Android Tablet Update

Samsung was the first major manufacturer to get into the Android tablet game a year and a half ago with the original 7-inch Galaxy Tab. It was an excellent piece of hardware, but there was no official support for tablets on Android, it was really expensive and was initially only available with a data plan. Not surprisingly the Galaxy Tab thus saddled didn’t exactly burn up the sales charts, regardless of Samsung’s early claims to the contrary.

Fast forward to today and I have in my hands the Galaxy Tab 7.7 LTE from Verizon. Things have come a long way technologically in the last year and a half, but some of the same issues persist. Is the Galaxy Tab 7.7 LTE good enough to overcome the criticisms that plagued it’s predecessor?

1. Build Quality

The Galaxy Tab 7.7 LTE (7.7) is thin. It seems like a simple statement and I’m sure you’re nodding your head that yes you know all about thin tablets. I’m telling you right now that you are wrong. The 7.7 is pure thinsanity (yes, that just happened). I’ve included a couple comparison shots above with my Galaxy Nexus and a deck of cards to try to give you a sense of it. If you prefer to go strictly by the numbers it is 7.87mm thick, which is about .7mm thicker than the Droid RAZR. So if it’s that thin it must feel like you can snap it like a twig, right? Surprisingly not. There isn’t a significant amount of flexibility in the device despite it’s narrow dimensions and while I wouldn’t advise doing any concrete bounce tests, the kind of basic jostling and short drops that typically happen to devices wouldn’t leave the 7.7 any worse for wear.

While I know some people would prefer that their devices be carved out of a block of metal, I appreciate the feel and light weight offered by Samsung’s durable plastic construction and the 7.7 is one of the finest implementations yet.

2. Aesthetics

The 7.7 is one of those devices that I was just immediately taken with when I first saw it at CES this year. Now the amazing screen, which I’ll get to in a moment, is a big part of that, but the form factor and look of the device aren’t to be ignored.

I’ll try to avoid specifically obsessing over the thinness again, but the overall size of this device is fantastic. While the 7.7-inch screen feels much more substantial than any phone screen, it is still small enough to produce a manageable and portable device. The 7.7 fit in all of my jacket pockets and if you are into looking ridiculous it might even fit in the back pocket of your pants (albeit with the top sticking out). At just 12 ounces it’s actually plausible to just throw this thing in a pocket too as it is barely noticeable and of course its weight completely vanishes when in a bag.

The 7.7 breaks a bit out of the Samsung tablet mold and I’m a big fan of the look they went with here. The back is predominantly brushed metal with dark grey plastic at the top and bottom. The back immediately reminded me of the HTC Legend, which was a beautiful device. The front is obviously dominated by the screen and is ringed by a thin black bezel with white Verizon and Samsung logos gracing the top and bottom respectively.

Following around the outside of the device there’s the 3.5mm headphone jack at the top and the proprietary Samsung charging/docking port at the bottom. On the left side as you look at the device there are microSD and sim slots. Finally the right hand side has the power button, volume rocker and an IR port.

3. LTE

As per usual the LTE was fast as fast can be. However, I do get to finally break my endless chain of “this device performed just as the rest of my LTE devices perform in my area.” The 7.7 had consistently superior upload speeds to my Galaxy Nexus and an HTC Thunderbolt sitting side by side. Upload speeds were in the neighborhood of 10-14mb whereas my Galaxy Nexus and the Thunderbolt remained in my familiar range of 4-8mb. Download speeds were consistent with the rest of my devices with speeds in the range of 12-16mb on average. Upload isn’t usually the big stat that people throw down, but if it’s something you are craving the 7.7 can deliver.

4. Performance

Samsung stuck with their homegrown 1.4GHz dual-core Exynos 4210 processor with the Mali-400MP GPU for the 7.7 and while quad-core may be the flavor of the day, the dual-core Exynos manages to push the pixels around fast enough that I doubt anyone will be disappointed.

The 7.7 ran every game and app that I threw at it. Obviously if you’ve been eyeing any of the exclusives in the ‘Tegra Zone’ then those are going to be out of reach for you, but otherwise I doubt you’ll find an app that the 7.7 won’t run well. The only place that I saw occasional lag or slowdowns was in app launching or screen transitions and I’m reasonably confident that Android 4.0 will iron out those minor issues.

For those of you that are more numerically minded you can check out the benchmark results that I got with the 7.7 below.

Benchmark Test	Score
AnTuTU	6416
Quadrant	3480
Smartbench 2012	3057 (Productivity) 1625 (Gaming)
CFBench	12927 (native) 3126 (java) 7046 (overall)
BrowserMark	78971
SunSpider 0.9.1	1978.9ms

Update: A commenter rightly pointed out that I neglected to mention the storage capacity so I’m slotting it into performance. The 7.7 offers 16GB of on-board storage and as previously noted has a microSD slot that will let you bump that up another 32GB if things get tight. I appreciate the option to expand, but with all of the streaming and cloud storage options at this point I think I’d be hard pressed to even fill the 16GB.

5. Display

If our scoring allowed me to give more than one point to the display I absolutely would as the Super AMOLED Plus display on the 7.7 is the best I’ve seen. People talk about looking at the new iPad screen and being blown away and in my opinion the 7.7 is even more eye catching. I understand that at 1280×800 it may not have the pixel density of the iPad, but the deep blacks, the vivid color reproduction and the insane viewing angles more than make up for the fact that I can see some pixels if I hold it a few inches from my face.

I mentioned it once already, but the 7.7 grabbed my attention the moment I saw it at CES and that first reaction was completely driven by this screen. If you mainly use your tablet for web browsing and productivity apps this may not be as critical to you, however for those of you that watch video or play games on your tablet this screen makes a world of difference. I’m just hopeful that we keep seeing Samsung push this screen tech out into the rest of their smartphone and tablet lines.

6. Camera

The cameras on the 7.7 are adequate for tablet usage, but shouldn’t of course be thought of as a replacement for a real camera or even the camera on any remotely decent Android phone.

The rear-facing camera is 3.2MP and in bright light it can capture noise free images, but I’d avoid it unless you are going to slap some heavy filters on it (fortunately Instagram supports it so you can do exactly that). I only really see the rear facing cameras on tablets to be good for augmented reality apps and the 7.7 camera performs just fine in that regard.

The 2MP front-facing camera is one of the better I’ve seen. I tested it by calling over GTalk on my desktop and was impressed with the fluidity of the image. I’m sure you’ll have similarly positive results with whatever your video chat app of choice might be.

7. Ports

Like most of Samsung’s tablets the 7.7 has only the proprietary 30-pin connector for charging and wired data transfer. I cannot put into words how much proprietary connectors and/or media annoy me. I have hated it for years while Sony has done it and Apple of course seems to revel in the practice. It would have been bad enough 5 years ago when every single cell phone you got had some slightly different charger, but today we are so close to everyone standardizing around microUSB. Samsung needs to stop this foolishness.

While I realize it isn’t the most wildly used feature it is a bit disappointing to not see an HDMI out as Android finally has a bevy of streaming video options that you might just want to toss up on the big screen.

So what is the redeeming port that tips the scales of this section to a ‘meh’ from the gaping maw of ‘bad?’ Why naturally it’s the IR port. No, stop laughing, I’m serious. I was pretty skeptical when I first saw the IR port on there and it wasn’t until I fired up the Peel Smart Remote app (see Software for more on Peel) that I realized it was actually good and useful. Now this is definitely a your mileage may vary situation, but considering the overlap in the Venn diagram of tablet usage, coach sitting and TV watching is nearly complete for me I can definitely see getting a lot of use out of the IR port. If you have ill will towards IR ports based on years of disappointing experiences with IR on PDAs then I recommend you give this a chance as I think it actually delivers on the promise that all those PDAs dangled in front of us.

8. Software

I’ll start with the Peel Smart Remote app since I just brought it up with the IR port. Now yes if you have some insane all-in-one remote you are unlikely to care about this app, but if you are rocking whatever remote came with your TV then this should be a nice boost. The Peel app is stupidly simple to set up as rather than forcing you to find an oddly sized booklet and punch in codes like you are playing a mid-90′s PC game they just have you enter the brand of your TV and then it proceeds to spit codes at it until it manages to power your TV on. There’s another couple of steps to establish what cable/satellite package and then the final step is to input the types of shows you are into. It’s all painless and took no more than 5 minutes. Once you have it set up the app provides remote functions, as you might imagine, but the real value is the display of what’s playing right now that you might be interested in watching. It’s a graphical display akin to what you see on the Hulu, Netflix, or HBO Go apps and perhaps because of my familiarity with those apps it feels far more natural and practical than traditional channel surfing. There are quite a few more features that I won’t get into as this isn’t a review for Peel Smart Remote, but suffice to say I thought it was a much more welcome piece of bloatware than what we have come to expect.

Verizon putting a couple dozen pre-installed apps of varying value on their devices is hardly news at this point so I won’t really get into it. Kindle, Netflix, QuickOffice and the aforementioned Peel Smart Remote are among them so it’s not all bad.

Finally the biggest knock against the 7.7 in this category is that it is currently running Android 3.2. Samsung has had it on their Android 4.0 update list basically since they started publicly reporting one, but we still don’t have a definite timeline for that update to happen. As this is a temporary problem I don’t see it as a deal breaker by any means and when you do finally get that Android 4.0 update I think it’ll iron out a few of the little hiccups you see here and there.

9. Battery Life

The 7.7 manages excellent battery life despite its diminutive frame. I typically was able to go about 12-15 hours before needing to plug back in. Toward the low end if I was streaming video over LTE extensively, but even with quite a bit of streaming you would be hard pressed to kill the battery with any kind of normal days usage. This is good news considering the battery is not replaceable so you are stuck with what’s on board.

