|
Advertisement
|
Unlocked Phone
Reviews
Each section is ordered by review date. Scroll down for Windows Mobile, Nokia S60, Palm and BlackBerry reviews.
Android Unlocked Phones
| Google Pixel 2 |
Oct. 2017 |
 |
| Essential Phone PH-1 |
Oct. 2017 |
 |
| Samsung Galaxy Note 8 |
Sept. 2017 |
 |
| Asus ZenFone AR |
Aug. 2017 |
 |
| Moto Z2 Force Review |
Aug. 2017 |
 |
| Moto Z Play 2 |
July 2017 |
 |
| Moto E4 |
July 2017 |
 |
| One Plus 5 |
June 2017 |
 |
| Moto G5 Plus |
May 2017 |
 |
| BLU R1 Plus |
May 2017 |
 |
| BlackBerry KEYone |
May 2017 |
 |
| Huawei Honor 6X |
May 2017 |
 |
| Samsung Galaxy S8 |
April 2017 |
 |
| Huawei P10 |
March 2017 |
 |
| LG G6 |
March 2017 |
 |
| Huawei Mate 9 |
Jan. 2017 |
 |
| LeEco LePro 3 |
Jan. 2017 |
 |
| OnePlus 3t |
Dec. 2016 |
 |
| Google Pixel & Pixel XL The two Google branded phones released in the fall of 2016, in 5" and 5.5" sizes. The Pixel line replaces the Nexus line of Android smartphones that come direct from Google with the latest Android build and no carrier or manufacturer bloatware. This time, Google is going with flagship pricing and high end specs. The Pixel XL runs Android 7.1 Nougat with the new Google Assistant (voice activated) on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 CPU with 4 gigs of RAM and 32 or 128 gigs of storage (no microSD card slot). The Pixel XL has a 2560 x 1440 AMOLED display with Gorilla Glass 4 (the smaller Pixel is 1920 x 1080). It has an 8MP front camera and a 12.3MP rear camera with f/2.0 lens and 4K video recording. Compatible with most carriers, both GSM and CDMA. |
Oct. 2016 |
 |
| Huawei Honor 8 The Honor sub-brand is Huawei's affordable line that targets Millennials, though I don't see why a 13 year old or 70 year old wouldn't also like the phone. It's a stunning looking phone clad in 2D glass and metal, and it's very pocketable at 5.2". The Android 6.0 Marshmallow smartphone flirts with high end design and features at a relatively modest $399 price tag for the 32 gig model. There's good CPU performance, a really lovely full HD display and solid cameras too. |
Aug. 2016 |
 |
| Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus The 4th generation Moto G and Moto G Plus unlocked Android smartphones sell for $199 and $249 respectively-- that's a lot of phone for the price, both literally and figuratively. The Moto G4 and G4 Plus are big phones with 5.5" IPS full HD displays. They're identical except for the fingerprint scanner on the front of the G4 Plus and a high resolution camera with PDAF and laser autofocus. The phones run Android 6.01 Marshmallow on the 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 CPU with Adreno 405 graphics and 2 gigs of RAM (you can get the G Plus with 4 gigs for more money). They work on both CDMA and GSM carriers: that means the big 4 US carriers and smaller regional and prepaid carriers. |
July 2016 |
 |
| Alcatel Idol 4S (with VR Goggles) Alcatel impressed us with last year's Idol 3, it proved that a relatively inexpensive phone could still be stylish and slim with decent specs. The $399 Idol 4S with VR Goggles is the company's highest end phone yet, and it does indeed share some specs with much more expensive phones-- it's slim at 7mm, is really good looking with black glass on the back and chamfered metal on the sides and it has a QHD 5.5" AMOLED display that has 600 nits of brightness. 8MP and 16MP cameras grace the front and back and the usual goodies like NFC, WiFi 802.11ac and a fingerprint scanner are what we'd expect on a flagship. The midrange 1.8 GHz Snapdragon 652 is actually a quicker performer and the phone has 3 gigs of RAM and 32 gigs of storage. Alcatel tries to set the Idol 4S apart with the inclusion of VR goggles, but they prove to be the weakest link. The phone is unlocked for use with any GSM carrier, and this US-centric model has 4G LTE for AT&T, T-Mobile and others. |
July 2016 |
 |
| HTC 10 The HTC 10 is a unibody metal phone with a 5.2" QHD Super LCD 5 display in Gorilla Glass with subtly curved edges. It runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow with HTC's tasteful Sense UI on the top dog Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 CPU. It has 4 gigs of RAM, 32 gigs of internal storage and a micro SD card slot. The phone has a 5MP front camera, 12MP rear camera, a high quality audio DAC with headphone amplifier, LTE 4G and a USB-C 3.1 port. |
April 2016 |
 |
| Huawei Honor 5X (video review) Huawei's new very affordable unlocked GSM Android smartphone, the $199 Huawei Honor 5X. The aluminum-clad phone has a 5.5" full HD 1920 x 1080 IPS display, and it runs Android 5.1.1 Lollipop with Huawei's Emotion UI 3.1 (EMUI) on the 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 616 octa-core CPU with Adreno 405 graphics. It has 2 gigs of RAM, 16 gigs of storage and a microSD card slot. This is a dual SIM 4G LTE phone that's compatible with GSM carriers such as T-Mobile and AT&T in the US. |
Feb. 2016 |
 |
| Nexus 6P This may well be Google's best Nexus phone yet, at least if you're a fan of big screen smartphones. As you might expect, the Nexus 6P runs the latest version of Android, with no custom UI overlays or bloatware to bog it down. What you might not expect is the sexy unibody anodized aluminum casing, available in 3 hues. This Huawei-built phone is a classy piece, and it's fast too with the top dog Snapdragon 810 8-core CPU inside, 3 gigs of LPDDR4 RAM and 3 storage options. It has capable cameras, a lovely 5.7" QHD AMOLED display and a beefy battery. It's sold unlocked for use with any carrier (CDMA too) with a reasonable $499 starting price. |
Dec. 2015 |
 |
| OnePlus X OnePlus disrupted the market with their first Android smartphone, the OnePlus One. It was a big phone with very good specs for a few hundred dollars less than the big name competition at release in April 2014. The new even more affordable X is stunning to look at, clad in glass and metal with a colorful AMOLED display. Not bad for just $250 unlocked with no contract or monthly payments. It has the quad core 2.3 GHz Snapdragon 801 CPU with Adreno 330 graphics, 3 gigs of RAM and 16 gigs of storage.The phone has 4G LTE, but the band selection is a little weak. |
Dec. 2015 |
 |
| BlackBerry Priv Leave it to BlackBerry: just when you thought hardware keyboards were a thing of the past, they release a new model with a QWERTY keyboard. Nope, it doesn't run BlackBerry OS, it runs Android. The Priv is a 5.4" QWERTY slider, the likes of which we haven't seen in some time. The curved display, carbon fiber back and metal keyboard rails are chic and classy-- and distinctly BlackBerry. As is that keyboard with the waterfall sculpted keys and little OS touches that bring some of the things we loved about BlackBerry OS to Android. The phone has a 1.8 GHz Snapdragon 808 CPU, 3 gigs of RAM and 32 gigs of storage-- nice enough specs for a power user. Other goodies include an 18MP rear camera with a good quality lens, a high resolution display and a microSD card slot. |
Nov. 2015 |
 |
| HTC One A9 The HTC One A9 is HTC's "more affordable" but still stylish Android smartphone. It bears more than a passing resemblance to the iPhone 6s, but once you get past that, you'll admire the quality aluminum casing and slim design. The One A9 is available unlocked and via carriers, and it has a 5" 1080p AMOLED display, 32 gigs of internal storage and a microSD card slot. It runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow with HTC Sense software on the Snapdragon 617 midrange CPU. The rear 13MP camera is a great improvement for HTC and it takes pleasing photos. |
Nov. 2015 |
 |
| Nexus 5X The more affordable of the 2015 Google Nexus phones is no slouch: it has a 5.2" full HD 1920 x 1080 IPS display, a very capable 12.3MP rear camera (the same as found on the Nexus 6P), a front 5MP camera, dual band WiFi 801.ac with MIMO, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, GPS with GLONASS and a 2,700 mAh battery. It's slim and light and it has more 4G LTE bands than you can list in one breath. It runs the new Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS on the capable Snapdragon 808 CPU. Better yet, the price starts at $379 and it's unlocked for use with any carrier, including CDMA carriers like Sprint and Verizon. Of course, AT&T and T-Mobile work too. |
Oct. 2015 |
 |
| ZTE Axon Elite The Axon Elite is ZTE's latest entry in the Axon line of GSM unlocked Android smartphones with fairly high end specs. The phone runs Android 5.0.2 with ZTE’s MiFavor 3.2 UI on the octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 CPU with Adreno 430 graphics. It has 3 gigs of RAM and 32 gigs of storage. The Axon Elite has a 5.5”, 1920 x 1080 IPS display (401 PPI) and is an international LTE 4G unlocked GSM phone with 2 nano SIM card slots. |
Oct. 2015 |
 |
| Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 4.7" We reviewed the 5.5” version a few months ago, and as you might expect, this is the small hands and small pockets edition with a 4.7” IPS 1280 x 720 “Technicolor” display. The specs are a bit lower than the bigger Idol 3, but so is the price, and this unlocked GSM 4G LTE phone is a bargain at $179 full retail (no contracts, no payment plans required). It runs Android 5.0 Lollipop on the 1.2 GHz Snapdragon 410 quad core CPU with 1.5 gigs of RAM and 16 gigs of storage. It has a microSD card slot, single band WiFi 802.11n, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC and a GPS. |
