Better Than iPhone: 8 Mobile Handsets That Outclass Apple

There are many phones far more functional, and--hard to believe, I know--cooler than Apple's iPhone. The biggest contenders come out of Windows Mobile partner HTC in Taiwan, though many of its offerings aren't available in the United States. There's also an uber-cool handset waiting in the wings. (Can you guess from whom?) Check out my list, and the pictures which prove my point, and see if you don't agree that these eight handsets are better than the iPhone.

Why am I apparently on an Apple-bashing tear? It's not that I don't find much to admire about the company. Mostly, I'm in awe of Steve Jobs's marketing skills. He could sell Intel processors to Mac users. Oh wait, he does.

What bugs me most is the meme that anything Apple does is the best. That's a load of nonsense. Apple's hardware, especially now that the company uses the same Intel processors as everyone is, is just more expensive computing dressed up in fancier boxes. (Okay, it's got better software.) IPods, while legitimate category-creators, are no better designed than, say, a Samsung MP3 player. Plus, iPods are prone to breakage and battery problems.

As for the iPhone, well, it's a case of perception beating out reality. But rather than shutting up, I'm putting up. Here are the eight mobile handsets I believe currently outclass the iPhone.

HTC TyTN II and HTC Touch

The coolest smartphones out there come from Taiwanese vendor HTC (formerly High Tech Computer Corp.), which has strong connections to Microsoft.

HTC was founded in 1997. It's got a close strategic relationship with Microsoft. There was possibly some investment by Redmond in HTC, or a least partnership to help launch a big factory HTC opened in 2001. Microsoft sent reps to the open, as did HP. That's because HTC was a big partner in the HP/Compaq iPaq PocketPC. Today, HTC is a prime mover behind the increasingly important Windows Mobile platform.
Link