That True HD screen offers an overall resolution of 720 by 1,280 pixels, and is laid out in a 16 to 9 aspect ratio for what is widely considered the standard for True HD video viewing. Presented in a slim 0.37 inch (9.3 mm) form factor, the Galaxy Note II boasts 16 million different colors on its Super AMOLED display, which supports capacitive, multitouch gestures. The phone also contains automated light and proximity sensors that help conserve battery power.

Talk time is excellent at up to 15.0 hours after a full charge of the extended life 3,100 mA cell, and the Galaxy Note II handset is powered by a Samsung Exynos 4 system chip. The processor is a quad core Exynos model clocked at 1.6 GHz, and an ARM Mali 400 MP4 quad core graphics processor is also on board. A substantial 2.0 GB of RAM memory is present, as is 16 GB of onboard storage space and a storage expanding microSD slot. Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi mobile hotspot, NFC and DLNA wireless connectivity options have been included.

The main camera on the Galaxy Note II smartphone is built into the back of the handset, and offers an 8.0 megapixel sensor with an LED flash, recording video in 1,920 x 1,080 pixels (1,080P HD resolution) and at a rate of 30 frames per second. That rear snapper offers auto and touch to focus, face and smile detection, a back illuminated sensor (BSI) and digital image stabilization. A front facing chat cam also provides Skype and video call support, and the Galaxy Note II delivers a Stereo FM radio with RDS out-of-the-box.

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The HTC One 4G is a multitalented smartphone, and allows you to control your television or home stereo system through its Sense TV application. The exclusive Beats Audio sound enhancement package boosts your audio signal through dedicated speaker and headset amplifiers, and the HTC One has achieved a platinum certification as an environmentally friendly device. UL Environment independently awarded the HTC One this highest level of environmentally preferable status, and the phone also delivers one of the largest and highest resolution displays found on any mobile handset.

That display also delivers an industry-leading 468 color pixels over every inch of display space, leading to a Full HD 1,080P resolution. The 4.7 inch Super LCD 3 screen accepts standard multitouch, capacitive gestures for navigation, is protected against everyday wear and tear with a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 2, and provides a screen resolution of 1,080 x 1,920 pixels. More than 16 million colors are used to create visuals, while light and proximity sensors automate brightness adjustment and display dimming, which contributes to battery conservation.

The slim and durable metal unibody measures just 0.37 inches (9.3 mm) in thickness, with the handset powered by a Snapdragon 600 quad core processor which can provide up to 40% more power than the Snapdragon S4 Pro. That chip has been clocked at 1.7 GHz, and the HTC One handset’s battery can provide up to 8.5 hours of video playback and a generous 16.0 hours of talk time. Ample RAM memory is present at 2.0 GB, and onboard storage runs 32 GB.

The rear facing 4 megapixel camcorder meshes with an advanced CMOS sensor and ISP, as well as a floating optical lens system to capture up to 300% more light than most smartphone cameras with as many as 8 or 13 megapixels. This technology creates what HTC is calling the UltraPixel, and that rear facing snapper records video in 1,080P HD resolution. A Stereo FM radio with RDS display capabilities is on board, as are dual, front facing stereo speakers.

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Recently the Samsung dedicated blog site SamMobile leaked two screen shots which supposedly show the new Android 4.3 Jelly Bean operating system firmware downloaded to and running on a Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone. SamMobile said that the screen shots were captured on a Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-I9505 model, which is the variant currently sold in Australia. The website claims that this is the version destined for the new Google Play Edition of the Galaxy S4 which was announced at last month’s I/O 2013 developer conference.

Accompanying unsubstantiated rumors call for the update to hit standard Galaxy S4 smartphones in the coming months, but we are simply at the rumor stage at this point. Samsung has made strides in creating a device which is both business and consumer oriented, as the Galaxy S4 is the first Samsung mobile device to offer their KNOX enterprise solution. This profile delivers extra mobile security for those companies which demand extremely tight security requirements and IT control.

IT managers will be able to have backdoor access to pass-code protected business work and information, but zero access to your individual personal data (such as photos, e-mails, music files and your social network information). The phone is also SAFE (Samsung Approved for Enterprise), and offers a large 5.0 inch Super AMOLED screen in a slim 0.31 inch (7.9 mm) form factor. The Galaxy S4 is also exceptionally light at 4.59 ounces (130 g), considering its large, high-resolution display and extensive hardware package.

The Full HD screen delivers a 1,080 x 1,920 pixels resolution, offered at 441 pixels per inch. Up to 17.0 hours of talk time can be achieved from a full battery charge, and the handset is powered by a Snapdragon 600 quad core central processor clocked at 1.9 GHz. 2.0 GB of system memory are on board, and the phone is also offered in a 32 GB model, with both variants delivering a microSD slot for storage expansion. The 13.0 megapixel main camera on the back of the phone delivers extensive special effects and high-end features, and records video in 1,080P HD resolution.