Sept. 2015 |
 |
| Moto X Pure Edition (2015, aka Moto X Style) Another year, another Moto X. For 2015 things get really exciting with the Moto X Pure Edition (Moto X Style overseas); it's a much more powerful phone than anything we've seen under the Moto X, G and E labels, and it's much bigger. The Moto X Pure Edition has a 5.7" QHD display and a fast Snapdragon 808 CPU with 3 gigs RAM. Other goodies include a microSD card slot, 21MP rear camera, and the usual Moto Maker customizable backs, trim and colors. This is an unlocked phone that works on all major US carriers (GSM and CDMA) with a starting price of $399. |
Sept. 2015 |
 |
| Moto G 3rd Gen The Moto G 3rd generation is by no means the best Android phone you can buy, but it may be the cheapest good phone you can buy. And I mean really cheap-- $179 full retail for a name brand phone with good warranty and support and 4G LTE? Wow. The specs aren't scraping below your knees either: it has a quad core 1.4 GHz Snapdragon CPU, a quite decent 13MP camera with two-tone LED flash, a sharp 5MP front camera and a generously sized 2740 mAh battery. Throw in a nice looking 5" HD display, IPX7 water resistance, an SD card slot and a variety of back cover colors plus the option to build your own look on the Moto Maker website, and you're getting a lot for your money. |
Aug. 2015 |
 |
| Huawei P8 lite (video review) An affordable GSM unlocked Android smartphone for the US market that sells for $249 full retail unlocked. The P8 lite is very slim at 0.3” and it weighs 4.76 ounces. It has dual SIM card slots and it supports 4G LTE on AT&T and T-Mobile in the US (along with smaller GSM carriers that piggyback off those networks). It is not compatible with Sprint or Verizon since those carriers use CDMA rather than GSM. The phone has a 5” LTPS 1280 x 720 display with Gorilla Glass 3, a 2200 mAh battery that’s sealed inside and single band WiFi 802.11n plus Bluetooth 4.0. It runs Android 4.4.4 KitKat with Huawei’s EMUI 3.0 UI on the 1.5 GHz Snapdragon 615 with Adreno 405 graphics. It has a 5MP front camera and 13MP rear camera. |
July 2015 |
 |
| Asus ZenFone 2 The no-contract, unlocked GSM ZenFone 2 is available in two versions for $199 and $299. Both have 5.5", 1920 x 1080 full HD IPS displays, a good 13MP rear camera, front 5MP camera, dual band WiFi 802.11ac, Bluetooth, NFC and a microSD card slot. They're powered by Intel CPUs and the $199 model is clocked at 1.8 GHZ, has 2 gigs of RAM and 16 gigs of storage. The $299 has a 2.3 GHz Intel CPU, 4 gigs of RAM and 64 gigs of storage. That's pretty nice for the price. The US ZenFone 2 is available from Amazon. |
May 2015 |
 |
| Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 An inexpensive unlocked phone doesn't have to feel like a handful of compromises. Take the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3, a stylish and extremely slim $249 Android 5.0 Lollipop phone with a 5.5" full HD IPS display, a respectable though not class-leading Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU, good battery life and even more rare--4G LTE for US carriers. If you use a GSM carrier like AT&T and T-Mobile, then the Idol 3 will work, with no need for a contract or renewals. You can also use it overseas for travel. The OneTouch Idol 3 runs on the octa-core, 64 bit Snapdragon 615, a midrange CPU. It has 2 gigs of RAM, 16 gigs of storage and a microSD card slot. It has dual band WiFi 802.11ac, Bluetooth, NFC and a GPS. |
May 2015 |
 |
| Moto E (2nd Gen) A $150 phone is both easy to love and hard to like. On one hand the bar is set low, so low that we're thrilled when the important bases are nicely covered: a solid quad core CPU, an IPS display and good voice quality. Throw in LTE 4G and a name brand you can trust, and you've got a phone that's hard to dislike. The Moto E is an unlocked GSM phone that will work on any GSM carrier and it runs Android 5.0 Lollipop on the new quad core 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 with 1 gig of RAM and 8 gigs of storage. It has an IPS display and a 5MP rear camera. Pretty good stuff for the price. And for those who eschew 4G, there's a 3G version for $119. |
March 2015 |
 |
| OnePlus One The OnePlus One Android phone isn't new and shiny anymore- it's been on the market (in a fashion) for 6 months. The One has held up well though, with specs that still look good and a price that's hard to beat: $299. The drawback? You can only buy One Plus' only smartphone offering through a challenging invite system. The OnePlus One is an Android 4.4 smartphone running CyanogenMod (at least for now) on the Snapdragon 801 CPU with 3 gigs of RAM and 16 or 32 gigs of storage. It has a sharp 1080p IPS display clad in Gorilla Glass and an attractive matte polycarbonate casing-- good stuff for the price. |
Jan. 2015 |
 |
| Google Nexus 6 This year Google is attacking the phablet market with their 6 inch Nexus 6. It's back to the high line too, with the device priced at $649 full retail and unlocked. The big 4 US carriers will also offer the Nexus 6, so you'll have payment and contract plan options. The Nexus 6 runs on the fastest CPU currently available in an Android smartphone, the quad core 2.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 with Adreno 420 graphics and 3 gigs of RAM. It's available in 32 and 64 gig capacities. It has 4G LTE on 12 bands, WiFi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.1, NFC and a GPS. Surprisingly for Google and Moto, who don't have the best track record with phone cameras, the Nexus 6 has a capable 13MP rear camera with a Sony sensor. |
Dec. 2014 |
 |
| Sony Xperia Z3 Compact Sony proves that good things come in small packages. The 4.6" Z3 Compact sports flagship specs and a striking design, yet it's one of the few small pocket and hands friendly Android phones. It's ever so slightly smaller than the iPhone 6 and Samsung Galaxy Alpha with which it competes and it weighs just 4.55 ounces. The phone is water resistant and it has a colorful and sharp Triluminos display. The Z3 Compact runs on the same 2.5GHz quad core Snapdragon 801 as the 5" and larger competition, and it has dual band WiFi ac, an excellent rear 20.7MP rear camera with large Exmor RS sensor, LTE 4G that works with AT&T and T-Mobile in the US and a big 2600 mAh battery. If you're hankering for a smaller phone and use a GSM carrier, be sure to check it out. |
Oct. 2014 |
 |
| Moto G (2nd Gen, 2014) The next generation Moto G increases screen size to 5", adds a microSD card slot and increases camera resolution while keeping the same low $179 full retail price as the first gen model. This is an unlocked GSM phone that works with AT&T, T-Mobile and other GSM carriers (not Sprint or Verizon) and it's a quad band world phone with 3G. It has a 720p LCD display, 1.2GHz quad core Snapdragon 400 CPU, 1 gig of RAM and 8 gigs of storage. Once again, it's a hard phone to beat for the price thanks to good styling, quality components and decent specs. |
Oct. 2014 |
 |
| Moto X (2nd gen) Once again Motorola mixes extreme fashion with a low price tag, but the 2014 Moto X amps up the specs to battle the flagship competition. The Moto X has a 5.2" AMOLED display, this time running at full HD 1080p resolution. It's wildly colorful with impressive contrast. The Android 4.4 KitKat phone will get the upgrade to Android L and it runs on the Snapdragon 801 quad core CPU clocked at 2.5GHz, just like other high end phones. You can order it with your choice of 25 different back colors, including 4 wood and 4 leather options, and it's one of the best looking smartphones money can buy. The Moto X is available as an unlocked GSM phone with LTE 4G and both AT&T and Verizon sell it too. |
Sept. 2014 |
 |
| Moto E The Moto E is just $129, no contract. Wow. For a phone with a nice enough design, interchangeable and colorful back covers, the latest 4.4 KitKat OS, a pleasing display and good voice quality, that's crazy. This is an unlocked GSM world phone, so you can use any GSM carrier's SIM (there are AT&T and T-Mobile friendly models), and you'll get 3G but no 4G LTE. The most affordable Motorola Android smartphone has a dual core Snapdragon CPU, a 5MP rear camera and a 4.3" qHD 960 x 540 display. |
May 2014 |
 |
| Sony Xperia Z1 /Z1S The Xperia Z1S is the T-Mobile version of the well-received Xperia Z1, Sony's newest flagship Android phone. The 5" smartphone has a full HD Triluminos display and a stunning black glass black plus Sony's signature slim and angular Xperia look. The 20.7 megapixel rear camera makes this the highest resolution Android camera phone, and image quality is indeed excellent. The Xperia Z1S has top specs including a 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad core CPU, 2 gigs of RAM and 32 gigs of internal storage. The phone has dual band WiFi 802.11ac with WiFi calling and mobile hotspot, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS as well as NFC. |
Jan. 2014 |
 |