Standby battery life was similarly impressive with very minimal drain (4-6%) if I neglected to charge the tablet overnight. Unless you are travelling and using the Tab constantly the tablet should easily get you through 2-3 days between charges without the need for any serious battery conservation.

10. Price

All good things must come to an end and the pricing is where things unravel for the 7.7. The tablet is available on Verizon for $449, but that carries with it a 2-year data contract at a minimum of $30 a month for 2GB of data. You can of course opt to buy it without a contract, however you are going to have to shell out $699 for that privilege and that’s a tall order in todays tablet market. If you could buy the 7.7 for $450-500 and have the flexibility to opt in and out of data on a month to month basis I would feel differently about its value proposition.

I loved carrying the 7.7 around for the last couple weeks and for my usage it is the best tablet hardware available on Verizon today. Unfortunately the hardware is only one piece of the puzzle and the other pieces just don’t quite manage to slot into place for the 7.7 which is why it ended up with just an OK score.

The pricing of carrier branded Android tablets just continues to be an unmitigated mess. The off contract price of $699 just isn’t going to happen and at $449 with a two-year contract the minimum cost of ownership is $1,169 and for a device category that is still trying to prove itself that’s a tall order.

The Android tablet app problem persists as well and while I actually attribute it more to discoverability than a true lack of apps the end result is still the same. There’s every indication that Google is going to be giving more attention to tablets this year and so I’m hopeful that we may be in the last days (well, months anyway) for this particular complaint.

If you are in the market for an LTE tablet the Galaxy Tab 7.7 on Verizon belongs on your shortlist. It is my favorite Android tablet available on Big Red at the moment and depending on your use cases I think it holds its own with the iPad as well. The display is phenomenal and the form factor strikes an excellent balance with a screen size that gives you far more than a phone while keeping the dimensions and weight down to the point that you can take it anywhere. To repurpose a quote often used by photographers, the best tablet is the one that you have with you.

HTC’s flagship device, the One X, has been available overseas for almost a month, and it finally arrives in the United States on AT&T’s network this May 6th. The US version is slightly tweaked and features a different processor, so many have wondered how the two devices would stack up. We were fortunate enough to spend a couple weeks with AT&T’s variant, so read on to see how they compared. Is this the best Android phone yet?

Video Review

Note: This video was recorded with the HTC One X. Head over to YouTube to watch this video in full 1080p.

1. Beautiful design

Carry the HTC One X around town, and you are sure to turn heads. HTC’s design firm One & Co did an awesome job with the One X and it’s one of my favorite Android phones of all time.

The device is available in white or grey, and I would highly suggest going with the white version. We found that the white version can sometimes get dirty, but a quick wipe with a cloth and rubbing alcohol cleans it right up.

Some people will complain that the camera lens sticks out when the device is resting flat, but HTC slightly altered the design on this AT&T version. We found the ring around the lens was a little thicker than the international version, so the lens will not scratch as easily.

Others have also expressed their concern over HTC’s choice to use physical buttons, instead of on-screen buttons like the Galaxy Nexus. I found there was a period of adjustment coming from the Galaxy Nexus, but they didn’t bother me after I got used to them.

Overall, the HTC One X is a device that’s fun to hold, features incredible build quality, and has a unique look that stands out from the mob of Android phones.

2. Amazing camera experience

This is the smartphone camera I have always wanted. For the first time ever, I now have an Android phone that is “good enough” to shoot video of other phones. HTC claims “it just might be the only camera you’ll ever need to bring with you” and we tend to agree in most situations.

Features of HTC’s camera include instant capture with zero shutter lag, extended depth of field (EDOF) to capture everything in focus, continuous shooting for non-stop, rapid-fire shots, backside-illuminated (BSI) sensor for low-light photos, smart flash for providing the precise light needed to produce great photos, and built in high dynamic range (HDR) imaging.

It would have been nice to see a dedicated camera button, but we can live without one in this case since the overall camera experience is still better than other Android phones.

HTC will also tell you their main camera features a dedicated ImageChip, 8 megapixel sensor, F2.0 aperture and 28mm lens, but the specs don’t really matter in this case. The end result is what we care about, so check out the sample pictures and video below.

3. Superior display

This display is unmatched. I thought the Super AMOLED Plus display on the Galaxy Nexus was the best thing around, but HTC’s Super LCD 2 display beats it hands down. It is not pentile, the text is super clear, and it’s much brighter than the Galaxy Nexus. Nothing I write will do this display justice, so I suggest headed to your local AT&T store to check it out.

4. Blazing fast 4G LTE

My HTC One X has faster download speeds than my home internet connection from Time Warner. In my time with the One X, I found AT&T’s 4G LTE network smokes my Galaxy Nexus on Verizon 4G LTE. I know AT&T’s LTE coverage is still limited, but I found download speeds were around 2-3x faster than Verizon on average.

In Dallas, I was able to achieve download speeds in excess of 50 Mbps and saw upload speeds around 20 Mbps. This is sure to slow down once more LTE devices join the network (like the next iPhone), but AT&T currently offers the fastest mobile data connection.

Seeing these crazy results raises the question if we really need these kind of speeds. LTE allows you to download files at 50 Mbps, but the average user won’t find my cases to take advantage of that. About the only thing LTE is good for is burning through a monthly data cap 10x faster than HSPA+.

The low latency times (sub 100ms pings) would be great for online gaming, but there are not many titles that require that kind of speed. This should change as we see more console quality first-person shooters, but I’m not seeing many other uses for it yet. Streaming music and YouTube videos is still the same experience on AT&T’s and Verizon’s 4G LTE networks.

Having said all that, we were still impressed by the One X network speeds and can’t wait to see what apps take advantage of them.

5. Best Sense UI yet

“We got a little too Kung-fu with Sense [3.x],” said Jason Mackenzie, HTC’s President for Global Sales and Marketing.

If previous versions of Sense UI annoyed you, then you will be glad to hear that HTC toned it down a notch for Sense 4.0. I was never a big fan of Sense, but I found the latest version to be tolerable, and even enjoyable in certain cases. To put it simply, this is the first version of Sense that I don’t want to immediately turn off.

The only thing that frustrated me was HTC’s stock keyboard, but I quickly downloaded an ICS clone keyboard and never looked back.

We plan to do an in-depth look at Sense UI 4.0 in the coming weeks, so check out HTC’s Sense page for further details.

HTC still allows users to unlock the bootloader, so you can flash any custom ROM to your heart’s content. We have already seen CyanogenMod 9 and MIUI 4 ported to the Tegra version of the One X, and we expect similar ROMs for the Snapdragon version once it gets in the hands of developers.

6. Snappy performance

This is the fastest Android phone I have ever used. Some users have already complained that it’s not “quad-core” like the international version with Tegra 3, but we found the dual-core Snapdragon S4 inside AT&T’s model to be just as fast. I’ve had both versions of the phone for several weeks, and I can’t tell a different in normal day-to-day usage.

For a complete comparison between the two models, check out our HTC One X: Snapdragon S4 vs Tegra 3 showdown.

7. Beats audio and loud speakerphone

I’m no audiophile, but the HTC One X paired with Beats headphones produces the best sound I’ve heard on any Android device. I tested the One X with a pair of Beats by Dr. Dre MIXR headphones (normally $249) and I was blown away by the high performance sound.

Beats audio is mostly a software solution that includes an enhanced equalizer setting based on the content. You can toggle it on and off, but everything sounds much clearer and louder with it on and there is no reason to turn it off.

You won’t find a pair of Beats earbuds packaged with AT&T’s phone, but HTC did that for a reason. They did’t want to cheapen the experience by tossing in a pair of free earbuds. If you want the full Beats experience, you will have to pony up the cash and get the high-end gear.

I also enjoyed the sound level of the external speaker. It was much louder than my Samsung Galaxy Nexus, and perfect for watching YouTube videos on the go.

8. Medialink HD

MediaLink HD has to be the One X’s most underrated feature. This extra accessory creates a wireless link between your smartphone and HDTV that extends your mobile display to the big screen.

Users get full-screen mirroring, which means they can take anything on their phone and easily share it with friends. In my brief time with MediaLink HD, I used it to share videos and pictures, browse the web, and play games.

HTC has also created specific MediaLink APIs that allow developers to create dual-screen apps. Example of this include playing a game on the big screen, while using the phone to access special on-screen controls. Users could also play video on the big screen, while browsing around to other apps on the mobile device.

Setup was a breeze and the connection can quickly be established by swiping up with three fingers on the smartphone display. The MediaLink HD connects to any display with HDMI and is powered by USB. Most newer TVs that have HDMI should also have USB, so it’s pretty easy to hook up. Thanks to the small size of the MediaLink HD, it’s also great to carry around to a friends house, or hook up to that hotel TV when you travel.

Pricing and availability has not been announced, but we expect the MediaLink HD to fall in the $99-149 range.

9. On device storage is half of international One X, but still adequate

Some people might not like it, but on-device storage is on the way out in favor of cloud storage. AT&T’s One X includes 16 GB of internal storage, compared to 32 GB that we saw in the international version. Thankfully, HTC still throws in 25 GB of cloud storage via Dropbox. Google also offers an additional 5 GB of free storage space with their Google Drive service.

We understand that the average user will never use up 16 GB of space, but it would have been nice for AT&T to go with the 32 GB option. For this reason, we rate the storage options as average and only reward half a point.

10. Battery performance above average, but not the MAXX

One battery size does not fit all. It’s true that the One X offers the best battery life of any previous HTC phone, but you will still need to charge it every night with normal usage. We would have liked to see a higher capacity battery, like the 3,300 mAh monster found in the RAZR MAXX, but HTC has found that consumers prefer thinner phones.

