At alaTest, we are going to do a comparative analysis of these newly launched gadgets with their predecessors just to give you an idea of what exactly has or hasn’t changed. After all, if you are going to spend some extra dollars on the fancy new gadgets, you must know what you are paying for. Alternatively, if you are having second thoughts about getting an upgrade, this analysis might come as a huge relief. Let’s begin with the smartphone that currently dominates its respective niche i.e. iPhone.

1. iPhone 5 vs iPhone 4S

To begin with, iPhone 5 is larger, lighter and it comes with a bigger display. The iPhone 4S came with a 3.5 inch display and weighed 4.9 ounces whereas its successor has a 4 inch display and weighs 3.95 ounces. Let’s get down to more technical stuff. Apple iPhone 5 has a faster A6 processor as opposed to the A5 processor in the 4S model. Besides that, the latest iPhone has a longer battery life and a better front facing camera. Even the camera at the back comes with the all new ‘panorama’ feature which will allows you to click photos even while recording videos. Broadly speaking, these are the major distinctions between the two models. In terms of price, iPhone 5 is priced at $199 for the 16 GB model over a two year contract. Interestingly, when iPhone 4S was launched, it carried the same price tag but now it is available at a discounted price of $99 with a two year contract.

2. Nokia Lumia 920 vs Nokia Lumia 900

The announcement of the Nokia Lumia 920 was the second most prominent release of the last week. The latest association between Microsoft and Nokia is being dubbed as a do or die attempt for the ailing Finnish giant. Therefore, the announcement of Nokia Lumia 920 was more anticipated in some senses since the future of the company might rest on its success. That being said, Nokia has put everything into this new phone which is powered by Windows Phone 8 as opposed to Windows Phone 7.5 in Nokia Lumia 900. As a matter of fact, Lumia 920 comes with several upgrades- the processor is dual core 1.5 GHz compared to the single core processor in its predecessor. Additionally, the RAM stands at 1 GB (as opposed to 512 MB in Lumia 900) and storage at 32 GB, an upgrade from 16 GB. The latest offering from Nokia also has the much talked about Pure View camera feature.

3. Kindle Fire HD vs Kindle Fire

Kindle recently announced two versions of the new tablet, one with a 7 inch display and another with 8.9 inch display. Both of these boast of faster processors- 1.2 Ghz dual core and 1.5 Ghz dual core as opposed to 1 GHz dual core in Kindle Fire. At the same time, the OS is 4.0 Android as against 2.3 Gingerbread in the earlier model. It might not be enough to compete with the likes of the Apple iPad, but it does put Kindle right up in there in the competition.

As of now, smartphones powered by Windows Phone 7.5 Mango are doing exceedingly well in the market. As a matter of fact, the OS has come as a much needed breath of fresh air with its clean interface, Live Tiles, integration with Facebook etc. To sum things up, Windows 7.5 Mango has managed to impress one and all with the simplicty of design and techinical efficiency. So, if you are looking for a new smartphone, you might want to check out the range of Windows smartphones.

1. Nokia Lumia 900- We are not surprised that Nokia Lumia 900 was the flagship model of Nokia when it came out with its range of Windows smartphones. Truth be told, Nokia outdid itself with the stunning design, clever interface and impressive performance. The Nokia Lumia 900 comes with a 4.3 inch touchscreen, AMOLED display, 1.4 GHz processor and Windows 7.5 Mango processor. Even as the phone has its problem areas in the form of non-expandable 16 GB memory storage and a not-so-impressive camera, it is definitely groundbreaking for a phone powered by a first generation OS.

2. Nokia Lumia 800- The Nokia Lumia 8oo has much in common with the above mentioned smartphone- both of these have AMOLED display, 1.4 GHz Snapdragon processor and of course, Windows 7.5 Mango. However, the screen size of the Lumia 800 is smaller and the physical built quite resembles that of Nokia N9. In terms of user experience, the Lumia 800 is just as impressive as its higher model.

Clearly then, Nokia has established has a sort of monopoly in the domain of high performing Windows smartphones. Having said that, other companies have also forayed into this new and exciting territory yielding some very satisfactory results. HTC, for instance, came out with HTC Radar and HTC Titan II, both of which use the Windows OS. In the same vein, Samsung also produced the Samsung Focus Flash and Samsung Focus 2. These Windows smartphones are rated among the best ones available in the market as of now. If you are looking for something that departs from the iOS and Android without compromising on the quality and performance, Windows 7.5 Mango is the ideal choice for you. Except that there is one tiny glitch.