| Moto G We need more phones like the Moto G, lots more. The Moto G is a well made, yet it's an extremely affordable unlocked GSM smartphone from a trusted manufacturer that sells for just $179 retail. No contract or payment plans required, it's simply that inexpensive. Of course you won't get flagship specs or a giant screen for that price, but it's a classy looking device with good build quality, reasonable speed and a colorful display. The Android 4.3 phone has a 4.5" HD display and it runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 CPU with Adreno 305 graphics and a gig of RAM. It's available with 8 or 16 gigs of storage and it has a 5 megapixel rear camera. |
Dec. 2013 |
 |
| Google Nexus 5 You get what you pay for, and sometimes a bit more when it's a Google Nexus product. The new Nexus 5, based very loosely on the lovely LG G2 and made by LG, is a bargain of a phone though it's not perfect. The Nexus 5 has a 5 inch full HD IPS display, the latest generation Snapdragon 800 quad core CPU with Adreno 330 graphics, 2 gigs of RAM, LTE 4G on a host of bands, a front 1.3MP camera and a rear 8MP camera with LED flash. It's sold directly by Google and it's unlocked for use with any carrier. No contract required! The 16 gig model is $349 and the 32 gig model is $399, and the phone is available in your choice of black or white. Is this the phone for you? Read our review and watch our video review to find out. |
Nov. 2013 |
 |
| verykool S470 Not everyone is up for a contract renewal or wants to jump on those new monthly payment plans that let you get a new phone every year (or even more frequently) for a price. So what happens if you break or lose your phone, or you simply want to move up to an Android smartphone without breaking the bank? The verykool S470 "Black Pearl" is just $230 with no contract or commitment and it has a good feature set for the price: a 720p IPS display, 1.2GHz quad core CPU, dual SIM card slots (full size SIM cards), 3G HSPA+ 42Mbps and an 8MP rear camera. |
Nov. 2013 |
 |
| iPhone 5s The iPhone 5s features Apple's new A7 CPU and a fast PowerVR multi-core GPU that's twice as fast as the iPhone 5 and 5c. The latest flagship iPhone sticks with the Leica inspired metal design and 4" Retina Display, and Apple has added a gold color option. The updated 8MP iSight camera with larger pixels takes noticably better low light shots and the front FaceTime camera offers sharper and brighter video chats. The new iPhone features a Touch ID fingerprint sensor so you can unlock the phone with a press of a finger. The smartphone runs iOS 7 and as usual is available in 16, 32 and 64 gig capacities. Editor's Choice 2013. |
Sept. 2013 |
 |
| iPhone 5c This is the first time Apple introduced two new iPhone models at the same time: the iPhone 5c and the iPhone 5s. While the iPhone 5c is basically an iPhone 5 in more playful colors, it's certainly more exciting than leaving us with the choice of buying this year's model or last year's at a discount. In fact, the iPhone 5c makes us realize how viable that older model still is, with fast performance, the usual excellent (albeit small) 4" Retina Display and a capable 8MP rear camera. |
Sept. 2013 |
 |
| Sony Xperia ZL The Sony Xperia ZL is the more affordable and slightly smaller sibling to the Xperia Z flagship Android smartphone. In fact, Sony claims it's the smallest 5" full HD smartphone on the market, and we believe they're right. For a phone with a very large display it's slightly shorter than the 4.7" HTC One and both narrower and shorter than Sony's own Xperia Z. In terms of internals and display, the ZL is identical to the Z, but it costs a bit less because it has a plastic back and isn't waterproof like the Z. It runs on a1.5GHz quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU with 2 gigs of RAM and it has a very good 13 megapixel camera. This is an unlocked GSM phone with LTE 4G. |
May 2013 |
 |
| Sony Xperia Z The Sony Xperia Z is Sony's flagship Android smartphone, and this time they really mean it. Previous Sony and Sony Ericsson Android smartphones have always lacked truly all around high end specs, but the Xperia Z has all the right ingredients. Of course, it's up against some very challenging competition with the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4. The 0.31" thick Xperia Z is clad in glass, front and back. It has a quad core 1.5GHz Snapdragon CPU, a 5" full HD Mobile Bravia 2 display and an excellent 13 megapixel main camera. |
May 2013 |
 |
| HTC One The HTC One has the perfect storm of smartphone features, from its fast and brand new Snapdragon 600 quad core CPU to its stunning full HD 4.7" display and impressive UltraPixel camera that laughs at darkness. Then there's the striking aluminum casing that gives the iPhone 5 a run for your money and excellent BoomSound stereo speakers up front where they belong. Better yet, it's available on three of the top four US carriers and HTC sells an unlocked GSM edition for those who like their autonomy and unlocked bootloaders. |
April 2013 |
 |
| Google Nexus 4 The Google Nexus 4 Android smartphone hardly needs and introduction. It's Google's latest and greatest contract-free, pure Google experience phone, and it's very reasonably priced at $299 for the 8 gig and $349 for the 16 gig. For that price you get a cutting edge Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro quad core CPU running at 1.5GHz, 2 gigs of RAM and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. The Nexus 4 is made by LG and shares much of its internals with the excellent LG Optimus G. It's compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile voice and 3G HSPA+ in the US. |
Dec. 2012 |
 |
| iPhone 5 Apple's latest iPhone is the first to feature a larger 4" Retina display with a 16:9 aspect ratio that's perfect for watching TV shows and video. As ever, it's one of the sharpest displays on the planet, and despite the larger display, the iPhone hasn't gotten that much larger. The iPhone 5 is available on AT&T, Sprint and Verizon in the US, and all models have LTE 4G for very fast data speeds. The iPhone 5 features Apple's new A6 CPU and triple core GPU that keep up with the fastest Android phones in the US. It has an 8MP rear camera that can shoot panoramas and a much improved 720p front video chat camera. The iPhone 5 runs iOS 6 and as usual is available in 16, 32 and 64 gig capacities. Editor's Choice 2012. |
Sept. 2012 |
 |
| Samsung Galaxy Note (unlocked GSM) There's nothing quite like the Galaxy Note. This Android smartphone is a pocket tablet with a 5.3" display running at an impressive 1280 x 800 resolution, just like 10" Android tablets. That means the Super AMOLED HD display is extremely sharp and it boasts the usual super-saturated colors and deep blacks. The phone has a Wacom dual digitizer and comes with a pen that tucks neatly into a silo. It runs on Samsung's very fast 1.4GHz dual core Exynos CPU and it has 16 gigs of storage. Throw in a sharp 8MP camera, a strong GPS and AT&T 4G HSPA+ compatibility, and you've got an amazing Android smartphone. This is an import phone that's sold unlocked for use with any GSM carrier, but you'll only get 3G and 4G HSPA+ on AT&T in the US. |
Jan. 2012 |
 |
| Samsung Galaxy Nexus The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is undeniably one of the hottest phones of 2011. After all, like the once-a-year iPhone, there's only one official Google pure Android experience phone each year. The phone runs on a 1.2GHz TI dual core CPU with a gig of RAM, and it's the first phone to run Android OS 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. It has a gorgeous 720p Super AMOLED display, 16 gigs of internal storage and the fastest camera we've seen on a smartphone. Alas, like the Nexus S, there's no expansion card slot. |
Dec. 2011 |
 |
| Samsung Nexus S The second Google phone is the follow up to the Nexus One and it's an evolved version of the Samsung Galaxy S, this time running Android OS 2.3 Gingerbread. Masterminded by Google and produced by Samsung, the Nexus S sticks with the successful Samsung Android superphone recipe: 4" Super AMOLED display that's best of breed, 1 GHz Hummingbird CPU with hardware graphics acceleration, 5 megapixel camera, 3G HSDPA 7.2 for T-Mobile US and overseas and 16 gigs of storage. This gloss black phone is sexy and slippery, and it's sold unlocked though it works best with T-Mobile in the US. It's the first Android OS 2.3 phone and it adds a few new hardware features including NFC (Near Field Communications), a curved Contour display. If you want a pure Android experience in an unlocked phone with high end specs, do check out the Nexus S. |
Dec. 2010 |
 |
| Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini and Xperia X10 mini pro Making a complete about-face from the trend toward Jumbotron Android superphones, the Xperia X10 mini and X10 mini pro are teeny tiny Android smartphones that will fit in small pockets and other tight spaces. The 3.1 ounce mini and 4.2 ounce mini pro are nearly identical with the pro version sporting a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. We look at the unlocked GSM versions, the X10a mini andmini pro that have 3G HSDPA on AT&T's 3G bands. Like their big brother the Xperia X10, they run Android 1.6, but step down the processor to a 600MHz Qualcomm model. The 2.5 QVGA displays are capacitive and sharp, and the phones have GPS, Bluetooth and WiFi. Somehow, SE managed to fit good 5 megapixel autofocus cameras with flash into the design too. |
