The relatively low cost of this mobile phone is one of the factors that help to make it appealing.  However, the phone being inexpensive does mean that certain features are scaled down somewhat.  For example, the display of this mobile phone measures at just 3inches and has a resolution of 320 x 240.  

Any Samsung Galaxy Y review must mention the fact that the phone is notably compact.  Besides having small dimensions, the phone is also quite light.  As such, its design will probably appeal to those who plan to carry their phone in their pocket, or in a small handbag.   

Despite its small size, the Samsung Galaxy Y still has intriguing features, such as a two megapixel camera, as well as 160MB of internal memory, which can be easily upgraded through the use of microSD cards.

Among this new crop of Android mobile phones are the HTC One S, the Motorola Razr and Razr Maxx, the Samsung Galaxy S2 and the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, which is one of the smartphones running on the latest version of Android, 4.0 or Ice Cream Sandwich.  Samsung Galaxy Nexus reviews praise its many enhanced and excellent features, such as the superb HD AMOLED screen, stylish curved design and lightweight feel.  The high resolution display provides crystal clear imagery that can be viewed in all different kinds of light, and up to 20 apps at a time can be viewed on its large 4.65 inch screen. 

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus also includes the highly crowd pleasing face recognition unlocking feature, and running on Ice Cream Sandwich means it is super powerful with super fast web browsing.  Current Samsung Galaxy Nexus deals include free handset and internet usage from as little as £26 per month in a 24 month contract, with a range of other Samsung Galaxy Nexus deals available to suit users’ needs. 

Also highly regarded in 2012 are Android smartphones the Samsung Galaxy Note which is highly rated for its 5.3 inch HD SUPER AMOLED touch screen, almost as large as a tablet, and the upgraded and revamped HTC Sensation XL which also features an enlarged screen.

Up-to-date Android operating systems are common on Sony Ericsson phones.  The modified operating system is customized to work with the smaller screen size of some of its models.  Apps can attach to the four corners of the display instead of lining up along the bottom.

Xperia is Sony Ericsson’s most popular family of smartphones.  First introduced in 2008, Xperia phones account for over half of Sony Ericsson’s phone sales.  The Xperia phones offer the latest technology, sturdy designs, and easy-to-navigate menus.

The company is also known for its app Timescape.  This app integrates text messaging and social media into single app to help customers stay on top of recent notifications.  It streamlines conversations so users can track of conversations and find info for all their contacts in one place.

With so many giant smartphones on the market, Sony Ericsson’s line of mini smartphones has caught on with those who find massive screens that require two hands to use to be simply too big.  The size of a credit card, the mini phones still include all the features of the others.  They include games, apps, multimedia options, and some offer a physical keyboard for error-free typing.

Whichever model you choose, Sony Ericsson mobile phones are designed for easy navigation, good picture taking, and app downloading.  They provide high-quality products, even when they come in small packages.

Obviously if you go for a basic phone, that is what you should expect.  There is no 3G or Wi-Fi, however the battery is pretty good with an estimated talk time of seven hours, which is really quite impressive.  There is 10MB of internal storage and this can easily be increased if needed by inserting a memory card into the phone.  There is also an access point for headphones and of course the all-important charger. It has a reasonably sized screen and is generally quite a nicely built phone that comes in an array of colours with an easy to use QWERTY keyboard.  There is a 2 megapixel camera and a video recorder that works perfectly well, and there is even a MP3 player app to listen to your own choice of music.

It is also possible to browse the web on the Nokia Asha 201, so you can access your social networks.  There are even some games and apps to play with.  So this is essentially a low cost, sturdy, easy to use Nokia mobile phone that does the job if you are looking for a reasonably priced mobile that does the basics.

The phone also offers Facebook, MySpace and Twitter integration and has the usual email and instant messaging features.  This phone offers live widgets and a web browser with Google Search.  It even has a biometric fingerprint reader for added security.  The phone resolution is also high at 540×960 pixels.  The Atrix also has one of the best batteries on the market, meaning that this phone’s battery can last at least a day or two.  The phone rates high on features and usability with most users claiming that it not only looks good but is also easy to use; it is a phone you won’t tire playing with.

