Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide: Smartphones
By Chris Ziegler 
posted December 2nd 2009 2:54PM
posted December 2nd 2009 2:54PM
Welcome to the Engadget Holiday Gift Guide! The team here is well aware of the heartbreaking difficulties of the seasonal shopping experience, and we want to help you sort through the trash and come up with the treasures this year. Below is today's bevy of hand curated picks, and you can head back to the Gift Guide hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the holiday season.
If your BFF's HTC has a code name like Blue Angel, Harrier, or Canary, trust us: the time has come to intervene and forcefully bring that particular chapter of their technological life to a close. It's 2009, after all, and with devices like the Pre, iPhone 3GS, and Droid all coming to market in the past few months, there's never been a better time to be a smartphone lover, buyer, or -- in this case -- giver. Of course, in the States, giving a phone as a gift isn't the easiest thing in the world since you've got contracts to worry about, but it can be done -- even if you've got to drag the lucky recipient kicking and screaming into the store and hold their hand to the dotted line. So let's get to it, shall we?
Samsung Omnia - As gifts go, it's hard to beat "free," especially if the free thing isn't a hunk of crap. Verizon's original Omnia was a pretty stellar smartphone when it launched last year, and it's every bit as good today -- especially when you consider that the launch of the Omnia II has pushed its asking price down into oblivion. Seriously, there aren't many smartphones that you can get on contract for less than a disposable plastic flip on contract, let alone good ones, and this time-tested old-timer should be a welcome freebie for anyone with contract room to spare and a penchant for Verizon.
Free - Buy from Verizon
Nokia E71x - Say what you will of S60, the E71 series is arguably the best phone Nokia has ever made -- and there were more when a few heartfelt cheers let loose when AT&T finally confirmed that it'd be bringing it in a particularly sexy blacked-out scheme as the E71x. The phone was a good value back when it launched at $99.99, but thanks to the magic of competition, price pressure, and time's merciless march, it's now down to $49.99 on a new contract. BlackBerry fans might cringe, but we dare you to find a BlackBerry that feels this good in the hand.
$49.99 - Buy from AT&T
T-Mobile Shadow - That Omnia up there isn't the only WinMo-based device that's a ridiculously good deal right now. T-Mobile's revised Shadow, sourced from none other than HTC, is just about the funkiest smartphone you've never heard of with availability in two colors, a sliding 20-key keyboard, and -- this is important -- compatibility with the carrier's WiFi calling service. Considering that it sold for $199.99 when it launched earlier this year, $29.99 on contract after rebate is a heck of a deal -- you can almost picture it in your teenager's too-baggy pants pocket, can't you?
$29.99 - Buy from T-Mobile
Palm Pixi - Alright, yes, we wish it had WiFi and a slightly faster processor -- and frankly, so will your giftee. But at the end of the day, the Pixi makes a fine Centro successor, and considering the Centro's epic popularity, it seems that the public at large is pretty enamored with this particular form factor. Plus, we're shocked by how much we like the Pixi's keyboard -- and webOS is still one of the prettiest smartphone platforms on the market today (if not the prettiest), which'll at least keep your loved one occupied from morning all the way through to holiday supper as they fiddle their way through cards, gestures, and app trials. That's a win in our book.
$99.99 - Buy from Sprint
HTC Droid Eris - The Droid Eris gets just a small fraction of the publicity and advertising dollars that its flashier brother from another mother gets, but what Verizon fails to properly explain is that this phone is perhaps the best Hero variant on the market today. The firmware is reasonably snappy, it carries over the 5 megapixel cam, and it's got a proximity sensor that you won't find on Sprint's version or any other -- and trust us, your lucky recipient will thank you for this each and every time they need to enter touch tones during a call.
$99.99 - Buy from Verizon
RIM BlackBerry 8520 Curve - The Curve line has been a tremendous success for RIM, and for good reason -- it kicks BlackBerry's buttoned-up image down a notch or three for that corporate hipster in your life while keeping all of the enterprise and security features that make their office IT guy happy. The 8520 ups the ante by throwing in an optical pad, a feature viewed with much consternation from longtime BlackBerry users that typically causes their icy heart to melt the first time they actually use it. While it's just out of stocking stuffer territory, it's still pretty cheap for a full QWERTY BlackBerry -- and the corporate raider in your life will be eternally grateful. Or, at least until the same time next year.
