How To Boost Your Android Phone's Performance In Quick And Easy Way

Though the hardware of smartphones is steadily becoming more capable it can't be utilised to its fullest potential without the software to tap it. This is personal technology's modern hurdle - the optimisation of both hardware and software to ensure a fast and seamless user experience.

The effects of this optimisation are most tangible for smartphone users, who in today's fast-paced world become impatient and frustrated if their smartphone starts slowing down, hanging, or otherwise impeding their productivity.

The slowdown of Android smartphones can be caused by several reasons, and usually starts becoming noticeable after several months of using them. Here are a few tips for users that feel their Android smartphones have slowed since they purchased the devices.

1.    Install a third-party app launcher

Most Android smartphone manufacturers customise the OS on their devices, with specially-designed skins, launchers or UIs that sport widgets, layouts and other custom features in addition to the vanilla OS offering. While some users do find these customisations and added features useful, they can potentially slowdown the smartphone.

A simple workaround is to install a good third-party launcher (simpler than rooting or installing a custom ROM on the smartphone), which should remove most of the custom features, whilst also providing personalisation options. Two of the best launchers available in the Google Play store are'Nova Launcher' and 'Lightning Launcher'.

2.    Remove extra apps, wallpapers, widgets

If users have a significant number of apps installed, it could slow down their smartphones. Users need to ask themselves if all the apps they have installed are being used, and then uninstall unused ones. Some apps cannot be uninstalled (especially bloatware apps from smartphone manufacturers), so users will have to settle for disabling them.

Live wallpapers, and an excess of widgets on home screens, can also slow down smartphones, and if users are experiencing performance issues they should consider using static wallpapers instead, and removing any non-vital widgets.

3.    Disable non-vital background processes, check synching apps

Some apps start up with the phone, while others are constantly synching with online services. Both of these can dramatically slowdown users' smartphones. To check which apps are running in the background, users should visit the Apps section in Settings, and swipe to the 'Running' tab. If there are apps running in the background that are not being utilised, users should try uninstalling the apps, or disabling them, in case the apps can't be removed.

Another thing to be checked is if there are apps that are synching in the background, and if the benefits of synching are being utilised by the user. If not, users can turn off synchronisation, saving both data and system resources. To do this, visit Settings>Data usage (could be a separate section called 'Usage' under 'Wireless & networks' menu, depending on your Android version), and scroll down to see which apps are using data.

Users can then either visit individual app settings to turn off synchronisation, or visit the 'Data usage' section's context menu, which has the 'Auto-sync data' option (not present in all Android versions), which can be turned off.

To do the same for any Google app or services, users will need visit Settings>Accounts>Google>User-profile. Here they can turn off sync settings for individual Google apps and services.

A must-install for Android smartphone users is Advanced Task Killer, which allows users to kill any apps that are taking too much memory (RAM) or slowing down the device for other reasons, such as instability.

4.    Clear app cache

Much-used apps will build up a cache that can slowdown an Android smartphone, and users can delete each used apps' cache regularly to speed up their devices. Unfortunately, this will have to be a rather regular process, as apps will start rebuilding their cache from the moment they are launched. To individually delete each app's cache, users will need to visit Settings>Apps, select the relevant app, and then click on the 'Clear cache' button.

To bulk-delete multiple apps' cache, or to set up scheduled cache-clearing, users can download a third-party application called 'App Cache Cleaner' from the Play Store, which can delete cache for multiple apps, and allow users to set up intervals for regular cache cleaning. Users can also delete cache data for all apps via a native Android option, found at Settings>Storage>Cached data.

5.    Disable animations

Animations are usually graphical transitions between menus, app drawers, and other interface locations. They use system resources to be generated, and occur quite regularly when navigating through a smartphone. They serve no purpose apart from beautifying the smartphone experience, and if users find their devices are slowing down, it is a good idea to turn off animations with no adverse impact on day-to-day use.

Turning off animations unfortunately is not very easy, with the option usually hidden behind the 'Developers options' section. To access 'Developers options', users need to visit Settings>System>About Phone where they can find the 'Build number' of their phone. Once they tap the 'Build number' seven times, users will then see 'Developer options' in the system menu. Here, they turn off all types of animation.  Users should be careful not to turn on or off any other option in this section.

6.    Clean out built-in storage

If the built-in storage of a smartphone is nearly full, the device will slow down quite dramatically. Between 10 and 20 percent of the total built-in storage should be available or free to avoid slowdowns. While a simple solution could be to simply delete all unused apps and clear cache data to save space, ideally users should be looking at a longer lasting solution. Most smartphones come with the option to expand built-in storage via microSD card.

