Google Android Smartphone Showdown: The Best 10 Android Phones Compared

We review ten of the best Google Android smartphones to see how these new Android phones compare.

Two years ago, Google Android was nothing more than a rumor on technology blogs. Twelve months later, its sole representative was one awkward brick of a phone that looked like a prototype that had escaped from a testing lab. And today, lo and behold, the little open source operating system (OS) that could is undergoing a veritable renaissance, with manufacturers unveiling new, better cell phones left and right.

Without a doubt, the spawn of Google has come a long way in its quest for iPhone domination. But let’s be frank – the OS has a long way to go, too. Android now offers somewhere around 10,000 apps where Apple offers 75,000; none of the new Android breed offers anywhere near 32GB of internal memory; and Apple reportedly holds a 40 percent stranglehold on the smartphone market to Android’s petty seven percent. Nonetheless, a healthy new batch of Android-powered offspring could be just the shot in the arm that the operating system needs, widening the user base to attract developers, tantalizing new customers with innovative hardware enhancements, and firmly rooting it as the open operating system of choice for today’s smartphone.

With all the Android handsets sprouting up in recent months though, it can be tough to keep track of all the new models and just what it is that even set each individual option apart. With that in mind, we’ve put together a rundown of the most popular Android handsets out there now and soon to come, as well as a little Android history along the way.

HTC Dream (T-Mobile G1)

The Pioneer

After months of Android anticipation and open-source fanboys practically frothing at the mouth for its release, T-Mobile’s G1 debuted last October to less-than-rave reviews. It had no headphone jack. It had no multi-touch capabilities. Worst of all, it felt like a brick and didn’t look much different. Despite the issues, T-Mobile pushed hard with the G1 marketing, and managed to sell one million of the handsets by April. A $150 price tag – which was $50 cheaper than the iPhone at the time – didn’t hurt. Still, while Android showed plenty of potential, such a nondescript debut was clearly a major barrier to the operating system’s success.