Back in 2009, when I started this site, it was patently obvious that no matter how well done, or how well intentioned, smartphone reviews sucked big hairy donkey balls (which are the worst kind of donkey balls, by the way).

What was missing was:

1. a simple, obvious numeric scoring method
2. such a method applied to all core factors that matter to a smartphone *user* not the reviewer

Thus, my SMARTPHONE RANKINGS was born.

For each smartphone reviewed, I provided a brief overview of the device and listed its OS. Then, a 5-point scale across each of the *nine* critical factors -- for users:

1. Design
2. Network/Call quality
3. Usability
4. Affordability
5. Productivity 
6. Fun
7. Content
8. Third party offerings and support
9. Desire (because, let's face it, we're all slaves to marketing and trends, if just a bit)

It was this smartphone rankings methodology that allowed so many good Android devices to get very high scores -- thanks to "affordability" and "third party" support and other factors, and why many of my favorite devices, particularly those from Blackberry and Nokia did so poorly.

For two years I said other sites -- particularly Cnet or GigaOm or TechCrunch -- should adopt this system. Because without it, their isolated device reviews were worth very little; almost nothing to the casual reader/buyer.

No one heard my cries.

Till now. The Verge has essentially introduced my methodology almost wholesale, offering a 10-point scale across seven factors. 

Am I pissed cause they totally stole this from me and offered no credit?

Only a very little. First and foremost, I'm a writer. Smartphone reviews and scoring takes time. Time I can better spend writing. Given the massive writing staff, technical support staff and number of readers, I think the method I created will find a very happy home with The Verge. That makes me happy.

I think my smartphone rankings will now retire.

Between Siegler, Gruber and others, it's clear that those who can stake out a claim as a "writer of all things Apple" can make a nice living. So props to Google for providing a Galaxy Nexus unit to Apple writer Siegler to review.

I have not yet had my hands on this device but Siegler's review rings true given my prior use of other high-end Samsung devices. That big screen at first seems so appealing only to very soon mock you for being far too big when you want to quickly check-in, text a friend, swipe a page and/or use it as a phone.

And so much of Android is so clearly lesser than iOS that only the most hardened Apple hater can even begin to suggest otherwise. 

That said, Siegler's conclusion is one I concur with: Android phones, particularly those made by Samsung, are at the very least, good enough, for the millions upon millions of existing *feature phone* users looking to transition to the smartphone.

From TechCrunch:

First and foremost, the Galaxy Nexus is way too big. The 4.65-inch screen is nice when I’m sitting on my couch, but out and about it feels like I’m Zack Morris holding his Gordon Gekko phone. I’d consider myself to have average sized hands for an adult male, and the screen is so large that it killed several one-handed operations for me (especially since many Android apps use a top nav system).  

The battery life itself on the device is very good. I felt like the Galaxy Nexus was lasting at least as long as the iPhone 4S on a fully charged battery, perhaps even a bit longer if some cases. Again, I didn’t try it on a 4G network, which is known to drain battery quicker. 

Unfortunately, the system still lacks much of the fine polish that iOS users enjoy. 

Still, if the Android team ever wants to convert (or at least convince) most iOS users, they still have quite a bit of work to do here. Then again, they probably don’t (or shouldn’t) care too much about converting iOS users over to Android. All the non-smartphone users out there remain the much bigger prize to go after (for both Google and Apple).

[Update: A reader informs me that Verge is sorta moving in this direction -- of having a simple means of sorting, ranking and comparing meta features of devices. But...it's hard to find, not terribly accessible, and not so easy to operate. Yet. If I get more evidence of this then, even if Verge doesn't give me any credit, I may shut down my Smartphone Rankings. For a one-man shop reliant on book sales or donations, it's nearly impossible for me to continue this service.]

So far, as much as I'm hating the awful name, The Verge, and as much as their home page seems deliberately crafted to confuse me, I am thoroughly enjoying the select content I have discovered within Le Verge, thanks to my Twitter followers.

This includes, among others, their excellent and detailed review of the Nokia Lumia 800.

Already, the Verge has set the benchmark for smartphone reviews. I read smartphone reviews all the time and from multiple sources and no one is even close to the  (the) Verge's detailed review.

Another thing I like?

Glad you asked!

That following the review and gallery, Verge *very liberally borrows* from my smartphone rankings methodology. They award points for Design, Ecosystem, Content, etc. 

But there is a problem. There is still no f-ing table that allows readers to sort through, by one or more rated factors, all the smartphones! This is bad. 

People, people. I am your humble smartphone wars writer. But I can't score every smartphone, not even every really good smartphone, like the Lumia 800, which is borderline really good. When I began my SMARTPHONE RANKINGS it was *explicitly* designed so that actual customers, actual potential buyers, not nerds who read This is My Verge or sites like it could easiliy determine the best device for them. A set score for...Price. OS. Content. Usability. Productivity. Design.

