Review of Reviews Top Ten Best Android an' Droid Phones Now an' Later

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Android an' Droid phone buyers want to know what the best and highest rated phones are, as well as what to expect.  Our readers know that we like to review all the current reviews, distill the data, and tell you what we found.  We've scoured our resources and have also included ratings from our Review of Reviews, along with a buzz factor, and we have discovered what the hottest, most popular, well-reviewed, and highly anticipated Android an' Droid smartphones are now and then list what smartphones are coming later.

Update 12/05/12 - We're working on a countdown to the top best smartphones of 2012 , so far we've looked at trends and Consumer Reports and actual sales. More results will be posted through December here.

Update 05/01/11 - We've updated this entire article to include all the Android an' Droid smartphones as of today and have changed rankings due to updates and new releases. Instead of giving numbers for each model we have giving a number for each carrier, Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T and Sprint. T-Mobile currently has the top rated smartphones.  We've also updated the top free Android apps.

Best Android an' Droid Phones So Far By Network:

1. ThunderBolt by HTC - reviewers agreed that the HTC ThunderBolt offers the fastest data of any current smartphone on Verizon even though it drains the battery. The HTC ThunderBolt is an Android 2.2 smartphone that has a 4.3" WVGA (480x800) touchscreen, 8MP camera, 1.3MP camera on front for video chat, 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 8GB of onboard memory, a preinstalled 32GB microSD card, GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Dolby/SRS surround sound, DLNA support, and kickstand for media viewing. It replaced the Droid X as the top Android smartphone on the Verizon network. It may lose top position to the soon to released Samsung Droid Charge.

1. T-Mobile G2x - Reviewers and editors loved the T-Mobile G2x, giving it two Editor's Choice awards. It was called the best Android phone in America, seductive and the phone to beat on the T-Mobile network.  Reviewers praised the fast-performing dual-core processor, clear touchscreen, 1080 video with HDMI-video mirroring and good HSPA+ data speeds.

1. Motorola Atrix (AT&T) - What makes the Motorola Atrix special besides the dual-core processor is that you can buy a laptop dock or media dock to turn it into more than a smartphone.  Reviewers praised the speed of the processor that made Flash viewing on websites fast.  They also liked the HDMI video output for viewing video on an HD TV.  It has been called the best Android smartphone on the AT&T network. The bleeding edge technology, however is bit rough around the software edges.

1. HTC EVO 4G (Sprint) - the well-reviewed, continually sold-old HTC EVO 4G, with WiMAX high-speed data, video viewing, and huge 4.3" touchscreen.  Reviewers called it "everything a geek could dream of."  Features of  HTC EVO 4G include an 8-megapixel video-capture-capable camera and a front facing 1.3-megapixel camera for video chat.  Other capabilities include HDMI output and 720p video capture, 8GB of internal storage, and is expected to be bundled with an 8GB microSD memory card. This model is expected to be replaced by the HTC EVO 3D in the next few months.

 

 

2. Samsung 4G Epic (Sprint) - the first 4G smartphone for Samsung Media Hub movies/video, and it offers DLNA media-sharing.  Reviewers raved about the gorgeous Super AMOLED touchscreen, large, comfy 5-row keyboard, magnificent media features, fast processor, and super fast WiMAX data connections.  There is an added monthly fee of $10 for WiMAX service.  Amazon Wireless, as of this writing, is selling it for $99 for new customers with a contract.  Wirefly offers the Epic at a discount. The Epic finally received an update to Android 2.2 Froyo.

2. Samsung Galaxy S 4G (T-Mobile) -  The Samsung Galaxy S 4G has received great reviews and was named Editor's Choice for its fast 4G data speeds, gorgeous Super AMOLED touchscreen, entertaining media, long battery life and excellent call quality.

2.Samsung Fascinate (Verizon) - Reviewers of the Samsung Galaxy S, Samsung Fascinate all praised the Super AMOLED touchscreen and fast processor. They liked the camera, video recording/playback and media capabilities.