If users' smartphones feature microSD card storage expandability, they should move all media to it, such as pictures, music and videos. Apps can also be moved from internal storage to SD card, by visiting the app's settings via Settings>App and navigate to individual apps. Some older versions of Android don't support this feature, and users will have to download an 'Apps to SD card' app from the Google Play store.

7.    Update firmware

While certain updates can have adverse effects, the general rule of thumb is that a firmware update for a smartphone will bring improvements of various types, usually including performance optimizations. Users experiencing reduced performance on their smartphones should check if the manufacturer has released a firmware update for them. 

To do this, users should visit Settings>System>About>Software Updates and check if an update is available over-the-air. If not present here, users can also check by connecting their smartphones to the PC suite software provided by the manufacturer, and check for updates there.

While most updates do not require users to back up their smartphones before the update, we recommend users do so just in case something does go wrong - it's better to be safe than sorry.

8.    Root phone, install custom ROM

While we don't recommend this method to anybody but a power user, the problem of a slowing Android smartphone is often solved by this method, with the user installing a custom ROM that is lighter and less-resource intensive than the manufacturer-customized UI and firmware. The method is similar to installing a third-party app launcher (Tip 1), however, has a much wider effect, essentially replacing all the software on the phone.

There are several guides and resources available online that can help users root their devices, and install custom ROMs from a database of independently developed firmware. XDA Developers Forum is one of the best resources for this, and users are recommended to read in detail the instructions and discussions about the specific custom ROM for their particular smartphone before going ahead. You can also visit CyanogenMod's website, which provides several easy installation tools and walkthroughs for its ROMs.

Please note, rooting smartphones or installing custom ROMs on them is usually (there are some tools also available) a rather complicated task, and a risky one that can see users lose all their data, or end up with a bricked device. Rooting or flashing smartphones also usually voids manufacturer warranty.

9.    SSD TRIM

Smartphones utilize solid state drives for their storage needs, and an inherent flaw with such a storage device is that when data is deleted from flash memory cells, the cells need to be completely wiped before they can used for a write process again. This requires the OS to issue a TRIM command to the drive to specific which cells are unused and should be wiped.

Google reportedly fixed this problem in Android 4.3 and higher, but if you are running an older version of Android, a solution does exist that will allow users to issue TRIM commands to the SSD. Users will need to root their smartphones, and install LagFix from the Play Store. Once again, rooting smartphones is a risky process and we recommend caution.

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Top 15 WhatsApp Tricks for Android and iPhone

1. Recover Deleted Messages

It happens that we unknowingly delete messages on Whatsapp and then regret for it. But now you can recover deleted message on Whatsapp by using this simple trick.

WhatsApp stores all your messages on your phone’s external memory (SD card) and for the same reason you can recover deleted messages. Go to SD card > WhatsApp > Databases and find these two files named (msgstore-yyyy..dd..db.crypt andmsgtore.db.crypt ). The first file has all the messages that you have sent or received in last seven days and the second file has the messages of the current day.

There’s no way to restore chats directly from WhatsApp, so if you want to restore a backup you’re going to have to uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp. When you start WhatsApp after the reinstall, you should be prompted to restore your most recent backup. Just follow the procedure and your chats should all be back.

2. Get Messaging Statistics On Android

This will definitely interest you if you’re a statistics geek, or simply someone who’s interested in finding out you and your friends’ WhatsApp habits. WhatStat provides information for metrics such as your top friends, friends’ and groups’ most active times of the day as well as message distribution for both one-on-one and group chats.

3. Send Two Pictures as One

Have you received an image where at first you see a beautiful girl and when you click on the image you get to see a monkey? No doubt girls are monkeys but here’s how you can do that. There’s no trick but an app to do it. Try Magiapp tricks for WhatsApp for android and FhumbApp for iPhone. Using them you can hide your best pics inside others. Unfortunately there’s not much you can do if you own a Windows phone or BlackBerry.

4.  Find Friends Profile Picture

Sometimes some of our friends put really cool kind of profile picture and we wish to download it. By default WhatsApp doesn’t come with any of the downloading option, but there is a simple workaround to get your friends profile pic. Go to SD card > WhatsApp and Profile Pictures, here you can find all the profile pictures of your friends associated with their mobile number and not names.

5. Change Your Fiends Profile Picture

Another WhatsApp trick is to change your fiends profile picture. This change will take effect only on your phone and not everyone else. But I think that’s enough to make your friend say how did you do this! 

Follow below steps to do it.

• First select a profile picture that you want to set for your friend (anything funny)
• Resize the photo to 561×561 pixel
• Rename the photo with your friends mobile number
• Now save the image in SD card > WhatsApp > Profile picture
• Put your phone in to flight mode or disable Network and WiFi connectivity

That’s it! Now show it to your friends make them fool.

