1: Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo

The Xperia Neo is essentially an updated version of Sony Ericsson’s first major Android smartphone, the Xperia X10. It has faster hardware, Sony’s mobile Bravia display technology, and an 8MP Exmor R image sensor (one of the best smartphone cameras on the market).

2: Samsung Galaxy S

Even though the Galaxy S II is currently the reigning champ of smartphones, its launch has dropped the price of the original Galaxy S considerably. And despite its age, the Galaxy S remains rated in the top 10 in our cell phone category, even among the latest and greatest devices.

3: Dell XPS 15

Laptops typically have trouble making the top list, competing with cameras and smartphones for attention, but the XPS 15 is an amazing platform. If you’re in the market for a laptop, definitely check it out.

4: HTC Sensation 4G

The Sensation 4G had its day as top dog up until the Galaxy S II came out. It now sits in the number two spot on our cell phone list. Still, it’s one of the best choices for a smartphone right now. Many consider the HTC Sense User Interface far superior to Samsung’s TouchWiz found on the Galaxy S II.

5: Nikon D7000

As one of the premier digital SLR cameras, even amongst photography professionals, it’s no surprise that the D7000 made our top 10 list. The price is a bit steep for an entry-level photography enthusiast, but it’s an excellent camera.

6: Nikon CoolPix P500

The P500 is the latest of Nikon’s compact super-zoom cameras. Its 36x optical zoom lens is virtually unmatched in the compact digital camera class.

7: Canon EOS Rebel T3i/600D

The T3i is the perfect camera for anyone looking to get into the world of digital SLR. Its balance of affordability, features, and performance makes it suitable for a wide range of uses, from amateur to professional.

8: Sony Ericson Xperia X10 Mini Pro

The Xperia X10 Mini Pro may be a bit aged and certainly more than a little underwhelming in terms of performance, but its price is something you just can’t argue with. It’s one of the best smartphones you can find for under $200 off contract.

9: Nokia C3

While it doesn’t have all of the features you’d find in an Android or iOS device, the Nokia C3 is still a very capable smartphone. To sweeten the deal, you can find it for close to $100, off contract.

10: Nokia N8

The Nokia N8 is coming up on a year old (that’s nearing retirement age in smartphone years), but it remains one of the most powerful and versatile Symbian based smartphones on the market. It has also gotten a lot cheaper than most of the Android devices in its class.

So there it is, the top 10 most popular products on alaTest for the last month, every single one offering something unique that makes it stand out from the rest of the crowd. What are some of your favorite products on alaTest? Feel free to let us know in the comments.

Those of you who are regular readers of our blog probably remember our last alaTest Trends article from back in March. Back then, the most popular products on alaTest were the Nokia C7, Sony Ericsson Xperia X8, LG LE5300 Series LED TVs, Canon EOS Rebel T2i, and Sony KDL-HX800 Series 3D TVs. But as expected in the technology world, trends are constantly shifting, and we have a new set of top items based on our data from May 2011.

1: HTC Desire HD

The HTC Desire HD has been in at least the top 5 smartphone spot ever since its launch in October of 2010. It is beginning to show its age, though only slightly, with newer smartphones outperforming it in some areas, but this certainly doesn’t make it a poor choice. In fact, with the HTC Desire S now available, prices for the Desire HD have been falling substantially, making it an excellent deal. These price drops, paired with its still high-end smartphone status, are surely the reason for the Desire HD’s recent jump in popularity.

2: Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

While still a perfectly reputable name brand in the digital camera industry, Panasonic is not generally among people’s first choice, often preferring Canon, Nikon, or even Sony; however, the LX5 presents a unique space in the digital camera market. It features a quality image sensor and superb lens, but then, so does its competitors. What makes the LX5 popular is its size, representing a middle ground between traditional compact cameras and “EVIL” models (those smaller than DSLRs but still featuring removable lenses and SLR-sized image sensors). The LX5 gives you better quality than a compact, while remaining lighter (and cheaper) than an EVIL camera.

3: Nokia N8

A trend in the trends is beginning to form here. If you might remember, one of Nokia’s smartphones held the number one spot in our last alaTest Trends article. Despite dropping down to 3^rd, Nokia remains in our top five with the N8, a brilliant little smartphone, loved and revered for its versatility and network compatibility. The Nokia N8 is one of only several smartphones to feature a Pentaband 3G radio, meaning it’s compatible with nearly all GSM cell providers in the world. The N8 is also quite affordable, sometimes as much as $100 cheaper than comparable smartphones.

4: Canon PowerShot SX30 IS

The PowerShot SX30 IS is basically a DSLR camera at a digital compact camera price. Though technically classified as a compact camera, the SX30 is far from compact; however, many feel that it’s a small price to pay for the stupendous lens it comes with, featuring an astounding 35x optical zoom. As a fully manual camera, it appeals to entry level professional photographers, but it still features enough automatic modes for anyone looking for a camera that can take amazing photographs in almost any situation.

5: Philips PFL970H Series LCD TV

HDTVs are still a very strong seller, and the Philips PFL970H Series is not only one of our top 5 most popular products, but also the top ranked HDTV on alaTest. It’s a bit pricier than most HDTVs in its class, but you really won’t find deeper black levels or richer, natural color anywhere else. Its advanced image processor also allows you to apply post processing motion effects without the odd distortion some other TVs create when watching Live Action.

On top of product reviews and ratings, we have the possibility to use our homegrown data. We are then able to see what the major trends of the year are in terms of products and brands. This is precisely what this post is about. This time, we decided to focus on cell phones.

Throughout the year, the top rated cell phones were:

(results based on 1050 expert reviews from Nov 30^th 2009 through Nov 30^th 2010)

• #1: HTC Desire

The HTC Desire features a sleek design with a sharp and responsive touch screen. The 1GHz Snapdragon processor keeps things running smoothly, and call quality is good

HTC Desire Reviews

• #2: Motorola Droid X

The Motorola Droid X makes another fine addition to Verizon’s Android family, bringing with it a rich multimedia experience and more connectivity features.

Motorola Droid X Reviews

• #3: HTC Desire HD

Powered by the latest Android 2.2 Froyo hand in hand with the latest HTC Sense. HTC might just have a natural bestseller on their hands

HTC Desire HD Reviews

• #4: Apple iPhone 4

Apple shows again with their new iPhone 4 that they are undoubtly a top player in the smartphone game

Apple iPhone 4 Reviews

• #5: Samsung Galaxy S GT-I9000

The Galaxy S is a pleasure to use thanks to the smooth, bright and colourful screen. Packed with tons of features, it’s the best Android hardware we’ve seen so far.

Samsung Galaxy S GT-I9000 Reviews

Throughout the year, the top rated phone brands were:

(results based on 616 expert reviews from Nov 30^th 2009 through Nov 30^th 2010)

• #1: Apple

Apple released one of the top-rated phone of the year in June with the iPhone 4.

• #2: Samsung

Samsung released seven of the 50 best-rated cell phones of the year, including the Samsung Galaxy S GT-I9000 or the Samsung Epic 4G.

• #3: HTC

HTC released eight of the top 50 cell phones of 2010, including the HTC Desire, HTC Desire HD or HTC Legend.

• #4: Motorola

Motorola released five of the top 50 cell phones of 2010, including the Motorola Droid X, Motorola Droid 2 or the Motorola Milestone.

• #5: Sony Ericsson

Sony Ericsson released seven of the top 50 cell phones of 2010, including the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, X10 Mini and X10 Mini Pro.