The 11 best smartphones you can buy in 2015

By: FAIZAN HASSAN

Manufacturers are continuously evolving to develop new smartphones. It is difficult to determine which smartphone is most comfortable for you. If you’re looking for the best smartphone on the planet then you’ve come to the right place, Read in this article about the best smartphones of the moment:

LG G3:

LG G3

The LG G3 is an Android smartphone with excellent specifications, which can compete with the other top smartphones from Sony, Apple, HTC and Samsung. The device has a Snapdragon 801 quad-core processor that clocks a speed of 2.5 GHz and 2 GB of RAM. That’s about the same as the Galaxy S5, HTC One and Xperia Z2.

The device is made of plastic, but at first glance the frame of polished metal by the finish. The plastic casing allows the unit seem slightly cheaper than its competitors with metal housing. The build quality is fine and further advantage is that the back can be removed to replace the battery and insert the memory and SIM card.

LG G3

The camera application is very minimal, with a tap on the screen to create a picture.

HUAWEI ASCEND P8:

The Ascend P8 is more than just the successor to the stylish P7 from 2014. The new flagship of Huawei should namely to compete with top models like the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Apple’s iPhone 6.

Huawei Ascend P8

The Ascend P8 is without doubt the most attractive smartphone from Huawei to date. The phone combines very decent performance with a stunning 5.2-inch Full HD display, 13-megapixel camera, with 3GB RAM/32GB ROM.

HTC ONE M9:

The HTC One (M9) is a strikingly beautiful handset. The polished metal casing is made from a single piece of aluminum and the screen display looks sharp.

HTC One M9

SAMSUNG GALAXY S5:

At first glance, the Galaxy S5 looks quite like its predecessor from 2013. But with the Samsung Galaxy S5 put plenty on biometrics. But is this enough to cope with the fierce competition from HTC, Apple and Sony?

Samsung Galaxy S5

If you have the Galaxy S5 and puts Galaxy S4 side by side, you will see little difference initially. The format is pretty much the same, although the Galaxy S5 slightly bigger, thicker and heavier.

If you owned the unit have, you notice that the stiff plastic back makes the smartphone perfectly in the hand. Crazy difference from the Galaxy S4 is that the built-in thermometer just missing again on the Galaxy S5. Yet you do not feel you have a unit of about 700 euro in hands. This is mainly because the plastic finish that particularly in the silver edge kitschy happens. Quite a difference with the HTC One M8, which is made ​​entirely of metal and therefore comes across much more durable.

NOKIA LUMIA 1520:

Smartphones are getting bigger and bigger. The market for so-called ‘phablets’ picking up, and more and more manufacturers move to a screen larger than 5 inches. Similarly, Nokia. Namely they bring one of the largest smartphones currently on the market: the Lumia 1520.

The device has a screen of up to 6 inches. Fortunately, the Nokia Lumia 1520 modest, given thin edges. The rounded side edges are approximately six millimeters wide, the device still has a very slim appearance. The screen seems a little to lie on the device, making it protrudes slightly. Fortunately, the display features Gorilla Glass and you do not have to worry too much about scratches.

The new Lumia is nice slim: only 8.7 millimeters thick. This makes it easier to carry the device in your pocket. The weight can be somewhat limiting Nokia. It weighs 200 grams and a spacious leaving behind other phablets as the HTC One Max and Sony Xperia Z Ultra behind.

Nokia Lumia 1520

SONY XPERIA Z3:

If you have the Sony Xperia Z3 first gets into your hands, do you look twice the difference between this and the previous Z2 to discover. Sony has chosen to adapt little to the design. There is nothing wrong with that, the device is namely beautifully designed.

Sony Xperia Z3

Sony Xperia Z3 features like its predecessor, has a 5.2-inch full HD IPS display. The display is as good as identical to that of the Z2, Sony but nevertheless has a small difference to bring in to know. This is in the brightness. The Z3 contains according to Sony their brightest screen so far.