6. Get WhatsApp Notifications On Desktop

If you’ve ever missed a WhatsApp message while working on your desktop, you’ll know how annoying it can be. If you’re using Android, there are a few ways to make sure that you never miss a WhatsApp message again. You can use Pushbullet, which includes notification mirroring alongside a lot of other features, but if all you want is notifications on your computer, check out Desktop Notifications. 

7. Stop Automatic Multimedia Content Download

In the earlier version of WhatsApp all the videos, audios and images that your friends sent to you were downloaded automatically. But with the latest update WhatsApp has given an option to stop automatic downloading of multimedia contents. To do this go to Settings -> Chat Settings -> Media auto-download -> and uncheck all the options namely ‘When using mobile data’, ‘when connected on WiFi’ and ‘When roaming’.

8.  Create a Fake Conversation

Noticed the fake conversations between Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Rahul Dravid and Suresh Raina prevailing on Facebook? Ever wanted to do that yourself? With the help of an app like WhatSaid for android and Fake-a-Message for iOS you can easily create fake conversations and play pranks on your friends. Don’t use it to spoil someone’s life though, please. 

9. Stop WhatsApp Images From Appearing In Gallery Or Camera Roll

Having WhatsApp images in your Gallery or Camera Roll can be very annoying; maybe the images are somewhat private, or you just don’t like having these images clutter up your Gallery or Camera Roll. You can fix this on both iOS and Android.

On iOS, it’s pretty simple; just go to Settings > Privacy > Photos and then turn the WhatsApp Switch Off. 

On Android, you have to create a .nomedia file in WhatsApp’s images or video directories. To do this, you need a file explorer such as ES File Explorer. Navigate to the images or video folders. Tap the New button in the lower left, pick File and create a file named .nomedia. This will stop the Gallery from scanning the folder.

10. Lock Your WhatsApp

Privacy is important to everyone, but while using WhatsApp you don’t have any inbuilt security option to secure your conversation. If you’re using Android, there’s WhatsApp Lock, while BlackBerry users will want to check out Lock for WhatsApp.

11. WhatsApp Chat Heads On Android

One of the best things about Facebook Messenger is its chat heads functionality. We’ve talked about bringing chat heads features to SMS before, but now you can also have chat heads for your WhatsApp conversations too, using WhatsApp Chat Heads. As the name suggests, the app works alongside WhatsApp to add chat heads for your conversations.

 

12. Send PDF, APK, ZIP & More

Unlike most chat apps, WhatsApp doesn’t allow you to send documents. WhatsApp has restriction on what file format you send using the app. You can only send videos, images and audios using WhatsApp, but what if you have to send PDF, ZIP and other formats? Here is a simple trick to send PDF, APK and ZIP files using WhatsAPP.

Follow these steps:

• Download and Install Dropbox app and CloudSend app on your phone
• Open CloudSend, next you’ll be asked to link CloudSend with Dropbox, allow it.
• Now share the file or document you want to send on CloudSend
• After sharing, CloudSend will automatically upload that file with Dropbox and will give a link to that file
• Now share the link with your friends so that they can download your file. A Bit time-consuming yet effective way to share unsupported formats.

13. Create Shortcuts For Important Contacts

Want to speed up your WhatsApp communication? How about creating a shortcut to your favorite Whatsapp contact or group straight from your homescreen?

On Android, this is as simple as long pressing on the group or contact you want to create a shortcut for. When the menu pops up, just tap on Add conversation shortcut. This will create a shortcut to the contact or group you have chosen right on your homescreen.

14. Change Phone Number Linked With WhatsApp

Bought a new sim card? Want to change your old number associated with WhatsApp without losing access to the groups you had joined? Here’s how you can do it. Go to Settings -> Account -> Change Number -> Type both your old and new phone number and hit ‘Done’.

15.  See Someone Whatsapp Messages (Even If It Has Been Deleted) !!!

This is not  whatsapp hacks actually this is a trick.and these trick is to know the messages that has been sent or received  by your victim on his or her whatsapp (even if he or she has deleted those messages) Whatsapp store all his messages i.e it makes a backup of messages on your phone in sd card and keep it for 7 days so You can see someone messages through that backup using this way to hack whatsapp

• Here is how to do it

You need to get access to victim phone first and then open  /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases/

There are two types of files database

-msgstore-yyyy..dd..db.crypt     and    -msgtore.db.crypt

There should be 7 files of this type these are the backups of chats which whatsapp has made for the last 7 days.

 -msgtore.db.crypt

This is temporary database made by whatsapp which store the messages of the same day.(this is not a backup).So even if someone deletes the messages as soon as she or he has send it it get stored in this file so if you can decrypt this file then you can access the today messages that are deleted within 15 min or 2 min or 1 hr of when they are send and was not backup up.

