Top 7 Cell Phones

1. HTC Droid Incredible

The Droid Incredible by HTC is the future of computing in the palm of your hand. The super-sleek phone is less than half an inch thick, and yet it packs powerful components such as a 1 GHz processor, 8-megapixel camera, and a large high-resolution screen. Featuring the Android OS with Google, the Droid Incredible gives you access to all your social networks, websites, and thousands of applications, including Google Navigation with turn-by-turn directions.


2. HTC EVO 4G

The speedy HTC EVO 4G packs in some powerful specs and a variety of multimedia features into a stylish, minimalist design, but not everybody will get to enjoy one of its best features--4G connectivity.

3. Google Nexus One

Representing the next stage in smartphone development, the unlocked Google Nexus One phone from HTC offers supercharged power with one of the fastest processors currently available in a smartphone, a 3.7-inch AMOLED touch display, and access to all your contacts and most important data from a variety of Google tools via the Android 2.1 operating system.

4. Motorola Droid

The first Android-powered phone for Verizon Wireless, the 3G-enabled Motorola DROID smartphone offers a full package of powerful mobile connectivity--from easy access to all your social networks and viewing of full Web sites to spoken turn-by-turn directions thanks to the new Google Maps with Navigation Beta app. One of the thinnest full-QWERTY slider phones available, the Motorola DROID also features a high-resolution 3.7-inch touchscreen display and a virtual onscreen keyboard that auto-rotates depending on the phone's orientation. And you'll be able to capture high-resolution images and DVD-quality videos on the go with its 5-megapixel camera with flash.

5. Apple 32GB iPhone 3GS

Performance enhancements distinguish the otherwise evolutionary step-up iPhone 3GS from its previous iterations.

6. Motorola Cliq

The CLIQ 3G-enabled touchscreen phone for T-Mobile, is Motorola's first Android-powered device, and the first to feature the innovative MOTOBLUR overlay to the Android OS, which manages and integrates e-mail and social networking activity including Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace. In addition to a brightly colorful 3.5-inch touchscreen, the Motorola CLIQ also offers a side sliding full QWERTY keyboard for quick typing of tweets, status updates, and e-mail.

7. BlackBerry Bold 9700

The BlackBerry Bold 9700 smartphone has a large, hi-resolution screen that displays over 65,000 colors; creating a vivid viewing experience for all your photos, videos, files and websites. Access what's important with trackpad navigation based on how laptops are designed. Glide your finger over the trackpad to scroll through menus and icons. A slight press and click lets you select an item to navigate where you want to go. Enjoy music, videos, photos and documents in great color and sound. Easily sync data and audio files from your desktop to the BlackBerry Bold 9700, and get up to 35 hours of music playback time.

Top 7 Cell Phones

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Motorola Announces Android Flipout Smartphone

Today, Motorola has announced the released of the Flipout, a compact Android 2.1-based, square-shaped smartphone that in its form factor is a departure from other mobile phones.

"The Flipout, has a pivot design that opens to reveal a five-row QWERTY keypad with a separate row for numeric keys," said Chris Hazelton, an analyst with the 451 Group likens the Flipout to AT&T's Backflip from Motorola, which he says both have non-conventional form factors that won't resonate with everybody.

"It definitely is different; it mirrors the Nokia Twist, a square phone that twists up with the traditional form factor with the keyboard below the screen," said Hazelton, adding that this is the first time Motorola has offered a square-shaped phone. The difference, he said, is that the Twist is more of a feature phone and "not as capable as the Flipout, which can also access the Android marketplace for apps."

But like Motorola's other Android-based phones, the Flipout will take market share from feature phones, Hazelton said. Both Motorola and HTC have put software on top of the Android, which differentiates their phones and makes them useful for their target audience, which is commonly the social networker.

"It's interesting that no U.S. carriers picked up the phone," Hazelton noted, an indication that they may want to keep the Android for higher-end devices, while the Flipout is a mid-market device. He predicted Android phones will move into the midmarket in the next year.

