The year 2012 has finally wrapped up with the releases of many fantastic smartphones and tablets. 2012 surprised us with many groundbreaking releases, such as Apple's first Retina iPad, Google's first tablet, and the introduction of quad-core processors. With the release of many devices, there are some that stand out above the crowd and rise to become our favorites. Here's our favorite devices of 2012.
Best Device
AT&T HTC One X
The HTC One X is the closest you can get to a perfect device. It had the best display on the market at the time (bested by only the HTC Droid DNA today), the super fast Snapdragon S4 processor, a fantastic eight megapixel f/2.0 camera paired with HTC's great Imagesense chip, a beautiful polycarbonate unibody design, and a great skin on top of Android Ice Cream Sandwich. Sense was one of the first Ice Cream Sandwich skins that actually
improved Android, and it was a great refresh of Sense. The international version was plagued with sub-par battery life and the disappointing performance of the Tegra 3 processor, but the AT&T/XL version remedied that with a more efficient and powerful S4 processor. With it's upcoming Jelly Bean update, the One X is being revived once again and remaining a fantastic device. Even seven months later, the HTC One X is still a high end and relevant device.
January
Motorola Droid Razr Maxx
Even though Motorola rick rolled early Razr adopters with the Maxx, it still was a fantastic device. The Maxx ushered in a new era where your device can have fantastic battery life while still being relatively thin. The Razr Maxx's 3,300 MAH battery delivered sixteen and a half hours of video playback and carried people easily through two days. With it's 4.3 inch qHD display, 1.2GHZ dual-core TI-OMAP processor, eight megapixel camera, and Android 2.3 Gingerbread, the Razr Maxx was still a high-end device. The only things holding the Maxx back were its lackluster camera, middling display, and the fact that it came back so soon after the original Droid Razr. For those that demand great battery life over specs, the Motorola Droid Razr Maxx was a great choice and a great device.
February
Pantech Burst
For quite some time, you had to pay a premium for high-specced LTE devices. It would regularly cost $150-$300 for a flagship LTE device. The Pantech Burst changed this notion by offering great performance and LTE at the low price of $50. The Burst could hold its own against other flagship LTE devices like the Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket. Sure it has a plasticky build, low-res display, and sub-par camera, but it offered superb performance at a low price. If you wanted the performance of a Samsung Galaxy S II but did not want the price, then the Pantech Burst was your choice.
March
The new iPad (third generation)
The iPad has always been a fantastic device that sets the bar for other tablets. Everyone compares their tablet to the iPad, while trying to convince the customer that somehow their product is better. Apple set the bar even higher this year by putting a 2,048 x 1,536 Retina display on it. This display is one of the highest resolution displays on the market, and it was the highest resolution tablet on the market. Text looks crisp, colors look fantastic, and blacks are ink-like. Combined with its powerful A5X processor, long battery life, and great app ecosystem, the iPad is one of the best tablets on the market and remains super successful.
April
HTC One S
When HTC released their One series, they had three devices targeted for three different price points; the HTC One V for the low-end, the HTC One S for the mid-range, and the HTC One X for the high-end. The One S was not really a mid-range device, in fact it was a very high-end device that could compete with the One X, but the way HTC marketed the One X, the One S was made the middle child. With its 1.5GHZ Snapdragon S4 processor, 7.9mm thick aluminum chassis, and the same fantastic camera as the One X, the One S is just as big of a flagship as the One X. The one thing that might be holding the One S back from true flagship status is its 4.3 inch Super AMOLED qHD display. It's not that the display was particularly bad, but modern flagship phones are associated with larger 720p HD displays, which is what the One X has. Despite the HTC One S's few shortcomings, it still is a solid device today and a great choice for Android users that demand the best hardware.