$129.99 - Buy from T-Mobile
$49.99 - Buy from AT&T
Palm Pre - Look, the Pixi isn't for everyone -- and frankly, if you tried to give it to a true WiFi-loving geek this holiday season, you stand a very real chance of getting a brand new phone thrown directly at your melon. If you want to give the gift of webOS but step up to a faster processor, 802.11b / g, and a sliding keyboard, you might want to pony up for the Pre which runs $50 more -- pricier, sure, but still $50 less than what it went for at launch.
$149.99 - Buy from Sprint
HTC Touch Pro2 / Tilt2 - HTC's latest full landscape QWERTY venture is a one-two punch of awesome: not only did we find it to be an absolutely fantastic WinMo device in our testing, but it's one of those mega-rare phones that's available on all four US national carriers, which means you can buy this sucker for your sweetie regardless of their carrier preference. You might call it a win / win / win / win. Be sure to write that in the card... and credit us for it.
$349.99 - Buy from T-Mobile
$199.99 - Buy from Verizon
$299.99 - Buy from AT&T
$349.99 - Buy from Sprint
Motorola Droid - It's impossible to escape this holiday season without a few mentions of Motorola's Android-laden beast, and odds are good that you know a couple people on your list that wouldn't mind stuffing one in their pocket. As a refresher, the Droid's got Android 2.0, a lovely capacitive WVGA display, 5 megapixel cam with LED flash, and OMAP3 horsepower -- better than the typical Android device's ARM11 core that's in widespread use these days.
$199.99 - Buy from Verizon
Apple iPhone 3GS - Oh, come on -- if you're telling us you can't think of a friend or family member that wants an iPhone 3GS on some level and hasn't yet taken the plunge... well, perhaps you've just done a really good job of equipping them with Pres and Android handsets, but the more likely scenario is that you're lying to yourself. What makes the iPhone particularly cool as a gift is that Apple offers gift cards specifically for the phone -- something carriers usually don't, which makes it a relatively painless process for your recipient.
$199.00 to $299.00 - Buy from AT&T, Buy from Apple
If your BFF's HTC has a code name like Blue Angel, Harrier, or Canary, trust us: the time has come to intervene and forcefully bring that particular chapter of their technological life to a close. It's 2009, after all, and with devices like the Pre, iPhone 3GS, and Droid all coming to market in the past few months, there's never been a better time to be a smartphone lover, buyer, or -- in this case -- giver. Of course, in the States, giving a phone as a gift isn't the easiest thing in the world since you've got contracts to worry about, but it can be done -- even if you've got to drag the lucky recipient kicking and screaming into the store and hold their hand to the dotted line. So let's get to it, shall we?
Stocking Stuffer
Free - Buy from Verizon
Nokia E71x - Say what you will of S60, the E71 series is arguably the best phone Nokia has ever made -- and there were more when a few heartfelt cheers let loose when AT&T finally confirmed that it'd be bringing it in a particularly sexy blacked-out scheme as the E71x. The phone was a good value back when it launched at $99.99, but thanks to the magic of competition, price pressure, and time's merciless march, it's now down to $49.99 on a new contract. BlackBerry fans might cringe, but we dare you to find a BlackBerry that feels this good in the hand.
$49.99 - Buy from AT&T
T-Mobile Shadow - That Omnia up there isn't the only WinMo-based device that's a ridiculously good deal right now. T-Mobile's revised Shadow, sourced from none other than HTC, is just about the funkiest smartphone you've never heard of with availability in two colors, a sliding 20-key keyboard, and -- this is important -- compatibility with the carrier's WiFi calling service. Considering that it sold for $199.99 when it launched earlier this year, $29.99 on contract after rebate is a heck of a deal -- you can almost picture it in your teenager's too-baggy pants pocket, can't you?
$29.99 - Buy from T-Mobile
You shouldn't have
Palm Pixi - Alright, yes, we wish it had WiFi and a slightly faster processor -- and frankly, so will your giftee. But at the end of the day, the Pixi makes a fine Centro successor, and considering the Centro's epic popularity, it seems that the public at large is pretty enamored with this particular form factor. Plus, we're shocked by how much we like the Pixi's keyboard -- and webOS is still one of the prettiest smartphone platforms on the market today (if not the prettiest), which'll at least keep your loved one occupied from morning all the way through to holiday supper as they fiddle their way through cards, gestures, and app trials. That's a win in our book.
