CNET's Best of CTIA 2010: Where are they now?
As we prepare for the country's largest mobile and smartphone show, we take a look at how last year's favorites fared in the wild.
It's hard to believe another year has flown by since the last spring CTIA 2010 show in Las Vegas. Before we head to Orlando for CTIA 2011, it's time to reminisce about the mobile devices that dominated last year's lineup.
Sprint's HTC Evo 4G took our prize for best phone, and it's little wonder why. Besides kicking off the 4G phone craze by becoming America's first 4G phone, the Evo debuted with a large, brilliant 4.3-inch display, the latest Android OS at the time (2.1 Eclair), a speedy, 1 GHz processor, and multimedia goodies like an HDMI-out port and hot spot action for up to eight devices.
We weren't thrilled with the $10 surcharge to use Sprint's 4G WiMax data, and since the Evo's debut, LTE has all but been declared winner of the 4G standard. However, even a year on, the Evo can hold its own among most competitors in the field. Sprint has even introduced a spin-off model, the
Samsung's Galaxy S was brimming with the promise of an exceptional Super AMOLED display, an integrated social experience through the Social Hub, and fast, premium hardware. The only problem was, we weren't sure when this runner-up for favorite phone would arrive in the U.S., and in which guise. It turns out there was a Samsung Galaxy phone for every major U.S. carrier, and for some of the more minor players as time ticked on.
Our biggest complaint is the body, which generally feels plasticky and slick. In addition, several models lack a camera flash. Over the year, updates to the Android operating system have lagged, a source of frustration on everyone's part.
Sprint's
The BlueAnt T1 was our favorite accessory from last year's show, and indeed, it was as durable and wind-resistant as promised. In our
What will this year hold?
This year's show promises faster, bigger phones, plus tablets, and even more great accessories. Here's what we think we'll see at CTIA 2011.