May
Samsung Galaxy S III
Samsung's Galaxy series of handsets has always been popular. The Galaxies have always been Android flagships, some of the best Android handsets of the year, many people all over the world have bought them, and the Galaxy handsets have been available on many American carriers. This year's Galaxy handset holds the Android-Samsung candle with its super fast 1.4GHZ quad-core Exynos processor, 4.8 inch 720p Super AMOLED display, beautiful eight megapixel f/2.6 camera, and its great battery life. The international version might have lacked LTE, but the Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, and many other carriers have LTE capable handsets. You can see numerous people around the world using their Galaxy S III's due to its high adoption rate. The Galaxy S III is so popular, non-tech savvy people have started to notice it and even consider it against an iPhone. The Samsung Galaxy S III is a fantastic device and is definitely one of the best Android handsets of 2012.
June
ASUS PadFone
The ASUS PadFone is a very interesting device. It lets you plug your phone into the PadFone tablet when you want to use a tablet, and it lets you plug the tablet into a keyboard dock when you want to get some work done. Some of you might say that it is better to just get a tablet and a phone, and some of you are right. The tablet was very thick and heavy, the keyboard dock made the entire package even more thick and heavy, and the ergonomics were not that good on the tablet. Despite the all-in-one shortcomings, the PadFone was still a nice handset with its snappy 1.5GHZ Snapdragon S4 processor, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, a nice eight megapixel f/2.2 camera, and a solid 4.3 inch qHD display. The ASUS PadFone was a very competent smartphone, and it only disappointed in its tablet version.
July
HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE
In a world where 4.7 inch to 5.5 inch smartphones are commonplace, it is very hard to find a decent compact handset (excluding the iPhone). Nowadays, four inch phones are usually burdened with year old processors, bargain bin displays, and old operating systems. The Incredible series has always tried to change that with its devices offering some of the newest specs in a compact package. The Incredible 4G LTE offers a 1.2GHZ Snapdragon S4 processor, a four inch qHD Super LCD 2 display, a nice eight megapixel camera, and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich with Sense 4. Some of you might have heard that the One S's qHD display was subpar, however the Incredible 4G LTE has a better, non-Pentile Super LCD display. The camera does not have the amazing Imagesense chip that the HTC One S and One X have, but it still produces above average pictures. No longer do you have to sacrifice for a smaller display, with the of the Incredible 4G LTE. Besides the omission of the Imagesense chip, the only bad point of this handset is its slightly bad battery life. Overall, the HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE is a dependable, high-end, compact handset.
August
Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE
Most phone OEMs (original equipment manufacturer/s) today have completely stopped making QWERTY keyboard devices. They either stop making them entirely, offer them as lower specced first smartphones, or they offer them as low-end bargain smartphones. Motorola has tried to change this with its high-end Droid series, and now with its Photon Q 4G LTE. The Photon Q has the same 1.5GHZ dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor as the other big dog phones, (AT&T HTC One X, Samsung Galaxy S III, etc.), a 4.3 inch qHD Colorboost display, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, with Motorola's skin on top, Sprint's 4G LTE, and, most importantly, a five row physical QWERTY keyboard. We are glad to report that the Photon Q has a fantastic keyboard with its laser-cut keys, backlit keyboard, and the keyboard's large size. Sadly, the Photon Q does not make it to full flagship status because of its lack of a 720p display, bad battery life, and underwhelming eight megapixel camera. Motorola, flagships today have great cameras, great battery life, and beautiful 720p displays. You taking these features out of the Photon Q keeps it from being a flagship. Despite the Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE not being a definite flagship, it is still a fantastic device with a great keyboard and is easily one of the best QWERTY devices on the market.
September
Apple iPhone 5
As most of you have probably expected, the iPhone 5 has made it onto our list of 2012's best devices. The iPhone 5 ushered in a brand-new four inch, 1,136 x 640, Retina display, a new camera with better optics, and a brand-new design. Gone is the glass and aluminum sandwich design of yore. Now, the iPhone has a aluminum back with glass caps on the top and bottom of the back. You can buy your new iPhone 5 in either a anodized aluminum "Black and Slate" color, or a "White and Silver" color. The new iPhone has ushered in a brand-new level of smoothness with its A6 processor and LTE radio. This combination ultimately results in never having to wait for
anything. The brand-new camera is fantastic and definitely one of the best sensors in the mobile landscape. As much as we like and prefer Android, we have to admit that Apple has made a beautiful, fantastic, and powerful smartphone that can definitely stand against the Android flagships. Apple's new iPhone 5 is an overall excellent phone that is the go-to phone for iOS fans, and for people who want a phone that will not disappoint them.
