2010 Back to School Guide: Smartphones for the Campus Life

Sure, you still have that Motorola Razr that your parents bought you a few years ago, and it has undoubtedly served you well. It is, however, time to say goodbye to your beloved flip phone and say hello to one of many new smartphone offerings available this summer.

More and more, students are relying on e-mail and other electronic forms of communication to stay in touch with fellow students. With smartphones, staying in touch is easier than ever, with complete access to e-mail, Twitter, Facebook, and your undeniably important text messages.

Here’s our rundown of the best smartphones for all the major carriers.

Apple iPhone 4 – AT&T

($199/$299 with a two-year contract and data plan)

Undeniably the most popular smartphone that you’ll find on campus is the iPhone. With its unique and elegant industrial design paired with its immensely large App Store, the iPhone is still the king of the smart phone community.

Disregarding the recent hype over antenna issues with the iPhone 4, it is still the best smartphone we tested this year. Sporting Apple’s Retina Display, the iPhone 4 produces unrivaled image quality and with the iPhone’s FaceTime feature, staying connected to your family and friends is easier than ever.

If you’re on AT&T, getting the iPhone 4 is a no-brainer. While you might have to hold your phone in a slightly awkward way, or take advantage of the free cases Apple is giving away, the iPhone is still head and shoulders above its competition for college bound consumers.

Motorola Droid X – Verizon

($199 online with a two-year contract)
Check out our review of the Droid X.

Featuring an 8-megapixel camera and a 4.3” screen, the Droid X takes the cake for big numbers on a phone. Running Android 2.2 with Motorola’s Motoblur software, the Droid X proves to be a worthy competitor in the smartphone market.

The Droid X comes with a built-in mini-HDMI port, allowing for easy streaming of high-definition video to your TV. In addition, the Droid has a “3G Mobile Hotspot” feature, allowing you to create a wireless network using your phone’s internet. Don’t have internet on the quad or in a classroom? Simply start up the mobile hotspot, and share internet to your laptop with ease.

However, the Droid X is a very large phone, so if slim and sleek is what you’re looking for, we suggest you take a look at the Droid Incredible instead.

HTC EVO 4G – Sprint

($199 after rebate with a two-year contract and data plan)

If you’re stuck on Sprint but still looking for a large screen, Mobile Hotspot functionality, 8-megapixel camera and more, the HTC EVO 4G is perfect for you. The EVO does have the advantage of connecting to a 4G network where available, which will give you peak download speeds up to 10 MBps, faster than most DSL connections. The phone also has a front-facing camera for video calls using apps like Fring, but it is not compatible with the iPhone’s FaceTime feature.

The EVO 4G also isn’t running the latest version of Android, version 2.2, also called Froyo, but it’s expected to receive the update later this year. The new version is expected to give the phone a performance boost in addition to new features.

HTC Droid Incredible – Verizon

($199 online with a two-year contract)
Check out our review of the Droid Incredible.

When our own Ken Addison posted his review of the Incredible, he believed it was the best phone on Verizon Wireless. Even though phones like the Droid X have come out since then, he still holds that opinion. The fit and finish of the HTC Sense UI is unparalleled by any other Android phone, and provides a solid experience.

With a great looking screen and continued software updates working to improve the phone even more, the Incredible is the way to go for any serious smartphone user on Verizon Wireless.

Samsung Galaxy S – T-Mobile & AT&T

($199 after rebate with a two-year contract and data plan)

We’ve only tested the Samsung Vibrant, T-Mobile’s version of the Galaxy S, for a day or so, but we’re already convinced it’s going to become a popular contender in the smartphone market. It has a bright 4.0-inch AMOLED screen, 5.0 megapixel with autofocus and HD video capability and depending on the model, comes loaded with entertainment and multimedia content.

The screen can’t compete with the Retina Display on the iPhone 4, but the it is bright and vivid. You’ll also be able to connect with all of your social networks with the Social Hub feature Samsung has built-in. Access your Twitter and Facebook streams (plus many others) through the home screen widget with a flick of your finger. The other Android phones we’ve mentioned also include this functionality, albeit in a much slicker form.

Overall the Samsung Galaxy S is certainly something to consider if you’re on T-Mobile or AT&T, while Verizon and Sprint versions won’t be out until later this year.