-end features
and the world's slickest Android experience, bar none
2. HTC One X
Price: $665
Ratings: 5/5
HTC
One X
So fine is the line between the One X and
the S III that it all comes down to taste. If you're after build quality, a
pin-sharp screen with true color reproduction and bags of camera effects, get
the One X. Want battery life and storage? Try the S III.
3. Apple iPhone 4S
Price: from $817
Ratings: 5/5
Apple
iPhone 4S
Not only has the iPhone lost its number one
spot, rumors suggest that a processor shortage will force Apple to delay the
iPhone 5. We expect a late 2012 launch, so until we get a hold of a test unit,
the 4S remains on this list.
4. Nokia Lumia 800
Price: $460
Ratings: 5/5
Nokia
Lumia 800
The good news for Lumia fans: Nokia will
soon be releasing a Windows Phone 7.8 update for the range that will bring the
customizable homescreen seen in Windows Phone 8. The bad: none of them, even
the Lumia 900, will be upgradeable to Windows Phone 8 itself.
5. Sony Xperia S
Price: $560
Ratings: 5/5
Sony
Xperia S
The Xperia S is bursting with toys,
including a 12MP camera and NFC, and its 4.3in, 720p screen is one of the best
around. When we first tested it we were pretty blown away, but the newer HTC
One X and Samsung Galaxy S III have knocked it down a few places.
6. Samsung Galaxy S II
Price: $518
Ratings: 5/5
Samsung
Galaxy S II
Samsung's former star spent a long time
holding on to the Android crown, and with the launch of the Galaxy S3, it feels
outdated and not up to the mark. Still, it's superb value for money and a great
option if your wallet isn't bulging as much as you'd like.
7. Sony Xperia P
Price: $475
Ratings: 4/5
Sony
Xperia P
The Xperia P is well-built, decently
specced and, because of the size of the screen and the placement of the three
front-mounted buttons, the most ergonomic of the Xperias. But for those who
want the best, the Xperia S is just five grand more.
8. Huawei Ascend P1
Price: $496
Ratings: 4/5
Huawei
Ascend P1
A promising debut for Huawei in the
smartphone big league, the P1 is a solid performer in every department. The
dual-core processor keeps Ice Cream Sandwich ticking along nicely and the 8MP
camera is impressive, but it just lacks a sparkling standout feature.
9. HTC Radar
Price: $290
Ratings: 4/5
HTC
Radar
Fancy Windows Phone 7 but don't want the
Nokia Lumia 800? This uni-body bargain blower could be your match. It has a
rich, 800x480 screen, a speedy 1Ghz processor and a generous helping of HTC
apps and widgets to brighten your day.
10. BlackBerry
Bold 9900
Price: $597
Ratings: 4/5
BlackBerry
Bold 9900
Good news for the BB brigade - BlackBerry
has denied claims that it's planning to stop making consumer phones such as the
lovely Bold 9900 to concentrate on business blowers. Its flagship phone will be
followed by other BB7 OS handsets later.
Instant expert
Smart tag
Unless you're a seething Windows Phone 7
user gutted your phone won't be getting an update, you might be interested in
the new features of its successor, the Windows Phone 8, which was announced
last month. Microsoft tentatively revealed WP8 in June and now a leaked dev kit
has fleshed out its feature list. To compete with Google Now, the Bing app will
serve up theatre information, top videos and the latest headlines. The camera
app will be able to plug into other apps, opening up Instagram possibilities.
And back-up options have been improved, allowing you to store texts and media
in SkyDrive. Of course, the big news is still the OS' shared kernel with
Windows 8, which means developers can easily create apps for both. Looks like
WP8 is catching up.
A leaked Windows Phone 8 Dev Kit has
fleshed out its feature list.
What to look for
1. Operating system
Beyond Apple's OS, there are three main
ways to go: Windows Phone 7, Google Android and BlackBerry. BlackBerry is still
best for business, Android has great apps and the currently limited WP7 is
ideal for smartphone newbies. All sync with your PC (and most with Mac) to give
mobile email, calendar and contacts.
2. Connectivity
Bluetooth is handy. Wi-Fi powers internet
and email, HSDPA provides mobile broadband everywhere and A-GPS means sat-nav.
Look for compasses, too.
3. Screen
Standard resolution is up to 800x480 these
days, but few phones in this list would be seen dead with much less than
1280x720. Bigger might seem better for screen size, but the small-handed might
want to try before they buy.
4. Apps
As important as the phones are the
applications they can run. The iTunes App Store is streets ahead, Android
Market second.
