Samsung Galaxy Tab vs Apple iPad

In the final analysis, it's not really a tough call when it comes to choosing the better tablet. Given that it all falls down to what your particular needs are, we can conclude that the Samsung Galaxy Tab's main advantage here is its way more compact size. It makes it easier to pick up, handle and carry around, which isn't a characteristic that should be overlooked at all. Another significant advantage of the Galaxy Tab is its ability to visualize Flash content within the browser and open Flash-based sites. Finally, it can take pictures and videos for you through its 3.2MP camera with flash, and you can even place a phone call, if you have the EU version.

That's as far as it goes though. Even if we try to ignore the fact that the iPad makes for a more appealing tablet in a number of areas because of its bigger screen, the reality of its far superior software remains. This is evident with almost every application and functionality, from the internet browser to the YouTube client. While not as versatile as the Galaxy Tab, due to the lack of some secondary features (for a tablet, that is), say a camera, the iPad is still much more functional due to its far better app support. And when it comes to games and entertainment, the Apple device is simply ahead of its time, compared to the rest of the market, including the Samsung Galaxy Tab. So it is the software that ultimately proves that Samsung's device is not ready yet. Note that the Galaxty Tab is perfectly ready in terms of pure hardware, but the operating system it runs on is hampering its experience. Android got to the point where it's more than capable to run a phone, but a tablet - nope, not yet, at least when you compare it to the iPad. The price is where the iPad delivers its final punch, as the Galaxy Tab ended up pretty similarly priced, which is downright frustrating for a device that does less.

HTC HD7 vs Apple iPhone 4

When they're priced evenly, it's ultimately going to come down to which platform experience you'll want to side with. Needless to say that iOS shows its maturity and depth thanks to features like multi-tasking and copy & paste on board, but the HD7 provides for a fresh experience that's remarkably polished from the onset. Sure there are some standout features with both devices, like taking photos with the iPhone 4 or the superior calling quality of the HD7, but these two high-end smartphones will easily satisfy the needs of just about anyone out there. In any event, you really can't go wrong choosing either handsets as they establish themselves as being in the upper echelon of the smartphone market.

Google Nexus S vs Apple iPhone 4

If there's one thing you can sleep easily about at night, it has to be that both smartphones will continue to receive the latest and newest updates. Being the kind of developer phone it's made out to be, the Google Nexus S provides users the complete control of the entire platform – which is great if you're into hacking your device. Furthermore, Android 2.3 Gingerbread closes the gap in the speed performance of the platform versus iOS 4 on the iPhone 4. It also manages to radiate a sense of customization with its interface which provides a personalized experience over its competitor.

But it appears as though that the Apple iPhone 4 showcases its prowess in the multimedia department as it excels in taking photos and videos. And while it doesn't have the level of customization that Android offers, iOS easily provides the user with a much better app support to diversify and enhance the experience. When you consider its $200 on-contract pricing, there's no arguing that the premium feel of the iPhone 4 stands taller. All in all, its well rounded performance and continuous set of polished features would more than likely appeal to a broader audience than the Google Nexus S.

Nokia E7 vs LG Optimus 2X vs Apple iPhone 4

All the three phones are having great design and hardware that is more than competent for the job, especially the Optimus 2X with its dual-core chipset. The call quality is good as all three are equipped with noise-canceling microphones. The iPhone 4has this grip reception issues sometimes, which most probably won't affect you, unless you live on the very edge of the signal tower. 

It is not all about hardware these days, not even about having the slickest interface, but rather the amount and quality of third party apps that can make your phone so much more versatile. This is where the App Store excels, as it got a head start of about a year before Android Market even appeared, not to mention Nokia's Ovi Store, and it is still most profitable for developers to write apps for iOS.

Considering that these phones cost more than $600 unlocked, and the Nokia E7 actually takes the crown as the most expensive at this very moment, so at this price you'd probably set your eyesight on it only if you definitely need a physical keyboard to type comfortably, and already have some experience with Symbian, i.e., if you are a Nokia fan. As we said, its market timing is the worst now, with all the noise surrounding Nokia Windows Phone.

Now the tough call is between the iPhone 4 and the LG Optimus 2X. Android Market might not have an app for everything, but the 150 000 + applications thereabout cover most basics, and then some. The dual-core chipset allows for Full HD video recording, fast page load times with zippy Adobe Flash support, and thus makes for the best hardware of all the three phones. This unlocks a different set of apps and possibilities, which have not yet materialized on Android Market, though, and matter most for more technically inclined people, which are the most likely to fall in love with the Optimus 2X.