October
Motorola Droid Razr Maxx HD
Most smartphones today favor quad-core processors and huge 720p or 1080p displays instead of great battery life, however, Motorola makes battery life its bread and butter. Last year's Razr Maxx offered surreal battery life, but it had a lousy qHD display and a relatively under powered processor. This year's Razr Maxx HD remedies both of those problems with its 4.7 inch 1,280 x 720 Super AMOLED display and Snapdragon S4 processor. Along with those specs, the Razr Maxx HD also offers an eight megapixel camera, Android 4.0 (now upgradeable to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean) with Motorola's light skin, and a Kevlar and aluminum design. Although the S4 processor isn't cutting edge anymore, it is definitely sufficient enough to handle anything you can throw at it. The Maxx HD's huge 3,300MAH battery offers a jaw-dropping fourteen hours of video playback and easily 2-3 days of average use. Sure the display is not as fantastic as the One X's or Droid DNA's and the eight megapixel camera is not as great as the competition, but it is still a fantastic device that will warrant many buyers because of its battery life alone. The Motorola Droid Razr Maxx HD is a solid, fantastic, and premium device that is a must for people who want maximum battery life.
November
LG Nexus 4
The Nexus phones have always set the bar for the Android handsets to come in the following year. This year's Nexus does exactly that with its 4.7 inch 1,280 x 768 IPS display, a 1.5GHZ quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, 2GB of RAM, an eight megapixel camera, a glass and plastic sandwich design, and most importantly stock Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. All of these features make the Nexus 4 almost a perfect device. Battery life is dependable, the stock Jelly Bean and S4 Pro processor make everything butter smooth, and the camera solves the issue with the Galaxy Nexus's bad camera quality. The disappointing clock speeds and slightly subpar battery life are the only minor nitpicks that keep the Nexus 4 from being completely perfect. What really amazes with the Nexus 4 is the fact that Google is pricing it at $300-$350
unlocked! Unlocked phones commonly retail for $500-$800, and you can find some on-contract phones today for $300. Unlocked phones that do retail for the Nexus 4's price usually are either year old phones, or they have specs of phones from one-two years ago. Combined with T-Mobile's super cheap plans, the Nexus 4 is great for people who want the most bang for their buck or power users that want a great stock Android experience. The Nexus 4 is a fantastic phone at a great price, and it is the phone to buy if you want a unlocked handset.
December
Verizon HTC Windows Phone 8X
HTC did a fantastic job with its Windows Phone 8 running 8X. It has a beautiful 4.3 inch 720p Super LCD 2 display, a fast 1.5GHZ dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, 1GB of RAM, a fantastic f/2.0 camera, a 1,800MAH battery, and a beautifully colorful polycarbonate design. The Verizon version is our favorite for its inclusion of Qi wireless charging and for the fact that it is available in "California Blue", "Flame Red", and "Graphite Black". The black and red versions are Verizon exclusives, but Verizon does not have the "Limelight Yellow" version (AT&T has that particular color). The 8X's chassis is made up of a single block of polycarbonate formed into a pillow-esque shape. The sides taper into the display side of the phone, which makes the 8X feel much thinner than it actually is. The soft-touch polycarbonate also feels super soft and comfortable in the hand. The 8X's S4 processor also keeps Windows Phone 8 running along at a quick and fluid pace. The 8X is a great phone with a fantastic design, and is a great buy for those who don't mind Windows Phone's lack of apps.
Those are our favorite mobile devices of 2012. As 2012 comes to an end, we look forward to what we will see at C.E.S. and Mobile World Congress. We think that the flagship handsets of 2013 will have 1080p displays, more efficient quad-core processors, and 13 megapixel cameras. Carrier wise, we think that Sprint will upgrade its LTE network even more so more than ten people have LTE coverage, AT&T will come even closer to matching Verizon's LTE coverage, and T-Mobile will finally unveil and release its LTE network. So with that, we hope you all had a merry Christmas, happy holidays, and here's to what 2013 will bring us.
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