2.Samsung Captivate (AT&T) - Android 2.1-powered with a 4-inch AMOLED display, has a 1GHz Samsung Hummingbird processor, social hub, 5.0-megapixel camera/camcorder with auto-focus and HD video recording (720p), MP3 player, 16GB of onboard storage for up to 32GB, Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n), full HTML browser with tap & hold zoom, and Bluetooth 3.0.  Available for a very low price at Amazon Wireless Beta with a contract.  It is a Samsung Galaxy S phone and has received an update to Android 2.2 Froyo.

4. Samsung Mesmerize (U.S Cellular) is a Samsung Galaxy S phone.  It features a 4-inch AMOLED touchscreen and a 1GHz Samsung Hummingbird Application processor as well as a 5-megapixel camera/camcorder that records video in HD, MP3 player and 3.5mm headphone jack, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, and expandable memory up to 32GB.

3. HTC Inspire (AT&T) - reviewers agreed that the price of $99 with a contract is a great value for super high-end features that rival the iPhone in some aspects including the HSPA+ data network.  Reviewers liked the good voice quality and photo quality.  Reviewers also admired some aspects of the new HTC Sense.

3. Nexus S T-Mobile - called Pure Google, it runs Android 2.3  Gingerbread with a curved 4 inch Super AMOLED screen. The Nexus S received good reviews except it lacks 4G support and a microSD expansion slot.

3  Droid X Verizon - one of the hottest phones of summer 2010, the Droid X has a 4.3-inch touchscreen and HDMI output.  Given Editor's Choice by PCMag, the Droid X marks the eXcellent spot for Wi-Fi hotspots, Bluetooth voice dialing, video/multimedia, great call quality with super noise cancellation, and 8-megapixel camera. Online retailer Amazon Wireless and Wirefly are heavily discounting this Droid star. Read Droid X tips. The Droid X held position one for several months, it is now highly discounted  making it a great deal and will be phased out in the very soon. However, reviewers agreed that the HTC ThunderBolt surpasses the Droid X for data data speeds, it does lack an HDMI cable. so if connect to HDMI often you may want to get a Droid X or wait for another HDMI phone. The Droid X is almost end of life and can be found for one penny at Amazon. It will replaced by the Droid X2.

4. T-Mobile myTouch 4G - received two Editor's Choice awards from reviewers who liked the solid design, fast HSPA+ network speed, Wi-Fi calling, hotspot features and great voice commands.

4. Droid Incredible 2 aka HTC Incredible S - An upgrade from the original Droid Incredible that appeared on this list for 8 months, features include a 8 MP camera(LED Flash), 1 GHz processor, 4" touchsreen (480 x 800), 1.3 MP front-facing camera, 3G connectivity, DLNA support Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.  The Droid Incredible 2 will have mobile hotspots for up to 10 connections, DLNA connectivity, a preinstalled 16GB microSD card, new HTC Sync and Connect, with multiple email and address books in one place. It is a global phone. Release date 4/28. Review coming soon.

4. DROID 2 (Now replaced by Droid 2 Global with a faster processor)- reviews of the Motorola Droid 2 all praised the new improved comfy keyboard, bright touchscreen, fast feature-packed Android 2.2 (Froyo).email/social networking features, and solid design with rubberized sides and back.  The processor is faster than the original Droid by Motorola, and reviewers noted that the features, such as Flash support, Wi-Fi hotspot and speed warrant an upgrade to the Droid 2.

 

Tops for Small Budgets and Cheapest Smsartphones

1. LG Optimus Series - LG Optimus S, LG Optimus T and LG Vortex.  These cheap budget-priced Android 2.2 Froyo entry-level smartphone series is selling quickly and getting good reviews for offering a lot of great Android features for a very reasonable price

Older also-ran models are the  EVO Shift 4G, Sony Xperia X10, defunct Nexus One, Dell Streak, Iron Man 2 LG Ally, Droid Eris, HTC Aria, and Motorola Cliq.

 

 


LATER
Android and Droid Smartphones in the Near Future Release Dates:

Samsung Galaxy S Samsung Droid Charge  -  Specs include 1GHz processor Android 2.2 Froyo  4G LTE, 4.3" super AMOLED touchsreen, 8MP rear-facing camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS  and HDMI port and the ability to connect to up to 10 mobile hotspots. Other features include 1.3MP- front-facing camera, 2GB of internal storage and 32GB on a microSD card. Possible April or Spring release.