The iPhone 4's thin steel and glass frame is very appealing, especially if you are coming from a phone with a plastic chassis, which the overwhelming majority of them are built with. It doesn't do Full HD video, and the browser can't load Flash to save its life, but those are obviously not considered a necessity, since most people that buy the iPhone 4 prefer the smooth experience, devoid of hiccups. The other thing they are looking for is the possibility to  have these numerous apps and versatile accessories everyone is talking about, as well as ease of use, which is very visible in the dead simple camera interface, for example. The sheer fact that it is a 9 month old phone, and still in the mix, comes to show that you are only likely to switch camps if you are getting bored with one mobile OS or the other, and want to try something new for a change. 

As for the Nokia E7, we know the company has its loyal fanbase that is dying to get its hands on the latest piece of design art from it, so we are sure the E7 will do fine, once the price starts going south.

Motorola ATRIX 4G vs Apple iPhone 4

Whichever way you view it, these are unanimously the best two smartphones that are currently gracing AT&T’s lineup. Overlooking the two completely different platform experiences you’ll be greeted with, there are actually tons of commonalities in their performance. For starters, they have above average battery life, shoot stunning looking photos and videos, are enabled for video chat, and feature brilliant looking high-resolution displays. However, it always comes down to whether your prefer the easy to learn and simplistic experience with iOS, or the personalized functionality with Android 2.2 Froyo.  Of course, it helps that the Motorola ATRIX 4G boasts some innovative functionality with its optional docks, but at the cellular level, these two titans are equal in providing the best performance on any mobile device out there – especially when they’re priced at $199.99 with a contract.

Apple iPad 2 vs Motorola XOOM

Conclusion: 

In the end, pricing will always factor into the decision making process of what consumers will end up choosing. Using the same capacities, the 32GB Motorola XOOM will set you back $799 – which is $70 more than the similarly equipped $730 32GB iPad 2 3G. Sure it’s more expensive, but the XOOM’s price is justified when you take into consideration its high count cameras, upcoming support for Verizon’s 4G LTE network, and built-in HDMI port. But come to think of it more, the first thing to capture our attention is the streamlined look of the iPad 2 – which is overly acceptable for a tablet that costs $500 for its base model. We also shouldn't forget that you can actually own the iPad 2 at such a low price (be it equipped with 16GB and no 3G), whereas with the XOOM you just don't get that option. The W-Fi-only Motorola XOOM will be available on March 27 for $599.

Once you overlook their hardware and design, the biggest thing that will test their longevity is their platform experience. With that, Android 3.0 Honeycomb is already positioning itself as a remarkable leap forward in the tablet space since it heavily improves on the various aspects of Android’s foundation. In comparison, there isn’t anything particularly evolutionary seen with iOS 4.3 on the iPad 2, but then again, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Ultimately, there’s no arguing the fact that these two are the most highly regarded tablets right now on the market. And even when newer ones decide to come around to test their legacy, you can still sit back knowing that these two will still stand prominently over the course of the next year. These aren’t devices that only meet the criteria of being a good tablet; in fact, they push forward in setting the bar for everything else moving forward.

Apple iPad 2

Key features

• 9.7” capacitive IPS touchscreen display with a resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels; oleophobic coating
• Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n connectivity
• Optional 3G connectivity (data only)
• Optional GPS with A-GPS support
• Apple A5 SoC - 1 GHz dual-core ARM Cortex A9 processor, PowerVR SGX543MP2 graphics
• 512MB RAM
• iOS 4.3
• 16/32/64GB of onboard storage
• Weight of 601 grams (607 grams for the 3G version)
• Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
• 10 hours battery life
• Accelerometer, compass and three-axis gyro-sensor
• Compatible with every iPhone app without any modifications
• The cheapest version costs less than an unlocked iPhone
• 0.7MP auto-focus camera, 720p video recording at 30fps
• VGA secondary camera capable of Facetime calls
• Impressively slim 8.8mm waistline
• Four and five-finger gestures (locked by default, but easy to enable with a Mac and a $5 app)
• 1080p TV-output with the Apple Digital AV Adapter (purchased separately for $39), 720p video streaming
• Magnetic Smart cover ($39 or $69)