Then copy msgstore-yyyy..dd..db.crypt into your phone or cloud either by bluetooth or other sharing technique.

Before doing this, make backup of your whatsapp database by coping it in another folder then replace it with the db  file you just copied from your victim phone into your whatsapp database folder.

And you are done you have hack whatsapp and now you can see every chat of the person even if he he/she has deleted the chat or not.

Note:- The second file will not get recover in the whatsapp because it is not a backup file so use the second method.

Or

You can try WhatsApp’s own Solution to Recover second file.

WhatsApp itself provide a solution to recover your accidentally deleted WhatsApp messages.All you need to do is uninstall the app and install it back. This would actually use all the backup files, and restore whatever it can.

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WhatsApp Added New Privacy Settings

When Facebook announced that they had bought mobile messaging app WhatsApp for $16 billion a common concern among users was that their personal data was about to be shared to advertisers.

Now, WhatsApp co-founder Jan Koum has published a blog post in order to “set the record straight” and address the “inaccurate and careless information circulating about what our future partnership would mean for WhatsApp users’ data and privacy”.

Koum stresses that the partnership with Facebook will allow WhatsApp to “continue operating independently and autonomously” and that the company would not have chosen to hitch its 465 million users to Facebook’s wagon if they had to change their principles.

• By default, WhatsApp will automatically set your Privacy Settings to allow any WhatsApp user to view your last seen, profile photo and status. Please note there is no way to hide youronline status.

To change these settings, simply go to Menu Button > Settings > Account > Privacy.

You can set the following options separately for last seen, profile photo and/or status.

Everyone

Your last seen, profile photo and/or status will be available to all WhatsApp users.

My Contacts

Your last seen, profile photo and/or status will be available to your contacts from your address book only.

Nobody

Your last seen, profile photo and/or status will not be available to anyone.

Note: The Nobody setting is reciprocal. Setting last seen, profile photo and/or status to Nobody will also prevent you from seeing other users' information.

                            Information Source :- Whatsapp Official Site & Independent.co.uk.

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Nokia X vs Samsung Galaxy S Duos 2

Nokia X, the cheapest among the three Nokia Android smartphones, has  been launched in India 2 weeks ago. The other two phones, Nokia X+ and Nokia XL, will be launched in the country in next two months.
The Nokia X has been priced at

Rs 8,599 for the Indian market. At this price, you can also buy the Samsung Galaxy S Duos 2. Here thus we have compared the two handsets on the basis of their features which will give you some idea about their worth.

Design and Display

During its launch, the Nokia India guys prominently talked about the ruggedness of Nokia X. They even showed how it can withstand falls on tough surfaces. There is nothing like that when it comes to Galaxy S Duos 2.

The Nokia X measures 115.5 mm x 63 mm x 10.4 mm (height, width, thickness) and it weighs 128.7 grams. On the other hand, the Samsung phone measures 121.5x 63.1x10.57 mm and weighs 118 grams. Not only dimension, both the phones also come with 4 inch display that too with the same 480x800 pixels resolution.

However, the similarties vis-a-vis looks ends in figures only. The Nokia X comes in bright Green, Yellow, White, Black, Orange, and Cyan colours. And like Android Lumia range, the Nokia X has also been hailed by many for its gorgeous looks. On the other hand, Samsung Galaxy S Duos 2 comes in "boring" black and white options.

Here is a quick comparison between both of them. 

Conclusion:- While Nokia X is armed with good looks and brings freshness to the low end Android segment, the Samsung Galaxy S Duos 2 has better features.

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First Hybrid Smartphone -Dual-Boot Windows and Android Phones Coming This Year

Recently there's been a push to have PCs dual booting with Android and Windows , and it seems that may soon extend to phones. Reports suggest that the first Windows Phone-Android dual booting handsets are coming this year.

News are that Karbonn Mobiles has signed a licensing agreement with Microsoft and plans to release a phone that boots into both Windows Phone and Android within the next six months. "Microsoft has eased the regulations and is opening up its platform for other players. We signed the agreement five days ago and will launch a range of Windows Phones in about three months," explained Karbonn chairman Sudhir Hasija.


The new handsets will reportedly be aimed at "professionals" and "tech-savvy consumers." Last year, Bloomberg reported that the head of Microsoft's operating systems unit Terry Myerson asked HTC to "load Windows Phone as a second option on [Android] handsets." Not much ever came of that, but with this new report it suggests that Microsoft is keen to get involved in dual-boot phones.

