Motorola Milestone XT720 v Orange San Diego: Old v New

Orange San Diego contract deals

The Motorola Milestone XT720 is a top of the range smart phone from 2 years ago, whereas the Orange San Diego is a current mid-range Android. As you would imagine, it's not going to be much of a competition between the two, the mid-range San Diego blows the Milestone out of the water. Also, ironically the San Diego houses its own milestone as it is the first smart phone to be run by an Intel processor. More on that later. For the most part this review is going to be a feature on showing how far mobile phone technology has come in three short years.

You can still get great phone deals on both devices though.

Specifications

Back in 2009, the Motorola Milestone was wowing Android users with its 3.7 inch screen (bigger than the iPhone), its 480 x 854 pixel resolution (which is still pretty good to be fair) and the new Android 2.1 Eclair operating system. Well, we're now up to 4.1 Jelly Bean but that's not what the Orange San Diego has, it still sports the 2.3 Gingerbread system. It also has a 4 inch screen and 600 x 1024 pixel resolution. Remember, the San Diego does not represent the best that it is available, it is only twice as expensive as a budget Android. You'd have to double that cost to get the very best available right now.

Some other major differences. The Motorola Milestone came with 150MB internal storage. The San Diego has 16GB. Both can be topped up with microSD cards though. When the Milestone came out it was one of the first to have multi-touch features, allowing you to zoom by pinching your fingers on the screen. That's pretty standard these days.

The San Diego comes with an 8 megapixel camera which can record 1080p HD video. The Milestone has an 8MP camera too but only records jerky 720p HD video. The San Diego camera also has a burst mode which takes ten pictures in quick succession, which is good for photographing high speed action. This is quite rare even these days though.

One of the most significant differences is in processing power. The Milestone has a 600MHz processor, which would be bad even for budget phones now. The San Diego, however, is not typical in its processor. In fact, as mentioned, it is the first smart phone to be run by an Intel processor.

Motorola Mileston XT720 deals

Intel Processor

The San Diego's Intel processor has been clocked at 1.6GHz. That's a 1GHz of processing power more than the Milestone. That is very high for a single-core processor though, the high end Androids usually only reach around that mark with dual or even quad-core processors.

The major benefit of the Intel processor is that it makes web surfing very fast and slick. In fact, for the money, you won't get any faster web browsing. It also promises a more stable system, meaning that you're not going to get apps crashing on you.

It also means that it can do things that usually you would need a dual-core processor to do well, such as record video in 1080p and export through a HDMI port, allowing you to link it directly to your television. The only disappointment in this area is that the lens is not very good, so the quality of the shots is not as good as it might be.

There is a downside to this Intel processor though, which is that, for technical reasons too complicated to properly explain, it is incompatible with some downloadable apps. Orange says that 70% of apps will work with the Intel processor, but another way of saying that is that almost a third of them will not.

The full specs of the Milestone can be found on the Motorla website. The San Diego specifications can be found on Orange's website.

Phone Deals

So what have we learnt here, children? That even mid-range phones these days are better than the best phones from two years ago? Didn't we know that already? Yes, we probably did.

However, hopefully we have also learnt that the Motorola is still a quality phone, if a little dated now. Also, that while the San Diego's Intel processor has some impressive benefits, it also has some potentially deal-breaking downsides.

What else is there to know? Well, if you're interested in getting your hands on either of these phones then there are some great Motorola Milestone XT720 monthly contract deals and Orange San Diego deals available online.

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3D Battle: LG Optimus 3D P920 Vs HTC Evo 3D

LG Optimus 3D P920 deals

If you're a fan of 3D then you're in luck because we're now going to compare the first two Android glasses-free 3D phones to enter the market. So get ready to find for a mind blowing experience, as we put the LG Optimus 3D P920 and the HTC Evo 3D in a battle to the death for the glory of being crowned king of 3D!

The 3D Effect

First of all, for those of you interested in how the 3D effect is created, you're not going to get much of an explanation here. Basically though when the 3D effect is in operation the screen is creating two images, directing one to each of your eyes. These two different images are combined in your brain to create a 3D image, the way it does with the images presented to it from your eyes in real life.

