The smartphones which have already been launched in the year made headlines around the globe. Let’s quickly review these new releases:

1. Samsung Galaxy S4 – Samsung Galaxy S4 is the much anticipated successor to the hugely popular Samsung Galaxy SIII. The smartphone comes with a 5-inch super AMOLED display with a higher resolution than S3. The processor is also upgraded to 1.9GHz quad-core or 1.6GHz octa-core and the phone ships with a 13-megapixel camera. As an added advantage, the battery life is longer and S4 also boasts of a thinner build than its predecessor. Apart from the specs, the Samsung Galaxy S4 also comes with some cool features like Air View, Smart Pause and Smart Scroll. While Air View allows you to control the touch screen without actually touching it, Smart Pause and Smart Scroll features will pause a video or scroll the screen according to your eyeball movements. All in all, the Samsung Galaxy S4 takes the concept of being user-friendly to a different level altogether. It might not be groundbreaking but it does take significant steps towards a fuller experience of using smartphones.

2. HTC One – The most obviously impressive feature of the HTC One is the design which is crafted exclusively of premium metals. HTC has invested a lot of effort in creating a suave design to compete with the likes of S4 and iPhone 5. On the technical front, the phone comes with a 4.7-inch screen with 1080p resolution, 1.7GHz quad-core processor, 32/64GB internal memory and 2GB RAM. The camera comes with a unique Ultra-Pixel sensor which can capture more details due to its larger size. All of these features, along with Android Jelly Bean, make for a powerful smartphone, one that can be compared with the other giants in the league.

3. Blackberry Z10 – If you have been a loyal customer of Blackberry, this phone will definitely delight you. The flagship model, which was being touted as a do-or-die attempt by Blackberry, has received largely positive reviews. While it hasn’t swept them off their feet, it has managed to impress them with its features. The Blackberry Z10 comes with 4.2-inch LCD display, Blackberry 10 OS, an 8-megapixel camera, 1.5GHz dual-core processor and 2GB RAM. Sure enough, the OS needs a little getting used to, but once you are accustomed to it, it works like a charm.

Besides these phones, you can also check out Sony Xperia Z or LG Optimus G if you are looking for a new smartphone.

If you look beyond iPhone 5, you would be surprised to see a range of smartphones, launched in the latter part of 2012, which have the potential to challenge the iPhone 5. Here is a list of some of the best smartphones minus the iPhone 5:

1. HTC Droid DNA – The HTC Droid DNA is easily one of the best phones ever produced by HTC. It ships with a 1.5 GHz quad core processor, 2GB RAM, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and 16GB internal memory. Additionally, it boasts of an 8-megapixel primary camera and a 2-megapixel front facing camera. The 5-inch Super LCD 3 Screen is absolutely brilliant and the phone offers 4G connectivity as well. The stunning design is the final icing on the cake. To sum things up, the HTC Droid DNA is a gem of a smartphone, one that can give the iPhone 5 a run for its money.

2. Nokia Lumia 920 – In terms of smartphones, Nokia has been lagging far behind the likes of Samsung and HTC. With the release of Nokia Lumia 920, the company is hoping for a major turnaround. The Lumia 920 runs on Windows Phone 8, a relatively new OS for smartphones. The 8.7-megapixel camera employs the much-talked about PureView feature, making way for high quality pictures. Overall, the phone is heavier and bulkier than a regular smartphone, but it has a lot to offer, including an all new OS.

3. Motorola Droid Razr Maxx – The USP of Motorola Droid Razr is its strong battery, thanks to which, the phone comes with unbelievable battery life. The phone ships with Android 4.0 ICS, a 5.2-inch AMOLED HD screen and an 8-megapixel primary camera. The design is flawless and the phones functions smoothly without any glitches.

4. LG Google Nexus 4 – One can’t deny that the LG Google Nexus 4 has it’s share of flaws, but it also has other features to make up for them. To begin with, the phone boasts of a 1.4GHz Qualcomm quad core processor and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. The 8-megapixel camera is impressive and the overall design is sleek enough for a smartphone. However, it lacks 4G connectivity along with the oomph factor. The LG Google Nexus 4 might not be extraordinarily brilliant, but it still offers quite a lot for anyone looking for a topnotch smartphone.

In desperate times, you can’t really put a lot of thought or effort into gifts. Instead, you should follow a reliable template i.e. pick gifts which are safe and time-tested. Here is a list of some such gifts:

1. Logitech T650 Touchpad – The Logitech T650 is a rechargable, standalone touchpad which works extremely well with Windows 8. The new OS from Windows supports a variety of enhanced touch features and hence, this glass topped touchpad makes for a wonderful gift. It will be extremely functional in the near future, promising to provide a high quality, Mac-like experience. The surface area is quite large and it is topped with glass, while the sleek and suave look is quite like the final icing on the cake.

2. iPad Mini – The iPad Mini was one of the most sought-after gadgets this year. The USP of this tablet is the size, the 7.9-inch display is considerably smaller than the regular iPad. If you were one of the people who had an issue with the size of regular tablets(and there were quite a lot of them), the iPad Mini might just do the trick for you. It is light enough to be held in one hand and it is equally competent with the Ipad in many ways. Even though it is more expensive than its competitors like the Google Nexus 7, it is an Apple product after all. Need we say more?

