Android

Design dwarf. LG expands its L-product line downward, and adds the tiny L40 with a 3.5-inch IPS screen and dual-core SoC from Qualcomm. A long-lasting, removable battery and Android 4.4.2 are just as available as a MicroSD slot - and all that for below 100 Euros (~$135). A strong overall bundle with minor restrictions.

More please. HTC shakes up the smartphone middle-class with their Desire 610. The smartphone is equipped with a 4.7-inch qHD display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 Quadcore-SoC with an Adreno 305 GPU, 1 GB RAM, and 8 GB of flash storage - all for 299 Euro ($405). The HTC Sense 6.0 user interface spruces up Android 4.4 KitKat, while LTE allows for fast data transfers. So is this a really well-executed smartphone for little money?

Faster, higher, longer. Lenovo took our criticism of the predecessor and equips the new Yoga Tablet 10 HD+ with a higher-resolution panel as well as more performance. But are there still WLAN problems and are the battery runtimes still impressive?

Powerful contender. The HTC Desire 816 is a large smartphone with a lot of performance. Its 5.5-inch format allows it to poach buyers from the high-end class, despite entering the race as a middle-class device.

Melting prices. It's summer time and Motorola is cutting prices. After the huge success of the Moto G - not only review-wise, but also customer-wise - the Moto E offers quite a lot for even less. But even though it manages to impress on a first glance in terms of specs and pricing, it still has to stand up to the scrutiny of our in-depth review.

Android at last? The Nokia X marks Microsoft Mobile's entry into the Android market. What looks like a turnaround, is not really one at all: with the inexpensive entry-level smartphone, a reworked interface, and a special App Store, Microsoft is trying to lure customers and get them transitioned to the Windows Phone platform. Why the concept is not completely successful is the subject of our review.

The Big Screen Theory. This is how Huawei advertises the new Ascend G730, a dual-SIM phablet with a gigantic 5.5-inch touchscreen priced at around 300 Euros (~$410). The rest of the device's components do not exactly sweep us off our feet, but could it still be a good buy?

Double pack. Just recently we tested the 6-inch model Slate 6 VoiceTab, now the 7-incher HP Slate 7 6100en VoiceTab has arrived at our test laboratory. The Marvell quad-core SoC clocks slightly higher, and the IPS display has a marginally higher resolution of 800x1280 pixels. The performance is, nevertheless, not much better.

Z3 on the rack. Acer has refreshed its entry-level devices and placed a dual-SIM, four-inch smartphone between its Z3 Duo and Z5. Their specs are very similar. The most interesting innovation is surely the Custom Profiles, which make the smartphone easier for newcomers to use.

Two-in-one. HP introduces an affordable phablet with 3G, dual-SIM feature, and a budget SoC from Marvell dubbed Slate 6 6000en VoiceTab. Despite its low price of 199 Euros (~$271), there was still room for a bright 6-inch IPS screen. However, its performance is not as convincing.

In a mini-frenzy. The smaller version of the giant high-end smartphone finally fits in anyone's pocket and houses many of the same hardware components as the larger flagship model. But the LG G2 Mini can't fill its big brother's shoes.

Pocket Idol. The One Touch Idol X+ is Alcatel's newest flagship model. Those looking for LTE, a super-fast CPU and expandable storage will be disappointed. Still, we are quite fond of this 5-inch device. Read on to find out why.

The second generation. That was fast. We just reviewed the Sony Xperia Z1 seven months ago – and we already have the successor in our editorial office: the Xperia Z2. Why an update for users of the predecessor does not make much sense, and why Sony still offers a great smartphone, is revealed in our review.

Slim phone. The configuration of the 5-inch dual-SIM smartphone by Zopo places it in the mid-range. It features a cutting edge octa-core processor in addition to an HD screen. Nevertheless, its price is below 200 Euros (~$273), and thus it is in the entry-level sector. The smaller drawbacks are found in details, but the phone might be an interesting alternative anyway.