Samsung Focus Flash vs HTC Radar: Android Alternatives Fight it Out

Samsung's Focus Flash and the HTC Radar are two new smartphones that don't cost $200, but also probably will be lost in the shuffle of high-end devices now coming out for the shopping season. Mobile phones can do more than ever, to the point where they are chewing up data so fast, mobile providers have put caps in place to keep their networks from clogging with digital signals.

Demand is surging for smartphones that can do it all, and the ones that do are not cheap. So what kind of device can a person get for less than $100 in 2011? Samsung and HTC, two of the largest smartphone makers may have been thinking the same thing. Samsung Focus Flash debuted Nov. 6 and is offered by AT&T for only $50 with a two-year contract. HTC, now the U.S.'s biggest smartphone maker is selling the Radar (T-Mobile) for $99.

Both devices run the newest version of the Microsoft operating system, a new entry into the smartphone war that is far behind its Apple and Google competitors. But Microsoft is betting quite a bit on the Windows Phone OS, and even built a six-story tall smartphone replica in New York City as a publicity stunt. Windows Phone doesn't have as many apps as the other two systems, but it's got Office and Outlook built in and an interface that is quite different from Android and iOS.

Samsung's Focus Flash has a 3.7-inch Super AMOLED display and a photo button right on the device. The HTC Radar has a 3.8-inch display and a five megapixel camera. T-Mobile's flagship Galaxy S2 has a five megapixel camera and costs over $200 for comparison. Additionally, both phones have larger screens even than the iPhone 4S (3.5-inches) and front-facing cameras for video chat. If you are thinking of switching from a feature phone to a smartphone, the Focus Flash is the hands-down recommendation here. It's cheaper, but doesn't skimp on the features, unless you think eight gigabytes of onboard storage isn't enough.

Let us know in the comments if the low prices on these devices is a positive or potential drawback.