Which, honestly, we're not clear on the benefits of. Unlike PCs where dual-booting can help run once piece of hardware for quite different usage scenarios, a phone is, when it comes down to it, a phone. You talk, text, email, browse and snap photos and it's just not clear to us why you'd need to boot into a whole different OS for some marginal benefit in functionality. But hey, let's not stand in the way of progress. 2014 may the year of populist dual-booting; let's wait see what that holds.

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Best smartphones 2014: The best 20 phones available to buy today

So, you want to buy a new phone? If you're looking for the best smartphone of 2014, you've come to the right place. We will guide you through the hottest mobile phones of the year to save you time when you go to your local phone shop.

We continually update our best smartphones feature to reflect recent launches, putting 2014's latest devices alongside the best of 2013, but all the listed devices have been fully reviewed by us.

Things are changing fast in the world of smartphones: slashed prices, ever-improving hardware, software updates and refreshed handsets arriving every few months means that things never stand still.

Be sure to let us know what you think is the best smartphone in the comments below.

20. Nokia Lumia 620

The Nokia Lumia 620 earns its place by delivering that Windows Phone experience without costing the earth at around Rs. 12299. That's right, this budget WinPhone really delivers value for money while still retaining great design and build quality. It's getting a little old now, however, and its position is hotly contested by the Lumia 520.

Of course some compromises have been made on the spec sheet to hit the low price point, but the Nokia Lumia 620 is a great choice for those looking for smartphone performance in a compact package.

Buy the Nokia Lumia 620 if you want a cheap, compact, but competent Windows Phone.

19. Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini

The Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini continues Samsung's trend to capitalising on a successful handset name. It's not a mini in the sense that it matches the specs, but in design and to some extent, experience.

Samsung's customisation brings a huge change over Android, packing it with useful features and options, although some might find that over the top. The display is great, if not quite matching the sharpness of the HTC One mini, but here you have the advantage of microSD card expansion and access to the battery, should you wish to swap it on a busy day.

With enough power under the hood, slick design and all that software innovation, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini is cheaper and more compact than it's bigger brother, but still delivers a great smartphone experience. It sounds a little expensive in light of devices like the Moto G however, costing Rs. 19600.

Buy the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini because you want the Samsung experience in a compact package.

18. HTC One mini

The HTC One mini offers the lovely design of the HTC One, but doesn't stop there. It has a cracking 4.3-inch 720p display that's very capable and enough grunt under the hood to cope with pretty much everything you want to do with your phone on a day-to-day basis, but won't match the top handsets for sheer power or speed.

The HTC One mini takes a hit on the spec sheet, but offers the same UltraPixel camera of the HTC One, along with all the smart functions like Zoe and the highlight videos that bring your photography to life.

It's all wrapped into a nice mature bundle by HTC Sense 5 making for a mini experience that's really enjoyable. It's pretty costly compared to a phone like the Moto G however, costing you Rs. 29869.

Buy the HTC One mini if you want that rich HTC Sense experience in a nicely designed, but pocketable handset.

17. Nokia Lumia 1020

Nokia is chasing two things in smartphones: the best Windows Phone experience it can create and the best camera. If those align with your own needs, then the Nokia Lumia 1020 might be the perfect phone for you.

The very capable PureView camera on the back brings options you simply don't get elsewhere in the smartphone world: it's a great performer. The compromise you have to accept however, is that this is a big phone, especially compared to Nokia's "other" flagship, the Lumia 925, which we think is a better option for the average user. The Nokia Lumia 1020 also struggles with battery life if you're using the camera a lot and can get hot when in use.

In many areas, the Lumia 1020 offers the same experience as the Lumia 925, with Windows Phone offering a great alternative to Android or iOS. There are still some holes in the app ecosystem, but Nokia is doing more than any manufacturer to plug them and the recent Lumia Black update brought improvements and features to the experience, although this is a costly handset at Rs. 43999.

Buy the Nokia Lumia 1020 if you want the best smartphone camera available.

16. Nokia Lumia 925

The Nokia Lumia 925 rights the wrongs of the Lumia 920, while delivering much of the same goodness. Great design in a nice, slim, handset, brings together the best of Nokia and the best of Windows Phone 8.

The 4.7-inch display looks great, there are plenty of extras that have been added by Nokia and this phone also offers some of the latest upgrades to Windows Phone too, with the recent Lumia Black update making this device more impressive and compelling.

It's also available for not a lot of cash, costing only Rs. 26849.

Buy the Nokia Lumia 925 if you want a wonderfully designed, great value for money, Windows Phone that's a good all-rounder.

15. Apple iPhone 5C

The iPhone 5C is Apple's "colourful" handset. It takes the innards of 2012's iPhone 5, adds a touch more 4G compatibility and a slightly improved battery life and wraps it in a colourful plastic casing.