For the last week I carried around the AT&T One X and the Verizon Galaxy Nexus, two flagship devices with LTE. My Galaxy Nexus has the official Samsung extended battery (2100 mAh), but I found that the AT&T One X and its smaller 1800 mAh battery lasted longer.

It’s nice to see that HTC has found a way extend the battery life with the Snapdragon S4 and software tweaks, but we would still like a higher capacity battery or the option to replace it with an extended one.

I love this phone, and I don’t say that often. It would have received a perfect score if HTC went with expandable storage and a user-replaceable battery, but we understand why those trade-offs were made. Other than those two issues, it’s hard to find much to gripe about

Most Android phones are all the same and boring, but the HTC One X is truly different and I was excited with the opportunity to review it. Compared to my Galaxy Nexus, the One X has a greatly enhanced camera experience, faster performance, and longer battery life.

We receive new review units every month, but I generally only upgrade my personal phone around once a year. I’ve only spent around two weeks with the HTC One X, but it’s such a better experience than anything else that I don’t think I can return to my Galaxy Nexus.

Each user will have features that are the most important to them, and for me it’s camera performance and battery life. I’ve been carrying both the One X and Galaxy Nexus for the last couple weeks, and I reached for the One X every time I wanted to take a photo. HTC’s phone also outlasted my Galaxy Nexus in battery life, which was a major bonus.

When my friends ask me about upgrading their smartphone I like to say, “If you find a better phone, buy it.” The AT&T HTC One X is the best Android phone currently available in the United States, so I would recommend it to anyone looking to purchase a new device.

Keep in mind that Samsung unveils their next Galaxy phone on May 3rd, but we don’t know when it will be released or if AT&T will carry it. I’d suggest waiting to see what Samsung has in store, but go ahead and pull the trigger on the HTC One X if you need a phone now.

AT&T will offer the HTC One X for $199 on contract, but Amazon sells it for $149 on contract (includes new customers, upgrades, and add a line) or the amazing price of $549 off contract.

The international version of the HTC One S has been available for a few weeks already and now customers in the U.S. can purchase the phone from T-Mobile for $199.99 (after $50 mail-in rebate) with a new two year contract. HTC was kind enough to send us a demo unit a few weeks early so that we could give you a detailed look at what to expect from the HTC One S. Early reviews of the international version of the HTC One S were favorable, but does T-Mobile’s software tweaks and HSPA+ network allow the One S to live up to its full potential?

1. Hardware design

Since the introduction of the HTC Magician, HTC has focused on delivering handsets which feature a unique personality and standing apart from the indistinguishable plastic slabs pushed out by the competition. The HTC One S takes HTC’s design language to the next level while bringing back many of the characteristics which give the phone that recognizable HTC look. To say that the design of the HTC One S is minimalistic would be a gross understatement.

The HTC One S is an astonishingly elegant phone made of a single piece of aluminum which wraps around the entire device. The front of the phone features 4.3-inch display, three capacitive buttons, a front-facing camera and micro-drilled speaker holes. The One S features an MHL enabled microUSB port long its left edge, volume rocker on its right edge and the phone’s power button and 3.5mm headphone jack can be found along the top. The back of the phone is accented by a blue ring around the camera lens which is paired with an LED flash, an HTC logo in the middle and a Beats Audio logo towards to bottom. The back of the phone features two plastic panels which house the antenna, speakerphone and microSIM card slot.

2. Build quality

With the exception of a few select devices, the majority of smartphones produced these days are made of cheap, glossy plastics. These phones may look nice in a display case, but once you get your hands on them, you can feel that very little thought was actually put into the production material and you find yourself constantly looking for ways to clean the phone from the smudges left behind by your greasy fingers.

Fortunately, the HTC One S is one of the few devices where the design of the phone is just as important as the materials used to make it. HTC has been milling aluminum casings for their phones since the HTC Legend was introduced in 2010, but HTC has taken things one step further this time by giving the aluminum a gradient finish on the HTC One S. The color of the phone fades from dark to light. The color fade is present on all sides of the device, but it is more noticeable when looking at the back.

The HTC One S measures 130.9 x 65 x 7.8 mm, making is the thinnest phone ever produced by HTC. Though the handset only weighs 119.5 grams, its balance and aluminum shell give the device a solid feel.The attention to detail on the One is is pretty remarkable. Rather than cutting out a hole in the aluminum and fitting it with a cheap speaker grill, HTC used a micro drill to create 76 holes in the aluminum.

HTC has also stepped up things up when it comes to the glass which covers the display on the One S. While most phones have a glass panel which covers the front of the phone, the glass on the One S flows over the sides, accentuating the slight curve on the back of the phone. But HTC did not stop there. A closer look reveals that the glass panel features a raised edge which keeps the glass from making contact when the phone is placed face down on a surface.

3. Display

The HTC One S is the first phone from HTC to feature a Samsung Super AMOLED display. HTC dabbled with AMOLED displays from Samsung a few years back, but made the switch to Sony’s Super LCD panels when supply issues caused production delays for the original HTC DROID Incredible. Since then, the technology has gotten a lot better and it seems as though Samsung has been able to boost production enough to keep up with demand.

The 4.3-inch qHD display on the HTC One S should be a familiar size for those’s who are familiar with the HTC Sensation or the EVO 3D from last year. The size of the display may not be as impressive as the 4.7-inches of the HTC One X, but it does allow single hand use of the phone without  re-positioning your grip to reach the far edges of the display or pull down the notification bar.

The display on the One S is optically laminated to its Gorilla Glass covering, reducing the space between the glass, producing some pretty amazing viewing angles. Unfortunately, the optical lamination does not make up for the fact that the pentile matrix display looks inferior to the Super LCD displays HTC has used in the past. The traditional RGB subpixel layout is swapped for a RGBG configuration, causing noticeable discoloration in high contrast situations. The issue is easily noticeable in the application drawer where white application icons show a green hue on their left edge and a magenta hue along the right side.

Another down side to the Super AMOLED display on the one S is its outdoor performance. We wouldn’t suggest taking your phone out of your pocket to check your email in direct sunlight, but you will be able to use the phone on a cloudy day or if you’re in a shaded area.

4. Software

Besides the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, the HTC One S is the first new phone to be released by a U.S. carrier with Android 4.0 pre-installed. Unlike the Galaxy Nexus, the HTC One S does not come with stock Android. Like the overwhelming majority of Android phones, the One S comes with a custom skin – HTC Sense 4.0. In the past, HTC Sense offered some amazing advancements, but things got a little stale last year when HTC introduced Sense 3.0 on the HTC Sensation. The software build got a lot heavier that it needed to be with 3D animations and glossy buttons that didn’t add any real benefit to the end user.

Fortunately, HTC listened to consumer feedback and gave birth to Sense 4.0. The latest version of HTC’s UI is intended to allow users to customize the look and feel of their device while making interaction with the OS slightly easier. But HTC Sense is a lot more than just a skin. HTC has modified or replaced the majority of the stock Android applications on the phone is order to give users a consistent look and feel.

One of the first things you’ll notice when you turn on the HTC One S is the new lock screen. Users can choose between a variety of lockscreen styles which display the weather, calendar events, stock quotes, pictures or even social media updates from friends. But the customization doesn’t end there. While stock Android allow users to unlock the device or launch directly into the camera, the Sense 4.0 lock screen allows users to launch whichever application or folder is placed in the launcher dock on the home screen.

HTC has also taken the liberty of customizing the multitasking menu in Android 4.0. Rather than displaying a vertical list of applications with cropped images, Sense 4.0 features application cards (similar to those in webOS) which scroll horizontally and must be flicked up to be removed from the list.

There are many who think HTC and other OEMs should be forced to produce phones with stock Android. Unfortunately, we don’t see that happening any time soon. Sense 4.0 may not be as sharp as stock Android, but it’s the best custom skin we’ve used in quite some time.

5. Performance

The Android ecosystem is made up of some amazing devices, but when it comes to performance – the HTC One S takes the crown. Inside the HTC One S is a dual-core 1.5 GHz Qualcomm MSM8260A Snapdragon S4 processor (paired with an Adreno 225 GPU) which runs laps around the competition.

Those who love to play games on their Android phone will certainly enjoy using the HTC One S. The phone was able to tear through games like Temple Run, Dead Space, Shadowgun and NBA Jam without missing a beat and we wouldn’t be surprised if the phone’s power is able to keep up with the newest titles for at least a year.

When it comes to regular use, the HTC One S is as smooth as silk. We didn’t experience any lag within the UI and launching applications is faster than ever.

To give you an idea how much power the HTC One S has under the hood, we run the phone through a few benchmarks. The HTC One S came out on top in most benchmark tests – even beating out the quad-core Tegra 3 powered HTC One X on several occasions. Naturally, you should always take benchmark score with a grain of salt since they don’t really tell you how a phone will perform in day-to-day situations, but we were blown away.

Benchmark Test	Score
AnTuTU	7020
Quadrant	5057
Linpack	104.8 (single-thread) 221.4 (multi-thread)
Nenamark 2	60.3 FPS
Vellamo	2426
SunSpider 0.9.1	1833.7ms

6. Cameras

The HTC One S may be the thinnest and most powerful phone ever made by HTC, but one of the main selling points is the handset’s advanced camera and ImageSense technology. HTC’s focus with the One series is to give users “the power of a true digital camera on your phone.” In order to pull that off, HTC has equipped the HTC One S with an 8 megapixel BSI (back side illuminated) imaging sensor, f2.0 lens and a dedicated imaging chip which work seamlessly and deliver some of the most stunning images we have ever seen from a camera phone.

