iOS

Apple’s operating system is no stranger, as it powers iPhones, iPod Touches and iPads, and is prominently displayed in the ubiquitous television commercials for each. The latest version of the software, iOS 4, brings multitasking to the iPhone, introduces a new video-calling feature called FaceTime, and, of course, offers direct access to music and movies via iTunes and the more than 250,000 apps available in Apple’s App Store.

AT&T

iPhone 4

Forget the infamous antenna issues for a moment and focus on what makes this the best iPhone yet. The 3.5-inch touch screen features what Apple is labeling Retina Display – 640x960-pixel resolution at 326 ppi. The LED flash camera/video recorder captures 5-

megapixel stills and 720p video up to 30fps. The iPhone 4, available in 16GB or 32GB models, features a much-improved battery life over previous models and also introduces a three-axis gyroscope along its accelerometer for improved gaming Price: 16GB – $199 with two-year contract. 32GB – $299 with two-year contract

webOS smartphones Palm’s operating system for its Pre and Pixi devices is all about consolidation. Users can feed multiple e-mail accounts into a single inbox, and Palm Synergy integration brings together multiple sources of information (think Facebook, Google and LinkedIn) into one space for both contacts and calendar events. The announced 2.0 version of webOS will organize multitasking programs into like groups under a feature called Stacks, and Synergy will open to developers to integrate account and contact information and events right into new apps, thousands of which, from Fandango to Facebook, are available in the Palm App Catalog.

AT&T / Verizon

Palm Pre Plus

The touchstone design features a 3.1-inch multitouch screen that slides out to a full QWERTY keyboard. The camera captures video and 3-megapixel stills with LED flash. Wi-Fi capability also serves as a hotspot for up to five devices (Verizon only). The Pre Plus features 16GB of memory and comes with built-in GPS. Price: AT&T – $149,99 with two-year contract. Verizon – $49.99 with two-year contract

Palm Pixi Plus

This candy bar smartphone features a 2.63inch touch screen alongside a physical QWERTY keyboard – no sliding required – and comes with 8GB of memory. Like the Pre Plus, the Pixi Plus has W-Fi hotspot capabilities (Verizon only) and built-in GPS, while the LED flash camera captures 2-megapixel stills, plus video. Price: AT&T – $79,99 with two-year contract. Verizon – $29,99 with two-year contract