The phone is compact, has a touchscreen and runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread. It uses WiFi technology and also has access to Google maps, Gmail and standard Google Search. Most of the major network providers offer a free Samsung Galaxy Y with a 24-month contract, while the PAYG option is ideal for those on a restricted budget. The handset is compact and smart and has access to a wide range of apps. Some users have complained that the 2-pixel camera has poor resolution and the battery recharge rate is slow, but for a phone that costs less than £100 this is still seen as remarkably good value.

The functions on the Samsung Galaxy Y include, a personal organiser, stereo FM radio, MP3 ring-tones, messaging with MMS, SMS and email, as well as instant messaging. The phone is supplied with a number of apps, including ‘You Tube and the Android Market Social Hub, but there are many more available.

The Galaxy Y is light; it only weighs 98 grams, is 104 x 58 x 11.5mm in size and runs on 3G for speedier internet access. The phone’s basic memory is 160mb, but this can be increased by 32gb with microSD cards.

This smartphone also has a fantastic media centre that has an amazing sound quality for such a small device.  It even has Noise Shield which blocks out any surrounding noise so that the person at the other end of the phone can hear better.  There’s the all-important Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and a built in memory of 400MB that can be increased up to an amazing 32GB using a memory card.  Finally, this already outstanding phone even has a DLNA connection, which means that you can plug your phone into a HD-ready television.

The interface features several customisable home screens where users can drag and drop their most used apps and widgets.  Swipe the screen to rotate home screens.  Users can lock their phones and to choose what screen to show while the phone is locked.  Keep up-to-date with the weather or missed phone calls, messages, and emails all by glancing at your mobile phone’s screen.

Social media is a large part of HTC Sense.  View contacts in your address book and then checkout their Facebook and Twitter pages.  Setup is fast and can sync all your accounts at once.  As far as other apps go, HTC Sense includes plenty of useful tools such as calendars, calculators, and even an eBook reader. 

Possibly the most useful feature of HTC Sense is its notification centre with quick settings.  Swiping downward on the phone screen opens a list of all recent activity, such as missed calls.  By choosing the quick settings tab, users can adjust common phone settings all from one spot.

Two popular handsets that feature HTC Sense include the HTC Desire S and the HTC Incredible S.  An upgrade to the original Desire, the Desire S has improved battery life, a sleek, round design, and quality hardware.  The Incredible S is a slightly more sophisticated model than the Desire S.  It offers solid performance, quality hardware, and an excellent camera for snapping photos on the go.  For those interested in easy-to-use mobile phones with great features, HTC and the HTC Sense interface make an excellent choice.

Physically, the Nexus S is similar in design to the Galaxy S; featuring the same curved case and light feeling.  Do not let the light weight put you off; this is a solid handset. 

During its original release, the Google Nexus S was not featured as prominently in mobile phone reviews as perhaps it should have been.  The continuing growth of near field communications (NFC) technology gives this mobile, which includes NFC capability, an advantage.

The Google Nexus S includes 16 GB of built-in memory, and the interface is both smooth and fast.  Like most Android handsets, this phone can be used as a flash drive when connected to a personal computer, making it very simple to transfer music, video and photos between the mobile and the PC.

1.    Google Maps Navigation – This free App utilises Google Maps and gives step-by-step directions from a current location to a given destination, which can be in the form of a street name, postcode or a type of place.

2.    Copilot Live 8 – This standalone satnav program has maps stored direct on your phone’s SD card, meaning it does not require the internet in order to work. It has clear, large 3D maps, and when it is connected to the web, it gives other information such as weather, petrol prices and live traffic updates.

3.    Skobbler – Another free Android satnav App, Skobbler uses the Open Street Map information, which is updated by users as they find the best routes to a given destination.

4.    NDrive – NDrive keeps all its maps on the SD card and can work the directions out while en route. You can import POI lists in Google Earth format, which allows you to import a speed camera database. It needs very little phone memory compared to other Android satnav Apps, such as the Copilot Live, and works well on lower powered phones, though it does have fewer features.

5.    The Destinator 9 – This App has PIO and speed camera database, multi-lane guidance, weather, a trip planner that includes multiple stops, and even a pedestrian mode. The clear looking maps are stored on your SD card and can be viewed in 2D or 3D.