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Motorola Announces Android Flipout Smartphone

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Cool Gadgets for a Hot Summer

Summer is finally upon us, and now is the right time to scope out some cool gadgets to make your summer a bit more entertaining and easier. Whether you are spending time outside, relaxing in the sun, taking a long road trip to a vacation destination such as a campground, or simply just staying at home for the perfect break, here are a number of fantastic gadgets for you to choose from:

Video Cameras

• Kodak Play Sport HD Waterproof Pocket Video Camera
• Toshiba Camileo S20
• GE General Imaging E1486TW
• ZipShot tripod
• Elgato Video Capture

Road Trips

• TomTom XXL550
• Wilson Electronics' Sleek Universal Cell Phone Signal Booster
• Jabra Extreme
• Novatel Wireless MiFi 2200
• GPS Angel V4e

Netbooks/Notebooks/Smartphones

• Samsung N150 netbook 
• Toshiba Satellite U500 series 
• HTC Droid Incredible (Verizon Wireless)

Music & Entertainment

• Altec Lansing inMotion Compact speakers and dock 
• Logitech Squeezebox Touch

Power Stuff

• Kensington Travel Battery Pack and Charger 
• NovoThink Surge solar charger for iPhone 3G and 3GS 
• Targus Laptop Charger 
• Kensington PowerBolt Micro Car Charger

Cool Gadgets for a Hot Summer

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HTC Droid Incredible vs. iPhone 3GS

It's the ultimate face-off between tech's top dogs in this five-round, winner-takes-all fight. You'll find the hottest tech battling it out here for Prizefight supremacy.

It's been a long time since we've given an Editors' Choice Award to a smartphone, and we certainly weren't expecting the HTC Droid Incredible to be one to snatch up that honor. After all, it's not like the Android-powered Incredible offers any new, groundbreaking features. However, after discovering that the smartphone had a stylish and user-friendly interface, plus blazing speeds, the decision to make it an Editors' Choice winner was a no-brainer. It's simply one of the best smartphones on the market today.

It was also a no-brainer to make the Droid Incredible the subject of a Prizefight battle, but picking its competitor wasn't so easy. There were a number of qualified contenders that could take on the Incredible, including the Motorola Droid and the Nexus One, and we had a hard time choosing, so we left the decision up to you. In the end, you guys voted for the Apple iPhone 3GS, so without further ado, here is your Prizefight between the Droid Incredible and the iPhone 3GS.

Let's keep it a clean fight, fellas. Ding, ding! [via CNET]

HTC Droid Incredible vs. iPhone 3GS

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Top 5 Most-anticipated Smartphones of 2010

According to sources at CNET.com, the following smartphones are the years most anticipated models and are definitely going to make some noise upon their release.

Windows Phone 7

With the introduction of Windows Phone 7, people are, once again, interested in Microsoft's mobile operating system. WP7 brings with it a complete overhaul of the user interface and additional features, such as the integration of Zune and Xbox Live. Unfortunately, devices won't be ready to ship till the holiday season.

Samsung Galaxy S

Introduced at CTIA 2010, the Samsung Galaxy S is Samsung's latest Google Android phone, and it might be their best one yet. The Android 2.1 device boasts a brilliant 4-inch Super AMOLED screen and can play back video at 720p resolution. In addition, Samsung will work with content partners so you can download full-length movies, TV shows, and even books and magazines. The Samsung Galaxy S is expected to be available in the U.S. this summer and, rumor has it, all carriers will get it.

Motorola i1

The Motorola i1 is the first push-to-talk Google Android smartphone due to launch on Sprint Nextel's iDEN network. It will support Nextel's Direct Connect services and, like a lot of Nextel's handsets, the i1 meets Military Specifications 810f so it can withstand dust, shock, vibration, rain, humidity, fog, and more. Other highlights include a 5-megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, and the Opera mini browser. Pricing and a release date have not been revealed at this time.

Kyocera Zio M6000

At CTIA 2010, Kyocera introduced its first Google Android phone, the Zio M6000. It's the first U.S. smartphone from Kyocera, as well. The Zio runs Android 1.6, and offers a 3.5-inch QVGA touch screen, a 3.2-megapixel camera, and support for 3G EV-DO networks. It will be available in Q2 for $169 to $219 before carrier subsidy. Cricket Wireless is already on-board, and we hear Sprint might be, too.

