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Cheapest Smartphones OS, 4G
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Smartphones Features
4G Networks, WiFi, Bluetooth.
As you start shopping, you'll come across a slew of network standards that a smartphone may or may not support. For the most part, you needn't worry about the technical underpinnings of the standards or their acronyms. What you do need to know is that all the cheapest smartphones we researched for this buying guide support at least 3G (third generation) network speeds. The HTC Evo 4G (free/LetsTalk.com and Sprint), Samsung Epic 4G (starting at $40/LetsTalk.com and Sprint), and T-Mobile myTouch 4G (starting at $20/LetsTalk.com and T-Mobile) support super-fast 4G (fourth generation) network speeds. There are several 4G network standards, such as Sprint's WiMax, but they all basically do the same thing: connect your smartphone to a fast network so you can send and receive data -- including photos and video clips -- relatively quickly. Although cellular service providers such as Sprint and T-Mobile are building 4G networks across the country, there are still areas with poor or no 4G network coverage. You can use your smartphone in these areas, however, because smartphones that support 4G are also compatible with 3G networks.Wi-Fi is another type of network connection that's very popular in smartphones. Many of the cheapest smartphones, such as the BlackBerry Curve 3G (starting at $30, Amazon
Bluetooth support is a standard feature today, and all the cheapest smartphones models we researched support Bluetooth. A Bluetooth connection is handy for connecting your smartphone to a wireless headset for sending and receiving calls or to stereo Bluetooth headphones for listening to music. You'll need a standard 3.5mm headphone jack to make the connection, and all the models we discuss in this buying guide satisfy this requirement.
Smartphones Operating System.
The thing that makes a smartphone smart, more than anything else, is its operating system (OS). Common names in this game include BlackBerry OS, Google's Android, and Palm's WebOS. The OS creates the digital interface used to operate your cheapest smartphone and provides a platform for the features and programs (called apps). A good OS should have an interface that's powerful enough to run all the features and apps you love, but is efficient and easy enough to manipulate. The majority of smartphones we looked at run on some version of the Android OS. Naturally, iPhones, including the Apple iPhone 3GS 8GB (starting at $49/AT&T), run on Apple's own OS, and BlackBerry smartphones run either version 5.0 or version 6.0 of the BlackBerry OS.Smartphone Text Messaging.
If you love text messaging, you want a phone with a comfortable keyboard for quick and accurate typing. The keys should be large enough for your fingers, but the keyboard should also be compact. As smartphone design moves toward full-sized screens, physical keyboards are fast disappearing. The Motorola Droid 2 Global and Samsung Epic 4G each sport a slick, slide-out keyboard and the BlackBerry Bold 9780 (starting at $50/T-Mobile) and Curve 3G still feature a full QWERTY keyboard on their face. In contrast, the HTC Evo 4G, HTC Droid Incredible 2, and the Apple iPhone 3GS boast virtual keyboards on their touch-sensitive screens.
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Best Budget Smartphones
HTC Evo 4G
Expert reviewers rave about the HTC Evo 4G (LetsTalk.com, Sprint), and it's not hard to understand why. Its performance and multimedia prowess are impressive, and it features a very large, colorful 4.3-inch display. At least one expert reviewer considers it the best Android-based phone on the market. Given that consumers can get it for free with a new contract, this phone is a steal. Read more »Smartphones Deals
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LetsTalk.com
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Samsung Epic 4G
The Epic 4G (LetsTalk.com, Sprint) has the best display in the lineup and appealing good looks. Its 4G technology makes it plenty fast and experts say it excels at just about everything it does. For those users who are hesitant about touch-screen keyboards, the Epic 4G sports a nice slide-out version. Read more »Smartphones Deals
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LetsTalk.com
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Good Budget Smartphones
HTC Droid Incredible 2
The Droid Incredible 2 (LetsTalk.com, Verizon) is another very good phone from HTC. It performs well all around and call quality is sharp and clear. It also earns praise for its excellent display and battery life is better than good. This is a 3G phone and some reviewers complain it's a little heavy with preloaded apps that users can't remove. Read more »Smartphones Deals
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BlackBerry Curve 3G
The BlackBerry Curve 3G (multiple carriers) is similar to a lot of previous BlackBerries in that it does what its designed to do extremely well but falls short in its multimedia capabilities. If you want an affordable smartphone with excellent call quality, a physical keyboard, and top-notch messaging/email capabilities, the Curve is for you. You'll lose out though, with the display, web surfing, and other media performance. Read more »Smartphones Deals
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Don't Bother Cheap Smartphones
Apple iPhone 3GS 8GB
We know, we know ... Apple's iPhones are the most coveted phones out there, so how could we suggest you pass this one by? This iPhone (AT&T) is certainly better than earlier models, but it's considerably lacking compared to the best smartphones we found. The relatively small and low-resolution screen, a 3 mp camera without flash or zoom, and sometimes lackluster call quality hurt its standing. Multimedia performance is strong but the iPhone 3GS is simply outdated. Read more »
BlackBerry Torch
Research In Motion (the maker of BlackBerry) clearly wants to offer a good multimedia phone, but the Torch (AT&T) just isn't it. The screen doesn't compare to the other top smartphones and it's simply too slow, although the Web browser at least surpasses previous BlackBerry models. Read more »
Products Mentioned in This Review
BlackBerry Bold 9780T-Mobile myTouch 4G
Motorola Droid 2 Global
Apple iPhone 3GS 8GB
BlackBerry Torch
HTC Droid Incredible 2
BlackBerry Curve 3G
HTC Evo 4G
Samsung Epic 4G
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