Aug. 2010 |
|
| Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Sony Ericsson has gone through quite a few smartphone operating systems in the past few years. Now they're on Android, a hot and exciting new smartphone OS, and that's a good thing. Like most Sony Ericsson smartphones, this is a high end piece of hardware with a capacious 4" capacitive touch screen, 1GHz Snapdragon CPU and an 8.1 megapixel camera. Sweet. It will likely be sold unlocked rather than by a carrier, so be prepared for a hefty price tag. But it just might be capable of taking on the Nexus One, that self-proclaimed superphone. The Xperia X10a version we take a look at is intended for the US and it has 3G HSDPA on AT&T's bands as well as Europe's. Other goodies include the full Google suite of software, a GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth and Sony Ericsson's enhancements to Android. |
April 2010 |
|
| Acer Liquid Looking for a high end Android phone on AT&T? Not having much luck with that, are you? Sure the Motorola Backflip is a decent mid-range Android smartphone but it can't play with the big boys like the Nexus One and Motorola Droid. The Acer Liquid can, thanks to its 480 x 800, 3.5" capacitive display, Snapdragon CPU, 5 megapixel camera and solid feature set. Better yet, it has 3G HSDPA on AT&T's 1900MHz band, and that means you'll get 3G most places AT&T has 3G. The Acer Liquid is sold unlocked and it's a quad band GSM world phone with triband 3G, and it costs less than the Nexus One. |
March 2010 |
|
| Nexus One Google has gotten into the phone market with their first Google-branded Android smartphone. The hardware is actually made by HTC, but the software and user experience are pure Google. This is the first Android phone to run OS 2.1, and will likely be the first to get updates in the future. Google calls this the "super phone" since it has very high end specs like a 1GHz Snapdragon CPU that flies, a 3.7" capacitive AMOLED touch screen, 512 megs of RAM, a 5 megapixel autofocus camera, GPS, WiFi and Bluetooth. It's sold unlocked directly by Google and you can get it in the US for retail or heavily subsidized with a T-Mobile contact. Is it the best phone ever? Read our review to find out. |
Jan. 2010 |
|
BlackBerry
| BlackBerry Passport (video review) BlackBerry is back with a flourish. The Passport is certainly a unique phone that's wider than the average supesized smartphone. Though it's a challenge to hold and pocket, the design affords a useful wider display and roomy hardware keyboard that's a joy to use. The specs are thoroughly modern with a quad core Snapdragon CPU, high resolution rear camera and of course 4G LTE. We look at the AT&T version. |
Feb. 2015 |
 |
| BlackBerry Z30 The company's first "big" smartphone, the BlackBerry Z30 is a 5 inch phone running BlackBerry OS 10.2. It has much in common with the 4.2" Z10: it's a touch screen slab phone with a dual core Snapdragon CPU and a 720p display. The Z30 has a 1280 x 720 Super AMOLED display, 4G LTE, an 8 megapixel rear camera with a fast f/2.2 lens, a micro HDMI port and a microSD card slot for storage expansion. The build is classier and jazzier than the Z10, with a carbon fiber pattern back and a brushed metal front. |
Jan. 2014 |
 |
| BlackBerry Z10 The all new BlackBerry OS 10 is here on RIM's first new phone in quite some time. The BlackBerry Z10 is a slab touchscreen smartphone with a 4.2" IPS screen running at 1280 x 768. It has a removable battery and microSD card slot, an increasingly rare set of features. The phone runs on a 1.5GHz dual core Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU with a gig of RAM and 16 gigs of storage. It has a 2MP front camera and rear 8MP camera with LED flash and backside illuminiated sensor. The Z10 is fast, fun and stable: BlackBerry is off to a good start. |
March 2013 |
 |
Windows Phone
| Microsoft Lumia 950 XL Microsoft's first flagship Windows phone in some time sports a 5.7" QHD AMOLED display, the top of the line Snapdragon 810 CPU and it has a Windows Hello camera that knows you when it eyeballs your eyes. The larger companion to the Lumia 950 is the bigger, faster model for those who want the best Microsoft and Windows 10 for phones have to offer. It has a removable battery, 32 gigs of storage, a microSD card slot and one of the better cameras on the market. This is an unlocked GSM phone that Microsoft sells direct and it has two SIM card slots. |
Feb. 2016 |
 |
| Microsoft Lumia 950 It's been a long time since we've seen a high end Lumia phone. More than a year, in fact. Microsoft is back at it with the Lumia 950, a 5.2" smartphone that's the first to run Windows 10 for phones. The Lumia has a pleasing AMOLED display and it runs on the same 1.8 GHz Snapdragon 808 CPU as many of today's popular Android phones. It has an ample 3 gigs of RAM, 32 gigs of storage and there's a microSD card slot to expand storage. The Lumia 950 has an excellent 20MP rear camera with Zeiss lens, and it supports Microsoft Continuum that allows you to turn your pocket-friendly phone into a desktop PC stand-in. The phone is $550 unlocked for use on GSM networks and AT&T also sells it. |
Dec. 2015 |
 |
| Nokia Lumia 800 Love the Nokia N9 but afraid of the high price tag, new OS and dead end path? Not problem, the N9's twin is here as the Nokia Lumia 800 running Windows Phone 7.5 Mango. It shares the same physical design, polycarbonate unibody design and luscious AMOLED display too. We take the Euro unlocked version for a spin, which happily has AT&T 3G HSPA 14.4 for good data speeds. The phone has a 3.7" AMOLED Gorilla Glass display that runs at 800 x 480 resolution, and 8MP camera and a 1.4GHz CPU. |
Nov. 2011 |
 |
Samsung bada OS
| Samsung Wave The Wave is Samsung's first smartphone running their new bada OS. If you crossed the Samsung Jet's OS and software with Android, you'd have something like bada. The hardware is top notch with a 3.3", 800 x 480 pixel Super AMOLED display that will toast your retinas with color and light. Other standard superphone amenities include a 1GHz processor, a sharp 5 megapixel camera that can shoot 720p video, WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS. This is an import GSM quad band world phone, and that means no contract subsidies through your US carrier and no US 3G. Still, it's interesting to see how bada has turned out and what Samsung can do with high end hardware design. |
July 2010 |
 |
Feature and Fashion Phones
| Samsung Jet The first TouchWiz 2.0 phone from Samsung features downloadable widgets to fend off boredom along with an incredible list of features-- if it can be put in a phone, Samsung included it! This is an import unlocked GSM quad band phone (no US 3G, just EDGE) that sells for around $430. It packs an 800MHz CPU, 5 megapixel autofocus camera, a 3.1" 800 x 480 pixel resistive touch screen with haptics, an accelerometer and motion control, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth and DivX video playback. |
Aug. 2009 |
|
| Sony Ericsson W705a The W705a is Sony Ericsson's high-middle tier Walkman phone for those who don't want to shell out big bucks for the W995a but want more than the W518a on AT&T offers. It's slim, silvery-sleek and it features the usual Walkman Player 3.0 software and the Xross Media Bar UI for all things multimedia. The phone has US 3G on AT&T's bands, is quad band unlocked GSM and it has WiFi too. Other amenities include Bluetooth with A2DP stereo, a 3.2 megapixel camera and a stereo headset plus 4 gig M2 card in the box. This phone works with any GSM carrier. |
Aug. 2009 |
|
| Sony Ericsson W995a This top of the line Walkman phone sports something different: an 8.1 megapixel autofocus camera. Nice, though the photos won't put it among the best camera phones. This is an unlocked GSM world phone with 3G HSDPA on AT&T's bands and it's sold with a US warranty and no contract. It features the latest Walkman music player application, the same multimedia interface as that used on the Sony PSP and PS3, an HTML web browser, QVGA display, aGPS with Google Maps, 3.5mm stereo headset jack, Bluetooth and (surprise!) WiFi. The W995a is clad in brushed aluminum and looks properly high quality. |
July 2009 |
|
| Sony Ericsson W580i The new mid-level Walkman phone from Sony Ericsson is available from AT&T and unlocked from SonyStyle (we review both versions). This quad band GSM phone has EDGE for data and is small, really small. The slider design is sturdy and the curvy profile is attractive. It's available in white, black and gray and it has the usual full-featured Walkman phone music player, excellent audio quality, Music ID and an FM radio. The 2 megapixel camera takes quite good shots and there's a Memory Stick Micro slot to save photos and store music. |
Oct. 2007 |
|
