The Coolest iPhone Competitors

Some of you might not be aware of this, but Apple recently started selling their very own cellphone. And by all accounts, it seems to be doing quite well. In fact, it’s been doing so well, it looks like it will tear the competition a new one if left unchecked. So speaking of the competition, I decided to look around and see what they were selling. How did some of their phones look in comparison?

Now, unlike many other reviews, I’m not looking for a phone that has all of the iPhone’s features. I’m also not trying to find the phone most similar to Apple’s latest product (I’m looking at you, LG PRADA). Instead, I looked to see what phones potentially could compete with Apple’s “cool factor.” What phones out there might turn heads the way Apple’s phone does. To that end I compiled a little list. However, before we begin I think I should clarify what I mean by “cool.”

This isn’t a list of diamond-encrusted cellphones. This also isn’t a list of imaginary concept phones. I realize that the way cool, totally awesome, telepathically controlled super phone that Samsung is working on will so totally crush the iPhone…whenever it comes out. But until they actually ship, it’s all a pipe dream as far as I’m concerned. Sorry guys, it doesn’t count unless your customers can actually buy it. I need to throw that in because in many articles I have read about alternatives to the iPhone they mention products that don’t exist yet, if ever. So, no cheating here. Both of these phones really exist.

Helio Ocean
The first phone is the Ocean by Helio. Now, in spite of myself I actually like this phone. I guess it’s because I’m impressed at the way in which they managed to hide both the keyboard and the number pad. This phone slides up and down and left to right; how cool is that? As cool as the touch sensitive iPhone? Not exactly. But it’s still really neat. If you want a comparison of the two phones, check out Helio vs iPhone. Like I said, it isn’t quite as cool as the iPhone, but it should definitely get credit for being more innovative than most of the crud out there.

Samsung Upstage
Samsung actually has a couple of phones that are each impressive in their own way. Sadly, they haven’t quite pulled all of the pieces together into a cohesive whole. One possible exception to this is the Upstage. It has the traditional candy bar shape, but has an interface on both sides of the device. The user can switch between which side they want to use with a flick of a button. Personally, I really like this device because I tend to favor smaller, more compact phones that don’t do too much. I don’t need many of the features that come with most cellphones and so the Upstage appeals to me more than most phones would. Is it as cool as the iPhone? Of course not, but like the Ocean it is a different approach to cellphone design, and I have to give Samsung credit for trying something different.

Now, obviously if you have $500 burning a hole in your pocket please go out and buy an iPhone. But if you’re like me then you might balk at dropping that much on a cellphone. I do realize that it is the most awesome cellphone in the history of civilization, but I can’t justify spending that much on a cellphone when I know I could buy an entire computer for a few hundred more. Sorry, it’s a great phone, but at the end of the day it’s still just a phone. And in my mind no phone is worth $500. It is at this point that I should mention that the Ocean is only $300 and the Upstage a mere $150. I should clarify (before the hate mail starts) that I’m not suggesting them as direct replacements for the iPhone (go buy a Blackberry), I’m just alerting everyone to the fact that there are a couple of really cool phones out there that aren’t made by Apple. They might not have all of the great features of the iPhone, but they sure are cheaper.

So, for the most part, both the Ocean and the Upstage are nifty phones at a decent price that do a whole lot of things and look really cool while doing it. So if the iPhone is out of your reach, at least give these two a passing glance. You might just be surprised.