Best Android Smartphones of 2010

The smartphones are on the rise. This year, a number of mobile phone manufacturers are sporting the Android operating system in their latest releases. This, thanks to the success of the first release of the OS with the HTC phone “Dream” back in 2008. With the operating system now ranked fourth among other smartphone OS in terms of global sales, technology pundits are expecting that Android may soon be on top of the list.
In the US, there is a huge jump in market share for smartphones running Android, from under 5% in the third quarter of 2009 to 28% at the end of the first quarter of 2010. In contrast, sales for the iPhone and other devices with Windows Mobile OS and Palm’s WebOS systems decreased during the same period. Blackberry devices, which run the RIM system, slowed down gaining just 1.3% although still maintaining its leadership in the market.
Sales for Android smartphones is predicted to continue to grow exponentially in the coming months. This is due to the fact that handset development behind the OS is robust and relatively faster than that of the iPhone and the Blackberry. The development of new applications for the Android is also growing at a faster rate compared to its competitors. If you are looking to join the bandwagon, here are the top Android smartphones released for 2010.
Google Nexus One
The Android OS is of course backed up by search giant Google. It is therefore not surprising for Google to release its own line of smartphones. Although manufactured by HTC, Nexus One is designed and branded by Google. It runs on a 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor with 512 MB of RAM built-in. It includes 4GB of SD memory with a capacity of up to 32 GB. The 3.7″ touch screen is wider than most phones in its class. It also includes a 5-megapixel camera. Among the features of Nexus One are voicemail transcriptions and GPS navigation via Google Maps with audible directions.
Sony Ericsson Xperia X10
The Xperia X10 is the first Android unit for Sony Ericsson. It also runs on a 1 GHz Snapdragon processor but is limited to 384 MB of RAM. It has a generous microSD memory of 8 GB, upgradeable to 16 GB. True to form with regards to Sony Ericsson’s adherence to developing camera phones, what excels for the Xperia X10 is its 8.1 megapixel camera with flash and video light. Even more, Sony Ericsson’s smile detection technology allows you to setup the Xperia to automatically snap a picture when your subjects smile.
Motorola Backflip
Known for their innovative design, Motorola again came up with a device that would have consumers flipping over in delight. The Motorola Backflip was released for the AT&T network and is the only unit with a full QWERTY keypad on the reverse side of the screen when the device is folded. Loaded with a 5 megapixel camera, the Backflip presents a unique option for consumers. One downside to the Backflip is that AT&T has blocked non-market apps, which is perceived to be a move that would undermine the expandability of what the phone can do. Preinstalled in the device is Motorola’s MOTOBLUR which integrates a person’s updates and messages from various social networking sites into a single streaming feed.
HTC Desire,  Legend and Droid Incredible
Taiwan’s HTC is arguably the leading manufacturer of mobile devices geared towards the Android operating system. For 2010, HTC already released the Desire, Legend and the Droid Incredible. HTC Legend works on a 600 MHz processor and 384 MB of RAM, which are lower specs compared to the Desire and the Droid Incredible. The Desire has a slightly larger touch screen at 3.7″. The Droid Incredible boasts of an 8 megapixel camera.
More smartphones are expected to be released in the last two quarters of 2010. As people eagerly await the release of the next generation of iPhones from Apple, Android-based devices are already in the pipeline with such HTC phones as the EVO 4G to be released by June 2010 and the HTC Wildfire set to be out in the market by the 3rd quarter of the year. Expect even more Androids to invade tech stores soon!
This Article is written by John C Arkinn from News.PrintCountry the contributor of PrintCountry News Articles.