Note Price

1. Apple iPhone 6 & 6 Plus
I bought my iPhone 6 Plus the day it was released and while
I do pop my SIM in other phones, when I am going out and
carrying just one it is the iPhone 6 Plus. It has yet to let me
down and while it doesn't conveniently fit into my pants
pocket, it lasts all day, takes great photos, gives me all the
apps I need, and is very well designed.
Since I purchased it back in November, I've written a few
articles about why I think it is the best, including my full
iPhone 6 Plus review and one month with the iPhone 6 Plus
article after further usage.
The iPhone 6 is included here too since it's essentialy the
same device as the iPhone 6 Plus, except for the size,
battery capacity, and optical image stabilization in the
camera. Recent data shows that the public overwhelmingly
chooses the iPhone 6 over the iPhone 6 Plus so size does
still matter to most folks.
The Apple iPhone 6 and 6 Plus remain the most expensive
smartphones available today with full prices ranging from
$649 to $949 and two-year contract subsidized prices
ranging from $199 to $499. For those of us who use our
smartphones daily as an essential tool for getting work
done, the cost is justified.
Check out the CNET reviews of the iPhone 6 Plus and
iPhone 6.
2. Samsung Galaxy Note 4/Note Edge
Samsung significantly improved the design of its flagship
smartphone with a full metal frame and improved camera.
The Note 4 and Note Edge have excellent cameras that
match, and often beat, the results I see from the iPhone 6.
If you want the most powerful Android phone, then the Note
4 and Note Edge deserve serious consideration.
The Note 4 is powered by a Snapdragon 805 quad-core
processor, with a 5.7-inch 2560 x 1440 Super AMOLED
screen, 3GB of RAM, 32GB internal storage with support for
a microSD card, 16-megapixel camera, 3.7-megapixel front-
facing camera, and large 3220 mAh replaceable battery.
Now that the Galaxy S6 is known, the removable battery
and microSD card slot set the Note 4 up as a device for the
road warrior.
The Note 4 and Note Edge are the most expensive Android
smartphones ($750 to $870), but in this case performance
matches the price. I thoroughly enjoyed my month with the
Samsung Note Edge and found the edge display quite
useful.
Check out the CNET reviews of the Samsung Galaxy Note 4
and Galaxy Note Edge .
3. HTC One M9
HTC just revealed the One M9 last week and I was able to
spend 24 hours testing one out . Everything about the HTC
One M9 is an improvement over the One M7 and One M8 so
if you were happy with one, or both, of those devices then
you will be thrilled with the HTC One M9.
The UltraPixel camera was improved and moved to the front
of the phone where it fits in best with expectations for front
facing cameras. The rear camera was upgraded to a 20-
megapixel shooter that performs better for those who want
more detail in their phone pictures.
The design was improved with two-tone color metal and an
in-hand feel that shouldn't slip as much as the One M8 did.
HTC Sense has been improved to provide more
personalization at a time when people are looking for ways
to make their phone unique.
The internal specs have been updated to include a
Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor, 3GB RAM,
32GB internal storage, microSD card slot, and large 2800
mAh battery.
Check out the CNET preview of the HTC One M9 .
4. Sony Xperia Z3
My primary Android smartphone at the moment and the one
that seems to be the Rodney Dangerfield of the smartphone
world (it doesn't get any respect) is the Sony Xperia Z3. It
is only available from T-Mobile in the US, there is a variant
of it on Verizon, but when you travel you will see the Z3 in
hands of people everywhere around the world.
Android Lollipop should be arriving soon and it looks like we
won't see an Xperia Z4 for a few more months. The Z3 isn't
perfect, but it's the Android phone I keep coming back to
and I just can't fully explain why.
Check out the CNET review of the Sony Xperia Z3 .
5. Samsung Galaxy S6/S6 Edge
Samsung revealed the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge at MWC and
I was able to spend some time with both at the press event.
I feel the design has been significantly improved, but the
trade-offs made for the design killed off a few reasons that
people chose the Samsung Galaxy S line over other Android
smartphones.
The Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge are powered by a
Samsung Exynos octa-core processor, 3GB of RAM,
32GB/64GB/128GB internal storage, 16 megapixel camera,
5.1 inch Super AMOLED 2560 x 1440 pixel display,
integrated wireless charging, and more. Note that the
removable battery is gone, as well as microSD memory
card expansion.
The camera improves on the Note 4 so should perform
amazingly well. The battery life concerns me a bit, but
these new Galaxy phones do support Quick Charge
technology. The Galaxy S6 models arrive in April so stay
tuned for further coverage