If you are looking for a new mobile but do not fancy spending all that money on an iPhone then you have two main alternatives to consider; Android and Windows Phone 7. The former is developed by search giant Google while the latter is the work of Microsoft. Both are well respective, highly functional and available on devices produced by a range of different manufacturers, so let us delve deeper and see which platform is suitable for you.
Android is an open-source platform which allows firms like Samsung, HTC and LG to tinker with the software and create their own unique mobiles which behave differently even if they are running on the same basic framework under the skin. On the other hand Windows Phone 7 is far more unified, which means Microsoft insists that the user experience is consistent no matter which model you pick. It achieves this by setting minimum hardware requirements and locking down the look and feel of the interface, similar to the way in which Apple controls the iOS platform.
At the top end of the Android market you will find smartphones such as the HTC Sensation and Samsung Galaxy S2. Both of these devices have 1.2GHz dual core processors and 4.3 inch displays, making them right on the cutting edge when it comes to technology. The HTC Sensation uses the Sense interface, which is geared towards great multitasking thanks to an app-launching lock screen. The Galaxy S2 has Samsung`s TouchWiz interface, which was previously considered inferior to Sense but has since shrugged off criticism to emerge as an equally adept piece of software.
Android mobiles range in price and performance right down to entry level models which cost a fraction of what the range-leading alternatives might reach, although you will obviously sacrifice certain features if you go for a basic handset. Solid midrangers like the HTC ChaCha and ZTE family are worthwhile if you are on a budget.
If you want to buy a Windows Phone 7 handset then there are relatively few choices when compared to the Android clutch. Each will have at least a 3.6 inch display and a processor clocked at 1GHz or higher. A five megapixel camera with HD video capture is also required by Microsoft. However, manufacturers do differ in their handset equipment. The Samsung Omnia 7 is the only WP7 mobile with a 4 inch Super AMOLED touchscreen display, for example, while the HTC 7 Mozart has an improved eight megapixel camera onboard.<
Aside from the software and hardware, there are a few other differences between Android and WP7. Microsoft has integrated its Xbox Live service into its mobile platform so you can earn gamerpoints, chat with friends and play premium titles with ease. Google does not have such a consistent service, but the Android Market has hundreds of thousands of apps and games which, in terms of quantity, outpace WP7. The good news is that the best Android phones and the top Windows Phone 7 devices are all going to offer great performance and diverse functionality to it is difficult to be disappointed.
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