But HTC didn’t just add amazing hardware components and call it a day. HTC completely redesigned the camera application on the HTC one S, giving users quicker access to more settings. The most noticeable difference in the camera application is the camera shutter and video capture button which are shown at the same time. This simple change allows you to launch the camera application and record a video or snap a shot without having to dig through the menu switch between video or camera mode.

What’s even more interesting is that you can capture images while recording video in 1080p HD. While recording, you can press the camera shutter button and the One S will extract the frame from the video and gave it to your gallery. The system isn’t perfect since pressing the button while shooting video can cause the phone to move slightly, but we doubt most people will notice since most people have a hard time holding their phone still while recording video as it is. If you forget to snap a picture while recording a video, you can always go back and extract the image you want after the fact. Images extracted from video will match the size of the video resolution, producing 2 megapixel images while recording in 1080p.

Capturing a picture at the right time has gotten a lot easier with the HTC One S. Rather than going into setting and selecting Bust Mode, simply press and hold the camera shutter button and the One S will capture four pictures every second (up to 99). Once you are done shooting, the interface shows you all the images you captured and you can choose to save as many as you want or just the one shot which captured the moment just right.

The flash has also been improved with an LED Smart Flash with 5 power levels which automatically adjust based on lighting levels. The new flash settings do a better job than most LED flashes we have used in the past, but the BSI sensor on the One S allows you to snap pictures in very low lit situations.

The front-facing camera on the HTC One S is capable of capturing video and pictures in VGA (640 x 480), a dramatic reduction from what the main camera is capable of. The resolution may sound like a drawback since there are devices on the market with feature 1.3 megapixel front-facing cameras capable of recording video in 720p, but we’ve found that the only thing we really use the front-facing camera for is the new face-unlock feature in Android 4.0.

7. Battery

The HTC One S features a an average sized 1650 mAh battery which is built into the phone. Those who are used to carrying around an extra battery or two to make sure they can make it through the full day have voiced their concern with HTC’s decision, but we really don’t see too much of an issue. In the few days we have spent with the HTC One S, we observed better than average battery life which is most likely due to the Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 chip used to power the device and the Super AMOLED display.

The longest the battery has been able to keep the HTC One S up and running has been a little over nine and a half hours. In that time period, I used the One S to stay on top of multiple email accounts, browse the web, listen to Pandora for a good hour, tweet, run benchmark and network speed tests several times, capture 100+ pictures and record 10 minutes of video. If that’s not considered heavy use, I don’t know what is.

Under regular use, I expect the HTC One S will easily make it through an entire work day (12-14 hours) without needing to be recharged. I’ll be updating details about the battery performance in about a week so that I have a better representation of how long the 1650 mAh battery inside the HTC One S will last.

8. Call quality and sound

Even though the HTC One S can do some amazing things, at its roots, it’s still a phone. Call quality on the HTC One S isn’t as remarkable as the new HD Voice feature which will be available on the HTC EVO 4G LTE, but it is on par with other Android phones currently on the market. Call quality does improve when using T-Mobile’s WiFi calling application which  routes voice calls over WiFi.

Like most other HTC phones these days, the HTC One S features Beats Audio integration for an “authentic sound experience.” Unlike previous iterations of Beats on HTC’s phones, HTC Sense 4.0 integration with Beats Audio brings the audio enhancement to all audio and video applications on the device. Beats Audio doesn’t make a dramatic difference if you have a good pair of headphones, but I did conduct a “blind test” with several people and 6 out of 8 people claimed they enjoyed the audio tones better with the Beats Audio equalizer turned on.

9. 4G

When it comes to 4G speeds, LTE reigns supreme. T-Mobile’s has outlined its 4G LTE rollout plans, but the first LTE markets are not expected to go live for at least another year. Consequently, the HTC One S is equipped with a radio which is capable of taking advantage of T-Mobile’s 42 Mbps HSPA+ 4G network.

While I typically don’t have any issues with T-Mobile’s 4G network, the HTC One S has presented some curious issues. Speed tests on the device have been very inconsistent, ranging from 14.3 Mbps down and 2.1 Mbps up to 350 kbps down and 105 kbps up. I’ve also encountered issues with web pages not loading and application download errors in Google Play. I may have a faulty unit, but the issue most likely stems from a faulty radio which will probably be fixed through an update from HTC and T-Mobile.

The times when the HTC One S had a good connection, data speeds were impressive. At one point I was able to download and install a 24 megabyte game from Google Play in less than 15 seconds. While all the major networks are caught up in the 4G game, most consumers still don’t know the difference between HSPA+, LTE or WiMax. T-Mobile’s network may not technically be 4G, but it usually delivery consistent data speeds which are faster than most people’s home internet connections.

10. Multimedia and accessories

When buying a new phone, you always want to make sure there are accessories which can be used to enhance the phones functionality or protect it from your clumsiness. HTC has pledged full accessory support for the HTC One S with screen protectors, cases (some with built-in kickstands to prop up the device) and even desktop and car docks. But HTC didn’t stop there. The HTC One S comes with support for the new  HTC Media Link HD and Car Clip so that you can enjoy your phone while in the car of just sitting at home on the couch.

HTC Media Link HD is a DLNA dongle which connects to a display via HDMI and allows dual-screen and mirroring capabilities from the HTC one S over Wi-FI.  As you might expect, the device allows you to use any application on your big screen TV, browse the web, play games and a lot more, but the real magic starts when you start up a movie. Rather than being forced to put down your phone so that everyone can enjoy a full length film, the HTC Media Link HD allows you to press the home button and continue using your phone and even make a call or two while the movie continues to play on the big screen.

HTC Car Clip allows users to integrate the HTC One S into their car via  the stereo’s 3.5mm auxiliary input. A new intuitive interface on the phone surfaces your music, maps, contacts, messages and more so that users can easily access all their information on the HTC One S without the typical distractions of the traditional Android UI. There’s always the option to just buy a $5 3.5mm audio cable to connect the phone to your car stereo, but where’s the fun in that?

Every phone we have reviewed has had its own set of issues. Some have buggy software builds while others simply don’t have enough horse power to accomplish simple tasks or play a few levels on Angry Birds. Fortunately for T-Mobile and HTC, the One S is beautifully designed, bug free (from what we can tell), features the best camera phone we have ever come across and has enough processing power to muscle through anything you can throw at it.

That being said, some people will shy away from the HTC One S due to minor issues with the display or the fact that it runs a custom skin on top of Android 4.0. Others will choose to wait things out to see what the competition has in store. There will never be a perfect phone which appeases every single consumer, but if you’re looking for the best T-Mobile phone that money can buy, the HTC One S is the phone for you.

ASUS has taken the high-end Android tablet market by storm. There’s already two Transformer tablets on the market, and another premium device is coming soon. That makes four Transformers in total, all varying in specs and price. So where does the ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 fit in? Let’s find out.

1. Internal hardware

The ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 is no slouch when it comes to internal hardware. With very few exceptions, the ASUS Pad 300 features top-of-the-line hardware in every category:

• 1.2GHz (in Balanced Mode) NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor
• 1GB of DDR3 RAM
• 16 or 32 GB of internal storage with microSD expansion
• 10-inch IPS 1280×800 display with 350 nits of brightness
• 8MP F2.2 rear camera
• Front-facing camera
• Bluetooth 3.0
• 22Wh battery
• 7.11/10.35/0.38″ at 1.39lbs.

Of course these are just paper specs, but they just so happen to be some of the best out there. And if you read the performance section of this review, you’ll see that they do translate well into real-world use.

2. Build quality and design

Coming in three different colors, Royal Blue (available initially), Torch Red and Iceberg White (both available in early June), the ASUS Transformer Pad 300 will appeal to a wide range of audiences.

From the front, it doesn’t stray too far from the classic black slate design we’ve all come to know and love. But I don’t see that as a bad thing.

On the back, you’ll find textured ribbing that circles the device, along with an 8MP camera and a lone speaker port.

As for what lies around the rest of the device, there’s a front-facing camera and ambient light sensor on the front, a power button on the top left (when held in landscape), a volume rocker, HDMI port and microSD card slot on the left, headphone jack on the right, and ASUS’ proprietary connector on the bottom.

The build quality of the ASUS Transformer Pad 300 is just alright. There’s very little, if any, give to the device. It feels relatively solid in your hands, and is well weighted. The buttons all feel stable, giving only a gentle click when pushed. The rear camera is flush with the back of the tablet.

Still, at the end of the day, it’s just a big plastic slab. And with polycarbonate-, aluminum- and glass-bodied gadgets coming out left and right, it’s hard not to think of the build quality and design of the Transformer Pad 300 as pretty average.

3. Display

The display on the ASUS Transformer Pad 300 was somewhat of a sore spot for me. It’s certainly not terrible, but it’s not great.

The Transformer Prime TF201 has an IPS+ display. One of the ways ASUS has cut the cost on the TF300 is by dropping the “+.” Is the extra plus worth $100? Not really. But compared to a Super AMOLED display, or SLCD, the display on the ASUS Pad 300 didn’t look as vibrant as I would have liked. At full brightness, it was usable in all conditions, but again, it could have been better.

It’s not the worst display on the market, but don’t expect to be knocked back when you power the ASUS Transformer Pad 300 on for the first time.

4. Software

The software is one of the best things about the ASUS Transformer Pad 300. It comes with a very bare bones build of Android 4.0.3, Ice Cream Sandwich, with some useful additions from ASUS.

Along with the NVIDIA Tegra Zone app, you’ll find a couple other apps for media and file management (like ASUS Cloud storage). That’s really about it. They’re hardly a nuisance, and well worth the trade off for getting Android 4 right out of the box.

As for other ASUS customizations, there several custom ASUS widgets, which I actually found quite handy (especially the battery and weather widgets), and a custom menu in the default settings screen.