| Sony Ericsson K850i The new flagship Cybershot phone from Sony Ericsson takes aim at the Nokia N95 with its 5 megapixel camera with autofocus lens and Xenon flash. This quad unlocked GSM import phone will work with any GSM carrier, and it has triband 3G UMTS and HSDPA that likewise will work anywhere in the world 3G is available (including the US on AT&T). The phone features touch controls, Bluetooth 2.0 +EDR with A2DP stereo Bluetooth, a Sony PSP-like media player, great music playback and a better than average feature phone browser thanks to Netfront on board. It also does email and push email with Exchange. Like the iPhone, it does that cool screen rotate when you turn the phone, but only in the Media app. |
Oct. 2007 |
|
| Sony Ericsson W810i The latest Walkman phone from Sony Ericsson not only holds more songs than an iTunes phone but it's got a great 2 megapixel camera as well. Looking more stately than the day-glow orange swiveling W600i, this phone is small, great looking and easy to use. It's a quad band GSM world phone with EDGE that's currently sold unlocked but will likely be picked up by Cingular in the US. It also has Bluetooth, an FM radio and Memory Stick Duo slot with 512 meg card in the box. Quite a lot in a small package! |
July & Sept. 2006 |
|
| Sony Ericsson K800i This import Cyber-shot camera phone earns its name with an excellent 3.2MP camera that features autofocus and a Xenon flash. The K800i has more than a camera, offering an MP3 player, Memory Stick Micro slot, FM radio, RSS reader and Bluetooth 2.0. It's a triband phone that's best for T-Mobile users in the US and it has GPRS for data. |
Sept. 2006 |
|
Symbian
OS Phones, Maemo and MeeGo (Nokia Series 60, S60, Series 80, Series 90 and UIQ)
| Nokia N9 The Nokia N9 is Nokia's last hurrah before they make the switch to being a Windows Phone manufacturer. It runs their customized version of the MeeGoo OS that's based on Linux, and it's a thoroughly modern and beautifully designed touch-based OS. The N9 has a 3.9" AMOLED display with anti-glare technology and Nokia's black technology. Blacks are deep, colors are vivid and glare is indeed less of an issue vs. most touch screen phones. It's 854 x 480 pixels with Gorilla Glass, an accelerometer and an ambient light sensor. The phone runs on a 1GHz CPU. |
Nov. 2011 |
 |
| Nokia E7 The keyboarded companion to the Nokia N8 is here and it boasts superb hardware and an excellent QWERTY keyboard. The design and feel are top notch, but Symbian ^3 still lags behind more modern mobile operating systems when it comes to user interface and touch interaction. Still, it's hard to beat the E7's 8 megapixel camera, elegant hinge design and 4" AMOLED SuperBlack capacitive touch screen. The E7 is sold unlocked for use with any GSM carrier, and it has both T-Mobile and AT&T 3G HSDPA. |
March 2011 |
 |
| Nokia N8 The phone-loving world has had its eye on Nokia's first Symbian ^3 OS smartphone that's optimized for touch and ready for modern times. The N8 features a mind-boggling 12 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss lens and a Xenon flash that will blind your friends and illuminate the dark corners of your life. It snaps fantastic photos and 720p video. The phone has a 3.5" capacitive multi-touch AMOLED display that vibrant, Flash video support, a full HTML web browser, WiFi 802.11n, Bluetooth 3.0 and a GPS with Ovi Maps. other amenities include an FM radio and FM transmitter, 16 gigs of storage, a microSD card slot and aluminum casing. This is an unlocked GSM phone that supports both AT&T and T-Mobile 3GG HSDPA as well as overseas 3G. |
Oct. 2010 |
 |
| Nokia E72 The Nokia E72 is the follow-up to the extremely popular Nokia E71 that earned our Editor's Choice award 1.5 years ago. Can the E72 live up to its admirable predecessor? It boasts a 600MHz ARM 11 CPU and an upgraded 5 megapixel autofocus camera with flash and a few other goodies that give it a running start. The E72 is an unlocked GSM world phone with 3G HSDPA on AT&T's bands. It's sold in the US without contract, and like the E71, the price isn't bad. Other features include WiFi, GPS with free navigation, Bluetooth and an FM radio. |
Feb. 2010 |
|
| Nokia N900 We've been waiting for Nokia to kick start their touch screen phone offerings, and we mean something more serious than a touch UI plastered on top of Symbian S60 like the N97 and Nokia 5800 XpressMusic. That phone is finally here in the guise of the N900 running Nokia's Linux-based Maemo 5 OS. That OS is pretty impressive, mighty finger-friendly and fast. An ARM Cortex-A8 CPU with graphics acceleration helps keep it quick and there's plenty of RAM and 32 gigs of storage too. The N900 is an unlocked GSM world phone with 3G HSDPA on the 1700 and 2100MHz bands. That means 3G speeds on T-Mobile's US network and 3G in Europe. The N900 has a top notch 5MP camera with a Carl Zeiss lens, WiFi, Bluetooth and a GPS too. |
Dec. 2009 |
|
| Nokia N97 Nokia's new flagship smartphone has every feature currently available on a high end phone, and it's the second touch screen S60 phone from Nokia. We take a look at the N97 NAM, the US edition with 3G on AT&T's bands and a US warranty. The N97 is sold unlocked without contract for use on any GSM network and it has WiFi and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR as well. This Nokia features a widget-based home screen with weather, Facebook, email and other goodies running on the 360 x 640 pixel touch screen. The slide-out QWERTY keyboard takes the pain out of messaging and the 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss lens can shoot widescreen video at 30fps. There's a GPS with compass, FM radio and more. |
June 2009 |
|
| Nokia E75 Nokia's side-slider QWERTY looks like a standard candybar phone, and it's as thin as a non-slider. Sexy, solid and chic, this high-end E Series S60 3rd Edition smartphone is available unlocked and ready for your GSM SIM card. We look at the US version which has quad band GSM and EDGE along with 3G HSDPA on AT&T's bands. The phone has business and pleasure covered with an Office suite, Nokia's new email client with Exchange support and more. But there's room for fun thanks to the 3.2 megapixel autofocus camera that can shoot VGA video, Flash Lite and N-Gage gaming. |
June 2009 |
|
| Nokia 5800 XpressMusic Nokia's first S60 touch screen smartphone has made it to the US. The Nokia 5800 NAM is the US edition with HSDPA on AT&T's 3G bands. This quad band unlocked GSM world phone is sold without contract at a relatively reasonable price and it packs a lot of features including WiFi, Bluetooth with A2DP, stereo speakers, AV-out to TV, Flash video playback, Webkit browser, a strong GPS with Nokia Maps, FM radio, 3.5mm stereo jack and more. But its real claim to fame is its 3.2" widescreen 640 x 360 pixel touch screen and Nokia S60 5th Edition-- the touch version of S60. Nokia has done a good job of making S60 touch-friendly and you won't need a stylus with this smartphone. |
April 2009 |
|
| Nokia E63 In our review we take a look at the US version, the Nokia E63 NAM. The E63 is the budget version of the Nokia E71 unlocked Symbian S60 smartphone. It sports the same shape, similar dimensions and the same excellent keyboard as the E71 but it sells for only $279. This is an unlocked GSM quad band world phone that requires no contract and it has a QVGA display, Bluetooth with A2DP, a 2 megapixel camera, WiFi and Flash Lite 3.0. It has 3G WCDMA on the AT&T bands and EDGE for T-Mobile. |
April 2009 |
|
| Roundup Review: Nokia N96, N85 and N79 US models In this detailed review, we take a look at the latest trio of US Nokia Nseries smartphones. The N96-3, N85-3 and N79-3 GSM quad band unlocked phones have US 3G on the AT&T bands and carry US warranties. The phones feature a 5 megapixel camera with a Carl Zeiss autofocus lens and dual LED flash that can shoot video at 30fps. Also on board: a QVGA display, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0 +EDR with stereo A2DP, SDHC microSD card slot and aGPS with Nokia Maps. Nokia adds variety in the details: tne N96 has 16 gigs of flash storage, the N85 has a vivid OLED display and the N79 features Xpress-on active covers with a microchip that tells the phone to switch its display theme to match the cover color. |
Feb. 2009 |
|
| Nokia E71 Stunningly good looking and impossibly thin: two things we don't often say about a smartphone. The E71 puts the once solid Nokia E61 to shame: it's smaller, much thinner, yet fits more inside: GPS, US 3G HSDPA, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0 +EDR and a 3 megapixel camera with autofocus lens. It's got a great QWERTY keyboard and push email support, but it also handles music playback, video and even streaming YouTube well. The E71 is an unlocked GSM world phone that's sold without contract in the US. Editor's
Choice 2008. |
August 2008 |
|
| Nokia E66 We take a long, hard look at the US version of the E66, to be released this summer as an unlocked phone with US 3G HSDPA support. The E66 is a business slider with weekender good looks and portability. And it's got every feature commonly found on a high end phone: GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0, and business email support. There's plenty of fun too with a video player, YouTube support, 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus lens and an FM radio. The E66 runs S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 1 and has a few new tricks up its sleeve, including automatic screen rotation. |
