Which should you buy??? - June 25, 2010

Apple IPhone 4G or Motorola Droid X

The comparisons began before the phone even arrived. With Motorola setting a press conference date the day before the long-awaited iPhone 4 launch date, the stage was set for a battle royale, and Motorola delivered with a surprisingly fit challenger that came out swinging. Now that both contenders have weighed in, it's only natural to run the stats side-by-side to see which phone prevails. After getting in a few hard-hitting jabs at Apple's soft spots with the original Droid, does Motorola have what it takes to return to the ring and knock out the spunky new kid? Before you call your bookie, check out the numbers.

Save the boos and hisses for the comments section. In truth, these two are so varied in their strengths and weaknesses that it's a draw based on specs alone. While the Apple iPhone 4 will be smaller, possess a more impressive screen and a knack at videoconferencing thanks to its front-facing camera, the Motorola Droid X guarantees a smoother ride on a larger 3G network, comes with more storage, more room to add storage, and what should be a superior rear-facing camera.

So it comes down to the intangibles. Android and iOS 4 both have their merits and demerits, but we think Apple has a better history of supporting older handsets with new software. A two-year-old iPhone 3G will still take advantage of the latest iOS4 software, but many much newer Android handsets haven't made the leap to Android 2.1 yet -- especially those with custom software like Motoblur, as the Droid has. The market for Apple accessories is also overflowing with options. The resale value of Apple hardware stays sky high -- as evidenced by 3G S owners selling their old models for nearly what they paid for them. You can always find a friend with an Apple charger in a pinch. The list goes on and on.