Smartphone holiday gift guide

It's that time of year. All of the new devices are hitting shelves in hopes of making it under a Christmas tree and into your hands. From the iPhone to the Razr M, check out our favorite phones this holiday season.

The last three months of the year are always packed with new smartphone releases. It’s when manufacturers roll out the biggest and best devices they’ve got (and we put the emphasis squarely on “biggest” this year) and people like you and I groan that our wireless contracts ended in the summer. For the last couple years, we’ve been able to point to a couple devices that are “must haves” and stand above the crowd, but this year is different. For the first time, nearly every major phone manufacturer – Apple, HTC, LG, Motorola, and Samsung – have a flagship phone worth talking about, and every major operating system – Android, iOS, and Windows Phone – is accounted for. In fact, there are a number of great devices we haven’t included here. Unless you’re hoping to get a free phone, it’s almost hard to go wrong this holiday season. 

And so, without further adieu, here is our smartphone gift guide for the 2012 holidays.

Samsung Galaxy S3, $200 w/2-yr contract AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, U.S. Cellular, Ting For five years, the iPhone has been the undisputed champion of the smartphone game. Phones like the Motorola Droid and HTC EVO have come and gone, but with the Galaxy S3, Samsung took its game to a new level. The S3 is the first phone to rival the iPhone in sales and buzz. After nearly half a year on the market, the S3 is still one of the top phones to have. We still wouldn’t say that the design and user interface of the Galaxy S3 are able to match the fluidity of the iPhone 5, but Samsung’s phone has many technical advantages over the new iPhone 5, including near-field communication sharing, a larger screen, expandable memory, better maps (Google Maps), a removable (replaceable) battery, and Android itself, which boasts some technical prowess over Apple’s OS in the area of communication and notifications. Whether you’re a die-hard iPhone user, a renewer, or someone new to smartphones, we recommend you check out Samsung’s smartphone this holiday season.

Apple iPhone 5, $200 w/2-yr contract AT&T, Sprint, Verizon It’s the new iPhone. What more is there to say? Actually, a lot. With the iPhone 5, Apple has taken its hardware design to a new level, outputting one of the thinnest, most durable smartphones on the market. It will take a ding, but in a number of drop tests against the Galaxy S3 and other rivals, the iPhone survived longer. The phone also sports a slightly longer 4-inch screen and an upgraded version of iOS (6.0.2). The overall design of iOS is beginning to look aged, but for smartphone users who just want things to work and don’t want to worry about managing things like background processes, the iPhone is still the champ. This is the smartphone both you and your parents might use. With a heap of competent rivals hitting the market, the iPhone is losing its place as the supreme leader of all smartphones, but that doesn’t mean much. The iPhone is still arguably the best smartphone choice for the widest variety of users. If you’re debating between this and the GS3, check out our in-depth iPhone 5 vs. Galaxy S3 comparison.

HTC Windows Phone 8X, $200 w/2-yr contract AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon The Galaxy S3 was the first non-iPhone smartphone to go multi-carrier, but it wasn’t the last. With the 8X, HTC has delivered the first flagship Windows Phone 8 device. If you are up for renewal and happen to use AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon (sorry Sprint subscribers), you should check out the 8X. We’ve been recommending you try out Windows Phone for years, but this time, we mean it. Microsoft’s mobile OS has a different look and feel to it than Android or iPhone, and with an upgraded homescreen that allows Live Tiles (widgets/icons) of different sizes and shapes, Windows Phone 8 is finally displaying the flexibility it promised when it debuted two years ago. There are a few big apps still missing from Microsoft’s app store, but most people should have few problems adapting to the world of Windows Phone, especially if you like music and podcasts. Windows Phone has decent built-in solutions for both.

LG Optimus G / Nexus 4, $200 w/2-yr contract AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile (Nexus 4), Unlocked (Nexus 4) LG was (and still is) one of the biggest names in basic phones (flip phones), but the transition to smartphones has been rough. However, with the Optimus G, LG has finally taken a strong step toward regaining its image, and maybe some market share. The G is one of the best smartphones on the market. And though LG wasn’t able to blanket the market with the G, it has done everything in it could to make the phone available, in some form, to almost everyone. Sprint owners can enjoy the Optimus G that we love most, with its refined design and detailed edging; AT&T users get the same basic phone, though made to blend in with the carrier’s phone lineup; and anyone on T-Mobile can purchase the Google Nexus 4, which may not bear the LG name, but is most definitely an Optimus G on the inside. The only downside of the Nexus 4 is its lack of 4G LTE connectivity, though that shouldn’t bother T-Mobile users. We recommend you buy the Nexus 4 through the Google Play Store. There, you can pick it up for $300 with no contract. To give you an idea of how good a deal that is, most smartphones retail for $600 – $700 unless you lock yourself into a two-year contract with a carrier.