This has a few consequences. One is that the resolution of the screen is effectively cut in half any time the 3D effect is in use. It also means that it takes more processing power and it is going to drain the battery more quickly. Lastly, it means that you have to hold the phone at just the right angle to be able to make out the 3D effect, and that is a relatively narrow zone that you have to get to. These are issues with both of the phones under consideration.

Enough of the technical stuff though, let's get to the fun stuff! So what's on offer with these phones?

Well you might be a little bit disappointed to find out that not everything on the phone is in 3D. The menus, for instance, are still in 2D. Both phones come with dedicated features to use the 3D in though, games and videos mainly. And even though the HTC Evo came out later than the LG Optimus 3D, it is actually the LG phone which has the better effect. It can only be viewed in portrait mode but since, as we mentioned, it is only videos and games for the most part that use the effect anyway that's not a huge drawback. And it turns out that the 3D effect is simply more pronounced on the LG device. It's still decent on the HTC Evo, but we preferred the LG offering in that regard.

HTC Evo 3D contract deals

There is a problem in that there isn't a lot of 3D content available though. Other than what comes with the phone, YouTube will be the main port of call for other 3D videos. Although you can also create your own 3D content as well.

You'll notice, when you get the phone, that there are actually two cameras on the back. That's because, as we said, for the 3D effect to be created you actually need two images, one for each eye. So when you take a 3D photo or film in 3D, both cameras will be recording images at the same time, but from slightly different angles which is what produces the 3D effect.

Both phones also have a HDMI port so that you can watch your 3D videos directly on your television (so long as you have a 3D television of course) or if your TV supports DNLA technology then you can stream it wirelessly from your phone. Or of course you can upload your videos to YouTube, expanding the amount of content available for everyone.

Other Features

The 3D aspect is just one feature of each of the phones of course, how do the rest of them stand up? Well, as you would expect, with the HTC Evo coming out later, it does have better specs. For instance it has a 1.2GHz processor, to the LG Optimus 3D's 1GHz. It also comes equipped with the later version of Android, 2.3 Gingerbread, rather than the Froyo version which the LG comes with. The HTC Sense user interface is also generally accepted as one of the best additions to the Android OS.

Both phones are bulky, due to the 3D technology in use. The LG Optimus 3D comes in at 168g, while the HTC is a touch heavier even at 170g. They're also very cruel on their batteries, another consequence of using 3D. You'd be lucky to get a whole day out of either of them if you're using 3D very much. In this regard as well though, the LG is slightly superior because you have the option of turning off the 3D if you want to conserve battery, which isn't possible with the HTC Evo.

If you want to compare the two further for yourself, you can find the specs on the LG website and HTC website respectively.

Summary

Both the LG Optimus 3D and the HTC Evo are decent Android phones, although neither would probably be worth considering if you're not interested in the 3D aspect since that does make them rather bulky and power thirsty. If you are looking for a 3D phone, they're both worth considering but we'd probably have to crown the LG Optimus 3D king on the basis of the 3D effect alone. But then again, taking the 3D out of the equation the HTC is probably the better bet so it's hard to say.

If you're going to make a decision based on price though, check out the best LG Optimus 3DP920 monthly contract deals and HTC Evo deals available on the web.

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Samsung Galaxy Note: Is Bigger Better?

Samsung Galaxy Note v iPhone size comparison

The Samsung Galaxy Note has the biggest screen of any smart phone anywhere ever... and it might not ever be beaten either. Get much bigger than the monster 5.3 inch screen of the Note and you're practically a tablet, like it or not. So if your philosophy when it comes to phone screens is the bigger the better, then you're not going to be disappointed with Samsung Galaxy Note phone deals. However, there are some drawbacks which are also worth considering.

Pocket Sized?

For one thing, you're going to need pretty big pockets to be able to carry this beast around with you. It is thin and surprisingly light, but the width and length make it better suited for the inside pocket of a jacket or even a bag instead of the side pocket of your trousers.

