Simon Munk
Got the latest music phone? That's so 1998. If you're keeping up with the ever-increasing multimedia processing power of cell phones, yours should be streaming movies by now. But if you're watching your favorite flicks on a tiny touch screen ... sorry, dude, you've fallen behind again.
The big trend in mobile phones now is size: screen size, that is.
The perfect movie phone is still a work in progress, as you'll see in our reviews, but here are our top five picks of the big-screen babies currently -- or soon to be -- on the market.
LG Thrill 4G
LG Thrill 4G
The 4.3-inch, 800-by-480-pixel screen on this one is a good start. But what makes the Thrill, well, thrilling, is that it provides 3-D visuals by overlaying a "parallax barrier" on the screen -- in other words, you don't have to wear wonky donky glasses.
In addition to exclusively integrating YouTube 3-D, the Thrill can capture high-def movies in 3-D, and the dual-core 1GHz processor means 3-D games don't get choppy or laggy.
There is a catch, though: The screen design needs your head to stay in its sweet spot for the 3-D effect to work.
In other words, forget catching the latest Harry Potter on a jolty road trip.
HTC TITAN
HTC TITAN
HTC phones were already pretty hot before the TITAN came along. But with a 4.7-inch and 800- by 480-pixel screen, the aptly named TITAN takes the crown.
It's a bit of a lump in the pocket, sure, but nowhere near the oversized Dell Streak or Samsung Galaxy Tab. And on top of great visual real estate, it offers an 8MP camera, high-def video recording (at 720p) and the new Windows Mobile 7.5 OS, all backed by a speedy 1.5GHz chip.
The downside?
Windows Mobile is still lagging way behind Android and iOS for apps. For movies, though, this one's a blockbuster.
Samsung Galaxy Tab
Samsung Galaxy Tab
Straddling the divide between the phone and the tablet is the Samsung Galaxy Tab.
The 7.4-inch, 1024- by 600-pixel screen means there's a huge and bright high-resolution display for Web surfing, movie watching and other multimedia munching.
But don't try making a call on it unless you're going for laughs; it's strictly for use with a hands-free headset or inline mic/earbuds. While it would be a tight squeeze to fit this device into your jeans pocket, it's full of features, which include loads of movie codex support (including DivX and Xvid) and great n-level Wi-Fi as well as mobile data options.
Samsung Galaxy S II
Samsung Galaxy S II
With a 4.5-inch screen and 800 by 480 pixels, there's not quite as much resolution on this one as there is on the iPhone 4 (see below), but the Galaxy S II has pretty much dominated sales of smartphones in Europe and the Far East.
That's because it hits the perfect balance of features (8MP camera, 1080p HD recording, 3G/4G and Wi-Fi, etc.) in a long-lasting, beautifully compact, well-designed Android package.
It certainly isn't the ultimate movie phone, if you must munch popcorn on the subway. But it's probably the current frontrunner for the title of "ultimate do-it-all device."
Apple iPhone 4
Apple iPhone 4
The iPhone remains one of the best all-around smartphones in the business.
Though its screen, at 3.5 inches, is not the largest, its bright, clear Retina display is the best on the market, boasting an 800:1 contrast ratio and a 960- by 640-pixel resolution.
So it's pretty damn great at playing movies. But it's also great for all the other stuff too, because the iTunes Store remains the most stuffed for justifiably popular apps and games.
Of course the wireless elephant in the room is the iPhone 5. While the launch has been long-rumored, current projections are that it'll land its big hoofs sometime in October. Buy an iPhone 4 before then and you may be obsolete soon after.
Twitter: @ihavenet
Simon Munk has been writing about consumer technology, video games and outdoor products for more than 15 years, for magazines including Stuff and Blender, and for lots of stuffy British newspapers. When he's not writing, he's falling over in muddy puddles.
- Top 11 Technologies on the Verge of Extinction
- The Top 5 Movie Phones
- Why You Need Double Protection Now: Hardware and Software
- The Long-term Commitment of Embedded Wireless
- Maxing out Multicore
- Google's New Airfare Search System
- The Latest Buying Gimmick: 'Google Wallet'
- Google Plus Now Open to All
- Facebook and Google Build DIY Servers
- Half of Global PC Users Use Illegal Software
- 4 Ways to Save on Gadgets
- Cell Phone Radiation: 5 Ways to Minimize It Now
- How to Choose the Right Tablet
- 5 Cool Apps for Your Labor Day Weekend
- 4G LTE: Not So Fast
- What Can the Cloud Do For You?
- Ubiquitous Computing: Is Ubicomp at a Tipping Point?
- Strike Back at SQL Injections
- The Mob That New Technology Has Made
- Social Networking Leads to Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use
- Cloud 101: Are You a PC, Mac or Cloud?
- Can You Get Fired for Your Blog Posts?
- Should You Switch to Google+ ?
- Navigate the Booming Computer Science Market
- China Outpaces United States in PC Market
- How Apple's iCloud Changes Business
- Use the Cloud to Go Mobile
- Apple iPad 2: A Smarter Business Tool
- Why You Can't Ignore iPhone / iPad Security
- Should You Let Your Teens Blog?