Motorola Photon Q, $200 w/2-yr contract Sprint Fans of physical keyboards, we feel your pain. Even fewer top phones come with a QWERTY slide-out keyboard than a year ago, and a year from now, we can’t guarantee there will be any at all. But for now, you can cling tight to the Photon Q. Sadly, the Q is only available on Sprint, but if you love keyboards, it’s worth the jump. The Q runs a relatively clean version of Android 4.0, is incredibly comfortable to hold, and has the same 5-row QWERTY keyboard that made the Droid 4 one of our favorite Verizon phones last year. The only downside to the Q is its battery life. If you happen to be in an area served by Sprint 4G LTE, that’s another good reason to consider the Q. Did we mention that each key on the phone is individually backlit? Yep.

Samsung Galaxy Note 2, $300+ w/2-yr contract AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, U.S. Cellular I stand by my review of the first Galaxy Note. To me, the Galaxy Note and Note 2 are just too large to make for effective phones. But the people have spoken, and big is in. Due to strong sales of the original, the Galaxy Note 2 is available on almost every major carrier, but it will cost you at least $300 with a two-year contract, making the Note 2 one of the most expensive devices on the market this year. If you really want a 5.3-inch super screen, crave a pop-out stylus, and really want to block half of your face when you make a phone call, the Galaxy Note 2 is the device for you. Outside of its size, this is a solid phone, with most of the benefits of the Galaxy S3 with Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) to boot. Our advice: hold an iPhone, then hold a Galaxy S3, then pick up the Galaxy Note 2. Whichever one fits your hands best, go for it.

Motorola Droid Razr M, $100 w/2-yr contract Verizon We have nothing bad to say about the Droid Razr HD and Razr Maxx HD. They are both great Verizon handsets (though the Maxx is your best bet due to battery life). So why the Razr M? We feel it might be the best-sized and most comfortable phone on the market. In a market dominated by phones made for giant hands, the Razr M, like the iPhone 5, is sized for all. Though it has roughly the same dimensions as Apple’s new iPhone, the Razr M packs in a more spacious 4.3-inch screen, which is just wide enough that you won’t continuously mistype all of your emails and texts (sorry iPhoners, you know it to be true). The placement of key buttons like the volume and power are also better than the iPhone. If you’re hesitant to move toward the giant 4.7- to 5-inch smartphone range, then the Razr M is a solid choice.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/smartphone-holiday-gift-guide/

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Windows Phone 8 touches down in the UK

Time to get your WP8 on

Two Windows Phone 8 handsets have officially gone on sale in the UK today, with the Nokia Lumia 920 and HTC 8X hitting the shelves.

The Lumia 920 is exclusively available on the new 4G EE network for now, while the Windows Phone 8X can be picked up on tariffs from a number of networks.

You'll need to shell out some serious money if you want to lay your hands on the Nokia Lumia 920, with EE's two-year tariffs starting at £36 per month and the cheapest option giving you just 500MB of data and requiring you to shell out £129.99 up front.

Pricey

If you want more data a month, 1GB will set you back £41 with an outlay of £49.99, while EE's recommend tariff gives you 3GB for an upfront cost of just £19.99, but it's £46 per month.

Meanwhile the HTC Windows Phone 8X can be picked up at O2 for free on a £32 per month two year deal, giving you 600 minutes, unlimited texts and 500MB of data.

If you fancy getting your mitts on the HTC 8S, Nokia Lumia 820 or Samsung Ativ S then you'll need to hold on for a week or two, as these handsets will be available later this month.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/windows-phone-8-touches-down-in-the-uk-1109638

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‘Don’t underestimate BB10,’ RIM boss says during demo of upcoming BlackBerry OS [video]

As the iPhone 5 flies off the shelves and Samsung reports record profits, the boss of the firm that once ruled the smartphone roost has said in an interview that BlackBerry 10 – set for launch early next year – should not be underestimated.

With so many product launches taking place in the tech world this month, it’s not hard to think Research In Motion should be in the mix too, rolling out its new BB10 phones and next-generation mobile operating system. But, of course, it’s not. For RIM’s new offerings we still have to wait at least several more months.

The company is trying to keep itself in the picture though – lest it be completely forgotten by consumers playing with their newly acquired iPhone or Samsung device – with RIM boss Thorsten Heins giving an interview to the BBC this week, offering a glimpse of the new OS while answering a few questions about the company’s current state of affairs.

