It feels weird just thinking about it, but in the smartphone field, Windows isn’t a domineering 800-pound gorilla of an operating system. Instead, it plays scrappy underdog to Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android. And with Windows Phone 7.5 Mango, it’s become a worthy, inventive alternative that deserves your consideration. Samsung’s Focus S, with a 4.3″ Super AMOLED display and support for what AT&T calls “4G”–also known as “HSPA+ with enhanced backhaul”–is a Windows-based cousin of the company’s Galaxy S II, one of the preeminent Android handsets.
Price: $199.99 with two-year contract from AT&T