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As if its feature set and its presence on the largest US 4G LTE network was not enough to make it a popular bestseller, the handset recently received a retail price drop. Spotted in the Amazon Wireless store for one penny on contract, the phone is a steal of a deal at twice the price. Beats Audio delivers dedicated speaker and headset amplifiers in a phone which is slim, light and durable, thanks to its rugged polycarbonate unibody form factor. An ultra-matte finish and distinctive red side grills give the DNA 4G a very attractive appearance.

The extreme pixel density gives the 5.0 inch display a resolution of 1,080 x 1,920 pixels, and that huge, clear screen is perfect for the HD fantasy game Reign of Amira, which is included and ready for play out-of-the-box. The Droid DNA 4G also delivers NFC, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi and DLNA wireless connectivity options, and measures a slim 0.38 inches (9.73 mm) in thickness. The large 5.0 inch ImageChip ISP S-LCD 3 display is protected against the normal rigors of everyday life by a scratch resistant layer of Gorilla Glass 2.

On Verizon’s 4G LTE network you can expect as much as 12.6 hours of talk time from a full battery charge, and the phone is run by a powerful quad core Snapdragon S4 Pro 1.5 GHz central processor. An Adreno 320 GPU handles all graphics processing, 2.0 gigs of RAM memory are on board, as is 16 GB of built-in storage space. The primary camera on board the Droid DNA 4G Android smartphone offers a built-in LED flash, back illuminated sensor (BSI) and wide-angle f/2.0 lens for excellent low light and night-time performance.

That rear snapper contains an 8.0 megapixel sensor, and a Best Shot feature which allows you to capture a burst of images. You can then choose the best possible shot, and by holding down the shutter button you can snag up to four snapshots per second. HTC VideoPic lets you capture high-resolution still shots while shooting HD video, and that video is recorded in 1,080P HD resolution. An extensive special effects package is on board, and the front facing 2.1 megapixel chat cam also offers wide-angle functionality, allowing you to get up to four people on a video or Skype call.

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Recently an unofficial Jelly Bean 4.2.2 Android operating system update was released for the Galaxy S III, which usually predates the official announcement and rollout by a month or two. Jelly Bean 4.2.2 brings many upgrades to the big screen, high-resolution Galaxy S III that are currently found on the popular and best-selling Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone. Samsung has vowed to deliver any and all features released on a new smartphone to previous handsets, and it appears this upcoming update does exactly that to the Galaxy S III.

The large 4.80 inch display and 720 by 1,280 pixel resolution have made the Galaxy S III smartphone popular, and that screen is protected by a second generation layer of scratch resistant Corning Gorilla Glass. Pixel density runs high at 306 pixels per inch, with the Super AMOLED display broadcasting in more than 16 million individual colors. Light and proximity sensors offer auto brightness adjustment and auto dimming, effectively helping to preserve battery power. Typical capacitive, multitouch gestures are used for navigation.

With up to 15.0 hours of talk time from a single charge, the 2,100 mA battery on board the Galaxy S III delivers nearly twice the 4G smartphone average of 8.0 hours. The phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Plus MSM8960 system chip, and the CPU is a dual core 1.5 GHz Krait model. A full 2.0 GB of RAM memory is on board, and storage can be accentuated by a microSD slot, with an Adreno 225 GPU handling the graphics processing.

The rear facing camera on the Galaxy S III allows you to snap HD images while simultaneously recording video, and helps combat shaky hands with digital image stabilization. A back illuminated sensor (BSI) and built-in LED flash make for excellent low light video and image capture, and video is recorded by that 8.0 megapixel camcorder and 1,080P HD resolution and at 30 frames per second. A front facing VGA quality chat cam is on board, as is a YouTube video player, Facebook, Picasa and Twitter applications, and NFC support.

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In addition to the punch it packs under the hood, the Nokia Lumia 920 also comes with a lot of connectivity options, one of which is support for the 4G LTE network of Ma Bell. With this in play, users of the handset can take advantage of all the benefits brought about by this network such as ultra-fast mobile internet speeds and overall network robustness. Users of the Nokia Lumia 920 however are still at a disadvantage compared to Verizon subscribers because Big Red still has the widest 4G LTE coverage in US shores at the moment and AT&T is still at the second spot with still a long way to go before it can catch up to the league leader.