So, what exactly is the problem?

Luckily, the problem with buying a Windows smartphone is temporary. A couple of months ago, Windows announced a new upgrade, the Windows Phone 8, which will be released in the market later this year. This upgraded version will have multi-core processor support, NFC wireless sharing, bigger screen and the much talked about Wallet feature which will allow you to make payments through your cell phone. So far, so good. However, Microsoft also announced that this upgrade will not be available for phones running on Windows 7.5 Mango. Instead, these phones will be upgraded to an intermediary Windows 7.8 version which will have some new features. Honestly, this just sounds like a feeble image of what the Windows 8 promises to be. To  make matters worse, apps which would be built for Windows 8 will not be compatible with Windows 7.5. And this precisely is the problem. As of now, it simply doesn’t make sense to invest in a phone running on Mango 7.5 when a better version will be available in a few months. In spite of this, Windows Phone has the makings of a great smartphone OS, one that should be able to challenge the like of Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy S3 in the future.

Android: A Three-Way Tie

The Android operating system is the most diverse amongst smartphones, offering a wide range of choices, so it’s not surprising that there are a few choices when it comes to the “best” Android phone.

The Samsung Galaxy Note

The Galaxy Note has become extremely popular among consumers primarily thanks to its display. At 5.3 inches, it’s quite large for a phone, but it also features an 800×1280 resolution (capable of 720p HD playback). It is a lot of screen real estate, and since it’s Super AMOLED, it looks stunning, great for web browsing, movies, and games. It also has the latest in processor technology, with a 1.4GHz dual-core CPU. Its 8MP camera is considered among the best smartphones have to offer. Plus it features 32GB of internal storage and is expandable via MicroSD slot. Surprisingly, even its battery life is quite good. If you’re looking for a great smartphone with a large display, the Note is the way to go.

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus

At first glance, the Galaxy Nexus doesn’t really appear to be top dog in any single category, but what it does well is combine many excellent features, creating a very well-rounded device. It has a large, 4.65-inch 720p Super AMOLED display, but still manages to keep a fairly compact overall size. It has LTE 4G (or HSPA+ depending on model), a 5MP camera capable of 1080p video and simultaneous photos with zero shutter lag, and a 1.2GHz dual-core processor. To top it all off, the Galaxy Nexus is the latest “Pure Google” device, meaning it’s the first to receive updates to the Android operating system. That last fact alone makes it an excellent choice for anyone.

The Samsung Galaxy S II

Samsung’s Galaxy S line is by far the most popular of the Android devices, and the Galaxy S II is no exception. Like the Galaxy Nexus, the S II is a very well-rounded device, featuring a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 4.3-inch (or 4.5-inch) Super AMOLED display, 16GB-32GB of internal storage plus MicroSD slot, and Samsung’s much loved TouchWiz interface. It also has a highly praised 8MP camera, and is available on every major U.S. cell provider.

The Runners’ Up

The HTC One X certainly has potential to make the list – especially the quad-core Tegra 3 version – but it’s still experiencing a few growing pains. The Galaxy S III is also right around the corner and could easily displace the S II.

iOS: The iPhone 4S

Apple makes choosing an iOS phone pretty simple – you don’t really get much of a choice. The latest device is, of course, the best, such is the case with the iPhone 4S. It has a speedy dual-core processor, doesn’t seem to suffer from the antenna issues of its predecessor, and also includes the convenience of Siri, the personal digital companion.

Windows Phone 7: The Nokia Lumia 900

Microsoft is somewhat like Apple when it comes to WP7. Most of the devices are very similar in specs, and it’s primarily their prices and special features that set them apart. The Lumia 900 actually isn’t the most expensive WP7 phone, yet it has some of the best features. Its 4.3-inch AMOLED display looks great; it’s compatible with LTE and HSPA+; it has a solid 8MP camera (though slightly hindered by WP7 software); and battery life is superb. It easily competes with the higher priced Samsung Focus S and HTC Titan, making it an amazing value.