As you would expect from a device at the top end , he really runs like a charm. Each application opens quickly and run smoothly. Multi-tasking is obviously not a problem. The processor is the same as that in the Z2, but the clock rate is slightly stepped up from 2.3 to 2.5 GHz. Here you will otherwise continue not notice, because it is both very fast.

LG NEXUS 5:

LG Nexus 5

With the introduction of the new Android version Lollipop, was also released a new Nexus smartphone, the Nexus 5 comes with 5-inch display with a latest version of Android (5.1) and a price tag of 350 euros.. An affordable showcase from both Google and manufacturer LG, and a better deal than the new Nexus 6.

Of course the Nexus 5 comes with the latest version of Android (5.1). Big advantage of Nexus devices is that they get the updates directly from Google and therefore always run the latest version of Android.

The price tag of 400 euros makes the device a middle class, but the specifications can compete with the high-end devices of today. LG has used many components that are also in their G2 flagship smartphone which is more expensive 150 euros. The quad-core processor (2.2 Ghz), GPU (graphics chip) and memory are the same instance.

SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 4:

Samsung Galaxy Note 4

The Galaxy Note 4 has all the ingredients that we know from the series. A huge screen of 5.7 inch diameter (14.48 cm), bestial specifications remarkably good battery life, excellent camera (literally and figuratively) and unfortunately also a hefty price.

The Galaxy Note 4 is one of the most powerful smartphones we’ve seen so far. In terms of hardware, there is no weak spot in Galaxy Note 4, with a fast processor, sufficient RAM, nice camera, 32GB of storage that also is expandable and an acceptable battery life.

APPLE IPHONE 6:

iPhone 6

During my first hours of testing with the Apple iPhone 6, it soon became clear that Touch ID is more than nifty a gimmick. The scanner takes the entire iPhone user experience to a higher level. By placing your finger on the home button, the device will be unlocked (in approximately one second). Also set Touch ID you are able to purchase in the App Store to confirm, so you do not always enter your password. Delicious!

Apple introduces the iPhone 6, as expected, its best smartphone to date. The iphone 6 is also 50x faster then the previous iphone 5s, The design is also stunningly beautiful, and new features like Touch ID, full 4G coverage and rapid A8 chip mean a big step forward. In addition, there are nice features added to the camera.

In addition, the Retina HD display belongs to the most beautiful displays of the time, the battery life is more than fine.

ONEPLUS ONE:

Ever since the first rumors about the OnePlus One I’m skeptical. This new brand is not known, and it looks like a phone that is meant for lovers of Android . OnePlus promises that it is a true “flagship killer”, but the unit can make this promise true?

OnePlus One

It is a phone without limitations of telephone companies, and it contains the latest hardware; it offers a lot of customization and is also extremely affordable, starting at 269 euros for the 16GB model, while most phones with similar hardware cost double!

If you’re looking for a powerful phone without restrictions of providers, and with a beautiful screen, much customization and software supported by a dedicated team of developers, it is certainly worth considering in relation to any other Android device , It is simply a wonderful device.

HTC DESIRE EYE:

HTC Desire Eye

Maybe it’s the name, but I expected that HTC’s Desire Eye would be less expensive. “Desire” is finally the name HTC normally used for its mid-range phones, and adjust the Desire Eye seems there with its plastic body.

Credit: http://newstactics.com/mobile/the-11-best-smartphones-you-can-buy-in-2015/2719/2015/04/07/

Review: Samsung’s Galaxy Alpha is a Sleeker, Slimmer Galaxy S5

By: Daniel Howley

Samsung’s Galaxy S5 is one of the most advanced smartphones in the world. But its plastic body and relatively bland design fall far short of the elegant stylings of Apple’s iPhone and HTC’s One M8.