June 2008 |
|
| Nokia N78 We take a look at the Nokia N78, otherwise known as the N78-3 and N78 NAM edition for the US. The N78 is a mid-tier NSeries smartphone with an impressive feature set including the latest S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 2 system software, GPS, 3 megapixel camera with autofocus Carl Zeiss lens, WiFi and US 3G. The successor to the wildly successful N73 has a lot more to offer, yet manages to keep the same size. We like the flush QVGA display and minimalist clean looks, but this gloss phone won't stay clean without a cloth. |
June 2008 |
|
| Nokia E51 This E Series business smartphone looks more like a sexy feature phone. It's sold unlocked in the US by major retailers and is a quad band GSM world phone with non-US 3G. It's super-thin with a 2" QVGA display, 2 megapixel camera and Bluetooth 2.0 +EDR. There's WiFi for fast data, and support for most popular personal and corporate email including BlackBerry Connect. This affordable S60 phone dishes out some fun too with a capable music player, A2DP, Real Player and an FM radio. |
May 2008 |
|
| Nokia N95 8 Gig (N95-4)The fourth time around, the Nokia N95 is still looking good! When the original N95 came out a year ago it wowed pretty much everyone with its huge laundry list of cutting edge features, topped with a 5 megapixel autofocus camera. Flash forward to today and we've had the US N95-3, the Euro 8 gig model and now the US 8 gig N95 with US 3G HSDPA and a US warranty. The phone loses the microSD card slot and replaces it with 8 gigs of flash storage and has the latest firmware with a faster camera and other tweaks. The display size is upped to 2.8" and the phone has the usual N95 goodness: GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, FM radio, 2-way slider, music player and more. |
April 2008 |
|
| Nokia 6120 Classic Who says a Nokia S60 3rd Edition smartphone has to be expensive and large? The 6120 Classic is an unlocked quad band GSM phone that's very small, quite attractive and sells for less than $300 from online importers (no contract required). The 6120 has EDGE, dual band 850/2100MHz 3G, a 2 megapixel camera, sharp 2" QVGA display and Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP stereo headset support. Not bad and worth a look if you want a small smartphone and don't need the pricey bells and whistles like WiFi, a high end camera or GPS. |
Oct. 2007 |
|
| Nokia N95-3 This charmingly named smartphone is the new and improved US version of the N95 that's now called N95-1. Nokia didn't just re-package the N95 for the US and add the US 3G bands, they re-worked the phone, tweaking the original N95's few shortcomings away. The N95-3 is designed for the US market and is currently available at the NY and Chicago Nokia Flagship stores and online from a few retailers. It supports US HSDPA for fast wireless data, improves the GPS, quadruples available RAM, increases battery capacity and adds a soft-touch finish. The N95-3 remains one of the most capable GSM smartphones on the market with a 5MP autofocus camera, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0 +EDR, GPS and an FM radio. |
Oct. 2007 |
|
| Nokia N95 This smartphone has every feature in the book, but its claim to fame is its 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss autofocus lens. If you thought the N73 was good, imagine a phone that takes better photos than the N73 and videos on par with the Nokia N93. That's just the start: this unlocked quad band GSM phone has a stunning QVGA display, two-way slider design, WiFi 802.11b/g, Bluetooth 2.0 +EDR, integrated GPS, strong multimedia features and it's both compact and attractive. It syncs with Windows and Macs, has full PIM apps and Office viewers. The N95 has Euro-3G (not compatible with US 3G) and EDGE for data. It's sold unlocked directly by Nokia USA as well as importers. |
April 2007 |
|
| Nokia N91 This convergence device wants to be your phone, PDA and iPod. It features a 4 gig hard drive which can hold approximately 1,000 tunes, great playback quality and a standard 3.5mm headphone jack so you can use your favorite headphones. If that isn't enough, it's a powerful smartphone running Symbian OS 9.1 and Nokia's S60 3rd Edition software, has a 2 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, WiFi and a slick stainless steel finish. It's a GSM triband phone with EDGE and Euro 3G that's sold unlocked by Nokia and importers. |
Sept. 2006 |
|
| Nokia N73 This smartphone is a photographer's dream. Now there's no tradeoff between a savvy business phone and one that can take simply excellent photos and videos. The N73 features a 3.2MP camera with Carl Zeiss autofocus lens and it can take some of the best photos among any high end camera phone on the market. Though the phone also plays MP3s, has an FM radio and does a great job playing video on its stunning 240 x 320 display, it's not just about multimedia. It runs Symbian OS 9.1 with Nokia S60 3rd Edition and has capable PIM applications, MS Office and PDF viewers and more. It's a GSM quad band world phone with EDGE and Euro 3G that's sold unlocked for use with any GSM carrier in the US. |
Aug. 2006 |
|
| Nokia E61 Brains and good looks: what a combination. The Nokia E61 proves that business phones can be beautiful. Its metal, sleek silver casing has that thin is in look which helps the Moto Q thrive, but the Nokia adds WiFi and BlackBerry Connect support. This quad band GSM world phone has EDGE and Euro 3G for data, Bluetooth, a really sharp landscape QVGA display, great battery life and a QWERTY keyboard. It's not offered by any US carrier, but importers in the US offer it at surprisingly reasonable prices unlocked. Definitely worth a look if you want more style and multimedia capability than BlackBerry offers and you feel that Palm OS is a bit too dusty. |
Aug. 2006 |
|
| Nokia N80 Who says good looks and great photos aren't for smartphone users? One of Nokia's flagship smartphones in their Nseries, the N80 boasts a good 3MP camera with flash, really great looks and a small size with a slider design. The phone runs S60 3rd Edition on Symbian OS 9.1 with powerful PIM applications, syncing, Office viewers and a host of multimedia goodness. The Nokia has an FM radio, video playback, PictBridge support, Bluetooth, WiFi and an amazing 352 x 416 pixel display with 262K colors. It's a quad band GSM phone with EDGE and Euro-3G that's sold by importers in the US. |
Aug. 2006 |
|
| Nokia N90 Thanks to Nokia, if you want a smartphone that can take a darned impressive photo, you can have it. While most smartphones and PDA phones have rudimentary cameras, the N90, released in the fall of 2005, has one of the best 2MP cameras on the market. It takes sharp, colorful photos and smooth video. It's a Symbian OS phone running S60 2nd Edition and it has full syncing capabilities, email, web and PIM applications. Though this triband phone isn't officially offered by any US carrier, some dealers sell it with a T-Mobile contract at a hefty discount. It's sold unlocked for use with any carrier. |
April 2006 |
|
| Nokia 9300 An
ergonomic delight as a phone and PDA. Closed it looks like
a large candy bar phone, open it's like a mini notebook. This
triband GSM phone runs Symbian Series 80 and has full support
for PIM, Office, web and email. It has GPRS and EDGE for
data and a sharp widescreen color display. It's offered by Cingular in the US. |
Sept. 2005 and March 2006 |
|
| Nokia 9500 This giant among phones looks like a candy bar phone until you flip open the lid and transform it into a micro notebook with QWERTY keyboard. It's a GSM triband phone that supports the 900/1800/1900Mhz bands and it has GPRS and EDGE for data. If that's not interesting enough, it has WiFi, a lovely 640 x 200 transflective display, Bluetooth and runs the Symbian OS with Nokia's Series 80 user interface. |
March 2006 |
|
| Nokia 7710 The
first and last Symbian Series 90 smartphone is both a PDA
and a phone. Not only that, it claims to be a multimedia
powerhouse. This triband GSM device is available only through
importers in the US and supports both GPRS and EDGE for data.
It has a 3.5" 640 x 320 touch screen, lots of memory,
Bluetooth, an MMC slot and a suite of Office, PIM and Internet
applications. |
July 2005 |
|
| Nokia N-Gage
QD This unique device is a GSM
mobile phone, smartphone with PIM apps and application expandability
and most interestingly, a handheld gaming device. It's compact
enough to carry with you, and works surprisingly well as
a phone while offering excellent gaming ergonomics. And it's
a smart fella, running the Symbian Series 60 OS. Add Bluetooth
and a hot swappable MMC slot for games and expansion and
you've got the QD, head and shoulders above the original
N-Gage. Not bad for $199 or less! |
Feb. 2005 |
|
| Nokia 7610
Smartphone This Symbian
Series 60 phone sports a lovely design, has good ergonomics
and a very impressive 1 megapixel digital camera. Add in
the usual Nokia Series 60 features like Bluetooth, great
reception and reliable operation and you've got a winner.