$99.99 - Buy from Sprint
HTC Droid Eris - The Droid Eris gets just a small fraction of the publicity and advertising dollars that its flashier brother from another mother gets, but what Verizon fails to properly explain is that this phone is perhaps the best Hero variant on the market today. The firmware is reasonably snappy, it carries over the 5 megapixel cam, and it's got a proximity sensor that you won't find on Sprint's version or any other -- and trust us, your lucky recipient will thank you for this each and every time they need to enter touch tones during a call.
$99.99 - Buy from Verizon
RIM BlackBerry 8520 Curve - The Curve line has been a tremendous success for RIM, and for good reason -- it kicks BlackBerry's buttoned-up image down a notch or three for that corporate hipster in your life while keeping all of the enterprise and security features that make their office IT guy happy. The 8520 ups the ante by throwing in an optical pad, a feature viewed with much consternation from longtime BlackBerry users that typically causes their icy heart to melt the first time they actually use it. While it's just out of stocking stuffer territory, it's still pretty cheap for a full QWERTY BlackBerry -- and the corporate raider in your life will be eternally grateful. Or, at least until the same time next year.
$129.99 - Buy from T-Mobile
$49.99 - Buy from AT&T
Palm Pre - Look, the Pixi isn't for everyone -- and frankly, if you tried to give it to a true WiFi-loving geek this holiday season, you stand a very real chance of getting a brand new phone thrown directly at your melon. If you want to give the gift of webOS but step up to a faster processor, 802.11b / g, and a sliding keyboard, you might want to pony up for the Pre which runs $50 more -- pricier, sure, but still $50 less than what it went for at launch.
$149.99 - Buy from Sprint
We can't afford the rent now, can we?
HTC Touch Pro2 / Tilt2 - HTC's latest full landscape QWERTY venture is a one-two punch of awesome: not only did we find it to be an absolutely fantastic WinMo device in our testing, but it's one of those mega-rare phones that's available on all four US national carriers, which means you can buy this sucker for your sweetie regardless of their carrier preference. You might call it a win / win / win / win. Be sure to write that in the card... and credit us for it.
$349.99 - Buy from T-Mobile
$199.99 - Buy from Verizon
$299.99 - Buy from AT&T
$349.99 - Buy from Sprint
Motorola Droid - It's impossible to escape this holiday season without a few mentions of Motorola's Android-laden beast, and odds are good that you know a couple people on your list that wouldn't mind stuffing one in their pocket. As a refresher, the Droid's got Android 2.0, a lovely capacitive WVGA display, 5 megapixel cam with LED flash, and OMAP3 horsepower -- better than the typical Android device's ARM11 core that's in widespread use these days.
$199.99 - Buy from Verizon
Apple iPhone 3GS - Oh, come on -- if you're telling us you can't think of a friend or family member that wants an iPhone 3GS on some level and hasn't yet taken the plunge... well, perhaps you've just done a really good job of equipping them with Pres and Android handsets, but the more likely scenario is that you're lying to yourself. What makes the iPhone particularly cool as a gift is that Apple offers gift cards specifically for the phone -- something carriers usually don't, which makes it a relatively painless process for your recipient.
$199.00 to $299.00 - Buy from AT&T, Buy from Apple
@va jj
the droid eris is made by HTC
the droid moto is made by Motorola,
hence brothers from different mothers.. they're made by different companies... they just share the same name because they're in the same network (Verizon)
@va jj
Guys it was a joke. And I'll let you know it was lolerific.
I hope people read the comments down here and realize there are much better deals for these phones than Engadget's prices indicate.
HTC HD2?
N900 ?
Clearly must have.
For the site with such great coverage of every mobile phone news bit, this is a lame guide.
First off, this guide is organized by handset price, but that's honestly the last thing I care about.
Way more important considerations: battery life, size, and of course, service plans (where you spend far more money)
Also, how could anyone recommend a Pixi or a WinMo phone this holiday? The Pre is just a better deal for most users, and no one should be buying WinMo until 7 or unless they have some Microsoft specific needs.
@(Unverified) I have the Touch Pro 2 (WinMo) because I love the keyboard on it. No other phone can beat it for the time being.
A more honest title would have been "Engadget's Guide to Funneling Click Through Money into our Coffers". Useless.
@(Unverified) If that were true, you'd find affiliate IDs in the URLs. Go ahead and look, you won't find them.
@Chris Ziegler
Nice that you caught this and quickly snubbed it out. My initial reaction was a lot like his. I guess we should have more faith in Engadget!