If getting the Galaxy Note in to your pocket is a physical difficulty, taking it out might cause a bit of embarrassment. Not that it's badly made or looks cheap, of course... but again, you really have to understand how big this thing is! It doesn't exactly look like it's phone sized anymore, it looks like something else... something alien almost. It might provoke the odd sideways glance is basically what we're trying to say. A double take here and there.

Is it Worth It?

So okay, there are definitely some downsides to having such a large screen. There are also some good things about it though of course. For instance, watching videos on it is great. It has a sumptuous 1280 x 800 pixel resolution making every image crystal clear, and Samsung's acclaimed AMOLED technology makes colours vibrant and blacks deep. With the screen as big as it is, you can actually become immersed in what you're watching, which is sometimes tough on a phone.

With a screen this large you also need a processor powerful to run it properly, and the Samsung Galaxy Note certainly has that too with a 1.4GHz dual-core processor. This makes operations smooth, and apps open quickly. Any slowness in web browsing will probably be down to the internet connection rather than the phone itself. The Note comes with 3G and wi-fi capabilities.

The phone runs on Android's 2.3 Gingerbread operating system, although an Ice Cream Sandwich update is now available. This is overlaid with Samsung's TouchWiz User Interface. It doesn't make a huge difference to be honest, which is good because Android in its pure form is usually the best.

There's an 8 megapixel camera which can also take 1080p HD video and a Voice Talk app which operates like the iPhone's Siri feature, enabling you to control the phone with your voice. This is not entirely reliable though.

Samsung Galaxy Note: S Memo

The Galaxy Note also comes with a lot of bloatware unfortunately, and you'll probably want to spend a bit of time figuring out what you want to keep and what you want to get rid of. If you're going to get this phone though then one of the main reasons may well be for the S Memo app which allows you to sketch, jot things down, do a little drawing – which on a big screen you can actually make look pretty good. A stylus also comes with it, and while you might think that we've come past that kind of technology, it actually is really helpful on the Galaxy Note. It means you can be that bit more accurate than you can be with your finger, so if you like making notes or drawing little pictures while you're out and about, and want to be able to put them in your calendar or maybe share them on Facebook or Twitter, this phone is fantastic for that.

For the full specs, check out Samsung's website.

Battery Life

This brings us, unfortunately, to one aspect you have to consider when considering this phone that might be enough to put you off. All smart phones have an issue with battery life of course, since they do so many functions, using up a lot of energy. However, to power the Galaxy Note's dual-core processor and extra large screen really takes it out of the battery and you might only get 12 hours out of it with just moderate use.

So long as you're not going to be away from a plug socket for a long period of time, it's not really a problem but if you're going to be away from a charging source for long periods of time you'll have to come up with some kind of strategy to deal with this issue. A car charger might do the trick, perhaps. It's an issue you have to consider though.

Summary

If you love big screens on an Android you're going to love this phone, it's as simple as that. Yes, there are problems, but they're the problems you would expect with a screen of this size. If the big screen is enough for you to look past these potential difficulties, it's definitely worth checking out the Samsung Galaxy Note monthly contract deals and Samsung Galaxy Note white deals that are available online.

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The Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini: Good Things, Small Packages...

Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini white contract deals

Are you in the market for a smart phone, but hanker for the days when mobile phones didn't look like something that apes might start dancing around and killing each other over (and if you don't get the 2001: A Space Odyssey reference this just means that lots of smart phones are practically monolith size these days)? If so then it's worth checking out the phone deals for the Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini.

Size is Everything

The size of the screen on the Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini is quite small at 3 inches, but that is not really a down side. To complain about that would be to entirely miss the purpose of this phone. It's small, that's the point. It fits snugly in to your hand and even though you are still basically going to be carrying a mini computer around in your pocket, it's not going to feel like it quite so much. With 320 x 480 pixel resolution images are sharp as well.

What's more, for a mini phone, the screen is actually pretty large. It's only half an inch off the size of an iPhone screen, so it's still easy to use the touchscreen. More so than with other mini phones. Plus a full QWERTY keyboard can fit on the screen, even in portrait mode, so it really doesn't have to be used any different to a regular smart phone.