- Should You Talk Politics Online?
- How to Watch TV for Free -- or Close to It
- The Cost of Paying for Netflix
- Future for Slates, Tablets and iPads
- Social Media and Privacy (or Lack Thereof)
- Small Business Video: Life After the Flip
- Is It Safe to Post Photos Online?
- 9 Ways to Avoid Online Scams
- LinkedIn Offers New Options for Students
- 4 Strategies to Avert Virtual Arguments
- Cloud Computing 101: Protect Yourself Online
- How to Recover From a Social Media Mistake
- Why You Should Inventory Business Cloud Use
- Emerging Technology Has Positive Impact in Classroom
- 4 Apps to Manage Your Contacts
- Portable Tech Gadgets You Need This Summer
- Best Tablets for Your Business
- Security Tips for Your Smartphone or Tablet
- 5 New Cloud Tools You'll Love
- Can a Tablet Replace Your Laptop?
- Why Wireless Needs a Network of Networks
- 5 Steps to a Successful Enterprise Wireless Strategy
- 5 Keys for Moving Enterprise Security to the Cloud
- Tips for Building and Deploying Cloud-based Apps
- 5 Business Lessons You Can Learn From Mark Zuckerberg
- Russia: The No. 1 Base of Global Internet Attacks
- Researchers Say New Botnet TDL-4 Poses Big Threat
- The Internet Grows Up
- Ten Ways to Keep Your Online Information Secure
- How Facebook and Your Free Time Can Get You Fired
- The Only 10 Android Health Apps You Need
- Connected TV
- Near-Field Communication Technology the Next Big Thing
- The Future of 3-D Video
- Is Your Teen Sexting?
- Should You Ban Your Tweens From Facebook?
- Home Movies: Then and Now
- Is Social Media Malware Infecting Your Business?
- Is Your Tween (Illegally) on Facebook?
- Are Free Public Wi-Fi Networks Safe?
- Explosion of Creativity: Power of Online Communities
- The Future According to Google
- 5 Cheap Alternatives to Hiring a Personal Trainer
- When Your Dream Company is Hiring on Twitter
- Colleges Bring Campuses to Facebook
- Technology Powers Revolutions and Saves Lives
- Best Photo Apps
- Virtual World No Substitute for Real One
- Best Phone Apps for Busy Women
- How to Prevent Identity Theft
- How to Use Facebook So It Does not Use You
- Worst-case Computer Scenarios
- Google Chrome OS Notebook: A Security Game Changer?
- What Is Cloud Computing?
- How to Prevent Data Breaches
- Best Tips for Sharing Videos
- Do You Need an iPad for Your Small Business?
- The App Guide: 5 Must-have Shopping Apps
- Project Management Tips From the Pros
- Finding the Right Skill Set
- Who's Gawking at Your Photos?
- Dealing With Virtual Stalking
- CES 2011 Report - Consumer Electronics Show
- Time to Gear up for 3-D TV?
- How to Get the Best Service From IT Vendors
- Dating Apps: The Lowdown
- New Website Streamlines College-Aid Application
- Gift-card Resale Market Thrives Online
- Stop Cyberbullying Now!
- 5 Cloud Tools to Boost Your Productivity
- Mobile Pay Can Give You an Edge
- How to Find the Best Deals Online
- Should You 'Friend' Your Teens Online?
- Should You Really Post That Comment?
- 5 Smart Tactics for LinkedIn Self-Promotion
- How Repressive Regimes Use the Internet to Keep Power
- WikiLeaks: Diplomacy as Usual
- The Rising Threat of USB Drives
- Integrate Cloud Solutions With Caution
- Tech Solutions to Track Your Resolutions
- Crash Course in Computer Maintenance
- How to Pick the Right Cloud Provider
- Web Tools for Starting a Small Business
- 4 Life-changing Resolutions You Can Stick to
- Create Your Own Social Network
- What the Web Says About You
- FTC Chairman: 'Do Not Track' Rules Would Help Web Thrive
- 'Do Not Track' Rules Would Put a Stop to the Internet As We Know It
- Are Federal 'Do Not Track' Rules Needed?
- The Political Power of Social Media
- Top 3 Kid-safe Social Networks
- 5 Ways to Cultivate Your Kids' Online Reputation
- Preparing Our Children for Global Digital Citizenship Success
- The Great E-reader Roundup
- The NFL's Highest-scoring Apps
- New Gadgets Straight From the Big Screen
- A Game Plan for Protecting Stored Data
- The Drive for Real-time Collaboration
- Hang Onto People Who'll Help You Advance
- Leading New Developments in Visual Computing
- Meet Mr. Industrial: Justin Lassen's Music Machine
- Must-see TV on the Internet
- Share Safely on Social Networks
- 6 Essential Rules for Safe Online Shopping
- Five Steps to Kid-friendly Surfing
- High-tech Help for Weight Loss
- Create a Web Site or Blog for Your Family
- Video Eyewear for Sunglass Cinema
- Smart Phone Apps Help Stop Distracted Driving
- Online Computer Backup Services Remove Hassle
Copyright © 2011 Studio One Networks. All rights reserved.