Orange San Francisco II
Price: $150
You could argue that this phone is too late
to market and that the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS has left the
Gingerbread iteration feeling a bit stale. But if you’re an Android virgin and
can trim the embedded Orange apps, this phone is amazing value. If you’re on
Orange and offered this as a free upgrade, it’s a smart choice - just make sure
you install your own apps and Android skin over the Orange one.
But
if you’re an Android virgin and can trim the embedded Orange apps, this phone
is amazing value
Specifications
·
OS Android 2.3 Gingerbread
·
Screen 3.5-inch TFT
·
Resolution 480 x 800 pixels
·
Input Capacitive touchscreen
·
Processor 800MHz
·
Memory 512MB
·
Storage MicroSD
·
Camera 5MP rear-facing
·
Flash Yes
·
Video Yes
·
Wireless 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi. Bluetooth 2.1
·
Ports 3.5mm audio jack, Micro USB 2.0
·
Standby time 240 hours
·
Talk time 4 hours
·
Size 117 x 59 x 11mm
·
Weight 120g
·
Verdict: you rarely get more for your money - a
fantastic budget smartphone.
Samsung Galaxy Ace 2
Price: $360
Website: samsung.com
Samsung
Galaxy Ace 2
In a year where Samsung crafted one of the
world’s best smartphones with the Galaxy S III, it has also created a fantastic
mid-level device with its affordably-priced Galaxy Ace 2. Offering a stunning
screen, great usability and a strong set of features it packs all that the
average smartphone buyer will need. And while it’s a shame that the latest
version of Android isn’t installed, you still get unbeatable value or money.
Specifications
·
OS Android 23 Gingerbread
·
Screen 3.8-inch TFT
·
Resolution 480 x 800 pixels
·
Input Capacitive touchscreen
·
Processor 800MHZ dual-core
·
Memory 768MB
·
Storage 4GB internal, MicroSD up to 32GB
·
Camera 5MP rear-facing, 0.3MP front-facing
·
Flash LED
·
Video 720p HD at 3Qfps
·
Wireless 802.1 lb/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0
·
Ports 3.5mm audio jack, Micro USB 2.0
·
Standby time 670 hours
·
Talktime 16 hours
·
Size 118x 62 x 11mm
·
Weight 119g
·
Verdict: in terms of sheer bang for your buck,
this great phone is one of the best.
Samsung Galaxy Beam
Price: $600
Website: samsung.com
Samsung
Galaxy Beam
While Samsung’s Galaxy Beam can’t quite
compete with the best rivals at this price, it is surprisingly capable and
exceeded our expectations. With its decent performance, stunning screen and
strong build quality, it ticks many boxes. And the built-in projector is far
more useful than we expected, letting you beam photos, videos, work files and
more at up to 50-inches in size. For big- screen images on the move, it’s
unbeatable.
Specifications
·
Os Android 2.3 Gingerbread
·
Screen 4-inch TFT
·
Resolution 480 x 800 pixels
·
Input Capacitive touchscreen
·
Processor 1 GHz dual-core
·
Memory 768MB
·
Storage 8GB internal, MicroSD up to 32GB
·
Camera 5MP rear-facing, 1.3MP front-facina
·
Flash LED
·
Video 720p HD at 3Ofps
·
Wireless 802.1 1 b/g/n Wi-Fi. Bluetooth 3.0
·
Ports 3.5mm audio jack, Micro USB2.0
·
Standby time 760 hours
·
Talk time 9 hours
·
Size 124x64x13mm
·
Weight 145g
·
Verdict: a unique and very well-equipped
smartphone with a handy built-in projector.
Samsung Galaxy Mini 2
Price: $225
Website: samsung.com
Samsung
Galaxy Mini 2
With its eye-catching design, decent
performance and comfortable usability, the Galaxy Mini 2 is well worth a look
for first- time smartphone buyers on a budget. There are some incredibly
high-quality rivals on the market, though, from brands such as 1-ITC and
Huawei, among others. So you might want to shop around and check out the
competition before handing over your cash, as there are great deals to be had.
Specifications
·
OS Android 2.3 Gingerbread
·
Screen 3.27-inch TFT
·
Resolution 320 x 480 pixels
·
Input Capacitive touchscreen
·
Processor 800MHz Qualcomm MSM7227
·
Memory 512MB
·
Storage 4GB, MicroSD
·
Camera 3.15MP rear-facing
·
Flash No
·
Video 640 x 480 pixels
·
Wireless 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0
·
Ports 3.5mm audio jack, Micro USB 2.0
·
Standby time 540 hours
·
Talk time 11 hours
·
Size 109 x 59 x 12mm
·
Weight 105g
·
Verdict: a good entry-level handset, but there
are plenty of better deals to be found.
