Introducing PhoneDog's Best Phones rankings!

1. HTC Droid Incredible

2. Motorola Droid X

• Droid X offers the best raw performance of any smartphone in Verizon's current lineup
• Massive 4.3", 854 x 480 display is stunning and offers widescreen aspect ratio for watching videos
• Excellent noise cancellation performance during calls and camcorder use

• Phone is just too big for some users
• Motorola's custom widgets lack style 
• Early adopters have complained of display and WiFi problems

Motorola's Droid X is arguably the ultimate Verizon phone for hardcore geeks and media mavens alike. Interestingly, the phone is also gaining favor amongst at least some of the older crowd, who find that the large screen makes it easier to read text and offers up larger targets for links and buttons.

3. Palm Pre Plus

1. iPhone 4

• The new iPhone builds on a successful formula with a thinner, more luxurious design, higher resolution display, and improved camera paired with a front-facing camera and video-calling software
• Improved reception (see note below) and better voice quality thanks to dual-mic noise cancellation
• Best HD video capture from any mobile phone we've ever tested

• "Death Grip" issue has led to widespread reports of severe signal loss when phone is held a certain way
• Proximity Sensor bug causing some users to experience unwanted muting, hang-ups and speakerphone activation during calls
• White model has been delayed multiple times, still not available

2. Samsung Captivate

3. HTC Aria

1. HTC EVO 4G

• 1 GHz Snapdragon processor
• Large 4.3-inch touchscreen
• Mobile Hotspot with connectivity for up to eight (8) users
• First 4G smartphone available in the United States
• 8MP camera with 720p video recording capabilities, and additional front-facing camera for video calling

• Battery life isn't the greatest
• Sprint's 4G coverage is still limited to select markets in the US
• Requires a $10 "premium data" add-on, even if you're not in a 4G market

Summary

With a 1 GHz Snapdragon processor, 4.3-inch display, 8-megapixel camera with 720p video recording capabilities, Android 2.1 with HTC's Sense UI, and 4G connectivity, the HTC EVO 4G is about as jam-packed as an Android device can get, and Sprint's current flagship unit.  Unfortunately, 4G coverage is still sporadic and limited to select markets in the United States, and EVO users are stuck with a $10 "premium data" fee regardless of the data coverage in their market.

2. Palm Pre

• Decent sized touchscreen with a physical QWERTY keyboard
• Revolutionary webOS platform
• Ability to charge wirelessly via Touchstone

• Slow and laggy at times
• Battery life is poor
• Specs are outdated compared to the Palm Pre Plus

Summary

It's a bit long in the tooth, but the Palm Pre is still one of the best smartphones on Sprint.  Despite a lack of developer support (when compared to the big guys), Palm's webOS platform is still one of the best in the business.  Too bad Sprint didn't get the updated Palm Pre Plus when it launched.

3. BlackBerry Bold 9650

• Fantastic physical QWERTY keyboard
• New trackpad more accurate and reliable than trackball
• Good battery life

• BlackBerry platform in need of an overhaul
• Lacks a good web browser, media platform
• 3.2MP camera somewhat low-end in comparison to competitors

1. Samsung Vibrant

• Fast 1 GHz processor
• Gorgeous 4-inch Super AMOLED display
• Incredibly thin and light

• 5MP camera lacks flash
• GPS issues keep Google Maps from displaying correctly
• Battery life isn't the greatest

Summary

2. HTC myTouch 3G Slide

• HTC's Sense UI customized for device
• Roomy physical QWERTY keyboard

• Pictures taken with the camera didn't come out great
• Hinge is a bit wobbly

Summary

Though the 600 MHz processor entrenches it in the mid-range category, the HTC myTouch 3G Slide is a great Android device for those that need a full QWERTY keyboard for day-to-day tasks.  Surprisingly, the hinge was a bit wobbly and pictures taken with the 5.0-megapixel camera weren't that great.

3. BlackBerry Bold 9700

• Roomy QWERTY keyboard is a pleasure to use
• Thin and light
• Absolutely fantastic battery life

• BlackBerry platform is outdated in comparison to competitors
• 3.2MP camera behind the times

Summary

The BlackBerry Bold 9700, available in white and black, is a fantastic device for those that e-mail, text message, IM, or do anything else that would benefit from a full QWERTY keyboard.  That being said, BlackBerry OS is outdated in comparison to its competitors, and the 3.2-megapixel camera pales in comparison to the 5+ megapixel alternatives on the market.

1. LG enV Touch

Pros

• Basically has every peripheral feature you could ask for in a messaging phone
  • 3.5 mm headphone jack
  • 3.2 MP camera with a flash, video capture, and autofocus
  • Great HTML web browser (renders pages very well, has an RSS feeder, multiple windows, and it supports Flash.)
• An outer touchscreen (with widgets), plus another non-touchscreen when you flip the phone open. The best of both worlds!
• Very spacious keyboard with a good layout and plenty of shortcut buttons and a D-pad.