Having said that though, you can't fit as many icons on each screen but they make up for that by having shortcuts to apps in each corner. In that way you can have more than enough apps available to you at the swipe of a finger.

In fact the whole design is good, including the physical buttons. There's a nice and large home screen button at the bottom, and on either side of that you have touch sensitive buttons for accessing a menu and to go back.

For the full specs check out Sony's website.

Power

Just because the Xperia Mini is small, that doesn't mean that it doesn't pack some punch. It runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread with a 1GHz processor, which is more than enough for the majority of apps out there. These days the high end Androids come with dual-core or even quad-core processors but unless you need to be able to play all of the latest 3D games, a single-core is more than adequate. Sliding between menus is nice and smooth and watching videos is a pleasure as well, especially considering that it's such a small screen.

Added Extras

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini comes with some custom apps, the one that stands out probably being Timescape, which provides you with an animated stream of your combined Facebook and Twitter feeds. It's optional though, you don't have to use it if you don't want to.

There's also a 5 megapixel camera, which is pretty standard for all but top of the line smart phones. You can also record video in 720p HD.

Summary

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini might be small in size, but it's large in stature. No compromises have been made with processing power and it's a perfectly good little Android. Of course if you prefer big screens then it's not going to be your cup of tea but if you prefer phones on the dainty side, be sure to check out the best Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini monthly contract deals on offer. Or even better perhaps, Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini white deals instead.

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How Sensational is the HTC Sensation?

HTC Sensation deals

When the HTC Sensation came out, most people agreed that it really did live up to its name. Powerful, with a big screen and the latest version of Android, it was one of the top contenders in the market. That was just over a year ago now, but a year is a long time in the mobile phone technology market. Not so long that it's no longer considering however. In fact, it is still a very good device and if you can find the right phone deals then it's well worth checking out.

Sensational Specs

The stand out features on the HTC Sensation are its high resolution, large screen, it's powerful processing capability and impressive user interface.  Check out the full HTC Sensation specs on the HTC website.

The Sensation comes with Android 2.3 Gingerbread installed, which was the latest version of Android at the time. At the time of writing that title goes to Jelly Bean, but Gingerbread continues to be a very good operating system. And HTC continues to be one of the few manufacturers which has managed to improve upon the pure Android OS with its Sense user interface.

In the Sensation HTC you are treated to the Sense 3.0 UI which nicely combines popular social network sites facebook and twitter with your google mail address book for optimum convenience and ease. There are also a number of good widgets, including the weather widget which is a favourite for many HTC users. The widgets have also been given a nifty 3D effect, which takes up a lot of processing power to do. So is it powerful enough?

An argument could be made that the processing power of this phone is too good. The speed with which menus scroll can make it seem a bit jittery, but that's a minor complaint and the truth is that the dual-core 1.2GHz CPU is more than welcome. These days of course some of the latest phones come with quad-core processors but it's actually questionable whether that much processing power is really necessary. As it is, the HTC Sensation will be able to handle all but the most demanding 3D games and will continue to be a good performer for most of the content available for a while yet.

A well powered processor is also necessary for the screen, which is nice and large at 4.3 in. Sometimes larger screens can be less sharp than those with smaller screens if the resolution isn't increased, but that is not the case here as they have gone for 540 x 960 pixels so everything is crisp and vibrant. That's also a 16:9 aspect ratio, which is perfect for watching videos.

Super Supplements

If you are interested in using your HTC Sensation to watch videos then you might be interested in the HTC video store which comes with the device, known as Watch. This is like Apple's iTunes, only you can't get music, only videos. Whether a film or a TV show, there's a lot available. They are a tad pricey but they'll look great on your large, high resolution screen.

There are two cameras, the main one on the rear taking pictures with 8 megapixels, which makes for a pretty good shot. You can also record video in 1080p, the highest HD standard. The front facing VGA camera can be used for self portraits or video calls.

The case is made out of metal and is plenty stylish, feeling nice and solid in your hands. It does mean that this is not exactly the lightest phone out there, at 148g you'll feel it's heft.

