Ok Tom's Guide and @
Mark Spoonauer... sorry to go negative here w/ my 1st and maybe only post, But I agree 100% with the words of Androidchap. The quality of choice and truly progressive "Good Looking" tech in phones in the mass USA market is boring, lame, uncreative and WAY overpriced. Maybe it's not totally your fault that you put together a list which is completely uneventful... you're only reporting what the major carriers are largely selling as well as retail chains.
Rather, 'Tom's' could (and should starting soon) strive to separate your reviews of handsets and Smart devices by going outside the norm and telling 'The People' about lesser known brands and companies who are Truly putting fantastic value and major Bang for the buck into their devices and enlightening the people to these emerging options here in our market, and not just overseas.
Androidchap laid down some good examples, and noted the UK market also, and I would quickly emphasise other Asian companies who are putting out Beautiful designs with awesome specs for less than half the cost of even these "mid-range" value B.S models on the list.
Again, I'm not picking on you, your list is just like PC mags, cnet, techgurus, etc... you all have the same models but just in slightly different order as to your "best of-pick".
So piggybacking on the manufacturer's Androidchap noted, I would additionally offer up for 'the People' to check out: Xiaomi and their entire Mi line of electronics, such as the Mi 9, REDMi 9/Note 9s/9 Pro, 10 ... you get the idea. Add to that a newish player called Elephone (who's latest offering in the "value" space can now be had in pre-sale for the apsurd low cost of $130-$170 US and is spec'd more like a "flagship" phone in our market. Crazy.
Just look at the build quality, color choices, camera options galore (like 48 & 64 mp, 4 lens, with macro and good night vision capability) and you begin to see the vast differences out there. And did I mention the value? The bang for the buck that truly can be had if people just knew what to ask for? Oh yeah... I Did mention that.
Here's another- ASUS, who some should recognize for their Chromebooks, laptops, tabs, etc, ...well, turns out they make really killer phone designs too! Soon to launch should be the next ZenPhone 7 plus a higher-end (they claim) option in their Logic line I believe they call it?
Doesn't matter, the point is that you guys (Tom's) should be the ONES telling us about these alternatives, instead of just re-presenting the same year-over-year options which Anyone who's owned a Smartphone should already kinda have a feel for OR could get the same generic dialog from walking into a Verizon, AT&T, t-Mobile, or Sprint store and chatting it up with the sales kid. Just my opinion, but if I were you I would try to do something New to separate yourself from the other "big boys" in the Consumer Electronic Review space and make a name for yourselves AS PROGRESSIVE.
Your list sucks. The phones are ugly and mostly lame.
(sure, some of the Mi models I mentioned aren't 5G capable at the SUB-$350 range! (no duh), but who cares! Spend just a little more with them, like still under $500, $600, $700 and guess what- comes Standard with a Snapdragon 855 and All the bells and whistles to boot. That's a hell of a lot better than the stupidly ridiculous price that Apple & Samsung have "trained" most of us to expect for their "elite" models... give me a break. The iPhone hasn't barely had a 'sexy' or interesting design change in like... Forever!
Sadly, the phone scene in the States in largely boring and homogenized like most things.
Just take a moment to Go Look at the beautiful design Aesthetics of some models available in UK, Europe, and for certain Korea, Japan and China and you will see what I'm seeing...
America is sadly NOT a leader or out in front in the CE (electronics) marketplace at all.
We lag; big time.
Anyhow, that my 2 cents and a little more for you and some readers perhaps.
Take my suggestion and reinvent what you're bringing to the rest of us here in the USA and begin covering the "Cutting-edge stuff" and leave the lame re-runs and slow to change models and brands to others. (Obviously, you still need to cover Apple, Samsung, HTC, ONE, Moto, etc.,) but bring some new blood into the mix is all I'm getting at.
I'm off to order a totally KIck Ass Smart (and stylish) modern handset... it just isn't represented on Your or most anyone else's "Review" lists circulating here in the States.
It unfortunately crossed my mind that maybe you're promoting and writing about the 'regular' stuff because it helps drive your affiliate/partner advertising and links for readers to go purchase from the
"Samsung's of the world" as their only or 'best' current option?
Maybe it would be a lot more fun and add A Lot more valuable to your audience if you covered the Latest and (Less well Known) Greatest, rather than just the same-ol', same 'ol brands and models.
Give it a thought?
Lastly, your site or blog or forum or whatever this is happens to way too busy with large flashy Ads, pop-ups and general distractions, which also under value your potential to be taken more seriously. I know it helps pay the rent and expenses, but maybe take back some control and tone down the mass advertising on-slaught here. Thanks for the consideration.
Take care and Best of luck starting to cover "The Good Stuff". See Ya boys and girls!
-Jeff
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