The demo – given on a Dev Alpha B device similar to the one handed out to developers earlier this year – involves a good deal of touching and swiping, as well as a little bit of ‘blending’ (check out the demo below to learn more), with Heins describing the theme of BB10 as “the integration of various applications into what we in BB10 call the BlackBerry flow…..[so there’ll be no] application grid.”

BB10 is about real-time multi-tasking, Heins said, enabling the user “to live in the multi-taking space,” making it simple to jump between running applications. He also mentioned the BlackBerry Hub, which acts as a kind of notification system that pulls in information from various apps and programs.

Too late?

Heins, it has to be said, didn’t look particularly pleased when Cellan-Jones suggested it was all coming too late, staring straight back at the BBC man with an expression that suggested he was momentarily imagining a scenario involving the interviewer, the Dev Alpha B device and a painful surgical procedure, but overall Heins was cheerful and enthusiastic throughout. And by the way, in response to the accusation that RIM has missed the boat, Heins said, “Don’t underestimate the dynamic this platform is going to create in the market.”

Interestingly, when asked about the recent NY Times article which featured people claiming to be embarrassed about getting their BlackBerry phone out in public, Heins said, “Without going into detail, I would kind of question the sources that were used for that article,” adding that, according to what he sees in markets outside the US, there’s “huge growth and huge commitment to BlackBerry.”

You can check out the interview below.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/dont-underestimate-bb10-rim-boss-says-during-demo-of-upcoming-blackberry-os-video/

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Motorola DROID RAZR HD duo will hit Verizon on October 18

Verizon Wireless announced that the Motorola DROID RAZR HD and RAZR MAXX HD duo will land on its shelves on October 18. The DROID RAZR HD will be priced at $199.99, while the 3300mAh sporting RAZR MAXX HD will set potential users back with $299.99.

There is no difference between the specs of the two smartphones, save for the battery and internal memory size. Both handsets feature dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 silicon, 4.7" HD screen, 8MP, and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. An update to Jelly Bean is in the pipeline for the duo before the year's end. You can see our first look at the two smartphones over here.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_droid_razr_hd_duo_will_hit_verizon_on_october_18_-news-4934.php

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US appeals court lifts ban on Samsung Galaxy Nexus

Returning to U.S. shelves

Apple's recent victory over Samsung, when a California jury awarded the Cupertino company over $1 billion of Samsung's money, is hardly the final chapter in the two tech giants' everlasting patent war.

Heck, the parties haven't even reached the epilogue yet.

In a new development, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit decided on Thursday to permanently reverse a California court's previous decision to grant Apple a preliminary injunction on Samsung's Galaxy Nexus smartphone.

The injunction, which was hard-won by Apple, prevented the phone from being sold in the U.S., but the federal appeals court's panel of judges determined that the California court "abused its discretion" in granting the ban.

What does it mean for consumers?

With the sales ban on the Galaxy Nexus officially lifted, Samsung is free to sell the flagship Android phone in the U.S. as soon as it can get the device to shelves and doorsteps.

TechRadar has reached out to Samsung to determine when it plans to do so, but so far the Korean company has yet to respond.

The reversal of the injunction is certainly a victory for Samsung, though its war with Apple rages ever onward regardless.

Samsung kept its promise

Over the summer, U.S. District judge Lucy Koh decided to grant Apple preliminary sales bans on numerous Samsung devices, including the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy Nexus.

At the time, Koh determined that mounting pre-trial evidence against Samsung, in particular related to Apple patents concerning Siri-like search features, justified the injunction.

"Although some consumers may be disappointed that they cannot purchase the Galaxy Nexus, the Galaxy Nexus, as Samsung itself has repeatedly insisted, is not Samsung's only smartphone product on the market," Koh wrote in a July 5 ruling.

Samsung promised to pursue the matter with the federal circuit appeals court, and it seems that move has finally paid off.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/us-appeals-court-lifts-ban-on-samsung-galaxy-nexus-1103770

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Samsung and AT&T announce four new upcoming devices

Samsung and AT&T announced four Android devices which are bound to hit the carrier's shelves in the coming months. The bunch consists of three LTE smartphones and one tablet, which also packs the aforementioned network connectivity.

We begin with the Samsung Galaxy Express. The Android 4.0 ICS smartphone packs a dual-core CPU clocked at 1.5GHz and a 4.5" Super AMOLED Plus display (likely with WVGA) resolution. A 5MP snapper and 200mAh battery complete the list of known specs.