That’s where the new Galaxy Alpha comes in. The first genuinely attractive smartphone to come from Samsung, the Alpha seeks to put to rest all of those criticisms about the Korean tech giant’s inability to create a handset that’s aesthetically appealing as well as technically advanced.

Available exclusively through AT&T for $199 with a two-year contract, the 4.7-inch Galaxy Alpha packs many of the same features as the 5-inch Galaxy S5 in a smaller, more fashionable body. So should you make it your own? Let’s check it out.

Good looks at a cost

The Galaxy Alpha is hands-down the best-looking phone Samsung has ever made. That’s thanks in large part to its slim design and metal frame. Sure, the front and back of the Alpha are still plastic, but the metal framing goes a long way toward making the phone more attractive.

It certainly looks better and feels sturdier than the all-plastic Galaxy S5. What’s more, the Alpha, like the iPhone and One M8, has polished, chamfered edges. Hold it right, and it glimmers in the midday sun.

Now, to say that the Alpha shares a passing resemblance to the iPhone 5s is an understatement. More than a few people who checked out my Galaxy Alpha review unit quipped that it looked exactly like an iPhone 5.

Standing at 5.2 inches tall and 0.26 inches thick, the Galaxy Alpha is both shorter and thinner than its stablemate, the Galaxy S5. Like thenew iPhone 6, the Alpha features a 4.7-inch display, but the Apple phone is noticeably taller than the Samsung. It’s also a hair thicker than the Alpha and slightly heavier.

Daniel Howley/ Yahoo Tech)

To get the Alpha so thin and light, Samsung had to sacrifice a few of the features that made the Galaxy S5 so successful. Chief among them: the S5’s water resistance. So where the Galaxy S5 would happily take a dip in the pool and be no worse for wear, the Alpha would be begging for a life jacket.

Still, the smaller size (compared with the S5), means it’s easier to use the Alpha with one hand without worrying about dropping it, like I do with the Galaxy S5.

Screen and soundUnlike the Galaxy S5, which rocks a 5-inch, 1920 × 1080 pixel resolution display, Samsung’s Galaxy Alpha comes with a smaller 4.7-inch 1280 × 720 screen. Yet despite that, the Alpha’s display is just as gorgeous as its big brother’s. 

(Daniel Howley/ Yahoo Tech)

That’s because both phones use Samsung’s super active-matrix organic light-emitting diode, or Super AMOLED, display technology. Super AMOLED is known for offering deeper blacks than competing screen technologies, not to mention better battery life.

As with the Galaxy S5, the Galaxy Alpha’s display produces vibrant colors and deep blacks. Colors looked a bit truer on the iPhone 6, though. For example, a scene from The Hunger Games: Mockingjay trailer that took place in a dark corridor was difficult to make out on the Galaxy Alpha but was easily visible on the iPhone 6.

Despite that, I’m still a huge fan of Samsung’s colorful displays, and the Galaxy Alpha’s is no different.

(Daniel Howley/ Yahoo Tech)

If you’re looking for a smartphone with powerful external speakers, then you’re going to want to pass on the Galaxy Alpha. Sure, it can pump out volume, but it’s not as accurate as what you’d hear on something like the HTC One M8, which offers the best sound of any smartphone.

The more things change …The Galaxy Alpha might look nothing like the Galaxy S5 on the outside, but power on the phone and the similarities are obvious. That’s because both handsets come loaded with Google’s Android KitKat operating system, topped off with Samsung’s TouchWiz interface.

(Daniel Howley/ Yahoo Tech)

That means the phones can run all the same apps and offer the same functionality. For example, like the S5, the Alpha features Samsung’s Multi Window mode, which lets you view two apps onscreen at the same time.

There’s also Samsung’s Toolbox, a floating shortcut menu with five of your favorite apps that you can access from anywhere on your phone. Even the Alpha’s Settings menu is the same as the Galaxy S5’s.