This phone has been out in Europe for several months and
is now reaching US shores where Cingular is offering it. |
Nov. 2004 |
|
| Siemens SX1 Here's
a rare find: a Symbian Series 60 phone that's not made by
Nokia. Since it runs Series 60, it qualifies as a smartphone,
offering PIM apps, MP3 playback, bluetooth and more. It's
a GSM tri-band world phone with GPRS for data. Add to that
a VGA camera and one of the oddest designs you'll find in
a production phone and you've got the SX1. |
July 2004 |
|
| Sony
Ericsson P900 The
successor to the P800 offers just about every feature you
could want in a smartphone: GSM/GPRS world phone service,
Internet browsing, email, full featured PIM apps, Bluetooth
and a VGA camera. It runs Symbian OS 7 and UIQ 2.1. The
keypad flips open to reveal a large touch screen color
display. |
March 2004 |
|
| Sony
Ericsson P800 This
much anticipated smartphone runs Symbian OS 7, has a touch
screen display, an integrated VGA camera and runs on GSM
networks anywhere in the world. The dial pad flips open
to reveal a large color display suitable for web browsing,
email and more. Discontinued. |
June 2003 |
|
Windows Mobile Professional - Pocket
PC Phone Edition Models
| HTC Touch Diamond2 Into Windows Mobile touch screen phones or don't want to go with a contract or an iPhone?. HTC's revision of the Touch Diamond offers some impressive specs including a 480 x 800 pixel touch screen and a much improved TouchFLO 3D user interface. The slab design is modern and less plasticky than the first Diamond's and the display is a bit larger at 3.2". This is a quad band GSM unlocked phone with EDGE for data in the US and it has a GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, an SDHC microSD card slot and a 5 megapixel camera. |
July 2009 |
|
| HTC Touch Pro2 HTC's new flagship QWERTY touch screen slider has just started to hit the overseas market. This import unlocked GSM Windows Mobile Pro 6.1 phone really rocks. Forget the Fuze and original Touch Pro-- this is the real deal with fantastic good looks, a 3.6" 800 x 480 display with haptic feedback, the latest version of HTC's TouchFLO 3D that almost completely remakes Windows Mobile and one of the best hardware keyboards on the market. The Pro2 has a GPS, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, WiFi, 512 megs of flash storage, a microSD card slot and a 3.2 megapixel autofocus camera. Sorry, the import version is EDGE-only in the US, but we're sure US carriers will come out with their own versions sporting 3G. |
June 2009 |
|
| E-TEN Glofiish X610 An entry to mid level Windows Mobile Pro 6.1 touch screen phone, the X610 packs pretty much every feature except 3G and lots of memory. It has a 2.8" QVGA display, quad band GSM with EDGE, FM radio, SiRF III GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, camera, microSD card slot and a 400MHz CPU. The slate design phone has a flush touch screen and is relatively thin and light for a PDA phone. As usual with E-TEN, we wish for a little more styling and memory to keep things running quickly, but it's nonetheless an OK unlocked GSM smartphone. The Glofiish line is available unlocked with no contract from importers and online retailers. |
Jan. 2009 |
|
| Sony Ericsson Xperia It's finally here! Sony Ericsson's first Windows Mobile touch screen phone running their panels user interface. The pricey but feature-rich Xperia X1a is the US version sold at SonyStyle stores and it has US 3G on the AT&T bands. This quad band unlocked GSM world phone has an amazing 800 x 480 touch screen, a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus lens, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth and an FM radio. It's stylish metal body features a unique arc that fits the curve of one's hand. It certainly looks slick and classy enough for a Bond flick. |
Nov. 2008 |
|
| HTC Touch HD HTC's counter to the iPhone sports some impressive specs including a 3.8" touch screen with a huge 480 x 800 resolution. The HD runs TouchFLO 3D, and is an elegant looking phone in terms of both hardware and software. Think of it as an HTC Touch Diamond with a super-sized display and a very impressive 5 megapixel camera tacked on the back. This is an unlocked GSM world phone that will work in the US, but 3G is overseas-only. It has the usual laundry list of high end features including Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0 with stereo A2DP, a GPS, music player and video with YouTube support. |
Nov. 2008 |
|
| Palm Treo Pro It's been a while since the Treo 750 came out, and now we have Palm's successor, which loses the Treo 850 handle and instead goes under the name Treo Pro. The Treo Pro looks more like the Palm Centro, but it has Pro features inside: GPS, WiFi, 3G HSDPA, Bluetooth 2.0 +EDR and a 400MHz processor. No US carrier has picked up the Treo, so it's sold as an unlocked GSM phone with no contract in tow. The Treo runs Windows Mobile 6.1 and features a flush touch screen for easier access to the display. |
Sept. 2008 |
|
| E-TEN Glofiish V900 The V900 is E-TEN's flagship Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional phone for 2008. It boasts a VGA display that's flush mounted and finger-friendly. It comes with Spb Mobile Shell 2.1 pre-installed for an even touchier experience, and it's loaded with a 3.2 megapixel autofocus camera, US 3G HSDPA, WiFi, Bluetooth, an FM radio and a SiRF Star III GPS. The Glofiish runs on a 533MHz processor with 128 megs of RAM and 256 megs of flash ROM for good performance and it has an integrated digital TV tuner. The catch? The TV tuner doesn't work in the US. |
Sept. 2008 |
|
| US 3G HTC Touch Diamond First Look. It's raining Diamonds here. This time we've gotten a hold of the US unlocked GSM HTC Touch Diamond before its official release. The US version has dual band US 3G HSDPA that works on AT&T's 850/1900 bands. It's also a quad band GSM unlocked world phone with EDGE. Like the Sprint Diamond, it's a little thicker than the original Euro model, but it retains the Diamond-faceted back and overall great looks. The battery is larger than the Euro Diamond, and this Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional phone features TouchFLO 3D, GPS, VGA display, WiFi, Bluetooth and a 3.2 megapixel camera. |
Sept. 2008 |
|
| MWg Zinc II From the team that brought you some really cool Windows Mobile phones for the UK carrier O2 who are now the backbone of MWg, we have the Zinc II. This Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional phone rises in the spirit of side-sliding QWERTY PDA phones like the HTC Tilt, adding an updated design with rounded corners, a soft touch finish and most important- a flush display. It's got a SiRF III GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0, a 2 megapixel camera and US 3G. It's a quad band unlocked GSM phone with worldwide 3G that's sold unlocked for use with any GSM carrier. |
Sept. 2008 |
|
| Samsung Omnia One of the hottest Windows Mobile Professional phones of 2008, if not one of the hottest smartphones altogether, the Samsung Omnia i900 lives up to its name (Omnia means all in Latin). This quad band unlocked GSM phone has everything except US 3G: GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth with A2DP, FM radio, Opera 9.5, microSD card slot and a 624MHz processor. But the real biggies are the 240 x 400 pixel 3.2" touch screen with Samsung's TouchWiz UI, 8 or 16 gigs of storage and a really fine 5 megapixel autofocus camera. Certainly a phone to consider if you're interested in a GSM import and can live without 3G. |
August 2008 |
|
| HP iPAQ 910c We don't see many HP iPAQ Windows Mobile Professional phones hit the market, but when we do, we're usually impressed. The iPAQ 910c boasts a long list of high-end features for a reasonable $499 price (unlocked GSM world phone, no contract required). It's a modern-looking QWERTY bar phone with a very good keyboard, 3G 7.2Mbps HSDPA, GPS, WiFi and Bluetooth. There's also a 3MP camera with autofocus, an SDHC microSD card slot and Bluetooth A2DP all running on a 416MHz Intel processor. If you like the size and form factor of QWERTY Windows Mobile Standard Edition phones like the BlackJack II and Moto Q9 but want a touch screen and Pro features, the iPAQ 910 should be on your short list. |
August 2008 |
|
| Toshiba Portege G810 It's a Portege, but it's not a Toshiba notebook. This is Toshiba's latest Windows Mobile Professional 6.1 phone with a flush touch screen and custom touch user interface software. It looks beautiful, fitting in with the LG Prada, Touch Diamond and other recent slate-design touch screen phones. It's an unlocked quad band GSM world phone with worldwide 3G HSDPA and HSUPA that plays nicely on AT&T's HSDPA network. Though fairly compact and light, it's got a laundry list of high end features including GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0 +EDR, a 3 megapixel autofocus camera and FM radio. This 400MHz Pocket PC phone is offered by importers in the US. |
July 2008 |
|
| HTC Touch Diamond Here's our full review of HTC's flagship Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional GSM phone featuring TouchFLO 3D. The Diamond sports a very innovative and attractive UI that makes you feel like you're not using Windows Mobile (for the most part a good thing). Beyond the new interface, the HTC Diamond has jaw-dropping good looks and it's amazingly thin, small and light. Yet somehow HTC managed to fit 4 gigs of flash storage, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, non-US 3G and a 3 megapixel autofocus camera. The only drawback: there's no US 3G support. But HTC tells us a US version will follow. |
June 2008 |
|
| HTC Touch Dual US version This is the US version of the Touch Dual, currently offered by Best Buy with no contract. The Dual is a quad band GSM phone with US 3G HSDPA and a slide-down 20 key QWERTY keyboard that uses predictive text. It offers many improvements over the original GSM HTC Touch including a 2x faster 400MHz processor, 128 megs of RAM, 256 megs of ROM, Windows Mobile 6.1 and a 2 megapixel autofocus camera. The Touch Dual has HTC's TouchFLO user interface, matured and more responsive since the Touch first launched a year ago, and we like it quite a bit. |
June 2008 |
|
