Top Ten Android Jelly Bean Smartphones

Smartphones are fast becoming the standard for communication and computing technology. Much like the eventual rise of free text messages, it is only a matter of time before data plans follow suit. Everything a completely connected person needs is at their fingertips: social networks, HD games, video and the like are the basics available.

All smartphones fall into one of three categories: iOS for Apple, Windows Mobile, and the ever popular Android. Android phones seem to dominate the market for the majority of smartphones and the Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system is the top of the line currently. On the market since November 2012, its complete power is as of yet completely untapped. As a specialist insurer of mobile phones, we at Protect Your Bubble naturally take an interest in all happenings within the smartphone market. Of the most popular smartphone OS (Android), we've taken a look and compiled a list of ten of the best Android phones with the latest Jelly Bean processor.

Top 10 Mobile Phones with Android Jelly Bean Operating System

1 – HTC ONE

Think Android and the undisputed master of the 4.2 Jelly Bean system; one has to consider the HTC ONE. Aluminium and poly-carbonate edges make it easy to hold and attractive to boot. Hardware is even more appealing: a 4.7 inch screen, gorilla glass panel and 1080p mean easy to read in sunlight. The Droid DNA, metal volume rocker, SIM tray and microUSB port are merely icing on the cake. Still not impressed? Fine: Headphone jack, lock button, 4MP ultra-pixel camera in the back and 2.1MP camera in the front with LED light under speaker. Weighing a scant 143 grams and Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor is enhanced with 2GB RAM. This is the phone that put HTC on the market and the specifications support that fact – hands down.

2 – Samsung Galaxy S4

Taglined the ‘life companion,’ the S4 has almost as many features as the first on the list. Of course, 4.2 Jelly Bean powers this device but the screen is a nice 5 inches and 16 million colour palate. 1080p super AMOLED touchscreen with gorilla glass 3 has the 1.9GHz quad-core Krait 300 CPU and 2 GB of RAM. A 13MP camera has LED flash and 1080p video recording at a blistering 30fps with continuous autofocus. A 2MP front-facing camera rounds out the camera functions. WiFi ready, choose your storage of 16/32/64GB and thrown in a microSD slot IR port for remote access. Headphone has proximity sensor, barometer, thermometer, accelerometer and hygroscope. Slimmer than the Galaxy S3, plastic gives it a good feel in the hand but don’t let the feel fool you, it is designed well. To top it off, eye scroll. The scanner follows the paragraph as it is read tracking eye movement. Android fans, rejoice!

3 – Sony Xperia ZL

Sony is better known for high end electronic equipment, but the Xperia ZL is eye catching and the most powerful of the 5 inch devices with the goods to prove it. Omnibalance design has flat surfaces and right angles. Soft touch back buffers fingerprints and the oily residue left behind. Hardware is impressive: OptiContrast LCD and a 443ppi resolution with a weight of 151 grams. The battery, much like the vaulted Apple iPhone is non-removeable, but a 2,370mAh Li-polymer has plenty of standby time. 16GB of internal memory is expandable with the microSDHC port. Cameras are industry standard 13MP rear and 2MP front-facing. Snapdragon, Qualcomm’s top-end processor, zooms with a 1.5GHz processor. 2GB RAM make it like the rivals listed at the top of the list, the potential for a great phone is there, but there are simply not enough features that scream, “Wow!” for die-hard Android fans.

4 – HTC One X+

Making a second appearance on the list, this device has more storage, bigger battery and 4.7 inches 16 million color super LCD 2 touchscreen in HD with gorilla glass 2. To power the Jelly Bean, the One X+ has 1.7 ghz quad-core cortex -A9 CPU, Nvidia Tegra 3 chipset. 1GB of RAM, an 8MP rear camera has HD 1080p recording at 28fps. Other standards include the 3.5mm audio jack, microUSB port make this phone appropriate for a first time smartphone user, but the younger, more familiar smartphone users will elect the One X instead. The market is just no there for the advanced features available on the phone – for now.