Summary

While the specs of the HTC Sensation are not as spectacular as when they first came out due to recent advances in the latest phones, this is still a beast of a phone and if you can do without the very latest tech then it's well worth checking out HTC Sensation monthly contract deals. Or if you're looking something similar but a bit lighter and closer to the pure Android OS, then Samsung Galaxy S II deals might be more up your street.

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Battle of the Twins: T-Mobile Vivacity v Orange San Francisco II

T-Mobile Vivacity deals

If you're looking for a budget Android smart phone then you really can't go wrong with either the T-Mobile Vivacity or the Orange San Francisco II. However making a case for one over the other is going to be tricky because they are practically twins. Not identical twins, because in appearance they are actually quite different. Their make up, however, is practically identical.

Similarities

You think we're joking? How about these for similarities:

• Screen: 3.5 in., resolution of 800 x 480 pixels

This is not bad for a budget Android, it provides for crisp pictures and vivid colours. The screen is the same size as the iPhone's, although of course the resolution is not as good.

• Processing power: 800MHz CPU, 512MB RAM.

Again, for a budget Android phone this is not bad at all. As long as you don't try to play 3D games or do too many tasks at the same time, the operation is going to be as smooth as you like.

• Camera: 5 megapixel (rear) + front facing camera for video calls.

Both devices have a 5 megapixel camera which, again, is fine for a budget phone. It's not going to replace a compact camera but it's okay for a phone.

• 

  Orange San Francisco II contract deals

  Android 2.3 Gingerbread

Both the T-Mobile Vivacity and Orange San Francisco II run the latest version of Android Gingerbread. While this is far from the latest version of Android (Ice Cream Sandwich has recently been surpassed by Jelly Bean) for the processing power of the phone it's probably the best one you could have anyway. You're not going to be able to make use of the best features of the latest Android outings without a beefier processor. For instance the Samsung Galaxy S III now has a quad-core processor and is nearly twice as powerful at 1.4GHz, and if you're willing to spend around £400 more on a phone then it's definitely worth checking it out. But if you're looking for good phone deals on a budget android then the Gingerbread is plenty capable and it's a good fit.

To compare the full specs of both mobile phones, here are the Orange San Francisco II specs and T-Mobile Vivacity specs.

Okay, so those are the main similarities between the Vivacity and the San Francisco II – they're what make both phones well worth considering if you're looking for a low-priced Android smart phone. So, how should you choose between them?

Differences

• Design: iPhone (Vivacity) V Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo (San Francisco II)

The design of neither phone is entirely original, they are both quite obviously based on the design of other phones. The Vivacity has the straight edged, cuboid look with metallic finish of the iPhone while the San Francisco II has the sleek and shiny design of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo.

When choosing between the two phones then, it's probably best to go with which one you like the look of the more. This might be the first and last time that we ever advise choosing a phone on the basis solely of what it looks like, but when it comes to these two there is really little else to consider.

Having said that, T-Mobile and Orange have adapted the pure Android slightly and you have provided their own bloatware of course. In all honesty though, those differences are not as significant as the aesthetics of the phone.

Summary

It's not often that we will advise judging a phone on the basis of its chassis, but if you like the specs and you like the price, then whether T-Mobile Vivacity monthly contract deals or Orange San Francisco II deals are going to be more attractive will probably largely come down to which one is more physically attractive to you. In terms of what's underneath the skin, they don't compare to the more expensive Android offerings of course but for the price these are a couple of little gems and we're confident you won't be disappointed with either of them.

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Is the "LG Prada Phone by LG 3.0" Precious or Pretentious?

LG Prada Phone by LG 3.0

 deals

The name is probably the worst thing about this phone. If LG and Prada were trying to avoid the appearance that they were producing a pretentious abomination of a phone, then they certainly didn't show it by calling it the LG Prada Phone by LG 3.0. From now on, it shall be known as the LG Prada Phone 3.0. Actually though, as we said, the name is probably the worst thing about it, overall it's good... but it comes with a rather high price tag. You may be able to find an acceptable price if you check out some phone deals though.

Prada Phone? Eh?