| HTC Advantage X7510 The not bigger (thankfully) but somewhat better HTC Advantage should be out next month. We got our hands on a final hardware version with not quite final software for this review. The X7510 is a refresh of the Windows Mobile mini-computer with a VGA 5" touch screen display, GPS, quad band GSM, triband US-friendly HSDPA 3.5G, WiFi, Bluetooth and a 3MP camera. What's new? The tiny hard disk is gone and has been replaced by a 16 gig flash drive, the OS is now Windows Mobile 6.1 and the removable keyboard has been redesigned. The X7510 will only be available through importers in the US unlike last years's X7501 and as ever, it's the MacGyver of mobile devices, doing most everything well. |
May 2008 |
|
| E-TEN Glofiish X650The non-3G sibling to the Glofiish X800 features a more basic industrial design that harks back to the E-TEN Glofiish X500+. Though slim and light for a Windows Mobile Professional Pocket PC phone, the X650 packs in every popular feature including a VGA display, SiRF III GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, a good camera and an FM radio. The X650 is a quad band GSM phone with EDGE for data that's sold unlocked by a variety of importers. It has a 500MHz CPU, 256 megs of flash memory and an SDHC microSD card slot. |
April 2008 |
|
| ASUS P527The P527 is an unlocked GSM Pocket PC phone that's sold in the US. It features an integrated SiRF III GPS, and is available with ASUS Go navigation software and maps of North America on a microSD card. The P527 isn't offered by a US carrier, but is sold by a few US retailers (mostly online). It's a quad band GSM Windows Mobile 6 Professional phone with EDGE for data and it has WiFi and Bluetooth 2.0 +EDR. It has a 2 megapixel camera with autofocus lens and a microSD card slot that supports SDHC high capacity card. The ASUS runs on a 200MHz TI processor with 64 megs of RAM, which means it's not the fastest kid on the block. The P527 is one of the few PPC phones with a hardware number pad and true candybar phone design. |
March 2008 |
|
| Sharper Image TSI101 Who'd think you could visit your local mall and come out with an unlocked GSM Windows Mobile 6 Professional PDA phone? Sharper Image has gotten into the unlocked GSM phone business, and we take a look at their Windows Mobile Pocket PC phone that works with any GSM carrier's SIM. There's a catch though- the TSI101 is missing one US band, the 850MHz band used by AT&T, so don't get your hopes up if you're an AT&T customer. T-Mobile customers might want to check out this triband phone with EDGE for data. It's got the usual QVGA color touch screen, a GPS, 2 megapixel camera and Bluetooth. In fact,SI includes a mini Bluetooth headset in the box. |
Feb. 2008 |
|
| E-TEN Glofiish X800 Yet another swiss army knife of a Windows Mobile Professional phone from E-TEN. The X800 is the first to sport 3G with triband HSDPA that works in the US. Not only that but it has a VGA display, WiFi, Bluetooth, a 2 megapixel autofocus camera, front-facing videoconferencing camera, an FM radio and a SiRFstar III GPS. Whew. This relatively slim and pocketable Pocket PC phone is sold unlocked and its quad band GSM radio works worldwide. Well worth a look if you want everything but a hardware keyboard. |
Jan. 2008 |
|
| HTC Advantage X7501 While PDA phones have morphed into phones, or tried to, in the past few years, HTC tries something novel and useful: a PDA phone that's firmly rooted in handheld computing. Looking like a tiny notebook, the HTC Advantage X7501 runs Windows Mobile 6 Professional on a 624MHz processor with 128 megs of RAM, 256 megs of flash ROM and an 8 gig microdrive. It has a VGA display, VGA-out for TV viewing and presentations, detachable QWERTY keyboard, a 3 megapixel autofocus camera, Bluetooth 2.0, WiFi and a full GPS inside. Whew! And there's a quad band unlocked GSM radio with EDGE and triband HSDPA 3G for voice and data. This is the US version, due for imminent release at US retail outlets. A viable and interesting mobile computing alternative to UMPCs and micro PCs. |
July 2007 |
|
| E-TEN Glofiish X500+ The VGA version of the Glofiish X500 runs Windows Mobile 6 Professional and features a SiRF Star III GPS. Slim and pocketable compared to other VGA Pocket PC phones, the X500+ has everything but the kitchen sink: an unlocked quad band GSM phone with EDGE for data, WiFi 802.11b/g, Bluetooth 2.0 +EDR, 2 megapixel camera with business card reader and an FM radio. |
July 2007 |
|
| HTC Touch A small, light and simply elegant Windows Mobile Professional phone. Its claim to fame is a touch screen that's optimized for finger and gesture use, so you need not use the stylus as often. The Touch is a triband 900/1800/1900MHz unlocked GSM phone, with an 850MHz version coming later this year. It has Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP stereo support, WiFi 802.11b/g and a 2megapixel camera. The Touch runs on a 201MHz TI OMAP processor and it has EDGE for data. |
June 2007 |
|
| E-TEN Glofiish M700 Take the recently reviewed Glofiish X500 and add a side-sliding QWERTY keyboard and you've got the M700. This "everything but the kitchen sink" PDA phone has WiFi 802.11b/g, Bluetooth 2.0 +EDR, a 400MHz Samsung CPU, a 2MP camera with flash, an FM radio and best of all, a SiRFStarIII internal GPS. This quad band GSM world phone has EDGE for data and is sold unlocked for use with any carrier. |
March 2007 |
|
| i-mate JAQ3 The second Pocket PC phone to sport both a front-facing static keyboard and a QVGA landscape touch screen display (the JAQ was the first). The JAQ3 is a quad band phone with EDGE that's sold by importers unlocked for use with any GSM carrier. It has a very good QWERTY keyboard, WiFi 802.11b/g, Bluetooth and a 2 megapixel camera. The uber-thin JAQ3 looks like a super-sized Samsung BlackJack MS Smartphone, which is a compliment, though its width and height may stretch your pocket. |
Jan. 2007 |
|
| HTC P3300 and XDA Orbit These two phones are variations of the HTC Artemis. Though they have different casings, they're identical inside. They are Windows Mobile 5 Pocket PC phones and the HTC P3300 is sold unlocked while the XDA Orbit is offered by O2 in Europe. Features include a very compact design, internal GPS, quad band GSM phone with EDGE for data, a 2MP camera, WiFi and Bluetooth. We got a hold of both models for this review. |
Jan. 2007 |
|
| E-TEN Glofiish X500 The X500 wants to be your everything. It's a Windows Mobile 5 Pocket PC, a quad band GSM phone and a GPS. Featuring a PDA-like design, the Glofiish X500 features an internal SiRF III GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR, EDGE for data, a 400MHz CPU and a 2 megapixel camera. It's sold unlocked by importers in the US and will work with any GSM carrier. |
Jan. 2007 |
|
| HP iPAQ hw6915 While the iPAQ hw6515 didn't meet our view of perfection, HP's new Windows Mobile 5 model, the hw6915 comes pretty close. This Pocket PC has a strong quad band GSM mobile phone, full PDA, WiFi, Bluetooth and a good GPS inside. No external antennas either, despite the 4 wireless radios inside. It runs on a 416MHz XScale processor, has 128 megs of flash ROM and a very good QWERTY thumb keyboard. Release date estimate: June 2006. |
May and Oct. 2006 |
|
| i-mate JAMin This follow-up to the popular i-mate JAM keeps the super-compact design while offering many upgrades including a 2MP camera, more memory, Windows Mobile 5, WiFi and a quad band GSM radio with EDGE for data. That's a lot of features packed into one of the smallest Pocket PC phones on the market! It's sold unlocked for use with any GSM carrier in the world. |
May 2006 |
|
Windows Mobile Standard - Microsoft
Smartphone Models
| HTC S740 / HTC S743 This is a video review of HTC's sexy Windows Mobile 6.1 smartphone that takes the reigns from the HTC S710. It looks like a normal candybar phone, but it hides a roomy side-sliding full QWERTY keyboard. It resembles the overseas GSM HTC Touch Pro and HTC Fuze but it's much narrower, though taller. It's ripe with features including a 528MHz CPU, 3.2 megapixel camera, GPS, WiFi and Bluetooth 2.0 +EDR. The S740 has Euro 3G HSDPA while the HTC S743 has US 3G HSDPA on AT&T's bands. The S740 and S743 are unlocked GSM world phones. |
Dec. 2008 |
|
| HTC S630 The follow-up to the HTC S620 (aka T-Mobile Dash) looks quite similar but it adds 3G HSDPA, a 2 megapixel camera, doubles the clock speed and weighs less. This unlocked GSM Windows Mobile 6 Standard edition smartphone is sold by importers and online retailers rather than US carriers. It's a quad band GSM world phone with triband HSDPA 3G, so it will work anywhere in the world GSM service is available. Like the Dash, it's slim, sexy and sports a QWERTY thumb keyboard. In the US it offers competition for the Samsung BlackJack, various recent BlackBerry models and the Motorola Q9. It has a QVGA display, WiFi, Bluetooth and a 400MHz CPU. |
Sept. 2007 |
|
| HTC S710 The first Windows Mobile 6 smartphone out the door from HTC is a winner. This phone is about the same size as the T-Mobile SDA yet it sports a side-sliding QWERTY keyboard like the HTC TyTN (Cingular 8525) and other popular Pocket PC phones. But this is a smartphone, running what's now called Windows Mobile Standard Edition. It has Bluetooth 2.0, WiFi 802.11b/g, a good 2MP camera and a QVGA display with LED backlighting that operates in both portrait and landscape modes. The S710, otherwise known by its codename, the Vox, is a quad band GSM phone with EDGE that's sold unlocked for use with any GSM carrier. |
April 2007 |
|
| T-Mobile Dash and HTC S620 One of our favorite smartphones. The Dash and its unlocked near-twin the HTC S620 came out at the end of October. This super-slim and attractive quad band GSM Windows Mobile Smartphone has a very usable QWERTY keyboard and a landscape 320 x 240 pixel display that's just fantastic. It's got EDGE for data, WiFi 802.11b/g, Bluetooth 2.0 and a 1.3MP camera. Certainly one of this year's hot MS Smartphones. The Dash sells for a modest $199 with contract from T-Mobile and the S620 will set you back a few hundred more. |
Nov. 2006 |
|
| Samsung i320 This Motorola Q killer is smaller, sleeker and faster than the fabled Q. Alas it's not offered by US carriers but you can buy it from importers unlocked for use with any GSM carrier. This triband phone has EDGE, Bluetooth and a wickedly fast 416MHz Intel XScale processor. And let's not forget a small but very usable QWERTY keyboard and a decent 1.3 megapixel camera with flash. |
Sept. 2006 |
|
Advertisement
|