3. Otterbox Defender iPhone 5 Cases – Every year, thousands of people lose their iPhone to physical or liquid damage. A case is the best way to protect your phone against any form of damage whatsoever. So, if one of your friends has recently bought a new iPhone 5, you can get them an Otterbox Defender Case. Otterbox is a well-known name in this field and the Defender series cases are strong and sturdy. Even if its not a fancy gift, it will definitely be useful for your friends.

4. Samsung Galaxy S III - If you are willing to splurge on a special loved one, get him or her a Samsung Galaxy S III. In the world of smartphones, this model from Samsung is among the very best, next to only Apple iPhone 5. Among other things, it comes with a dual core processor, Android 4.0 ICS and an 8-megapixel camera. Besides its price, nothing should deter you from buying the Samsung Galaxy S III this holiday season.

Then came camera phones which changed things quite a bit. However, in the initial stages, the cameras weren’t all that great and people usually preferred to use a traditional camera instead. Over the years, the quality and specifications of in built phone cameras have improved radically, so much so that some of them are as good as point and shoot cameras.

Here is a list of the best camera phones available in the market as of now:

1. Apple iPhone 5- Soon after the Apple iPhone 5 was launched, people were already calling it the best smartphone around. The Apple iPhone 5 is certainly a complete phone as it offers excellence in every department including its camera. It comes with an 8 megapixel camera and a new sapphire crystal lens. The new iPhone also features dynamic lighting and image stabilization, making way for better quality photos. Significantly, the quality of photos doesn’t depreciate too much in low lighting and you can also click photos while shooting in video mode.

2. Nokia Pure View 808- If we were to consider just the camera and nothing else, the Nokia Pure View 808 with the much talked about 41 megapixel camera would be the best investment. The great part about the camera is that it lives up to its hype. The photos are sharp and the precision of detail is impeccable. The phone’s camera has an extra large sensor which lets more light in and captures more detail in a photo. This is backed by an equally efficient software to process the photos. On the flip side, the phone has some major problems like the Symbian OS is largely outdated, the outer body is bulky and the price is extremely high.

3. HTC One S- In the recent past, HTC has produced some excellent camera phones including HTC One X, One  S and HTC Amaze 4G. HTC One S has an 8 megapixel autofocus camera with a 28mm wide lens. The camera produces high quality, razor sharp photos both indoors and outdoors and just like iPhone 5, it allows you to take photos in the video shooting mode as well.

4. Samsung Galaxy SIII- Samsung Galaxy SIII is another big player in the smartphone world. The 8 megapixel camera is endowed with backlit sensor and LED flash.  The colors of the photos taken with this camera are bright and well defined. Additionally, the shutter lag is next to zero which means that the photos are processed almost instantly. Even the front facing camera manages to produce some very decent photos.

Today, we are going to take a look at some of the best cases for the most popular smartphones and tablets.

1. iPhone 5- If you stood outside the Apple store for hours to buy an iPhone 5, you might as well get a decent case for it. After all, you don’t want to see some nasty scratches on your brand new iPhone 5. Since iPhone 5 is the most popular smartphone out there, the variety of cases available is unbelievable.  Otterbox produces several cases for iPhone including the Defender Series and the iPhone 5 Commuter Case. The latter comes with double layers of protection and an adhesive screen guard. The case is sleek yet durable at the same time. It is available in a number of exciting shades like Avon Pink, Aqua Blue and Violet Pop. If you are looking for something more eccentric, you can check out the Icon Bronx which features a cool graphic design. Case Mate remains the most timeless choice with suave black leather cases.

2. Samsung Galaxy S III- If there is any smartphone which can give some serious competition to iPhone 5, it just has to be Samsung Galaxy S III. While looking for cases for Samsung Galaxy S III, you will be pleasantly surprised by the sheer variety of cases ranging from the very basic to extremely elegant. The Incipio Silicrylic cases belong to the former category as they are lined with silicon on the inside with a hard shell exterior. On the other hand, the Candy Shell series by Speck is known for its quirky design and colors.

3. iPad 3- People have gotten quite used to carrying tablets wherever they go. After all, portability is the USP of tablets. When you start carrying them around, you will need a case to safeguard your tablet against any form of damage. When it comes to Apple iPad 3, there is always the Apple Smart Cover. It is efficient, resilient and elegant. However, if you are looking for more options, the Acme Infinite Angle Case is quite similar to Apple Smart Cover as it allows you to align the iPad at many angles. Alternatively, you can check out the Belkin Cinema Folio which follows the flip model and is made of high quality leather.

4. Google Nexus 7- To begin with Google has released an official Nexus 7 case which comes with a grey matte finish and a flap of plastic which covers the screen. Having said that, it can’t hurt to look for more options. Cases produced by i-Blason are built of leather with built in stand feature in both portrait and landscape modes. Focalcase specializes in providing keyboard cases using which you can almost transform your tablet into a full blown laptop.