For any fashion troglodytes out there, Prada is an Italian fashion label and, yes, they make phones with LG as well. This is in fact the third phone that they've made together. And in all honesty, hard as this is to admit, it really isn't bad at all. First and foremost though, let's get to what you really want to know: the design.

One of the most striking things about this phone is how slim it is. We're not talking Size Zero though, at just 8.5mm thick we're getting in to negative numbers now. And the back curves inwards as well... which is perhaps a part of LG's “Floating Mass Technology” which is supposed to make the phone look even thinner than it is. Which presumably makes it the mobile-phone equivalent of airbrushing.

It's not just its super skinny appearance that makes it stand out though. The front and back are also highly distinctive. The back is textured, in a prickly sort of way... we wondered if it was supposed to stand in as an emergency nail file as well (don't worry, these jokes are going to end soon). In all honesty though it does give it character, although it might become uncomfortable to hold if you're having a long chat.

The home-screen of the LG Prada Phone 3.0 has been designed mono-chromatically, with only white and black allowed. This makes the already large screen (at 4.3 in.) seem to actually cover the whole front of the phone. It does give a classy look... and of course black and white are unlikely to ever go out of fashion. If you're concerned about downloading apps that will ruin the look, don't worry, you can replace the icon with one of their pre-installed options, and there are a fair few of them so you should be able to find something appropriate. The only problem is that you can't look for the iconic blue and white of a Facebook logo or the red and white of YouTube, so it can take a bit longer to actually pick out the app that you're looking for.

Performance

So is the LG Prada Phone 3.0 as impractical as wearing a shoe for a hat, or does it strut down the catwalk of high performance with consummate ease? Well... it's somewhere in-between, but closer to the latter. This is a good phone. It has a 1GHz dual core processor and 1GB or RAM as well, so it will be able to handle just about everything you can throw at it with good grace. There's only 8GB internal storage, but that can be enhanced up to 32GB with a microSD card.

The screen, as noted, is plenty large enough at 4.3 inches and has a resolution of 480 x 800 which isn't actually that high by modern standards but colours are still vibrant and images crisp. There can be very little complaint there.

Now, when it comes to Android, there's a little bit of an issue there. When it came out it had Gingerbread but was supposed to upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich in the very near future. It is now several months later and still no upgrade. Well, to be fair the upgrade has been released, but only in Italy and Germany. So for the moment it's only Gingerbread, which works well enough. With Ice Cream Sandwich though it is going to run even more sumptuously.

The camera is pretty standard, capturing 8 megapixels. It also records video at 1080p so you will get excellent HD videos.

Find the full specs on the LG website.

Summary

If you're a Prada aficionado and you're looking for a phone that won't clash with your wardrobe, then you won't be disappointed with this phone, and we can recommend that you check out the best LG Prada Phone by LG 3.0 monthly contract deals. On the other hand if you're looking to get the best performing phone for your money, then it might be better to check out iPhone deals or the high end Androids (such as the Samsung Galaxy S II)

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The Dreamy HTC Desire S: A Review

HTC Desire S deals

The HTC Desire S is best seen as an evolving step from the previous year's Desire, rather than as a completely different species. Not much has changed, but the changes are improvements at least (which sadly is not always the case with a supposed upgrade). So what's changed, what's stayed the same, and is it actually any good?

More than You Could Desire?

To skip to the end: yes, it's a good phone. Very good. We were a fan of the Desire and were glad to see that they hadn't changed too much. The user interface for instance, remains excellent. HTC is one of the few manufacturers who have actually made to improve upon the basic Android system. That's one of the differences from the original Desire in fact, as the Desire S has what was then the latest Android 2.3 Gingerbread system (since been surpassed of course). The improvements with HTC's proprietary Sense 2.2 technology are small but effective. For instance the quick settings feature set in to the notifications bar at the top is a great addition, as is the simple genius of being able to silence an incoming call just by turning the phone over. The little things which don't sound like much actually considerably increase the pleasure of using this phone.

Other aspects which have remained the same from the original Desire are the screen, which is the same 3.7 inches with a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels, which to be fair is still good and provides crisp pictures and graphics. If you are looking for something better than that though then you could check out HTC Desire HD deals and get a 4.2 inch HD display.

