Get Ahead read Nisha Agrawal, a software engineer from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in response to our reader invite (below) sent us this snippety review of the best smartphones India saw in 2010.
With the 3G roll out just around the corner, it's the perfect time to run through some of the top tier smartphones currently available in the market.
2010 has been witness to a splash of smartphones, from polished packaging to sheer power packed diversity, and the honest truth is -- smartphones have never been this good.
Though there is something I like about each and every phone out there, there is a handful that I think are simply amazing.
What follows is a list of my preferred smartphones of the year, come on, let's get cracking.
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iPhone 4
It isn't news no more that in the world of smartphones, there's Apple and then there is everybody else. This statement holds quite true as the iPhone provides the most smooth user experience for a smart phone, mainly due to the fact that everything on and inside the iPhone is created, written by Apple.
Their latest offering, the iPhone 4 is one super sleek gadget -- with features like a super-fast A4 CPU, a new front-facing camera and five megapixel shooter on the back, a completely new industrial design, and that outrageous Retina Display.
IOS4 attempts to fill the missing gaps in iPhone 3G S and I must say it does that quite successfully with loads of new features, most notably multitasking -- as Apple calls it, a video calling feature dubbed FaceTime, folders to organise apps, enhanced Mail and the popular iMovie app especially for the iPhone 4.
A definite pick for the Apple diehards and those looking to experience super graphics and an even better smartphone experience, it comes in two sizes, 16GB and 32GB.
Full list of iPhone 4 features and other details can be found here (http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_iphone/family/iphone).
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HTC Droid Incredible
Up next is the power of the Android OS teamed with HTC to belt out the HTC Droid Incredible.
With an uncluttered exterior and carefully carved design so there are no jutting edges, the HTC Droid Incredible makes a pretty picture in one's hand. Its glossy bright screen, 8 megapixel camera, FM radio, cool Android apps to choose from make it a smart choice indeed.
The Android OS is fast becoming a force to reckon with, the HTC phones coupled with this OS make for a smartphone with amazing speed. Apart from being a lot lighter on the pocket compared to the iPhone, a major plus is the bump in memory this phone provides with 8GB and an expansible slot with up to 32 GB.
Also I must mention, this phone takes supremely amazing pictures, if you're the type who just needs to click it right, this HTC model cuts it like no other.
Full list of HTC Droid Incredible features and other details can be found here (http://www.htc.com/us/products/droid-incredible-verizon#overview).
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HTC HD2
Next in line is HTC Droid Incredible's brother from the same mother, the HTC HD2.
These two phones share the same processor and touchscreen capabilities so I won't get technical about those. The HD2 is a very good phone and really, choosing between the two is no mean feat. What it really boils down to is a matter of personal choice.
With an obvious difference is their screen size and weight.
The Incredible comes with a 3.7-inch display weighing 4.6 ounces (130 grams) while the HD2 offers a large 4.3-inch screen (probably the largest screen size amongst all smartphones available in the market today), which duly serves its purpose when viewing videos and pictures, and weighing 5.54 ounces.
If portability is no issue for you, HD2 is near perfect for the multimedia enthusiasts.
Physical difference aside, the operating systems these two phones utilise are the make it/break it for most people.
Incredible runs on Android while HD2 runs on Windows Mobile 6.5. While personally I feel there is little or no contest between Android and Windows Mobile, the HD2 is a pretty neat device with all the smartphone essentials in place.
Full list of HTC HD2 features and other details can be found here (http://www.htc.com/europe/product/hd2/overview.html).
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Blackberry Bold 9780
To discuss smartphones and not include any of RIM's creations is a crime. So here we go, the Blackberry Bold 9780 is my favourite RIM device.
I'm aware that this phone isn't one released with tons of hype and hoopla this year but nonetheless, it stands out for me among all the other Blackberrys to date.
While all the other smartphones mentioned above have touch screens incorporated in them, this Blackberry hero is home to what I feel is the best QWERTY keypad from RIM. (We all know how RIM has a lot of work in terms of developing touchscreen technology that can match up to that of Apple or even HTC and the like, recall the not so successful efforts, the Blackberry Storm and Storm 2).
The optical trackpad makes navigation a breeze and the IM, e-mail features are superb.
Also, not to forget the Blackberry App Store does have quite a few handy apps and is ever growing. If the 256MB flash memory becomes an issue, it can easily be expanded up to 16GB.
A sturdy, solid device, the BlackBerry bold 9780 is perfect for those who mean serious business.
Full features of Blackberry Bold 9780 and other details can be found here (http://uk.blackberry.com/devices/blackberrybold/#!specifications).
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Samsung Captivate
Another very appealing Android device with a 4-inch OLED screen is the Samsung Captivate. The large screen makes for an excellent media player.
Captivate also boats of superior call quality and excellent speed, running on a 1Ghz processor. Captivate consists of only a rear camera and no front camera. The 5-megapixel-rear camera takes relatively good pictures but in terms of image quality, Captivate is completely trounced by Apple's iPhone 4.
An important factor to consider along with many other things is a smartphone's battery life.
Samsung rates the Captivate for five hours and fifty minutes of talk time and 340 hours of standby, which is quite a good amount.
Portability is a major scorer for the Captivate, at 2.5 inches wide and 0.39 inches thick, it weighs 4.5 ounces and makes a perfect fit for ones hand.
Full features of Samsung Captivate and other details can be found here (http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/cell-phones/SGH-I897ZKAATT).
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Nokia N8
The Nokia N8 makes a delightful media device.
Folks who love clicking big time, will fall instantly in love with N8.
The Nokia N8 has 16GB of in-built storage space, expandable up to 48GB with a Micro SD card. This device also offers a home theatre experience in the truest sense with HD quality film and digital surround sound.
Thoroughly compatible with the latest entertainment systems, N8 also boasts of a HDMI output slot. No click can go wrong with N8's 12 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, Xenon flash and a large sensor that rivals those found in compact digital cameras.
Putting everything aside, N8 is truly a device for the media savvy.
Full features of Nokia N8 and other details can be found here (http://europe.nokia.com/find-products/devices/nokia-n8).
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Motorola Droid X
Large screens are indeed the current flavor in the smartphone world; Motorola's Droid X goes to prove just that with its 4.3 inch display.
This device is similar to HTC's Incredible in more ways than one. Both share the same Android 2.1 platform and have a 8 megapixel camera.
Dorid X does up its game comparatively in other areas though, offering a 40 GB storage, HDMI output and teethering capability.
Battery life is average with eight hours of talk time and 220 hours of standby. A pretty decent device on all accounts.
Full features of Motorola Droid X and other details can be found here (http://www.motorola.com/Consumers/US-EN/Consumer-Product-and-Services/Mobile-Phones/Motorola-DROID-X-US-EN?localeId=33).
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