Originally perceived as the "cheap" handset for those who couldn't afford the iPhone 5S, which offers better performance all round, the iPhone 5C offers a great Apple experience, with access to everything the App Store has in offer. It lacks, slightly, because it doesn't have quite the same potential as the 5S and it could be seen as more expensive than it should be, given the older specs and plastic body and the Rs. 39400 price tag.

However, for many, the iPhone 5C will offer a great choice of handset. It might not have the large display of some of the mid-range Android stars, but you still get a great experience.

Buy the iPhone 5C if you want the iPhone experience on a tighter budget.

14. Samsung Galaxy S4 Active

Where the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active wins is in offering an experience that's really close to the Samsung Galaxy S4, in a water-resistant package. That takes the pains out of dropping your phone in the toilet and gives you more freedom to use your device in all conditions.

There's plenty of power and an impressive Full HD display, meaning that despite having something that's resistant to the elements, it won't cause a huge bulge in your pocket. Then there's all the customisation and all the features brought by Samsung's TouchWiz, although some might think there's just too much distracting you from the pure goodness of Android.

Some might not like the rugged looks, or the move to hardware buttons, but for those who want to get dirty with their phone, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active is a natural choice. The Xperia Z1 is more powerful, but the Galaxy S4 Active makes better use of space, so it's more comfortable to use day to day.

However, while the SGS4 cousin has dropped in price, the Active hasn't moved down so far at Rs. 41500.

Buy the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active if you want the S4 experience with added protection.

13. Samsung Galaxy Note 2

The Samsung Galaxy Note took the smartphone world by storm, crossing the divide between tablets and smartphones.

It might be too large for some, but the 5.5-inch display gives you room to play, without being too big for your pocket. Samsung's innovative features will help you get the most out of the size on offer from the Samsung Galaxy Note 2.

There's a stylus which might be more popular with those who prefer to note down things in writing, but you can equally just leave the stylus in place and never use it, if it's the larger display that you're after. It's big and beautiful, and far from stupid.

The Note 2 is bettered by its replacement, the Note 3, and the price of Rs. 27664 now sounds a little on the high side for a device that's getting old.

Buy the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 because you want a great phablet, but can't stretch to the Note 3.

12. Motorola Moto X

Motorola has been in this business a long time and although it doesn't launch as aggressively as rivals like Samsung, there's still a great feeling of quality when you get your hands on the Motorola Moto X.

The Moto X doesn't go up against the flagship phones out there on the spec sheet, but it still delivers the essentials. The dual-core processor offers plenty of power, partnered with 2GB of RAM and the 4.7-inch display offers plenty of space to play, even if the resolution is a notch down at 720p.

What you do get, however, is the option to customise the exterior of your phone (for those in the US), so you can design it to suit your own style with a choice of 252 different colour combinations.

The software offers a blend of Android KitKat with a range of Motorola tweaks, which we think get the balance just about right. It's all you want of Android and not too heavily drawn off into unnecessary customisation. There's a generous 2,200mAh battery, that will see this phone outlasting some rivals. It might have some mid-range specs, but it delivers an experience that impresses at Rs. 12499.

Buy the Motorola Moto X if you want an experience close to raw Android, with some clever customisation.

11. Sony Xperia Z1

The Sony Xperia Z1 refreshes the excellent Sony Xperia Z, bringing you a powerful handset, with waterproofing, a slick design and a large 5-inch display.

On paper the Z1 sounds like it will be king of all classes, but the boosting of the battery and the accommodation of a 20-megapixel camera, swells the body to larger than its rivals, with a bigger footprint than the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the LG G2, but not quite reaching into phablet territory. But if you can handle the size there are plenty of treats in store.

It's a veritable powerhouse, with great internal hardware, so everything is slick and fast. The waterproofed 3.5mm headphone jack is now more convenient than the original Xperia Z, but the previous phone is smaller and getting cheaper, so is definitely worth considering. The Xperia Z1 will cost you Rs. 38800.

Buy the Sony Xperia Z1 if you want big power in a big phone.

10. Sony Xperia Z

The Sony Xperia Z offers a great design package that's distinctly different. Sony may have revised the Xperia Z with the Z1 and the new device is certainly a lot more powerful, but we think the size of the original Z makes it more appealing.

Sony's take on Android is lighter than ever before, resulting in a device that doesn't feel inhibited, while still bringing plenty of power. We love that even though this handset is water resistant, you still get the option to expand the memory. There's talk that an Android 4.4 KitKat update will bring the Z uptodate.

There's a huge 5-inch Full HD display on the front, and although it's not as accomplished as that of the HTC One or Samsung Galaxy S4, it's still a pleasure to use. The price has really fallen too, sitting at 32990.

