8 Cool Smartphones At CES
Among the smartphone twists at this year's CES, we saw sleeker designs, added durability, 3D capability--and even phones that go underwater.
Most of the smartphones that we saw at CES have been available for a while, but many have been tweaked, and a few are brand new. Some of the already-released phones are now running Android 4. As a rule, the new phones look thinner, with displays pushing further out to the edge. These 4G devices are easy on the eyes. Dual processors are now the norm.
Many of the smartphones sport new AMOLED displays with Corning Gorilla Glass (or Gorilla Glass 2) lenses. The combination makes for a truly brilliant viewing experience--that you can smack with a hammer.
It's apparent at this show that the really interesting stuff is being held for the upcoming Barcelona CES. Almost all of the phones that we saw had been available since Christmas or before. The twists we did see were mostly along expected lines, with 3D technology, greater battery life, and so on. One twist that did catch our eyes--rugged designs from the likes of Casio. We were impressed with the usability of the toughened-up phones. Sure, they aren't 6 millimeters thick anymore, but they're still thin enough to put in your pocket.
Text In Style
When you first pick up the Droid 4, you think you're looking at a fairly unassuming touch screen phone--thin enough, but nothing special. But a slight push reveals the full QWERTY keyboard that makes the phone a great choice for textaholics. It's thin, 4G, has a dual core processor and runs Android 2.3.5. OMG! What are you waiting for??? LOL.
Motorola is keenly aware that for some power users, the standard 1600 mAh battery found in most smartphones just doesn't cut it. The DROID RAZR_MAXX comes to your rescue, with its 3300 mAh battery. An excited booth attendant told us you could watch eight HD movies on a single charge. That translates into 21 hours of talk time.
The larger battery adds about 2 mm to the standard RAZR, putting the MAXX at 9 mm thick (about a third of an inch), which is still a good bit thinner than most of the smartphones that we carry around today. Other than that, specs look pretty much the same as the standard RAZR's--except the price. The MAXX will run you $299.99 with a two year agreement from Verizon.
If you're looking for a lightweight, compact Windows phone, then T-Mobile's HTC Radar is worth a look. At 138 grams, it's a lightweight, but its display looks great. The phone's 4G performance is said to be solid. Most stores are showing the device currently for $99 with an instant discount.
The Nokia Lumia 800 isn't new, but its design impresses, so much so in fact, that we wanted to stop and check it out for a quick session of Angry Birds. At just 140 grams, this is another easy-on-your-pocket 4G phone. The small size doesn't sacrifice talk time, which Nokia says should be around 13 hours. We were disappointed to learn that there was no way to add a memory card, and that the phone only sported a single outward facing camera.
We're not sure if the current crop of Lenovo smartphones will ever see the U.S. market, but we were intrigued to see the devices displayed at Lenovo's various off-site venues (one being in a trailer in the parking lot outside of the Las Vegas Convention Center). The first thing we noticed, and suspect that you'll notice, is the similarity to the iPhone 3GS. But of course it isn't an iPhone, it's an Android phone that currently runs Android 2.3 on a Qualcomm dual-core Snapdragon processor. The phone is set for release in China first; Lenovo reps we talked to weren't sure about U.S. release timing.
We know you've probably seen the Samsung Galaxy before, but the S2 version is just such an excellent Android phone that we could help but include it here. It's the right size, pencil thin, with a vibrant display, and great feature set. If Apple were at this show, we might have a tough time deciding between the S2 and the iPhone 4S, but since Apple is not here, this is our favorite smartphone of the show.
Casio's GZ One Ravine isn't really a smartphone, but it is tough. Yep, that's it sitting in a pool of water. With its ports closed, the Ravine can sit in a meter of water for up to 30 minutes, Casio says. That's pretty water resistant. It's also shock resistant and comes with a navigation system, just in case you aren't the orienteer you thought you were.
The Commando is built to take some punishment too, but sports a bigger screen than the GZ One Ravine, plus smartphone functionality. To ruggedize the phone, Casio gives up a lot. The battery is smaller than those found in most smartphones; the display is smaller too. But if you need a phone that you can dunk in a meter of water then compromises must be made--and you get cool outdoorsy apps too.
The Commando is built to take some punishment too, but sports a bigger screen than the GZ One Ravine, plus smartphone functionality. To ruggedize the phone, Casio gives up a lot. The battery is smaller than those found in most smartphones; the display is smaller too. But if you need a phone that you can dunk in a meter of water then compromises must be made--and you get cool outdoorsy apps too.
Most of the smartphones that we saw at CES have been available for a while, but many have been tweaked, and a few are brand new. Some of the already-released phones are now running Android 4. As a rule, the new phones look thinner, with displays pushing further out to the edge. These 4G devices are easy on the eyes. Dual processors are now the norm.
Many of the smartphones sport new AMOLED displays with Corning Gorilla Glass (or Gorilla Glass 2) lenses. The combination makes for a truly brilliant viewing experience--that you can smack with a hammer.
It's apparent at this show that the really interesting stuff is being held for the upcoming Barcelona CES. Almost all of the phones that we saw had been available since Christmas or before. The twists we did see were mostly along expected lines, with 3D technology, greater battery life, and so on. One twist that did catch our eyes--rugged designs from the likes of Casio. We were impressed with the usability of the toughened-up phones. Sure, they aren't 6 millimeters thick anymore, but they're still thin enough to put in your pocket.
Text In Style
When you first pick up the Droid 4, you think you're looking at a fairly unassuming touch screen phone--thin enough, but nothing special. But a slight push reveals the full QWERTY keyboard that makes the phone a great choice for textaholics. It's thin, 4G, has a dual core processor and runs Android 2.3.5. OMG! What are you waiting for??? LOL.
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