I can’t stress enough here how much I love that ASUS has left Ice Cream Sandwich alone for the most part. Not applying ten different layers of animations and skins keeps the Transformer Pad 300 feeling snappy, and I imagine it will help ASUS hasten updates to the device in the future.

5. Performance

As you can imagine with a Tegra 3 and 1GB of DDR3, the ASUS Transformer Pad 300 was as fast as you could possibly need a tablet to be. It will run any app you can find in the Google Play Store with ease. There was practically no lag when launching apps, and browsing the web (using both the default browser and Chrome) was smooth as butter.

Gaming was also great on the Transformer Pad 300. The touch screen was adequately responsive and made for an all-around great gaming experience. Games that normally struggle and choke out on my Nexus S were a totally different experience on the tablet. My favorite game to play around with while using the Transformer Pad 300 was Draw Something. Paired with a capacitive stylus, it was was super fun.

To get an idea how this real-world performance plays out in benchmark form, check out the numbers below. On the left you’ll find the numbers for the Transformer Pad 300, and on the right you’ll find the numbers for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7.

CFBench Native – 19247 / 12927
CFBench Java – 5762 / 3126
CFBench Overall – 11156 / 7046
Smartbench 2012 Productivity – 3340 / 3057
Samrtbench 2012 Gaming Index – 2275 / 1625
Antutu total – 9373 / 6416
Antutu Floating Point CPU – 2363 / 1518
Antutu 3D Graphics – 1175 / 1230
GL Benchmark 2.1.4 – Egypt Offscreen – 62 / 48
GL Benchmark 2.1.4 – Pro Offscreen – 81 / 67
Quadrant – 3722 / 3480
Browesermark – 112870 / 78971
Sunspider 0.9.1 (lower is better) – 1784.2 / 1978.9
Moonbat on Chrome (With web worker set to 1) – 1757.6 / NA
Moonbat on Chrome (With web worker set to 4) – 3155.4 / NA

6. Cameras

The cameras on the ASUS Transformer Pad 300 are really pretty “meh.” Meaning they aren’t great, but they aren’t terrible.

In good lighting, like outdoors or in a lightbox, the 8MP rear camera was fantastic. Both photos and videos were very impressive. In low lighting conditions, however, the camera struggled to focus at times and failed to pick up details. The same can be said about the front-facing camera.

Because of this, the Transformer Pad 300′s cameras get a general rating of average. They perform much like you’d expect a tablet’s cameras to perform. They get the job done, but they could be much better. Here’s some sample images from both cameras, along with two sample videos in good and bad lighting from the rear camera.

7. Battery

According to ASUS, the battery on the Transformer Pad 300 will last around 8 and a half to 10 hours when put through moderate to heavy use. I found this to be fairly accurate. Checking emails, Facebooking, Twittering, gaming and watching videos gave me a good solid day’s worth of battery life. And that’s without the keyboard dock (more on that in a bit).

Realistically, the battery should last you at least an entire work day if you put it under normal use. Keep the display as low as you can tolerate it, put off watching movies until later, and keep gaming to a minimum, and I’m sure it would last even longer.

Factor in ASUS’ built-in power management profiles and the added battery life you can get out of the keyboard dock, and you have a tablet that can go the distance when needed.

8. Keyboard dock

If you’re considering a Transformer series tablet, chances are you’re considering a keyboard dock. That’s what ASUS is known for, and for good reason, too.

The keyboard dock that works with the Transformer TF300 is totally new. So unfortunately, it won’t work with older Transformers. But that’s about the only bad thing I can say about the dock.

Not only does it provide several extra hours of battery life (a good five or more), it boasts a ton of useful features that will turn you into a productivity powerhouse. If you need to transfer files, you can use the built-in USB port or SD card slot on the side of the keyboard.

For tapping out emails or other long-winded blocks of text, the keyboard works surprisingly well. The keys don’t feel too mushy, and the trackpad is fairly accurate with nice and clicky buttons that offer a satisfying amount of feedback when pressed.

There’s also a slew of custom buttons on the keyboard dock that are specifically made to control the Transformer Pad 300. If you didn’t want to, you’d never really have to use the touchscreen once the Transformer Pad is in its dock.

For an extra $150, the keyboard dock for the ASUS Transformer Pad 300 is well worth it.

9. Connectivity

Thanks to the Bluetooth 3.0 chip and HDMI port found on the Transformer Pad 300, it doesn’t get a bad rating when it comes to connectivity. But not having access to 3G or 4G networks takes it down a notch.

In this day and age, a tablet like the ASUS Transformer Pad 300 deserves some sort of connectivity options outside of WiFi. For an extra $50, I can imagine most people would love the ability to put in a sim card and use the Transformer Pad 300 on the road. And who knows, maybe some day, a carrier will pick it up and that will happen. But for now, if you want to connect to the Internet with the Transformer Pad 300, you’ll have to rely on WiFi.

10. Price

The price of the ASUS Transformer Pad 300 is another area where the tablet shines. For $379 dollars, you can buy the Transformer Pad with 16GB of internal storage, no strings attached. For an extra $20, you can double the storage to 32GB. Combined with the $149 keyboard dock, you can have a fully functioning laptop, Android tablet hybrid with a NVIDIA Tegra 3, 1GB of DDR3 and Ice Cream Sandwich for $550.

Compared to something like a MacBook Air or an Ultrabook, that’s almost half the price. Of course there’s going to be some major performance differences, but if you don’t need a top-of-the-line laptop and want something ultra portable to carry around, the price of the Transformer Pad 300 and the keyboard dock combined makes the combo well worth checking out.

ASUS has proved several times over now that there is definitely a market for high-end Android tablets. With the exception of a slate or two out of Samsung, ASUS rules this sector of the market. As such, I had high hopes for the ASUS Transformer Pad TF300.

It’s incredibly similar to its sibling the Transformer Prime, with only a minor downgrade here or there. Fortunately, the price of the Transformer Pad 300 is set to reflect those changes. At $379 for the 16GB model and $400 for the 32GB model, the ASUS Transformer Pad 300 offers a premium tablet experience for less money than extremely similar tablets on the market. It looks like ASUS has another winner on their hands.

You can buy the Royal Blue ASUS Transformer Pad 300 starting this Monday online and in stores by the week of April 30. Look for the red and white Transformer Pad 300s to launch this summer.

It’s been a little more than a year since the Motorola XOOM made its debut as the first Android device running on Google’s tablet version of the OS – Honeycomb. At the time, Motorola priced its Wi-Fi only version of the XOOM at $599 for an experience which wasn’t quite ready for prime time. Fortunately for consumers, things have changed significantly in the past 13 months. Android’s tablet software has gotten a lot better with the introduction of Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and more manufacturers have jumped into the tablet game, forcing prices downward as competition has kicked into high gear.

The ARCHOS 80 G9 is one of the newest Android tablets on the market and doesn’t hide behind a huge price tag. The tablet runs on Android 4.0.3 and delivers a solid experience for those who can’t afford the astronomical prices that other OEM’s charge for their tablets.

1. Build Quality

The first thing you’ll notice about the ARCHOS 80 G9 Turbo when you take it out of the box is that it doesn’t look like most other Android tablets. While its layout is quite functional, the choice of materials and look of the tablet make it feel like many of the $99 no-name tablets you wouldn’t recommend to the jerk down the street.

The G9 Turbo sports a matte gray finish which reminded us of the original Nook. The plastic on the tablet doesn’t exude the most luxurious feel and is easily scratched – even when the tablet is handled with care. The rubber bumpers on the bottom of the tablet don’t really help either, as we were able to scratch the back side of the device despite that it didn’t make contact with the flat surface underneath.

2. External Hardware

The ARCHOS 80 G9 Turbo measures 226 mm x 155 mm x 11.7 mm and weighs a respectable 465g (17 oz). The front of the device is dominated by its 8-inch LCD display which features an unusually wide bezel. This makes the device quite comfortable to hold while in landscape mode.

Along the left edge of the tablet, you will find an LED notification light, mini-HDMI post, microUSB port, 3.5mm headphone jack and the power button. The top and bottom edges of the tablet are both smooth while the volume rocker can be located along the tablet’s right edge.

The bottom of the G9 Turbo is prominently accented by the ARCHOS logo and features four rubber bumpers in each corner, which are supposed to keep the back of the tablet from making contact when placed on a flat surface. Next to the ARCHOS logo is the tablet’s only speaker and the G9 Turbo’s kickstand lays flush against the surface near the tablet’s left edge. In the upper right corner on the back of the tablet is a panel which reveals a full sized USB port which is intended for a USB 3G data stick. If you live in Europe, you can buy the optional accessory from ARCHOS, but U.S. customers will have to fend for themselves and settle for a USB data stick from a local carrier. It’s not an elegant solution, but it is a lot cheaper than buying a tablet with built-in 3G or 4G data connectivity.

3. Kickstand

Many may see the kickstand as a simple gimmick, but we’ve been fans of the setup since it was first introduced on the HTC Imagio back in 2009. The kickstand on the ARCHOS 80 G9 Turbo features the same setup which ARCHOS has used on other tablets in the past 12 months.

The long kickstand tucks in smoothly into the back of the tablet, but the plastic is flimsy and bends easily, feeling as though it could snap off in your hand if you aren’t careful. While we’ve never broken a kickstand on the other ARCHOS tablets we have used, it can be a nagging fear.

The kickstand allows users to prop the tablet up on its side so that it’s easy to enjoy movies without having to hold the tablet. It also works perfectly if you want to use the device to show your social media updates while you’re working at your desk. And it is much better than having to buy a seperate desktop dock, which typically costs around $40.