HTC EVO 3D-  The HTC EVO 3D has a 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon dual-core processor and dual 5-megapixel cameras, which can be used to capture both conventional and 3D images and videos.  Features include 1.3-megapixel front facing camera, 3G/4G mobile hotspots, Google Voice for Sprint, 4GB Internal memory/1GB RAM, microSD slot (supports up to 32GB memory card), Wi-Fi, Stereo Bluetooth, GPS, DLNA, HDMI port and 1730mAh Lithium-ion battery. Watch video.  

The Sprint Nexus S 4G has a 1GHz processor, a Super AMOLED curved touchscreen, NFC technology, Bluetooth, GPS, Wi-Fi, mobile hotspots, GPS, 5-megapixel rear-facing camera and camcorder and front-facing VGA camera and 1500mAh battery. It also integrates with Google Voice and comes loaded with Android 2.3 Gingerbread.
 
LG Revolution - has a 4.3-inch touchscreen, DLNA, HDMI, DivX compatibility, Bluetooth 2.1, Wi-Fi, 3G and 4G/LTE mobile hotspot capabilities, Bluetooth, and a microSD card slot.  It also has a front-facing camera for video calls.

Droid X2 - successor the top-rated Droid X, the Droid X2  has a qHD (540 x 960) touchscreen, Android 2.2 Froyo (updated to 2.3 Gingerbread later), NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core 1GHz processor, 1GB RAM, 8-megapixel camera, FM radio, locked/encrypted boot loader and HDMI port.

Motorola Droid Bionic - Android 2.2-based smartphone with 4G LTE.  The Motorola Droid Bionic has a dual-core processor with each core running at 1GHz, delivering up to 2GHz of processing power and 512MB RAM.  With 4G LTE, it runs up to 10 times faster than 3G.

LG Optimus 3D - This smartphone takes you into the 3rd dimension with 3D gaming. The LG Optimus 3D has a 1GHz OMAP dual-core processor, 4.3-inch WVGA glasses-free stereoscopic display, and HDMI-out port.  It also offers 3D video recording and playback. See video demonstration. At AT&T will be called the LG Thrill 4G.

Sony Xperia Arc - The Arc combines Sony software with the Google Android 2.3.  It runs a 1GHz Qualcomm processor and has a 4.2-inch touchscreen, 8.1-megapixel camera, Bluetooth and GPS.

HTC Sensation 4G - HTC Sensation 4G specs include a 1.2 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snnapdragon processor, 8-megapixel camera with 1080 video capture, 1 GB of internal storage, microSD slot, 768 MB of RAM, 1520 mAh battery,FM radio, GPS Wi-Fi Hi-Fi audio and Bluetooth.  For video viewing it offers DLNA support and a microUSB port that can be adapted to HDMI. There is a 1.3-meagpixel front facing camera which hopefully will support video conferencing.(Summer release date).

The Samsung Infuse - This Android 2.2 smartphone features a 4.5" Super AMOLED touchscreen, 1.2GHz processor, 8MP camera and 1.3 front-facing camera.  4G connectivity is via HSPA+.  Samsung has also infused it with the Samsung TouchWiz interface and other features found on Samsung Galaxy S phones, such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

T-Mobile Sidekick 4G - The Sidekick 4G runs a 1GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird processor and has a VGA front-facing camera that will power your T-Mobile Video Chat conversations by Qik.  It will come in matte black and pearl magenta.

Droid 3 -  Along with a four-row QWERTY keyboard, features include Android 2.2 with MotoBlur UI, a 1.3 GHz processor HDMI video out port and WebTop dock connectivity. Features include a 4" 960 x 540 pixel touchscreen, 13MP camera, VGA front-facing camera,  The Droid 3 has not been announced yet and is the successor to the Droid and Droid 2 Global.

Because it's difficult to follow the timeline all the releases of these Android super-smartphones, you can see a release date calendar on Wireless and Mobile News' Facebook pages.

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