5 – HTC Butterfly

HTC has flooded the market with smartphones and it looks like it is detrimental to the overall company. The Butterfly is an attempt to keep up with the Galaxy line, and the dual-core Krait chipset with HD display may be for naught. The 8MP camera and geo-tagging is okay, the 2.1MP front camera fires HD video at 30fps – not too shabby. The 4.1 is upgradeable to 4.2 Jelly Bean with HTC Sense. Under the hood, quad core 1.5GHz Krait CPU, 2GB RAM, Qualcomm snapdragon chipset and has 5 inches super LCD touchscreen with 441ppi under gorilla glass 2. 16GB memory, microSD slot, 3.5mm audio jack and as a first on the list, NFC for those true technophiles. The original market was Taiwan, but the strength of the potential moves HTC into other markets. Here is a hope it does not come back to haunt them.

6 – Samsung Galaxy Note II

Finally, a company took the correct approach to technology but ignore the size for a minute for the good things about this device. It is a mini-tablet of sorts and works on 850/900/1800/1900MHz frequencies. Heavy against the rest of the competition at 180 grams, the 5.5 inch and 16 million colors have incredible HD. The AMOLED screen has gorilla glass for sharp viewing. A stylus has sensitive 1024 pressure levels and handles hovering well. Android 4.1 is upgradeable to 4.2 with 2GB of RAM and a Quadcore ARM cortex A9 1.6GHz processor. Storage is 16/32/64 and has the microSD slot. Camera is small comparative to its size at 8MP rear and 1.9MP front facing. The battery is an impressive 3100mAh. Technophiles who feel this is not enough, the Note also features eye tracking, gyroscope, proximity sensor, touch input, multi touch input and built in accelerometer. As Samsung continues into the market, before too long this device will become the phablet – a portmanteau of tablet and phone. Phancy, no?

7 – LG Optimus G Pro

If there were a hall of fame for Android, this would be the first member. Quad-core snapdragon 600 chipset, 5.5 inch full HD and 1080, 13MP camera, 2.1MP front camera, full 1080p video, 32AGB memory and the ubiquitous microSD slot make this an excellent, no, AWESOME phone. LG needs some upgrading in the marketing department to run with the big boys so people get the idea LG makes washing machines and such, not phones.

8 – Google (LG) Nexus 4

Competition is common in Android phones, but this phone pays the pricing card to fight with the other companies. Priced lower than much of the competition, this phone has everything that the other companies offer and then some. Don’t believe it? Check this: 4.7 inch display at 16 million colors, gorilla glass, Quad band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support, Jelly Bean 4.2 powered by a 1.5GHz Krait, 2 GB RAM, Adreno 320 CPU and the Snapdragon s4 Pro. Sadly, the camera lacks at 8MP, 1.3MP front camera and only 8/16GB internal memory. The microSD slot helps some, but not enough. The 2100 mAh battery does charge wirelessly, and that is a good thing. The real benefit to this phone is the price, and that is really about it.

9 – Samsung Galaxy S3

Samsung unleashed this phone with a boom, and the aftershocks are still rippling through the phone world. The S3 started the 4.2 saga and the marketing strategy helped significantly. Built to last, 133 grams, Super AMOLED, 16 million colors, and multitouch just work on this phone. 8MP camera is basic, sure, but the UI animations and many other features make this phone deadly accurate for the ever changing face of phone technology. If there were natural selection in phones, this one would survive because of the expectations and how it matched them.

10 – Micromax A116 Canvas HD

A new competitor on the market, this Android has plenty of good features to raise eyebrows. Budget friendly and great for a backpocket of a teenager, 156 grams and IPS LCD touchscreen, it boasts 5 inch screen and the standard 16 million colors. 4GB internal memory is upgradeable to only 32GB with the microSD slot. A single GB of RAM, 8MP camera and Quad-core 1.2GHz Cortex-A7 has an accelerometer, gyro, compass and proximity sensor. The battery is only 2000mAh. Those looking for a midrange smartphone has some great features for such a low budget. Time will tell if this company can survive in the cell phone market where you are only as good as yesterday.