4. Performance

The ARCHOS 80 G9 Turbo comes equipped with a Texas Instruments 1.5 GHz OMAP 4 dual-core ARM CORTEX A9 processor paired with 1GB of RAM. Most of us are used to seeing tablets which are powered by Qualcomm or NVIDIA processors, so it’s nice to see that ARCHOS has taken a chance by using a TI chip in the G9 Turbo.

Luckily, the gamble pays off. The processor makes Android 4.0 silky smooth and allows users to watch 1080p HD videos, browse the web and play 3D games without missing a single frame. When compared to other Android tablets, the benchmark scores of the ARCHOS 80 G9 Turbo lag a little behind a few of the top-end devices, but not by much.

The ARCHOS 80 G9 Turbo definitely has enough power to play the most taxing 3D games currently available for Android, but consumers may have a hard time actually finding the games they want to play. Both Qualcomm and NVIDIA have resources for developers to make sure that their games work perfectly with their chips and many developers have jumped at the opportunity to make exclusive titles for devices running on Qualcomm or NVIDIA chips, leaving those who own devices like the G9 Turbo out in the cold.

Benchmark Test	Score
AnTuTU	5123
Quadrant	2350
Linpack	51.8 (single-thread) 42.4 (multi-thread)
Nenamark 2	26 FPS
Vellamo	1292
SunSpider 0.9.1	2120.7ms

5. Display

The display on the ARCHOS 80 G9 Turbo is an 8-inch 1024 x 768 MVA LCD panel which does a decent job in most situations. Unfortunately, things get a little complicated when you take the tablet outdoors. In direct sunlight, the display on the ARCHOS 80 G9 Turbo gets washed out due to excessive glare. We recommend finding a little shade or a way to keep the sun’s beams from directly hitting the screen.

Viewing angles don’t fare any better as color distortion sets in starting at a 30 degree angle, and things become unbearable to watch at 45 degrees or more. While the kickstand that’s built into the G9 Turbo is convenient, we found ourselves constantly readjusting the position of the tablet just slightly every time we moved while watching a video.

6. Camera

While most other Android tablets come with a front and rear-facing camera, the ARCHOS 80 G9 Turbo comes equipped with a single 1.3 megapixel camera on the front of the device. Samsung’s commercial features a guy riding in a Jeep using a Galaxy Tab to film horses, but surely you know that’s a pretty ridiculous idea.

Fortunately, ARCHOS decided to use the stock Android 4.0 application on the tablet, giving users quick access to settings, facial distortion effects (only while recording video), filters and more. But there’s still a down side. The 1.3 megapixel sensor embedded in the tablet produces extremely grainy pictures and is completely useless at taking outdoor shots. The sensor is not able to capture sunlight properly, producing washed out pictures even when tweaking the exposure settings to compensate for the extra light.

The front-facing camera can be used for video chat with Google Plus, Google Talk and other applications from Google Play, but our tests show that the video produced is extremely pixelated and jumpy.

7. Software

One of the best things about the ARCHOS 80 G9 Turbo is its software. ARCHOS has chosen to give the tablet the most basic Android 4.0 build we have seen in quite some time while adding a few extra multimedia and social applications which play into their strategy of positioning the tablet as an entertainment device.

As far as we can tell, ARCHOS has not modified the Android 4.0.3 build at all, delivering a stock Ice Cream Sandwich experience with Google’s suite of applications (Gmail, Calendar, Maps, YouTube and Google Play.

Pre-installed applications include ARCHOS Remote Control (allows you to remotely control another ARCHOS device when connected to the same Wi-Fi network), Media Server (stream music, video and pictures over WiFi to other DNLA enabled devices), Picsel Smart Office, News Republic, Brief Me and ARCHOS’s own customized Music and Videos applications which are surprisingly good looking, intuitive and easy to use.

8. Battery Life

According to the ARCHOS 80 G9 Turbo spec sheet, the tablet should be capable of 36 hours of continuous music playback, 7 hours of video playback or 10 hours of surfing the web. We didn’t put the tablet through the same tests as ARCHOS did, but did find that battery life was more than acceptable.

We brought the ARCHOS 80 G9 Turbo along when we traveled to New York a few weeks ago for the EVO 4G LTE unveiling and it managed to last a full day, which included 3 hours of video playback while on the plane, two hours of web surfing and a little over an hour of 3D gaming (Spider-Man HD). At the end of the day, the tablet still had a 22% battery charge remaining when we plugged it back in.

9. Speaker

When reviewing Android phones and tablets, speakers are typically not one of the main highlights. Most tablets have one or two speakers located on the back of the device which are typically not worth mentioning. The ARCHOS 80 G9 Turbo features one speaker, located on the back of the tablet. The placement of the speaker may seem a bit odd since ARCHOS intends for the tablet to be used as a media centric device, but the quality and size of the speaker along with the tablet’s design deliver a better than expected audio experience.

Anyone who has used their phone or tablet to play music or watch videos probably knows that it’s typically not a very good audio experience. Sound quality is mediocre at best and usually sounds like you’re listening to something coming out of a tin can.

When the G9 Turbo is lying flat on a surface, the rubber bumpers on the back of the tablet allow just enough room so that the sound from the speaker is able to escape – and things get even better when the kickstand is used to prop up the device. Even at maximum volume, the speaker produces a rich tone that’s certainly more enjoyable than the majority of speakers on other tablets currently on the market and make watching a movie or listening to music that much more enjoyable.

10. Price

The ARCHOS 80 G9 Turbo isn’t the prettiest or best made tablet on the market, but for $269.99 (the suggested retail price) we really don’t think anyone’s going to be complaining. The base model comes with a scant 8GB of internal storage and an expandable microSD card slot, but ARCHOS does offer a 250GB storage upgrade which brings the price of the tablet to $369.99.

Since tablets are considered a luxury item these days, we would have a hard time recommending the G9 Turbo simply because its aesthetics are missing the “wow” factor, but the internal components give the tablet enough power to hang with the big boys.

If looks don’t matter and price and performance are all you’re really worried about, the ARCHOS 80 G9 Turbo will definitely live up to your expectations. In the end, it always comes down to what the consumer needs and the price they are willing to pay for it. Buying the tablet directly from ARCHOS will set you back $269.99, but you can always pick it up from Amazon for as little at $249.99. You could always skip the ARCHOS and go for the Nook Tablet, or even the Kindle Fire, but both devices don’t come with Google’s apps and lack a true tablet experience delivered by an Android 4.0 device.

“FIRE UP THAT TANNING BED AND BREAK OUT THE HAIRGEL! DJ Pauly D is here with a ton of fistpumpin’ fun.” Yes! It’s just what I’ve been waiting for! A game starring Jersey Shore’s DJ Pauly D that steals heavily borrows character design from the original Mega Man series! No, no. Wait a second. This is all wrong. That’s exactly what I don’t want.

When DJ Pauly D was first brought to my attention, and I took a gander at the app listing, I was surprised. A solid 3.8 stars? I’ve used great apps that have been ranked worse than this. So I choked up the courage to drop $2 on this bad boy and hoped for the best.

Here’s the thing about DJ Pauly D – Beat that Boardwalk. The gameplay isn’t really all that bad. It’s like Streets of Rage, but without the fighting. Just moving up and down. And jumping. If I were giving this my opinion free review, I’d probably say something like, “with relatively solid gameplay, if you like Jersey Shore and have a spare $2 in your bank account, you might want to give Pauly D the game a shot.”

But this isn’t that review.

This is the review where I can barely hold back my loathing for the disgusting freak show that is Jersey Shore. Everything about the app amplifies that by about x50. From the email announcing the app (“The player did G.T.L. right when they get a ‘Guido Streak”, starting to look frail well the players know its time for ‘Going to the Gym’, and when Pauly D’s skin starts to look moon color the users know its time for ‘Going to get a tan.),’ to the app listing itself (“BOMB THE BOARDWALK! BOARDWALKERS, MUSIC AND BLING! PUMP IRON TO ACTIVATE JUICEHEAD MODE! STOP AND TAKE TAN! LAUNDROMATS KEEP YOU LOOKIN’ FLY!” yes I swear those are real quotes), everything screams, “this is what’s wrong with the youth of our nation!”

And did I mention the characters look an awful lot like the characters from the original Mega Man series? Way to stomp on my childhood.

I could never take a game like this seriously. Which is exactly why it’s the CrApp of the Week. If you’re a rich sadist, or there’s just something wrong with you, go ahead and download DJ Pauly D – Beat the Boardwalk. Or you can take my word for it. That $2 could be far better spent not doing virtual laundry, TAKING TAN and PUMPING IRON.

Like many Android users, the original DROID was my introduction to Android and while I’ve bounced through a half dozen other devices since then I’ll always have a soft spot for the DROID line. With that said the DROID 4 has launched into a very different landscape with devices literally half its thickness available and others offering twice its battery life. Despite all that, should the latest installment in this venerable line still warrant consideration as your next Android device?

1. Battery Life

My last review was for the DROID RAZR MAXX with its 3,300 mAh battery so the next competitor didn’t really stand a chance. The DROID 4 comes back down to earth with a 1,785 mAh battery and a more pedestrian 12-14 hours with regular use to go with it. I’m sure with liberal use of Smart Actions you could boost that a bit more, but basically don’t expect any miracles from the DROID 4 battery. It’s also definitely worth noting that while the DROID 4 battery compartment is accessible the battery is not meant to be user replaceable so just tossing a second battery in your bag won’t be an option.

