Dec 12, 2011 11:37 AM EDT by LAPTOP EditorsThis year, AT&T finally launched its 4G LTE network, while Verizon’s speedy 4G footprint continued to spread across the country. Smartphone processors made the jump from single- to dual-core, while screens ballooned to as large as 4.7 inches (with HD resolution). Last but not least, fresh OS updates let you share content with the cloud more easily (iOS), while Google added much needed to polish to Android with its Ice Cream Sandwich.
In a year filled with groundbreaking handsets, these 7 stood out as the best of the best.
Apple iPhone 4S ($199 16GB)
While it looks just like the iPhone 4, the iPhone 4S packs a powerful 8-megapixel camera that can shoot 1080p video, a more powerful dual-core A5 processor, and iCloud for keeping all of your content in sync. But the star of the show is Siri, the voice-activated assistant that lets you do everything from scheduling appointments and setting your alarm to looking up nearby restaurants. Add in the multiple useful features of iOS 5 (especially Notification Center), Apple’s ultra-bright Retina display, FaceTime calls, and hundreds of thousands of apps, and this smartphone is tough to beat.
     |
   |
December 19th, 2011 at 11:20 pm
Why is the Bionic on this list if the RAZR is on it. I don’t see any reason to get the Bionic over the RAZR. Also, the Nexus S 4G should not be on here because its successor(Galaxy Nexus) is already on this list.
February 29th, 2012 at 8:37 pm
I swear by my HTC HD7. However, as I tell everybody who asks me for advice on choosing a new phone, the real decision, is the platform. the choice of handset is secondary