Adding to the list of features the Alpha gets from its larger sibling are its fingerprint reader and heart-rate monitor. Like the Touch ID found on Apple’s iPhone, the Alpha’s fingerprint reader is built into its home button. But the Alpha’s reader isn’t nearly as reliable as Apple’s.

Often, I found myself having to swipe and re-swipe my finger across the Alpha’s reader several times before it recognized my print.

(Daniel Howley/ Yahoo Tech)

Like the Galaxy S5, the Alpha’s heart-rate monitor is located on the phone’s back panel next to its camera. But unlike the Galaxy S5’s heart-rate monitor, which was inconsistent in its ability to read your pulse, the Alpha was easily able to provide me with my heart rate time and time again.

CameraPhotos taken with Galaxy Alpha’s 12-megapixel rear camera look nearly identical to those taken with the 16-megapixel camera on the Galaxy S5. Sure, the Galaxy S5’s photos are larger than the Alpha’s, but when it comes to overall image quality, the cameras are even.

(Daniel Howley/ Yahoo Tech)

A photo taken with the Alpha of a large field revealed that the handset’s camera, like the Galaxy S5’s, puts a greater emphasis on blues and greens. As a result, the field, which was soaked from rain, looked bright green. A picture of the same scene taken with the iPhone 6’s 8-megapixel iSight camera produced far subtler, more accurate colors.

(Daniel Howley/ Yahoo Tech)

Conversely, a shot taken of a flower with the Galaxy Alpha looked a bit washed out in certain areas. The iPhone’s photo, which was taken at the same time and angle, offered cooler colors.

(Daniel Howley/ Yahoo Tech)

Overall, the Galaxy Alpha’s camera produced quality images, though they couldn’t quite compare to the iPhone 6’s photos. And before you get in a tizzy about the iPhone 6’s camera having a lower megapixel count than the Alpha or S5, remember this: A greater number of megapixels does not a good camera make.

Performance and batteryThe Galaxy Alpha packs a quad-core processor and 2 GB of RAM, which means it’ll easily handle almost anything you can throw at it. High-end games, however, will suffer a bit. Basic things like Candy Crush and its lot will run without a problem.

The one issue that Samsung fans might have with the Alpha is the fact that it doesn’t come with a microSD card slot. That means you can’t add any additional storage space beyond what the phone already comes with.

(Daniel Howley/ Yahoo Tech)

To make up for that, Samsung included 32 GB of storage with the Alpha. For most folks, that should be more than enough space. Still, the ability to add your own microSD card is something a lot of Samsung fans appreciate.

A smaller smartphone means a smaller battery, and that’s certainly the case with the Galaxy Alpha. Samsung has equipped this slim handset with a 1,860 mAh battery. That’s much smaller than the 2,800 mAh power plant found in the Galaxy S5.

Overall, the Alpha managed to get through the day with battery life to spare, as long as I wasn’t using it much. If you spend the day browsing the Web with the display brightness set too high, though, and you’ll sap the phone of juice relatively quickly.

Should you get one?

The Galaxy Alpha is Samsung’s best-looking smartphone to date. It’s incredibly thin and light, despite offering the same size screen as the iPhone 6, and its display is gorgeous. On the other hand, it lacks the Galaxy S5’s water resistance and expandable memory. The Alpha’s battery also won’t last nearly as long as the S5’s.

(Daniel Howley/ Yahoo Tech)

And then there’s the price. At $199, you’re paying for a phone that costs the same as the flagship Galaxy S5 or iPhone 6, without getting the same top-of-the-line specs like a 1080p screen and all-day battery life. That’s a letdown.

If you’re a Samsung fan who wants a small, stylish smartphone, you’ll definitely want to check out the Galaxy Alpha. But if you want something with a long-lasting battery and expandable memory, I’d recommend the Galaxy S5.

Email Daniel at dhowley@yahoo-inc.com; follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley or on Google+ here. 

Credit:https://www.yahoo.com/tech/samsungs-galaxy-s5-is-one-of-the-most-advanced-98824931784.html