Main disadvantages

• iTunes required for uploading content
• No Flash support in the web browser
• Poor still cameras – though, really, this thing isn’t meant for taking candids
• No standard USB port
• No kickstand – it cannot stand on a table without the help of a dock stand or a Smart cover
• Non replaceable battery
• No stereo loudspeakers
• No GPS receiver for the Wi-Fi only version
• No memory card slot
• 3G model uses micro-SIM, instead of a regular size SIM
• iPhone apps designed for HVGA resolution squander screen real estate or look pretty bad uspcaled

LG Optimus 2X vs Apple iPhone 4

Nokia N8 vs Apple iPhone 4

The Nokia N8 has a lot going for it. It is a multimedia powerhouse, packing a 12MP camera with a huge sensor, Carl-Zeiss lens, and a powerful Xenon flash. The Finnish handset also adds other notable virtues, that the iPhone 4 doesn't have, namely the ability to play almost any HD video file on a big screen via HDMI-out, with 5.1 channel surround

Apple iPhone 3G

iPhone 4 launch day came and went and Number Four has taken over. Today, as the dust settles, we hope to move away from the hype and take a clear-headed look at what’s new in the iOS4. No, this isn’t a full-featured iPhone 4 review, nor is it intended to introduce you to the OS basics.

Instead we’ll stick to the new stuff. And Apple promised lots of that: multitasking, homescreen wallpapers, a revamped email app, and more. Here is our brief scoop on all the new stuff and all that’s still missing.

What’s new:

• Homescreen wallpapers
• Folder organization of the homescreen icons
• Multitasking and fast app switching
• Google/Wikipedia search in Spotlight
• Bluetooth keyboard pairing support
• SMS character counter
• SMS search
• Email threading
• Unified Email inbox
• Email archiving is now available when you setup Gmail
• Spell checker
• iPod music player can now create, edit and delete playlists
• 5x digital zoom in still camera
• Touch-focus in video capture (for video enabled iPhones)
• Keyboard layouts span over QWERTY, QWERTZ, and AZERTY
• Minor icon design facelifts
• Video call support (only in iPhone 4 and only over Wi-Fi)
• iBooks e-book and PDF reader

What’s still missing:

• No Flash support in the web browser
• No true multitasking for all applications
• iOS4 for iPhone 3G has limited new feature set
• Poor performance on iPhone 3G
• No quick toggles for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or 3G
• No social networking integration
• No info widgets on lockscreen or homescreen
• SMS tones are still not customizable
• No mass mark emails as read
• No proper file browser or access to the file system
• No USB mass storage mode
• No vibration feedback when touching the screen
• No Bluetooth file transfers to other mobile phones
• Contacts lack a swipe-to-delete or mass delete feature
• No SMS/MMS delivery notifications
• No smart dialing (but Spotlight is a somewhat of a substitute)
• No DivX or XviD video support and no official third-party application to play that
• The whole iPhone is too dependent on iTunes - you cannot add the same type of content (video, photos, apps) to the phone from two computers, a regular file management interface would have been much better

Apple iPhone 4

Key features

• Quad-band GSM and quad-band 3G support with 7.2 Mbps HSDPA and 5.76 Mbps HSUPA
• 3.5" 16M-color LED-backlit TFT capacitive touchscreen of 640 x 960 px resolution
• Scratch-resistant glass front and rear, with fingerprint-resistant coating
• 1GHz Apple A4 SoC; 512MB of RAM
• 5 MP autofocus camera with LED flash and touch focus
• 720p video recording at 30fps
• Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n
• GPS with A-GPS connectivity; digital compass
• 16/32GB storage options
• Accelerometer, proximity sensor and three-axis gyro sensor
• Active noise cancellation with a dedicated secondary microphone
• Standard 3.5 mm audio jack, stereo Bluetooth v2.1
• Excellent audio output quality
• Slim waistline at only 9.3mm
• Secondary front-facing camera
• Some degree of multitasking
• Rich AppStore

Main disadvantages

• Hardware design is prone to reception issues
• MicroSIM card support only
• No Flash support in the web browser
• No true multitasking for all applications
• FaceTime video calls work only over Wi-Fi
• No file transfer over Bluetooth or USB Mass Storage mode
• No hardware shutter key for the camera
• No FM radio
• No stereo speakers
• No microSD card slot
• No smart dialing
• Too dependent on iTunes for loading multimedia content
• Poor loudspeaker performance