Top 5 Smartphones During 2011 Holiday Shopping Season
The holiday season is here and 2011 was a breaking year for the smartphone market with many impressive devices having launched.
With such a large variety of giants dropping new handsets, such as HTC, Motorola, Samsung and Apple, many consumers are wondering which new smartphone would fit best in someone's stocking this Christmas.
Galaxy Nexus (Verizon)
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Although the Galaxy Nexus launched overseas, it has not seen the light of day in the United States yet. It is the first device to come with Google’s new Android 4.0 operating system better known as Ice Cream Sandwich. It has already received rave reviews from many technology websites and features some impressive specifications including a 5-megapixel camera, dual-core 1.2GHz processor, 4.65-inch Super AMOLED display, near field communications technology and 4G LTE connectivity. It is expected to launch early next month as a Verizon exclusive in the U.S.
HTC Sensation (T-Mobile)
The HTC Sensation launched earlier this year and received high ratings on technology websites such as CNet. The publication’s own Bonnie Cha reviewed the device and said it had an “excellent design and user experience,” and called it “one of the best Android phones yet and a top pick to T-Mobile customers.” It also sports impressive specifications including a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, 8-megapixel camera, 4.3-inch qHD display and 4G connectivity.
Motorola Droid Razr (Verizon)
The Motorola Droid Razr launched earlier this month and quickly became a hot item among Android fans. The smartphone topped CNet’s list for best smartphones of 2011. It runs on Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread and brings back a classic name from one of the most popular cell phones of all time, the Razr. It features a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, Verizon’s 4G LTE speeds, 4.3-inch Super AMOLED display and a lightweight design that is also water repellant and scratch resistant. It is also the thinnest smartphone of all time at 7.1-mm thickness.
iPhone 4S (AT&T, Verizon, Sprint)
Not one year has gone by since 2007 where Apple failed to make its mark on the smartphone market, and 2011 is no different with the iPhone 4S. Without a drastic change in design, Apple still managed to sell almost 4 million reserves for the follow up to the iPhone 4 in just 3 days. The iPhone 4S features Siri, an artificial intelligence system that assists users in performing various tasks by speaking into the device, along with a redesigned 8-megapixel camera that takes photos that rival those of most point and shoot cameras. It is a 3G device and starts at $199 for the 16 GB model.
Samsung Galaxy S2 Skyrocket (AT&T)
The Samsung Galaxy S2 Skyrocket introduces AT&T’s 4G LTE network to its customers launching side by side with the HTC Vivid. The Skyrocket version is a step up from the original S2 in more ways than just LTE speeds. It packs a more powerful processor with a dual-core 1.5GHz chip. It also includes an NFC chip, an 8-megapixel rear camera and Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread. It was recently on sale during the week of Black Friday for just 1 cent with a new agreement.