This doesn’t mean that AT&T isn’t doing all it can in terms of the expansion of its LTE coverage in our side of the country. In fact, the wireless provider has taken an aggressive approach in rolling out and expanding its LTE network and has actually announced that it is yet again undertaking another expansion at the moment. The locations about to get a taste of AT&T 4G LTE are listed below:

• Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL
• Tuscaloosa, AL
• Gallup, NM
• Brownsville-Harlingen, TX
• McAllen, TX
• Tri-Cities, WA

The locations below on the other hand will see an expansion of AT&T’s 4G LTE coverage in their respective areas:

• Salinas-Seaside-Monterey, CA expansion (King City)
• Atlanta, GA expansion (Fayette County)
• Atlanta, GA expansion (Alpharetta, north Fulton County)
• Boston, MA expansion (New Bedford)
• Athens, OH expansion (Hocking County)
• Allentown-Bethlehem, PA expansion (Easton) – Note: Market name now Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton.
• Providence, RI expansion (Providence & Kent Counties)
• Cheyenne/Laramie, WY expansion (several cities)

With this expansion, users of the Nokia Lumia 920 now have a wider LTE playground while AT&T is inching closer and closer to what Verizon has managed to achieve so far in terms of LTE coverage.

Going back to the Nokia Lumia 920, the handset runs Windows Phone 8 for its operating system and this is powered by a QualComm MSM8960 SnapDragon chipset in its internals. The computing muscle the smartphone needs for a flawless performance is delivered by the combination of the handset’s dual-core 1.5 GHz Krait processor and 1GB of RAM. The Nokia Lumia 920 comes with a very generous 32GB of onboard storage but the handset unfortunately doesn’t pack support for memory expansion. As for its display, the handset sports a 4.5-inch IPS LCD panel with a 1280 x 768 resolution while its camera department is composed of a main 8MP shooter at its rear panel and a secondary 1.3MP snapper at its front bezel.

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If the unsubstantiated rumors concerning the Droid DNA and Droid Incredible 4G LTE are correct, many in the smartphone Blogosphere are predicting some type of Droid branding for the new Verizon HTC One smartphone. Although Verizon did say they would be launching the HTC One on their 4G LTE network in the United States this summer, no price tag has yet to be mentioned. The handset currently retails from Sprint and AT&T for around $79 on contract online, but this is no guarantee of the eventual price tag Verizon will give their version of the HTC One once it is launched.

A recent report showed that the HTC One is firmly entrenched as the number three bestselling smartphone in the United States, behind the Galaxy S4 and iPhone 5 smartphones. The Jelly Bean powered handset delivers a quad core chip with 40% more power than the Snapdragon S4 Pro, one of the largest high resolution screens found on any handset, and the highest pixel density display ever designed for a mobile phone.

Measuring a slim profile of 0.37 inches (9.3 mm), the HTC One boasts a large 4.70 inch Super LCD 3 display. That screen offers an impressive 468 color pixels per each inch of display space, leading to a Full HD designation and 1,080 x 1,920 pixel resolution. A second generation layer of scratch resistant Corning Gorilla Glass protects the screen, while special battery saving light and proximity sensors automatically dim the display when it is not used, and automatically adjust the screen brightness in consideration of the amount of ambient light present.

This helps the phone deliver a full 16.0 hours of talk time and 8.5 hours of video playback from a full battery charge, with the decision-making coming from a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 APQ8064T system chip. That chip is built around a 1.7 GHz quad core central processor, and a generous 32 GB of built-in storage join 2.0 GB of RAM memory in the handset’s hardware package. Delivering a technologically advanced 2.0 UltraPixel camera on the back of the handset, the HTC One is capable of 1,080P HD resolution video capture. That rear snapper provides an extensive special effects and customization package, with a chat cam up front providing video call support.

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But when the phone first arrived last year, it was running on the Sprint 3G network. However, towards the end of the year Sprint had grown their new 4G LTE network in the United States to over 58 markets, and good news just came for Galaxy S III owners and shoppers in Michigan in the United States. Sprint Nextel has officially begun rolling out its 4G LTE system in Michigan, and while the 3G network for Sprint is blazing fast and more than capable, 4G LTE speeds will now be available in St. Joseph/Benton Harbor and Lansing/East Lansing, the first markets in Michigan to be covered by the Sprint 4G LTE network.

During the recent announcement, Sprint also revealed plans to offer 4G LTE support in Grand Rapids, Allegan, Battle Creek, Ann Arbor, Mount Pleasant and Flint, Michigan “in the coming months.” When Sprint launched their first-ever 4G LTE system last year in the United States, they made a vow to cover a significant portion of the US by the end of 2013. Promises are easy to make, and sometimes hard to deliver. However, Sprint has already reached over 110 markets in the United States, with company officials aiming for 200 million people in the US with LTE coverage by the end of the year.

