The iPhone has at all times been clear and trendy, however Android telephones have gone in 1,000,000 completely different instructions. A number of the designs over time have been downright unusual, and but I discover myself lacking the times when telephone makers weren’t afraid to get bizarre.
My historical past with Android goes all the way back to 2010, and I have been reviewing telephones since 2012. For sure, I have been round to see the overwhelming majority of Android telephones. Whereas most of the bizarre designs had been fairly dumb, some had been legitimately nice concepts.
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I’ve Reviewed Smartphones Since 2012, Here Are 5 of My Favorites
Here is one thing telephone reviewers by no means inform you: we play favorites. I’ve reviewed dozens of the most effective smartphones over the past 13 years, however only some had been really memorable. Listed below are 5 telephones I could not put down after my evaluations had been revealed.
5
LG G Flex
Maybe no different Android producer experimented with bizarre designs greater than LG. The issue is most of their concepts weren’t interesting to me. The LG Wing is cool however not for me. The LG G5’s modules had been extremely boring. I attempted the LG V20’s Second Display screen and did not know what to do with it. The LG G Flex, although, was virtually helpful.
For a quick second in time, curved shows had been all the craze in Android telephones. LG went with the “banana-style” curve, which made it comfy to carry subsequent to your face for telephone calls. It additionally felt very nice when scrolling vertically, and I cherished the rear energy button. There have been some good concepts right here that ought to make a comeback.
4
T-Cellular G2
2010 was an fascinating yr for Android telephone designs. The primary of two on this record from the yr is the T-Cellular G2 (offered internationally because the HTC Need Z). Actually, I do not fairly know why I favored this telephone a lot, however I vividly bear in mind wanting it very badly. The G2 had this distinctive “Z-hinge” that lifted the show up and over to disclose the keyboard.
The mechanism was not sensible in any respect. You might actually pause the slide midway, and there could be a 1/2-inch hole between the show and the keyboard. The design brought on some high quality management points and poor battery life, however it seemed extraordinarily cool.
3
Moto Z
Moto Mods
A handful of corporations have tried “modular” smartphones over time, however Motorola most likely had probably the most profitable try (apart from the iPhone and MagSafe). It began with the Moto Z in 2016 and lasted during the Moto Z4 in 2019.
“Moto Mods” had been hot-swappable magnetic equipment that snapped on the again of the telephone. A number of the Mods included a Hasselblad Zoom Digicam lens, JBL SoundBoost speaker, battery packs, wi-fi charging adapters, ornamental again plates, and extra.
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Apple Proved Modular Accessories Work, But Can Anyone Else Do It?
Smartphones are a core a part of our each day lives, and due to that, there have been many makes an attempt to increase their performance. Undertaking Ara, LG modules, Moto Mods, and the latest CMF Cellphone 1, to call a couple of. Nevertheless, solely Apple’s MagSafe has really spawned a profitable ecosystem of adaptable equipment. Why is that?
2
Motorola Flipout
Within the early days of smartphones, producers had been throwing out some really wild designs. One which I bear in mind catching my eye was the Motorola Flipout from 2010. It had a small, sq. 2.8-inch show, and the keyboard swiveled out from behind it. Everybody else was doing flips and slides, however Motorola determined to pivot.
A design like this might be fashionable these days. Motorola’s present flagship, the Razr, is a really related thought when closed. You’ve a small, compact telephone more often than not, however you possibly can unfold it for an even bigger display screen. Change the foldable display screen with a keyboard and you have got a contemporary Flipout. It seemed cool 15 years in the past, and it nonetheless appears cool right this moment.
1
Galaxy Digicam
If there’s one Android telephone that I’ve persistently wished for over time, it is an up to date model of the Galaxy Digicam from 2012. It was adopted by the Galaxy S4 Zoom and Ok Zoom/S5 Zoom, however that is the place Samsung’s experiment ended.
Do not get me fallacious, fashionable smartphones have unimaginable cameras. I am persistently amazed by the images I take with my Pixel 9 Professional XL, and it even has 5X optical zoom–one thing that will be exceptional in 2012. However smartphone cameras are nonetheless smartphone cameras. They may most definitely at all times be restricted in comparison with full-blown digital cameras.
Admittedly, what I really need is Google’s model of this. Basically, a digital digital camera with the Pixel picture processing and software program. Regardless, think about how cool it could be to have all of the conveniences of a touchscreen and telephone software program with an precise, full-blown digital camera connected to the again. Snap a photograph along with your large lens, and it is instantly out there in Google Photographs, and so forth. Convey it again.
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The 10 Weirdest Android Phones Ever
All fashionable telephones look the identical, however it wasn’t at all times like that. Android has produced a few of the most progressive, distinctive, and outright odd telephones over time. These are the weirdest.