Cons

• After a year on the market, it's still priced at $150. Kind of steep for a messaging phone
• Battery doesn't last very long

Summary

The enV Touch is a beast of a phone and there's not much it can't do or doesn't have. Definitely one of the best messaging phones out there.

2. Nokia Twist

Pros

• A 3MP camera and camcorder are always good to see, even if there is no flash
• The physical keyboard is very well-desiged and contains plenty of shortcuts for music, e-mail, etc.
• Unique design that is sure to turn heads

Cons

• "Twist"-style design may not be for everyone
• The phone is rather small. The tiny screen and keyboard may be too small for some
• With only an 860 mAh battery, you'll have to charge it more often. You'll only get about 1-1.5 days of heavy use

Summary

"There's even a built-in mirror!" Yeah, this phone is mostly for teens and trendsetters, but it's still a solid messaging device. Who says you can look cool and have a great physical keyboard? Have your cake and eat it too!

3. Samsung Reality

Pros

• Samsung's TouchWiz Interface with plenty of fun and useful widgets to use on three different homescreens
• 3.2MP camera with video capture that offers some pretty fun photo-editing features
• Always nice to see a 3.5 mm headphone jack

Cons

• The only downside to its otherwise fantastic physical keyboard is the fact that the spacebar is in a row with letters. This design can take some time to get used to
• The web browser isn't the greatest. It doesn't render pages too well and it can be slow at times

Summary

As a messaging phone it's great. You may have problems with the web browser and the touchscreen may give you just a few problems, but it performs well and does the job.

1. Pantech Link

• 1.3MP camera that offers less-than-stellar photos and videos
• No 3.5 mm headphone jackfeature one

2. Samsung Impression

3. Samsung Flight

1. LG Rumor Touch

Pros

• Well-designed, spacious physical keyboard
• Notifications bar for messaging that is somewhat similar to what you would see on an Android device
• The touchscreen and 3.5 mm headphone jack are features that the previous Rumors lacked
• Excellent build quality

Cons

• For a phone of this caliber, you would expect something better than a 2MP camera with no flash
• Though the user interface is interesting and fun, it may take some getting used to. (You may want to try it before you buy it see if you like it or if it's too different for you.)

Summary

The Rumor line of phones have always been solid contenders in the messaging phone market. The Rumor Touch adds a few additional features and has very few downsides. Perfect for the "serious texter."

2. Samsung Exclaim

Pros

• "Dual-slider" phone so you have a T9 number pad as well as a physical QWERTY keyboard
• Speaking of physical keyboards, this one delivers. Great and easy to use
• Sprint's One-Click Interface is very useful and easy to work with

Cons

• Because it is a dual-slider, it's a bit thicker than most messaging phones
• 2.5 mm headphone jack is kind of a bummer

Summary

The Exclaim has an interesting design that seems to work well, but it won't be for everyone. However, it's physical keyboard makes it one of the best messaging phones and the One-Click Interface makes it fun and easy to use.

3. Samsung Reclaim

Pros

• Eco-friendly. The phone is actually made out of plastics that were derived from corn and is 80% recyclable
• Not only is it good for the environment, but it actually has a decent physical keyboard
• Features Sprint's One-Click Interface - very useful and fun interface that brings all of your favorite apps and programs together so they're easy to get to

Cons

• The small keyboard may be a bit too cramped for some
• Build quality feels kind of cheap

Summary

Everybody wants to be good to the earth. With the Reclaim you can do that without having to sacrifice performance or features. It's a win-win! (Unless the keyboard size or phone style doesn't fit you quite right.)

1. Samsung Gravity T

2. LG Sentio

Pros

• Stylish physical design
• Multiple widgets for an expandable homescreen
• Outstanding battery life. It lasted a full seven days on standby

Cons

• Virtual keyboard isn't too great
• Web browser problems. It simply wouldn't load the page 80% of the time
• Though it's equipped with a solid 3 MP camera, there is no flash.

Summary

The LG Sentio is one of our favorite devices on T-Mobile by far. However, we had to keep it at number two since the virtual keyboard wasn't the best when it came to text messaging. Other than that, the Sentio is a solid device that is packed with features and performs well.

3. Samsung Gravity 3

Pros

• Same great keyboard that the Gravity T is equipped with
• Good choice for those who don't like touchscreens
• Overall build quality is firm and sturdy

Cons

• Unimpressive 2MP camera with no flash
• User Interface was somewhat boring and felt uninspired
• Though the lack of a touchscreen could be a pro for some, others may see it as a letdown

Summary

With the Gravity 3, you get all of the benefits of the Gravity T, without having the worry about the potential problems of a touchscreen device, something many people will appreciate.