HTC Desire

Introduced alongside the HTC Legend, the HTC Desire is like the Nexus One but with HTC's Sense user experience rather than the standard Android interface. This means you'll get HTC's widgets, including a couple of new ones like revamped mail and agenda widgets. Also, in the browser, you can now do a long-press over some text to bring up a bar that allows you to select a word that you can then look up in the dictionary or on Wikipedia. The HTC Desire is available in Europe now, but will be headed to U.S. Cellular this summer.

Top 5 Most-anticipated Smartphones of 2010

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The 5 Best Android Smartphones Out Now

According to a report from PCWorld earlier today, the HTC Droid Incredible, Motorola's Droid, and other Android-based smartphones are strong competitors to Apple's iPhone. Here are their top 5 most worthy iPhone competitors.

1. HTC Droid Incredible

Verizon's HTC Droid Incredible runs the Sense interface on top of Android OS 2.1. The Droid Incredible ($200 with a two-year contract) features a 3.7-inch AMOLED touchscreen display, a fast 1GHz processor, an 8-megapixel camera, MicroSD-card expansion up to 32 gigabytes, multitasking, and the Friend Stream social network aggregator.

The Droid Incredible lacks a physical keyboard. Its touchscreen provides the primary user interface; voice command is also an option for calls, search, and GPS navigation.

2. Motorola Droid

Verizon's Motorola Droid features a slide-out keyboard, a 3.7-inch, 480-by-854-pixel touchscreen display, Android OS 2.1, MicroSD-card expansion up to 32 gigabytes, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1 support, a 5-megapixel camera, and hardware-accelerated graphics.

The Droid ($200 with a two-year contract) features an excellent and surprisingly fun voice-enabled search and GPS navigation capability. This makes the Droid stand out from older Android smartphone offerings.

3. Motorola Cliq

The T-Mobile Motorola Cliq features a slide-out keyboard, a 3.1-inch, 320-by-480-pixel capacitive touch display, and the MotoBlur social network aggregator. The Cliq ($150 with two-year contract) has Wi-Fi support, turn-by-turn GPS, a 5-megapixel camera, and a standard 3.5-mm headphone jack.

It runs the now-dated Android OS 1.6, so don’t expect some of the latest Android OS 2.1 apps to work.

4. Samsung Moment

The Sprint Samsung Moment ($100 with a two-year contract) features a slide-out keyboard, a 3.2-inch, 320-by-480-pixel AMOLED capacitive touchscreen display, a 3.32-megapixel camera, and Android OS 2.1.

5. Samsung Behold II

The T-Mobile Samsung Behold II has a brilliant 3.2-inch, 320-by-480-pixel AMOLED capacitive touchscreen display, a 5-megapixel camera, and TouchWiz 2.0, a touch-friendly user interface running over the now-outdated Android OS 1.5.

Note: the newest Android Market apps may require Android OS 2.1 for full functionality.

The 5 Best Android Smartphones Out Now

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What You Need to Know About the HTC EVO 4G

Unable to make a bigger splash in the cell phone market last year with the Palm Pre, Sprint is looking to launch a genuine hit with the HTC EVO 4G. The Android powered phone is scheduled to be on sale starting June 4 for only $200 with a standard two-year contract agreement.

A minimum of $70 per month (with Sprint's "Everything Data Plan") will be required for the HTC EVO 4G, as well as an additional $10 per month for 4G coverage. The additional $10 per month charge is mandatory for all EVO 4G users, regardless of whether you live in a coverage area or not. However, the extra $10 premium data add-on will more than likely mean there will be no data cap for either 3G or WiMAX.

For an excellent overall viewing experience, HTC's EVO 4G features a large 4.3" (800 by 480 pixel) touch screen, an impressive two cameras (8MP camera on the back for photos and HD video; 1.3MP front-facing camera, for video chat and self portraits.), and a kickstand for viewing the phone on a desk or table. Capable of supporting Adobe's Flash video platform, you will also be able to play back 720p video on an external monitor through an HDMI cable.