Well, if you're not monetizing your so-called "Guide", what's the point? You provide no more information than the product description blurbs one would find on the carrier or manufacturer website.
I bought my wife a Nokia E63 a few months back. That little thing rocks. No, no "real" GPS, but jeesh, for $200 - no contract - I can't imagine a better phone..unless we're talking E71 or the (future) E72. Then again, the E63 has a REAL headphone jack.
She didn't know what a Smartphone was. The thing is intuitive, fast, sounds great, and feels great in the hand.
Highly recommended.
well, i guess it's agreed, this guide is a FAIL
This was a little light on the details. This was more like a teaser than a guide.
You have the Pixi pictured in the Pre's spot.
Nevermind.
I got an original Shadow, and it was one of the worst smartphones I could have imagined- I'm sorry I didn't just get a durable dumbphone.
Slow (5 minutes or more to turn on to the point where I could use it), poor hardware (battery cover, paint chipping), and an inability to use nearly any actual application on it (a d-pad and 2 letter keys), meant that it was an utter waste of money.
From what I've read, the biggest difference with the shadow II is the hardware design, which personally, I like even less.
Avoid!!
(maybe a g1 instead? it isn't that much more upfront).
My Droid should arrive tomorrow. \o/
Been F5'ing the FedEx website all day...
Hey guys, you forgot about the Blackberry Storm2. It's okay - you still have time to add the most innovative Blackberry in recent memory to your lineup. :)
@Darque the 9700 is way, way better. in fact, any blackberry with a keyboard is better than the storm. don't get it i had it it sucks i got the droid
for the messaging addicts, its gotta be a e71...such a perfect form factor. for the web heavy, droid
All I want for Christmas...is Droid.
I nabbed my 3GS on AT&T's site refurbished for $50 on Black Friday. =D
its so funny how you guys rank the phones after the cost _with_ a contract!
as it would be _that_ important if a phone costs 100 bucks more or less, when considering an according voice and data plan costs ten to twenty times as much over 2 years.
also i find it very cool how you shoot out posts for every 10 dollars certain smartphones go down in price while absolutelly neglecting the contract costs.
how about giving unlocked phones? or just money, so the loved ones can afford their current plan?
What do you think?
Pre or Droid Eris or iPhone 3Gs...
So hard to choose!
@highest ranked Droid not droid eris
I am new into the smartphone realm, and was looking into getting the Eris, figuring it was a reasonable place to start. I have a small data plan but only want to use it for WiFi. Is there a way I can turn off all the applications unless I'm within WiFi range?
"Oh, come on -- if you're telling us you can't think of a friend or family member that wants an iPhone 3GS on some level and hasn't yet taken the plunge... well, perhaps you've just done a really good job of equipping them with Pres and Android handsets"
LOL
In all honesty, I try to keep everyone I care bout away from the iPhone ways, at 1st my gf loved BBs but she fell for the iPhone and got one, and as soon as I got my HTC Magic, she got the Hero, so I made good on changing her, now my friends are following, there is nothing cool bout having a phone that everyone has, when ppl with droids and heros are all of the sudden everywhere!!!!
Come on now Engadget, the HTC Harrier was the last awesome HTC phone I used. After that awesome phone, I went to an Apache and was throughly disgusted. Then it was the Awesome Treo 700wx!
I have a Titan activated on my Sprint account now, and I'm not very happy with it. Luckily I moved to an iPhone for my main account and I really couldn't be happier (except if it was on Sprint and I was paying 1/2 the price I pay to AT&T every month).
But anyways, man I loved that Harrier. I would really like for HTC to revisit the sliding QWERTY factor. For it's time, the Harrier/BA was a pretty thin phone, so I would guess it wouldn't be a problem to make something more modern in that same form factor.
No HTC Hero? Is that because it's too close to its replacement date? Or is it really one-upped by the Touch Pro 2? (So tough to keep all this straight -- any tips would be appreciated.)
the n900 is out. should be on this list engadget.....
posted from my n900, Hawaii USA. (yes i have 3G)
Signing up someone for a 2 year contract is not a present. Lets break down the reasons why this is a bad idea:
* They might already have a contract with a service provider.
* You are signing them up for a service that they might not be able to afford or want.
* If your *benefactor* decides that she does not want the phone or service anymore, who is going to pick up that early termination fee?
It is almost analogous to buying someone a car and only paying the first monthly payment.