Samsung Galaxy Note 2
Price: $609
Website: samsung.com
The
size of Samsung’s Galaxy Note range is a hate it or love it prospect - is it
too big to be a phone, or too small to be a tablet?
The size of Samsung’s Galaxy Note range is
a hate it or love it prospect - is it too big to be a phone, or too small to be
a tablet? Does a stylus have any place on a smartphone? Either way, it is a
brilliant piece of technology, with a whopping great 16 hours of talk time. Its
only main flaws are a dull screen and a poor camera - otherwise it comes down
to personal preference. Definitely one to try out in store.
Specifications
·
Os Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
·
Screen 5.5-inch SAMOLED
·
Resolution 720 x 1280 pixels
·
Input Capacity screen. stylus
·
Processor 1 .66Hz quad-core
·
Memory 2GB
·
Storage 1 6i32/B4GB internal, MicroSD up to 64GB
·
Camera 8MP rear-facing, 1.9MP front-facing
·
Flash LED
·
Video 1080p HD at 30fps
·
Wireless 802.1 1 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0,
NFC
·
Ports 3.5mm audio jack, Micro USB 2.0
·
Battery 1 6 hours talk time 890 hours standby
·
Dimensions 1 51 x 81 x 9mm
·
Weight 183g
·
Verdict: the king of the big screen phone/
tablets, you’ll either love it or hate it.
Samsung Galaxy S Advance
Price: $345
Website: samsung.com
Samsung
Galaxy S Advance
While the Samsung Galaxy S Advance doesn’t
do much to stake a claim as the best mid-range handset you can buy, it’s still
a suitably capable effort, which will suit newcomers to the smartphone market.
With that said, though, there are many better options that you can find at this
price, so you might want to shop around and see what its rivals have to offer,
before choosing this as your main handset.
Specifications
·
Os Android 2.3 Gingerbread
·
Screen 4-inch SAMOLED
·
Resolution 480 x 800 pixels
·
Input Capacitive touchscreen
·
Processor 1GHz ARM Cortex-A9
·
Memory 768MB
·
Storage 8/16GB, MicroSD
·
Camera 5MP rear-facing, 1 .3MP front-facing
·
Flash Yes
·
Video 720p HD
·
Wireless 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0
·
Ports 3.5mm audio jack,
·
Micro USB 2.0
·
Standby time 570 hours
·
Talk time 1 5 hours
·
Size 123 x 63 x 10mm
·
Weight 120g
·
Verdict: a decent mid-range device but it offers
little to set itself apart from its rivals.
Samsung Galaxy S Ill
Price: $728
Website: samsung.com
Screen
4.8-inch SAMOLED
Matching up to the mighty Galaxy S II was
always going to be a tall order, but with the release of the Galaxy S III
Samsung has clearly surpassed expectations. With its stunning design, amazing
usability, high- powered performance and cutting-edge features, it measures up
to the best of the competition and sets a new benchmark for its rivals. If
you’re looking for one of the best smartphones you can buy, this is it.
Specifications
·
Os Android 4.0 ICS
·
Screen 4.8-inch SAMOLED
·
Resolution 720 x 1280 pixels
·
Input Capacitive touchscreen
·
Processor 1.4GHz Cortex-A9
·
Memory 1GB
·
Storage 1 6/32/64G B, MicroSD
·
Camera 8MP rear-facing, 1.9MP front-facing
·
Flash Yes
·
Video 1080p HD
·
Wireless 802.11 a/b/g/n
·
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
·
Ports 3.5mm audio jack, Micro USB 2.0
·
Standby time 790 hours
·
Talk time 21 hours
·
Size 137 x 71 x 9mm
·
Weight 133g
·
Verdict: a masterpiece of design usability. This
is the benchmark to beat.
Samsung Tocco Lite 2
Price: $149
Website: samsung.com
Samsung
Tocco Lite 2
Blending neat features with a range of
equally noticeable flaws, the Tocco Lite 2 is a real mixed bag. There’s no
denying the value it provides, but it’s clear where the corners have been cut,
making it hard to recommend. Especially when entry-level smartphones such as
the Vodafone Smart 2 can be bought for even less than this feature-phone, if
you’re after the most bang for your buck, this isn’t the phone for you.
Specifications
·
Os Proprietary
·
Screen 3-inch TFT
·
Resolution 240 x 320 pixels
·
Input Capacitive touchscreen
·
Processor N/A
·
Memory N/A
·
Storage 20MB internal, MicroSD up to 32GB
·
Camera 3.2MP rear-facing
·
Flash No
·
Video Yes
·
Wireless 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0
·
Ports 3.5mm audio jack,
·
Micro USB2.0
·
Battery 14 hours talk time,
·
625 hours standby
·
Size 102 x 58 x 12mm
·
Weight 96g
·
Verdict: it may suit very young users, but it’s
not a phone we can highly recommend.