As many HTC users have become accustomed to, the EVO 4G layers its Sense user interface on top of Android 2.1, but with a new feature called "Leap." This is a multitasking manager that reveals every open program when you pinch anywhere on the phone's home screen.

The HTC EVO 4G has four virtual touch-sensitive navigation buttons (Home x Menu x Back x Search), similar to Google's Nexus phone. It also has a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, and can be used as a mobile hotspot, where users will be able to connect up to eight Wi-Fi-enabled devices. According to Sprint, this feature will cost an additional $30 per month.

On the downside, and what could prove to be the only flaw in this device is the potential battery life. Sprint has yet to provide specific battery life for the smartphone when outside of 4G coverage, but a company spokesman was quoted to estimate the life to be more than five hours.

What You Need to Know About the HTC EVO 4G

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Apple Being Sued by HTC for Patent Infringement

In a complaint filed with the ITC and obtained by Reuters, HTC has accused Apple of infringing five of its patents related to cellphone directory hardware/software and power-management technology in portable devices. Action has been taken against Apple Inc. as of yesterday to halt the importation, marketing, and sale of the iPhone, iPad and iPod in the United States.

"As the innovator of the original Windows Mobile PocketPC Phone Edition in 2002 and the first Android smartphone in 2008, HTC believes the industry should be driven by healthy competition and innovation that offer consumers the best, most accessible mobile experiences possible," said Jason Mackenzie, vice president of the North American HTC Corporation. "We are taking this action against Apple to protect our intellectual property, our industry partners, and most importantly our customers that use HTC phones."

[view HTC Press-Release here]

Apple Being Sued by HTC for Patent Infringement

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Top 3 Verizon Wireless Cell Phones

Nowadays, trying to shop for the perfect cell phone can be an overwhelming task. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, prices, operating systems, and user interfaces, plus they are capable of a whole lot more than just making phone calls. Every individual is different and phone companies are realizing that customization and plenty of options is key when creating new phones. Based upon the user ratings via Amazon.com, here are the 3 best Verizon Wireless cell phones currently available:


1. HTC DROID Incredible

The new Droid Incredible with Google by HTC is the future of computing in the palm of your hand. It features a super sleek design with a 3.7" HD screen on the outside and an 8-megapixel camera and 8GB of memory on the inside. The 8–megapixel camera includes auto focus, 2x power LED flash, and a variety of effects options, so capturing your favorite moments in super–crisp detail is now a reality. Droid Incredible uses a 1Ghz Snapdragon processor combined with the 8GB internal flash memory to provide you with incredibly fast performance. This phone also allows you to keep everything clean and tidy with HTC Sense, a new feature that automatically organizes all of your incoming emails, texts, Facebook messages and tweets by sender so all of your latest communications remain in their proper order.

2. Motorola DROID

The first Android-powered phone for Verizon Wireless, the 3G-enabled Motorola DROID smartphone offers a full package of powerful mobile connectivity at lightning speed. View websites in their original format, access all of your favorite social networks, and receive spoken turn-by-turn directions thanks to the new Google Maps with Navigation application. Snap digital camera-quality photos with a 5-megapixel camera loaded with features including dual-LED flash, auto-focus and image stabilization, or capture video in 16 million colors with DVD-quality video capture and playback. And with an included 16GB memory card, you will have plenty of storage room for your music, photos, and videos.

3. Blackberry Storm 2

Stay connected to everything that matters most to you with the Blackberry Storm 2, the second generation of RIM's innovative and award-winning touchscreen smartphone. The Storm 2 features Blackberry's OS 5.0 with Wi-Fi networking capabilities (802.11b/g) and hundreds of hardware and software enhancements. It has a significantly improved touchscreen interactivity with the new SurePress technology, which is based on an electronic system that provides the user with tactile feedback when the touchscreen is pressed. The elegantly designed Storm 2 offers a smooth design and premium finish with sloped edges, chrome accents, glass lens and stainless steel backplate. Additional features include a 3.2-megapixel camera/camcorder, Bluetooth connectivity, 2GB of internal memory with an included 16GB microSD memory card, and easy access to favorite social networking and instant messaging services.

Top 3 Verizon Wireless Cell Phones

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