Buy the Sony Xperia Z because you want a slick design and big display at a great price.

9. Nokia Lumia 1520

The Nokia Lumia 1520 is the best Lumia to date. It brings Windows Phone into the realm of the phablet, but it does it with aplomb, giving you a device that offers size, power and a great camera performance.

Nokia's commitment to the platform, dragging apps - kicking and screaming - over to Windows Phone really enhances what's on offer, but also pouring home-grown features in too.

We've been critical of some of the moves of Windows Phone, and of Nokia, in the recent past, but the Lumia 1520 feels like the hero device that Nokia needed. It's powerful, it's wonderful to use and it's the rival of Android peers that rule the big-screen phone world. It's also fairly affordable for a device of this size, priced at Rs. 45999.

Buy the Nokia Lumia 1520 if you want the biggest and best Windows Phone experience.

8. Nexus 5

The Nexus 5 plays out the pure Google dream, debuting Android 4.4 KitKat and bringing you plenty of power for your money. There's also a brilliant display, which gives you plenty of detail and performance to rival some of the top phones out there.

There are downsides, however. We don't think it's the best designed phone around, perhaps less interesting than the Nexus 4 which came before it and as is typical of Nexus devices, the camera isn't so good and neither is the battery, which is the biggest downside.

However, the Nexus 5 delivers plenty in it's aggressively priced package at Rs. 29990, especially if power and display are top of your list and you have the reassurance of knowing you'll be at the front of the Android upgrade queue too.

For some, however, the refinement added by other manufacturers will bring attractive features out of the box that the Nexus 5 lacks.

Buy the Nexus 5 for the pure Android experience and plenty of power in an affordable package.

7. Samsung Galaxy S4

The Samsung Galaxy S4 brings more innovation to a phone that's already at the top of its game. The design offers flexibility where others don't, with access to the battery and the option to expand the memory via microSD.

Some may say that there's a feature too many and the design isn't as inspiring as some other devices like the HTC One, but if you opt for the Samsung Galaxy S4, you won't be disappointed. Samsung crams a large 5-inch full HD display into a handset that isn't overly large, so despite going big, the size is still manageable.

Undoubtedly the Samsung Galaxy S4 will be the top smartphone choice for many and sell by the bucketload, but recent launches bring more raw power and a more refeshing user interface. SGS4 users are awaiting an update to Android 4.4 KitKat and it looks like the Samsung Galaxy S5 will be announced before it arrives.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 will handle anything you throw at it, and beautifully so, but those looking for more power might be tempted by the cheaper LG G2. The SGS4 will cost you around Rs. 28707.

Buy the Samsung Galaxy S4 to get flagship performance, with the option to change battery and expand the storage.

6. Samsung Galaxy Note 3

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 takes the large device format and continues to refine it. In this 2013 model, there's a cracking 5.7-inch display offering a 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution, giving you 386ppi. It's packed into a frame that measures 151.2 x 79.2 x 8.3mm, making it one of the most compact devices with such an expansive display.

Some might not like the faux leather back, but you can peel that off and swap it out: as well as access the internals to expand the storage or change the battery.

There's plenty of power, thanks to the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset and 3GB of RAM, meaning that everything is slick and smooth. Samsung hasn't ignored the screen space on offer, giving you innovative features through the S Pen to help keep you productive.

You get a lot with the Note 3, but it's also going to cost you a lot at Rs. 42300. Arguably you can get bigger displays for the same money, but in the Note 3 the blend just feels right. It might be just too big for some.

Buy the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 for the best phablet experience.

5. LG G2

LG hasn't had the smoothest run of in the world of modern smartphones, but the LG G2 brings things back into focus. There's heaps of power on offer and a 5.2-inch display crammed into a body that's still fairly compact: LG has banished bezels, so you get more space to play.

It's a powerful phone with the latest hardware. The point is though, this phone competes brilliantly with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S4 while offering a more "Android" experience, through a slightly less customised UI. The camera isn't the best; the SGS4 beats it easily, and the iPhone is streets ahead.

Some have expressed dislike of the rear-mounted buttons, but they make sense when you're in a call and trying to adjust the volume - far more so, at least, than side mounted buttons do.

But best of all, the display is outstanding. LCD screens have great detail, and accurate colours that AMOLED screens can't claim. And the high-quality audio system will blow you away if you plug in some high-quality music, and some decent headphones.

What we like most is that LG hasn't just thrown features at the phone. It's thought about what is missing from current phones, and what customers might like to have, and done its best to incorporate those into the LG G2. It will cost you around Rs. 46000.

Buy the LG G2 for it's impressive performance, slick design and thoughtful software tweaks.