2. Performance

The DROID 4 is packing the same 1.2 GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM as the DROID RAZR MAXX. This is enough to run basically anything in the Play Store and keeps the OS flowing pretty smoothly. Sure there are quad-core devices powered by Tegra 3 and Exynos on the horizon, but for the time being the DROID 4 is offering plenty of muscle to get the job done. If you are heavily into gaming on your Android device I doubt the DROID 4 would be on your shortlist anyway, but I’ll go ahead and confirm your suspicions that this isn’t the device for you. If on the other hand you are looking to sling some fowl around the stratosphere or just draw something this will get you where you’re going.

I’m going to slip this in under ‘performance’ as it doesn’t really fit anywhere else, but the Droid 4 has 8GB of internal memory, which is a bit more of a tight squeeze than we are accustomed to lately. You do have a microSd slot should you need it, but be aware of this if you take a lot of photos or video with your phone.

3. Call Quality

I’m a bit of a broken record at this point, but I’m consistently pleased with the sound quality and signal strength offered by Motorola’s smartphones and the DROID 4 is another fine example. While I don’t question that there is room for improvement generically in cell phone call quality^[1], Motorola is definitely doing all that it can with existing standards.

4. Display

The DROID 4 offers a similar qHD PenTile LCD to that found in the DROID RAZR and DROID RAZR MAXX, albeit shrunken down to just 4-inches rather than the now more customary 4.3. As with the DROID RAZR MAXX I didn’t feel that the screen on the DROID 4 warranted quite the level of dislike that it seemed to garner from many reviewers, but it is clearly not a top-end screen. When viewed at a normal distance text and images look crisp, but the colors aren’t as vibrant as what I’ve seen on any of the recent Samsung or HTC devices.

5. Build Quality

The DROIDs may not be the thinnest or the lightest of devices, but they are remarkably well constructed. Ignoring the ludicrous offerings from Casio if I had to lay money down on a device holding up to a substantial drop it would be the DROID 4.

While I was impressed with the slide mechanism found on the DROID 3 I think that the DROID 4 easily eclipses it. The keyboard slides with an ease and fluidity that I didn’t quite feel in the previous renditions and it solidly locks into place. Obviously I can’t attest to how this will perform over time, but it certainly feels like it will hold up for the long haul.

6. Aesthetics

I gave the DROID RAZR MAXX a little bit of static for its world-devouring bezel and unfortunately the DROID 4 is cut from almost exactly the same cloth. I’ll again warn that this may well be something that doesn’t bother you in the least, but I’m unable to get past it when looking at either device.

The DROID 4 has finally banished the lip or chin that should be familiar to any owner or fan of the previous DROIDs and I’m actually sad to see it go. For one thing it was the one part of the DROID that you could usually depend on being pretty thin, but it also was part of the distinctive look of the DROID line. After this bit of cosmetic surgery the DROID 4 with it’s keyboard closed is just left looking like a particularly portly version of the DROID RAZR or even the DROID RAZR MAXX. While it isn’t grossly out of line with it’s predecessors the DROID 4 is slightly thicker than the DROID 3 and in a time when the Verizon Galaxy Nexus is being cat called for it’s 9.3mm thick frame the 13mm DROID 4 begins to seem like a throwback device.

7. Software

The DROID 4 ships with Android 2.3.5 (aka Gingerbread) and ‘The Overlay Formerly Known as Blur.’ Motorola has only indicated that the DROID 4 is under evaluation for an Android 4.0 update and there is no timeline at present. I’d be more hopeful for the DROID 4 than others as it shares quite a few traits with the DROID RAZR and DROID RAZR MAXX which are both slated to receive the update, but if you are dead set on having Android 4.0 it may be a good idea to wait for further word from Motorola or to look elsewhere.

My feelings regarding the Blur overlay remain the same as they did with the DROID RAZR MAXX. I don’t see any way in which it is improving the basic Gingerbread experience and I’m reasonably certain that it is slowing some pieces down, but the places that I noticed the slow downs the most were in tweaking settings in the menus and that isn’t really an area that the average user finds themselves mucking about in that often. Day to day I don’t see it as detracting from the users experience significantly.

8. Cameras

Again I found the DROID 4 to be quite similar to the DROID MAXX in this area. In daylight the DROID 4 was more than capable of taking a nice snapshot, but under even moderately difficult lighting the photos become noisy quickly. Shot to shot time was quick, but as with almost any smartphone you probably aren’t going to be capturing any quick moving targets such as squirrels or children. Another complaint that I reiterate from the RAZR MAXX is that I think the standard setting for Motorola’s cameras is way too dull. The average smartphone user will take the more colorful picture over the “real” capture any day.

9. Keyboard

The keyboard on the DROID 4 is an absolute pleasure to use. I think Motorola has finally dealt with all of the complaints the have been levied against the various incarnations of the DROID keyboard and are left with a polished gem. The backlighting is an incredibly welcome addition as without it the keyboard was rendered fairly useless in the dark which was a significant blow against it in the battle against onscreen keyboards. The separation between the keys, while a bit of an illusion, does seem greatly improved this time around as I experienced a very limited number of accidental key presses, which considering I only use a smartphone keyboard about once a year when a new DROID is released is fairly impressive. I also think Motorola has found the right responsiveness for the keys after at least the first two DROIDs suffered from extremely mushy keyboards.

10. 4G LTE

4G LTE is fast…mmmkay. Yeah I don’t really know what else to say about it at this point. The lack of 4G LTE in the DROID 3 was one of the big complaints when that phone launched back in July and perhaps correcting that lapse is one of the reasons that we saw such a rapid turnaround on the DROID 4 release. I had no problems with 4G on the DROID 4 and was consistently receiving speeds in line with the rest of my 4G LTE devices.

Final Thoughts

Each new release of the DROID line seems to be greeted with less excitement than the last despite the fact that the device does seem to at least subtly improve with each release. This is definitely the best version of the DROID yet, but I haven’t exactly heard anyone clamoring for it. Now in part that could be because it was released only about 7 months after its predecessor, however Android users are somewhat accustomed to turnabouts like that by now so I doubt that is a significant factor.

Most of us have just grown accustomed to Sywpe or some other onscreen keyboard and if that’s the case then there is no reason to opt for the DROID 4 over the DROID RAZR MAXX or Galaxy Nexus. Now if you just can’t get by without a hardware keyboard, and I know there are some of you, then by all means the DROID 4 is probably the best Android device available for you today.

Welcome to our regular buyer’s guide column where we break down each carrier to let you know about current promotions and pick the best devices. Each week we rotate between the big four US carriers, so that each buyer’s guide gets refreshed every month. Read on for Sprint’s best devices and deals.

Current Promotions and News

Amazon’s Spring Into Sprint: We already mentioned it earlier this month, but Amazon has all Sprint 4G phones on sale for only $0.01 as part of their Spring Into Sprint promotion.

HTC EVO 3D for free: Sprint is now offering the HTC EVO 3D for free when you open a new line with Sprint or add a line to your account.

Sprint Data Storm Sweepstakes: Sprint announced a new contest called the Data Storm Sweepstakes, where they are giving away 30 free Galaxy Nexus smartphones. Enter once daily through 4/5.

Free Code Factory for the blind: Sprint announced the Code Factory applications will be available for free (typically costs $99 on Google Play) for postpaid Sprint customers with Android 2.1+ smartphones activated on a monthly service plan that includes data, such as the Everything Data plan starting at $79.99. Code Factory is a series of apps for people who are blind or visually impaired and for elderly individuals or those who cannot read print on smartphones because of physical, perceptual, developmental, cognitive or learning disabilities.

Sprint terminates Spectrum Hosting Agreement with LightSquared: Sprint had signed a deal with Lightsquared to offer LTE coverage over their 1.6 GHz spectrum, but now it’s dead. “Due to these unresolved issues, and subject to the provisions of the agreement, Sprint has elected to exercise its right to terminate the agreement announced last summer.” Sprint still plans to launch their own 4G LTE network with their own spectrum this summer.

Enhanced 3G coverage: Since last month Sprint announced enhanced 3G coverage in St. Louis, Atlanta, and Michigan.

More deals and offers: Sprint doesn’t have many current promotions, but follow them on Facebook and Twitter for future deals.

Best Android Phone: Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch

Not much has changed since last time. I said it back in October when I first reviewed the phone and the same thing still holds true; The Samsung Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch is easily the best Android phone on Sprint.

Sprint still sells the Epic 4G Touch for $199 with 2-year contract, but Amazon has it on sale for only $0.01.

There is a reason Samsung has already sold 20 million of their Galaxy S II series. The Super AMOLED Plus display is unmatched among Android phones and the dual-core 1.2 GHz Exynos processor is still one of the fastest around.

Samsung has already said the Galaxy S II will receive Android 4.0 in the coming months, so this device will continue to improve with new software updates.

I’ve already recommended this device to several close friends and they have all been very pleased with their purchase. If you want to know more about the device, just check out our full review.

Best Android Phone with Keyboard: None

Sprint currently lists nine Android phones on their website with physical keyboards, but I can’t in good faith recommend any of them. Their only high-end phone with a keyboard is the Samsung Epic 4G, which came out almost two years ago. That device will not be upgraded to Android 4.0 and you want to avoid it.

We only like to suggest smartphones with the latest versions of Android, or those that we believe will be updated soon. If you really want a keyboard phone, I’d just wait till Sprint announces their new spring lineup.

Best Android Tablet: ZTE Optik

Let me repeat what I said in our previous buyer’s guide. Because of the current data plans, I’m not a huge fan of carrier branded Android tablets. However, if you need an Android tablet with wireless connectivity, then the ZTE Optik should be your pick.

Sprint currently sells the Optik for $99 with 2-year agreement, so you won’t break the bank on this purchase. A monthly data plan is required, but Sprint has some affordable options. Sprint offers four plans designed specifically for tablets, starting at $19.99 for 1GB of data, $34.99 for 3GB of data, $49.99 for 6GB of data, and $79.99 for 12GB of data.

