Welcome to Cell Phone Reviews, a part of infoSync Reviews. Here you'll find in-depth cell phone reviews from AT&T Wireless, Verizon Wireless, Sprint and T-Mobile. From time to time we also offer cell phone reviews of unlocked phones. If you don't find what you're looking for here, please check out the following resources: Resource Center for Cell Phones, Ask The Editors and Expert Guides.
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| Samsung Behold II |
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 With the Samsung Behold II, Samsung tries to make Android better by using the TouchWIZ interface, but in stead the phone's performance takes an obvious hit compared to other Android devices we've reviewed. Samsung has also redesigned many of the system menus and apps on the phone, but we think the original Android approach is better. We had hoped to see improved multimedia and video playback on the Behold II, but yet again we've seen standard Android phones performing better. All that said, if you're looking for a mix of great battery life, call quality, camera, GPS navigation and Web browsing in an all-touch phone, the Samsung Behold II will not let you down. But beware that obvious "multimedia cell phone" footprint, as there's little here that deals with the latest trends in social network integration or the latest and greatest in messaging trends. Release: November 2009. Price: $230.
Pros: High-quality OLED screen looks great.
Cons: Samsung's TouchWIZ interface hurts Android experience. Keyboard is cramped and difficult.
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| RIM BlackBerry Bold 9700 |
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 The BlackBerry Bold 9700, especially the T-Mobile version we reviewed, is the quintessential modern BlackBerry. It does everything right that BlackBerry fans love, but it doesn't improve on the formula one bit. Calling, messaging and business features are top notch. Besides the superlative battery life for which BlackBerry devices are known, the BlackBerry Bold 9700 is T-Mobile's first 3G smartphone with UMA calling, which means you'll always have good reception if you have a Wi-Fi network nearby. If you don't mind digging through the BlackBerry App World (and digging FOR the App World), you'll find great social networking apps for keeping up with Facebook, uploading photos to your favorite sites and more. But if RIM wants the BlackBerry to stay competitive, it's time to get serious about the Web browser, a feature that has lagged behind for years now. Plus, when you're using the BlackBerry Bold 9700's aging, menu-heavy interface, it's too easy to be reminded of the phone's pager heritage. Worst of all, RIM's flagship BlackBerry Bold 9700 doesn't bring anything new to the party. It does everything well that we've already seen a BlackBerry do, and now we'd like the phone to learn some new tricks. Release: November 2009. Price: $200.
Pros: Great battery life. Well organized inbox aggregates all incoming messages. UMA calling is very convenient.
Cons: Interface still bland, poorly organized. Web browser lags behind competition.
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| Motorola Droid |
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 The Motorola Droid is a fascinating device, and a great addition to Verizon Wireless' lineup. It's the exact opposite of the Motorola CLIQ. While the CLIQ provides an innovative and deeply integrated social networking platform on top of a shoddy piece of hardware, the Motorola Droid is one of the most solid phones we've used, but it adds little to Google's own innovation. That's fine with us, since Google has added plenty of cool new features to Android 2.0 that will change the smartphone market for the better. Google Maps now includes a great, free turn-by-turn navigation system, and the interface gets improvements like a dedicated in-car mode that make us wonder why nobody else thought of this. The Droid hardware is rigidly constructed and loaded with high-end features. We especially liked the dazzling screen that packs more pixels than any other U.S. carrier phone, the 5-megapixel camera (though our unit's camcorder feature was bonked) and the fast processing that kept the system at a steady sprint. Even battery life was great on this phone, a rarity among Android devices. If Verizon Wireless and Motorola really want to dethrone the Apple iPhone 3GS, they'll have to significantly improve the music and video players, and we're hoping to see Flash 10 support in the Web browser sooner rather than later. But in the last couple months, Motorola has made a significant turnaround, and we're pleased to be able to highly recommend a Moto phone once again. Release: November 2009. Price: $200.
Pros: Excellent build quality. High-end features, especially the large display. Google Maps with Navigation is fantastic and free.
Cons: Verizon Wireless didn't add much to Google's stock interface. Camera was disappointing. Most features were superlative, but nothing unique.
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| HTC Droid Eris |
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 There's no doubt about it, the HTC Droid Eris is one of the best smartphones we've used. Like the nearly identical Sprint HTC Hero, it represents a serious step forward in smartphone design, and if you're a smartphone user looking to step up to something better, the HTC Droid Eris does a great job at nearly everything it can do. Ironically, comparisons to the Apple iPhone 3GS don't quite pan out, because everything Apple's phone does well, the Droid Eris doesn't, and vice versa. From advanced calling features to deep social networking integration to wide customization options with active, useful widgets on the desktop, the HTC Droid Eris on Verizon Wireless bests Apple's device, and even comes in ahead of the slightly faster, much larger Motorola Droid. But where the Apple iPhone 3GS excels, in ease of use, multimedia features and the deep App Store library, loaded with high-end games and apps, the HTC Droid Eris, like all Android phones, falls flat. We'd also like to see a much better camera tacked on this phone, and Verizon would be wise to patch up some holes in the feature set with VZ Navigator and tethered modem support. Still, the Droid Eris isn't just effective, it's delightful, and though new smartphone buyers might be intimidated by the complex system, time spent learning the ins and outs of the device will be rewarded handsomely. Release: November 2009. Price: $100.
Pros: Best interface on a mobile device. Social networks integrate neatly with online contacts and calendars. Detailed and useful information presented during calls.
Cons: Interface may be too complicated for new users. Lacks GPS turn-by-turn navigation. Camera is horrible.
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| LG Chocolate Touch |
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 The LG Chocolate Touch is a fun, high quality phone for making calls and listening to music. If LG had simply stopped there and not tried to do so much with their first tablet-style Chocolate phone, we'd probably be much happier with it. Call quality was solid, and battery life was great, without resorting to a massive, heavy power cell. Music sounded great on the LG Chocolate Touch, which gets an audio boost from Dolby Labs, and there were even some gimmicky, fun features that let you play along with your favorite tunes. Sure, we wish there was better sync software for media, and the menu system seems like a halfhearted attempt at emulating a smartphone OS, but if you don't mind using Windows Media Player to sync, and if you weren't looking for a real smartphone anyway, the LG Chocolate Touch isn't a bad choice. If any other feature is important to you, though, from social networking to Web browsing to e-mail for both business and pleasure, you'll want to avoid this phone like a spastic dancer with two left feet. The onscreen keyboard is completely unusable, and the other features are so undercooked, they're raw. Video playback didn't work; messaging was confusing, difficult and buggy; and many extra features were buried under Verizon Wireless' disorganized, lingering interface. If you like the style and music is your life, the LG Chocolate Touch wouldn't be a bad choice, but if you want anything more from your phone, go for something smarter. Release: November 2009. Price: $80.
Pros: Great music playback with some fun additional features. Solid call quality with better battery life than we expected.
Cons: Lousy, unresponsive touchscreen hurts many features, especially messaging. Besides music and calling, little to recommend on this phone.
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