4. Motorola Moto G

The Motorola Moto G has taken a lot of people by surprise. We've heard the sentiments plenty of times before: performance at a price, without compromise. Motorola, however, went ahead and got it right. The Moto G is a fantastic smartphone and incredible value for money that's difficult to ignore. With a price as low as Rs. 12499, if you're on a budget, this is the handset to choose.

Take the price out of the equation and you don't feel let down, however. The design is great, the display is excellent and there's plenty of power too. Yes, it will be out-performed by any number of handsets, but those are handsets that will cost you twice as much.

We're really impressed with what you get in the Moto G. It's a great handset and no matter what your budget, if you're after a smartphone for daily use, then this phone pretty much does it. It's fast, the display is lovely and the camera will give you some decent shots too.

Better still, the Motorola Moto G was one of the first non-Nexus devices to be upgraded to Android 4.4 KitKat.

Buy the Motorola Moto G for the best Android experience in a budget handset.

3. Sony Xperia Z1 Compact

The Sony Xperia Z1 Compact is the phone where Sony Mobile got it right. It blends power with performance and design in a handset that will slip into any pocket. There's no shortage of devices at this size, but the Z1 Compact is the best performer by a considerable margin.

Although this handset doesn't have a full HD display, the 4.3-inch 720p screen is packed with detail and it doesn't feel lacking. It also offers better colours and better viewing angles than other Sony phones. There's a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset with 2GB of RAM and 16GB or storage with the option to expand with microSD, all sealed into a water resistant package.

Although it launches on Android 4.3, a KitKat upgrade is promised and we'll be expecting Sony to deliver this swiftly, or the Z1 Compact will be eclipsed by newer launches with more uptodate software. That said, there's plenty of refinement in the software, but a hefty amount of Sony bloat too.

We really love the power controls, which brings day-long performance to the Z1 Compact, easily outlasting many of the devices on this list. Sony's Stamina mode offers granular control over the apps and services, giving you much more control over data and battery use.

The result is a handset that's should be seriously considered. It's the first of the latest breed, and a phone that we'd happily recommend to those looking for a compact Android handset. It's also priced cheaper than many flagship devices at Rs. 34990.

Buy the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact for the best flagship Android experience in a compact device.

2. Apple iPhone 5S

With exquisite attention to detail and wonderful design, the iPhone 5S is master of the largest mobile ecosystem around. The design isn't a huge step over the previous edition, but the internal modifications, paired with a new refreshed OS, keeps Apple in the smartphone fight.

The iPhone 5S experience is very refined; it's mature, familiar and intuitive and supported by an App Store that's always first in line for the new apps, while you won't be left waiting for Apple's software updates. This is the handset that iOS 7 was built for and where it performs the best.

The iPhone 5S sets itself up for future dominance: 64-bit support and a new coprocessor dedicated to handling the motion sensors provide the potential for new directions. The camera is as reliable as ever, with a better flash unit and the addition of a fingerprint scanner provides for easy access with a layer of security.

Great battery life comes with this phone that is slick and fast in operation, it's just a shame that the display is one of the smallest around. At least it won't be making an unsightly bulge in your pocket, even if buying it might make a little hole in your finances at Rs. 46000 (16GB). A late launch in 2013 means the iPhone is unlikely to see a newer version until late 2014.

Buy the iPhone 5S to get the best Apple experience.

1. HTC One

The HTC One is a triumph of design and sumptuous to hold. It balances size with practicality, making it a great all-rounder: there's space to play, but you're not grappling with something that feels too large. There's a stunning 4.7-inch display on the front, with a full HD resolution, so Android looks pin sharp, delivering some of the best quality visuals you'll find on a smartphone, paired with sound quality from the front speakers that's unmatched.

HTC Sense has been refined with a lot of the clutter removed to focus on the essential features. There's an elegance and sophistication to HTC's flagship phone for 2013, making it a pleasure to use, and the update to Android 4.4 KitKat has been reletively prompt, but is still ongoing for some regions.

The camera might not be the best for straight photos, but the unique features it offers are really fun.

It might not now have the most-powerful hardware inside, but it still skips through daily tasks with ease, but if out-and-out power is what you're after, you might want to look at what's on offer elsewhere. The battery life can be a little on the short side, but overall, the HTC One still delivers a great experience.

The HTC One was awarded Best Smartphone 2013 in the 10th Annual Pocket-lint Awards. The price hasn't dropped as fast as some rivals, now sitting at Rs. 31499 (16GB), but the HTC One has stood the test of time. With new handsets around the corner, however, things may be just about to change.

Buy the HTC One for its outstanding design, the great display, excellent sound and mature user interface.

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