The Samsung Galaxy Rugby Pro is next on the list. The successor of the Samsung Rugby Smart packs LTE and Android 4.0 ICS, tucked into a rugged body, which is built up to 810g military specifications. A 4" WVGA Super AMOLED display, a 5MP camera, as well as enhanced push-to-talk are also part of the spec sheet.

AT&T also announced its own version of the Samsung Galaxy Note II. The phoneblet's specs are no different than the ones found in the international version, save for the presence of LTE and AT&T's logo on the back.

Finally, AT&T announced the addition of the 4G LTE flavored Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 to its lineup of slates.

Pricing and exact availability for the devices is yet to be known. We'll update you as soon as we find out.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_and_at_t_announce_four_new_upcoming_devices-news-4876.php

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Apple iPhone 5 ships, 9 countries get it today

The Apple iPhone 5 is finally hitting the shelves. Sales begin in 9 countries today, which is the biggest number for an iPhone debut so far, with 22 more lined up to join the fun on September 28.

The lucky markets to get the iPhone 5 today are the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. Pre-orders made in these countries will also be delivered starting today.

Aussie Todd, who's working for Mobilephonefinder.com.au was the first man to purchase the Apple iPhone 5, having camped in front of the Apple’s flagship Sydney store since Tuesday. Here's a video from early this morning of him entering the store .

Having recorded 2 million pre-orders within the first 24 hours of its launch, the Apple iPhone 5 is expected to ship over 10 million units by the end of the month. And considering the level of interest it is enjoying, we'd be surprised if it fails to meet that target.

On a less serious note, we got yet another spoof video of the iPhone 5. If you are in a mood for a few laughs at Apple's expense, check it out here:

Thanks, NSgameGOD, for the tip!

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_iphone_5_rollout_starts_9_countries_get_it_today-news-4840.php

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LG Escape Android smartphone for AT&T gets announced

AT&T added another appealing mid-ranger to its 4G LTE smartphone lineup with the LG Escape. The previously leaked handset will hit the retail shelves on September 16, priced at $49.99 with a two-year contract.

The LG escape features a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor. There's 4GB of built-in memory on board, which can be further expanded via microSD card slot. The display is a 4.3” qHD true-color IPS unit with qHD resolution, covered by Corning Gorilla Glass. There a 5MP snapper on the smartphone's back and a 1.3MP front-facing unit for video calls. Full connectivity suite including NFC is present. The handset is powered by a beefy 2150mAh battery.

Software wise, the LG Escape features Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, dressed in LG's latest UI. The handset will come with a number of software enhancements for its camera, as well as a Browser Bar extension for accessing social media pages.

Like every new AT&T smartphone offering, the LG Escape comes with the usual Mobile Minute promo video. Check it out below.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_escape_android_smartphone_for_at_t_gets_announced_-news-4783.php

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Samsung sells 20 million Galaxy S3 handsets in first 100 days

Samsung's Galaxy S3 is still flying off the shelves, with 20 million units sold in its first 100 days.

The Galaxy S3 continues to sell at great speed, with Samsung announcing Thursday that 20 million devices have now been sold since it made its debut 100 days ago. The phone is the Korean tech company’s fastest-selling handset to date.

Samsung was confident from the start that the high-end S3 would do magical things for the electronics giant, with its head of mobile communications, JK Shin, claiming on launch day back in May that it would sell 10 million units before the end of July. It managed the feat with more than a week to spare.

This week it was reported that in August the S3 outsold Apple’s iPhone 4S for the first time since the 4S hit the market in October 2011 – though of course, this could be down to some Apple fans holding off buying a new iPhone until later this month, when the so-called iPhone 5 is widely expected to make its debut.

Sales of the S3 may be impressive, but if the expected iPhone 5 sells like the 4S did earlier this year – 35.1 million units in the first quarter – then it’ll soon slip back behind Apple as the smartphone of choice for the majority of users. Some analysts predict sales of the new iPhone could top 10 million within a week of going on sale.

Also, there’s a chance that sales of the S3 could drop to zero overnight – at least in the US – if Apple succeeds in its attempt to have the device banned from sale over the matter of patent infringement.

For the time being though, the Korean company will be more than happy with the way its Android-powered S3 is moving off the shelves. Consumers have been attracted by its sleek design, large 4.8-inch screen and array of features, including face-, gesture- and voice recognition functionality. A powerful 8-megapixel camera which, among other things, allows you to take photos while recording video, has also helped it to stand out from the crowd. Now, how long before it notches up its 30 millionth sale?

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/samsung-sells-20-million-galaxy-s3-handsets-in-first-100-days/

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