The processing power of the Desire S stays the same with a 1 GHz processor, although the speed does increase with the upgrade to 768 RAM. Now that there are dual core processors coming out this kind of processing power no longer stands up to the very best out there, but it's more than enough for the vast majority of tasks.

One of the most impressive differences comes in the physical design of the phone. The chassis is made from just a single piece of aluminium, in a unibody design. This makes it feel very solid and classy (access to the battery and sim is available through a small plastic cover which doesn't detract from the feel of solidity).

Web browsing is fast, and with the pre-installed Flash support there's no problem watching videos on the web. The intuitive pinch to zoom feature is also included. No complaints there. The camera is slightly disappointing because it hasn't been upgraded from the 5 megapixel outing on the original Desire. Although you can now record 720p HD video, which is a welcome upgrade. Also, there's a camera on the front of the phone for video-call capabilities (which comes with with the Android Gingerbread OS).

Check out the full specs on the HTC Desire S at the HTC website.

To Upgrade or Not to Upgrade?

If you already have the HTC Desire then the changes made to the HTC Desire S will probably not be significant enough to tempt you to shell out for the upgrades. On the other hand if you're looking for phone deals on a user friendly Android, and you don't need the very top processing power, then it's definitely worth checking out HTC Desire S monthly contract deals. This might not be a market leader, but mid-range smart phones don't come much better than this.

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Google Nexus S: Phone Deals Two and a Half Years Later

Google Nexus S

Two and a half years ago, the Google Nexus S was the flagship phone from Google, and the first to introduce the Gingerbread Android OS. With the technology continuing to advance at incredible rates, this phone has now been surpassed of course so if you're looking for the current top of the line models then that's not what this is anymore. However if you're on the look for an excellent phone on the cheap then the Google NexusS is worth considering.

Specifications

Connectivity: Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth

Screen size: 4 in.

Camera resolution: 5 megapixels

Screen resolution: 800 x 400 pixels

Size (HxWxD): 124 x 63 x 11 mm

Weight: 129 g

Find the full specs at the Android website.

Design

The S in the name in the phone refers to Samsung, which provided the hardware for the phone. In fact, the Google Nexus S looks an awful lot like the Galaxy S from Samsung. The Nexus does have a very slight curve to it though, the purpose of which is to make it a more comfortable experience holding it against your face as you chat. It's a nice feature because it's almost the last thing that seems to be considered these days, how a phone best makes a telephone call. This one had good audio quality as well by the way.

The screen is nice and large at 4 inches, with a resolution of 800 x 400 pixels, amounting to 233 ppi (pixels per inch). While that is dwarfed by the iPhone 4's 330 ppi, it's still very good for an Android, with pictures and videos appearing sharp and with natural colours.

In other words, the phone is plenty stylish enough. Samsung certainly know how to make a sexy looking phone. They're not so hot on the software though which is why this is a very productive combination, with the purest version of Android Gingerbread installed as the operating system. At the time it first came out this was the first time it had been seen, but two years later of course it is no longer the latest.

Speed

As well as the Gingerbread operating system there is a 1 GHz processor which was excellent for its time and still stands up reasonably well to recent offerings, although it is no longer the fastest that there is. It's still a great phone for games and can handle several applications operating at the same time without crashing or even slowing down.

One of the best features of this phone is the speed of the web browsing, which challenges the iPhone 4. On top of that you have Adobe Flash support so you can experience the web the way it was meant to be experienced.

The user interface is not quite as good as the iPhone 4 though, it's a little bit more jerky when using the pinching method with your fingers to zoom in or out for instance. Also, although Android applications provide plenty of options the tweaking method is not entirely intuitive and you have to be prepared to wade through a number of different menus to get everything set up just as you like it.

Overall

It's tough to sum up the Google Nexus S two and a half years from when it was first released. Of course it isn't one of the top mobile phones available anymore, but in all honesty it's still a good one and if you're looking for good phone deals for high quality phones then it's definitely worth having a look at Google Nexus S contract deals.

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