iPhone 3G vs. Samsung Instinct vs. LG Dare

Several of our readers wonder which all-touch phone is the better fit for them. We take a look at what to expect from the iPhone 3G, Samsung Instinct and LG Dare.
The iPhone 3G, Samsung Instinct and LG Dare all rely on finger-based interaction, but that's also pretty much the only thing they have in common. Said in short, the iPhone 3G represents a concept for the prosumer multimedia smartphone market, the Samsung Instinct represents a concept for the high-end multimedia phone market, while the LG Dare gives a taste of the future touchscreen phone mass market.

Apple iPhone 3G

If you love to play around with your phone and enjoy discovering new applications, as of July 11, there'll only be one obvious choice: The Apple iPhone 3G (comare it to other multimedia smartphones). It comes at a cost though, so if you don't think spending $200 a month and a significant amount of hours a day on a "mobile lifestyle" sounds like a good idea, move on to the next item on the list.

Samsung Instinct

Sprint has put some really hard work into the Samsung Instinct, and combined with its $100 "Simply Everything" plan, it's a good choice for those who don't want a smartphone with a ton of options, yet likes the idea of owning a phone that can do stuff that most other cell phones can't. If this does not sound like you, move on to the next item on the list.

LG Dare

The LG Dare gives a good clue of how the future touchscreen phone mass market will look like. It's simply a standard multimedia phone with a touchscreen. For Verizon Wireless customers, the LG Dare is probably as good as it gets for a while (unless the rumored Motorola Blaze shows up soon with a blazing performance...who knows?), while T-Mobile and AT&T customers will soon have a pile of similar offerings from Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Samsung and LG to choose from, at least when shopping at Amazon and other online stores.