Highlights of the ZTE Optik include 3G data connection, Android 3.2 Honeycomb OS, 7-inch touchscreen display with WXGA 1280×800 resolution, dual-core 1.2 GHz Snapdragon S3 processor, dual cameras, 1 GB RAM, 16 GB storage, WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth 2.1, expandable memory slot, and 4000 mAh Lithium-ion battery.

We don’t know if this device will receive Android 4.0 yet, but it was just released in February. Hopefully Sprint supports it with at least one major software upgrade.

Best Android Phone on a Budget: HTC EVO 3D

Last month we recommended the HTC EVO Design 4G, but now that Sprint has the HTC EVO 3D for free we are switching our pick.

The EVO 3D is a great Android phone that features a 4.3-inch 3D qHD touchscreen and dual 5-megapixel auto-focus cameras on the rear that can capture Full HD 1080p video in 2D as well as 3D video at HD 720p. It also includes a dual-core 1.2 GHz Snapdragon S3 processor, 1 GB RAM, 4 GB internal storage, and an 8 GB microSD card.

Currently the EVO 3D still runs Android 2.3, but HTC has stated it will receive an upgrade to Android 4.0 in the future.

Check out Nick’s HTC EVO 3D review for more details.

What’s Coming Next: HTC Jet (One X)

If you don’t mind waiting another month, I would suggest holding out for one of Sprint’s first LTE phones.

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus has already officially been announced for Sprint and a registration page is up, but we still don’t have a release date yet. Rumors suggest the Galaxy Nexus could be available around April 15th.

Also coming soon is a device codenamed HTC Jet, which we believe is Sprint’s version of the HTC One X. Sprint and HTC are holding a press event on April 4th, so we should have more details in a couple weeks.

The HTC One X will have a better camera and faster processor than the Galaxy Nexus, so it should eventually become our top pick. However, rumors suggest this HTC device might not be in stores until June 10th.

The LG Viper 4G LTE was also announced as coming soon, but we see no special reason to suggest this device when compared to the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and HTC One X.

Sprint will launch their LTE network in the first half of 2012, so we should get a release date for these phones in the coming months. Dallas, Atlanta, Houston and San Antonio are expected to be among the first markets to benefit from Sprint’s 4G LTE and improved 3G coverage.

Feedback

Our hardcore audience lives and breaths Android, so most of them already know what device they want to buy next. However, I realize that for most of the public, reading our blog is like trying to read Swahili or some other foreign language. The purpose of these guides is to try and help the average consumer.

I ask for your help by sharing this guide with your friends on Sprint and leaving suggestions in the comments below.

Welcome to our regular buyer’s guide column where we break down each carrier to let you know about current promotions and pick the best devices. Each week we rotate between the big four US carriers, so that each buyer’s guide gets refreshed every month. Read on for T-Mobile’s best devices and deals.

Current Promotions and News

Magenta Deal Days: T-Mobile just kicked off a two-week sale called Magenta Deal Days, that offers up to $150 off select 4G devices. Head over to the site for the full details or check out the chart below to see which devices will be on sale.

500,000 fans promo: To celebrate 500,000 fans on their Facebook page, T-Mobile is giving away coupon for 30% off any one accessory at a T-Mobile store. Offer expires 6/30/12.

Even more deals: If you are not quite ready to buy yet, make sure you follow @TMobile on Twitter and like T-Mobile on Facebook for the latest offers.

Best Android Phone: Galaxy S II

Not much has changed since last month and this pick was easy. The Samsung Galaxy S II is the best Android phone available on T-Mobile. We polled our staff, readers, and even some T-Mobile employees who all unanimously agreed upon the Galaxy S II as their favorite device.

T-Mobile normally sells the Galaxy S II for $229 with 2-year contract, but you can find better deals if you look around online. Our favorite online store Amazon currently has it for $199 with new service or upgrades.

The Galaxy S II was one of the best Android devices of 2011 and most of the team here uses one of the versions as their daily phone. Our very own Angie has this model on T-Mobile and she loves it. The main selling points of this device are the gorgeous 4.52 inch Super AMOLED Plus display, stellar 8 mepapixel camera, support for 4G HSPA+ 42 Mbps, and Samsung’s excellent build quality.

We never posted a full review of the T-Mobile version, but we did review the Sprint model and I suggest you check that out. The major difference is that the Sprint model used a dual-core 1.2 GHz Exynos processor which has a faster graphics processor, and the T-Mobile model has a dual-core 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S3 processor.

The Snapdragon processor doesn’t have as fast a GPU as the Exynos, but it has other unique benefits like GLONASS location services and support for T-Mobile’s HSPA+ 42 Mbps network.

Currently the Galaxy S II ships with Android 2.3, but Samsung has already promised that upgrades to Android 4.0 will begin in Q1. T-Mobile’s model might not be the first with the update, but it will eventually receive it.

Runner up: We absolutely love the Samsung Galaxy S II, but if you are partial towards HTC then go with the Amaze 4G. It also supports T-Mobile’s HSPA+ 42 Mbps network and features an equally amazing camera. The only downside to this phone is the sub-par battery life. Check out Edgar’s review of the Amaze 4G for more info.

Alternative pick: T-Mobile does not sell the Galaxy Nexus, but if money is no object you can buy one online and use it on their network. The Galaxy Nexus is the best Android phone available thanks to shipping with Android 4.0. Amazon currently has the GSM Galaxy Nexus listed for $528 (that’s $100 cheaper than last month). Check out Anthony’s review of the Galaxy Nexus for more info.

Comparison of top T-Mobile phones: To see a complete comparison of the Samsung Galaxy S II, HTC Amaze 4G, and Samsung Galaxy Nexus head over to gdgt.com.

Best Android Phone with Keyboard: MyTouch 4G Slide

If you have a thing for QWERTY keyboards, then the myTouch 4G Slide is your device. T-Mobile currently sells this device for $199 on contract, but you might find a better deal if you shop around.

Notable features of the myTouch 4G Slide include 3.7 inch Super LCD, 8 megapixel camera, front facing cameara, dual-core 1.2 GHz Snapdragon S3 processor, and support for T-Mobile’s 4G HSPA+ network.

When this phone launched last year, T-Mobile advertised it as having the most advanced smartphone camera. Highlights include improved low-light performance, zero shutter lag, SweepShot, ClearShot HDR, and burst shot. Comparisons against other high-end devices even showed it bested the iPhone 4S by a slim margin.

This device still ships with Android 2.3, but it is expected to eventually receive Android 4.0.

Best Android Tablet: Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus

Let me repeat what I said in my Verizon buyer’s guide. Because of the current data plans, I’m not a huge fan of carrier branded Android tablets. However, if you need an Android tablet with wireless connectivity, then the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus should be your pick.

T-Mobile currently sells the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus for $249 with 2-year contract. Monthly data plans include 2 GB for $39, 5 GB for $49, and 10 GB for $79.

When it comes to 7-inch Android tablets, the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus is our current favorite. Just ask Clark, this is his mini tablet of choice. It features a dual-core 1.2 GHz Exynos processor that turned in some of the fastest web browsing scores we have ever seen. Another selling point is the IR port, which works with applications like Peel Smart Remote to control all the gadgets in your living room.

Check out our hands-on with the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus for additional details.

Best Android Phone on a Budget: Exhibit II 4G

Now that online stores offer high-end devices for $99-199 with new 2-year agreement, it is becoming harder and harder to suggest a budget phone. The lower priced devices generally don’t receive major software updates to newer versions of Android and are outdated as soon as you buy them.

If you wait for a big T-Mobile sale, you can normally score one of their high-end phones for free. They just had their Valentine’s Day sale, and I’m sure there will be another sale next month.

However, if you need a budget Android phone right now, then we would suggest the Samsung Exhibit II 4G. T-Mobile is selling the phone for only $29 on contract, which is a nice price for a mid-range 4G phone.

Highlights of the Exhibit II 4G include Android 2.3, 3.7 inch display, 3 MP rear camera + VGA front camera, 1 GHz processor, 4 GB internal storage, and all the usuals like WiFi, GPS, and Bluetooth 3.0.

We doubt this device will ever be upgraded to Android 4.0, but that’s what you get with budget smartphones.

What’s Coming Next: HTC One S

If you don’t mind waiting another few months, we suggest holding out for the HTC One S. T-Mobile already announced they would carry the device this spring and you can sign up for more info from T-Mobile or HTC.

When it becomes available, we expect the HTC One S to be our pick for the best Android phone on T-Mobile. It will have a better camera and faster processor (Snapdragon S4) than the Samsung Galaxy S II, and we think it has more style.

Also launching later this week is the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G. This device will retail for $149 with 2-year contract, but that’s after a $50 mail in rebate. Given the current pricing, we would suggest going with the Samsung Galaxy S II, which is a better device. If T-Mobile lowers the in-store price, this could become our new best Android phone on a budget.

Feedback

We have long wanted to maintain buyer’s guides for every carrier, but it’s just something we have failed to produce. As one of the most influential sources of Android information on the web, we realize that our opinions are valuable and the average consumer just wants to know what phone they should buy without having to do all the research.

Our hardcore audience lives and breaths Android, so most of them already know what device they want to buy next. However, I realize that for most of the public, reading our blog is like trying to read Swahili  or some other foreign language. The purpose of these guides is to try and help the average consumer.

Having said all that, consider this first guide as a rough draft that will continually be updated and improved over time. We would love to hear your feedback on what other sections or information should be added to the next version. Our lead developer Clark has some amazing site features that are coming down the pipe (like the new profiles), and we are 100% committed to this community.

I ask for your help by sharing this guide with your friends on T-Mobile and leaving suggestions in the comments below.

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