The Galaxy S III 4G Android smartphone hit Sprint in June of last year, and still enjoys incredible popularity and sales support despite closing in on its one year anniversary. Many smartphones have peaked and disappeared in much less time, and the slim 0.34 inch (8.6 mm) profile and lightweight 4.70 ounce (132 g) weight of the handset continue to make it exceptionally portable. So to does the 9.2 hours of talk time from a full battery charge, and the large 4.80 inch True HD display delivers more than 16 million colors.

306 pixels per inch translate into an overall resolution of 720 by 1,280 pixels, on a display which is protected by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 2. The Snapdragon S4 Plus central processor has been clocked at 1.5 GHz, and joins 2.0 GB of RAM memory and a microSD slot in the handset’s hardware profile. The 16 GB Sprint Galaxy S III currently sells for $0.01 on contract at select online retail outlets, and a 32 GB model is also available.

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Coupled with the fast and vast 4G LTE network of Verizon, the full feature package on the Lumia 928 makes it attractive to smartphone shoppers for $49 on contract. That price is available at select online retailers, and recent news shows that the Verizon Lumia 928 is outselling the Verizon BlackBerry Z10 smartphone by a ratio of 2 to 1. The reason that is significant is because the Android and iOS dominance in the mobile marketplace is simply unapproachable at this time by either the Windows Phone or BlackBerry 10 operating systems, who are battling for third place in the smartphone market.

So Microsoft is happy when they see news that one of their flagship handsets on the largest 4G LTE system in the United States is outselling the new BlackBerry 2 to 1. Recent research released by Alan Mendelevich at mobile ad network Adduplex shows that the marriage of the 928 and Verizon has made Big Red the number one retailer of Windows Phone 8 mobile handsets in the United States. But getting back to the original storyline, let’s see how the Lumia 928 is faring against the BlackBerry Z10 on Verizon.

One eclectic way of figuring sales data is to check smartphone reviews on Verizon’s website. According to website PhoneArena, the Nokia Lumia 928 currently has 143 reviews from purchasers of its handset. The BlackBerry Z10 has 197 reviews, but has been for sale longer. Dividing the number of reviews by the total number of days the smartphones have been available provides an “apples to apples” comparison. The BlackBerry Z10 has averaged 2.5 reviews a day, while the Nokia Lumia 928 has received 6.0 reviews a day.

This is a rather unscientific way to catalog sales strength and popularity, but with more than a 2 to 1 margin for the Nokia Lumia 928, the data is worth noting. Also, the average review for the Nokia Lumia 928 is a nearly perfect 4.9 stars (out of a possible 5.0), while the BlackBerry Z10 has managed a very respectable 4.4 stars per review. Further proof of the Windows Phone operating system popularity over the BlackBerry 10 OS? At the time this research was taken 98% of Nokia Lumia 928 reviewers said they would recommend the handset, versus 88% for the Z10.

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The strict grading also checks to see whether a company releases nickel, a potentially hazardous allergen, in the creation of its product. TCO praised Samsung for manufacturing their globally popular and best-selling S4 smartphone without using hazardous materials like mercury and beryllium. The award even takes into account the efficiency of the recharging mechanism included with the smartphone, as well as other factors which would lead to efficient sustainability throughout the life of a product.

Becoming TCO Certified is the second “green machine” certification the Galaxy S4 has been awarded. Independent third-party testing lab UL Laboratories awarded the Samsung Galaxy S4 its platinum ECOLOGO certification, remarking that the handset will have an extremely minimal impact on the environment throughout its life cycle. The popular Galaxy S4 4G Android smartphone has sold a record 10 million units in less than its first month of availability, a feat which it took the bestselling Samsung Galaxy S III 50 days to achieve.

The Galaxy S II was also a very popular smartphone, but it took an entire five months to reach that 10 million units sold mark. The popularity of the Galaxy S lineup continues to grow for Samsung, and the Galaxy S4 handset is the most recent device to launch in that line. Cutting-edge technologies such as vision tracking, hands-free and touch-free call answering and display scrolling, and a large screen with one of the highest resolutions found on any phone are all on board.

The S4 was manufactured in an extremely slim and light form factor, measuring just 0.31 inches (7.9 mm) in thickness. The handset only weighs 4.59 ounces (130 g), but delivers a large 5.0 inch Super AMOLED screen. That Full HD display offers a resolution of 1,080 x 1,920 pixels, with an extremely high pixel density running 441 ppi. Up to 17.0 hours of talk time is achieved from a full battery charge, and the handset is powered by a quad core Snapdragon 600 CPU clocked at 1.9 GHz. Available in 16 GB and 32 GB models, both of those variants offer 2.0 GB of RAM memory and a microSD slot for storage expansion.

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