These all mattered. These are most important to smartphone users.

The number of "dual core" processors and shit like that is meaningless to 99% of the populace, minimum. It's like talking horsepower when the soccer mom comes into the showroom looking at minivans. And it is a reflection of the *ignorance* of the *reviewer* not the customer -- or site visitor.

And three damn years after I started it still *no one* is offering a smartphone rankings or scoring sheet, highly accessible, easily sortable, designed for smartphone users, as I have designed mine. This is such a failing on the part of Big Blog that it calls into question how much they really know about smartphones -- from a user perspective. 

Only...I simply can't score everything. Heck, I even had to stop offering detailed reviews a year ago and switched to only providing a straight numbers-based review. 

Here's hoping The Verge, while giving me due credit, 'lifts' my idea and completely 'borrows' the rankings table and uses it from now on for all their smartphone reviews. That way, everybody wins. 

With my scoring of the iPhone 4S -- my top smartphone -- I realize I now have over 100 smartphones ranked in my BEST SMARTPHONES matrix. Check it out.

While the smartphone market has grown by leaps and bounds these past 3 years, and though Android and iPhone now rule the smartphone kingdom, my methodology remains as it always was -- as it always should be. The focus is on:

• Ecosystem
• Usability
• Productivity
• Network
• Design
• Content

and a few other critical factors that are most relevant to...actual users.

If I have any issues with the scoring methodology, it's that I've been too easy on Android with respect to usability. Thing is still too damn hard to use. Literally. I'm not simply talking lags or lack of responsiveness. It like practically needs instructions. So 20th century.

Otherwise, the smartphone rankings will do you right. There's definitely a great device out there for you.

I'll start by saying this. In all of Asia, the hottest women are South Korean. There. Understand, this has nothing to do with my admiration of South Korea, what it does, what it has achieved, and its radically disproportionate impact on the global smartphone wars. LG. Samsung. A smartphone friendly government. Amazing broadband and wireless connectivity. Rapid consumer take-up. Oh, and all those wired websites overflowing with Asian script and animated kittens.

That's just my opinion.

According to CNN, they offer 50 reasons why Seoul is the best city:

Welcome to the next generation IT mega-city. In Seoul, you can’t avoid wireless access even if you want to -- a staggering 95 percent of Korean households have broadband connection.

As but one deep dark truthful superhero of smartphone justice, it's nonetheless difficult to keep up with all the new smartphones constantly entering the market. Thus, my rankings are focused mostly on the overall scoring of each device rather than an in-depth review. I would require at least one full-time person, that's not me, for those who want something more involved.

With that caveat, if you want to know which smartphone you should buy, which is the best, which is the best per meta function, check out my smartphone rankings. The rankings page is structured so as to provide a clear, concise ledger so you can make the right decision.

As for me...

There may be no better device than the new Blackberry Bold 9900.

I wish it had a better camera. Other than that, I have few complaints; none major. My extensive iTunes collection notwithstanding.

Call quality, build quality, power, function; all there.

Love to text, tweet, update your status? Check.

Love to take a quick, good photo, then message it, post it to Facebook, fast and easy? Done. Email, group messaging, games, social media. It's there.

I am not going to tell you to choose the new Blackberry Bold. Consult my smartphone rankings for the device that's just right for you. But, the Bold 9900 may, in fact, have everything you want. I love it.

DigiTimes sent the following to my in-box this morning. Nice of them, eh?

The global market competition among iOS, Android, Windows Mango and BlackBerry platforms is expected to heat up in the fourth quarter as international vendors are going to launch flagship smartphone models, with hardware specifications expected to develop toward 1.5GHz dual-core processors, large screens over 4-inch, ultra-slim form-factors and supporting HSPA+ download speeds of 21Mbps, according to Taiwan-based handset makers.

Given some mid-range smartphones have already adopted 1GHz processors, the new flagship high-end smartphones are trended towards processors clocking at 1.2-1.5GHz, the sources noted.

In addition to market speculation of dual-core A5 processors for Apple's forthcoming iPhone 5, new flagship models from Samsung Electronics, HTC and Sony Ericsson will also be powered by dual-core CPUs, the sources added. However, Nokia and RIM (Research in Motion) are not expected to roll out dual-core models until 2012.

HTC, Samsung and LG Electronics (LGE) are also expected to roll out models with display sizes ranging from 4.3- to 4.5-, or even up 4.7 inch, the sources indicated.

You would have thought that humanity would have long ago evolved beyond this sort of thinking. And that analysts were smart enough to realize that, just like when you put a pickup truck engine in a two-seater sports car, yes, you may have a car that can now go much much faster. But, make sure you never ever leave the smooth straightaway cause the thing can't make a turn for shit. And remember to fill up the tank before heading out.

Hardware specs for smartphones are sort of like that. They only matter in very specific situations, all of which are rarely reflective of the real-life use case of any typical user.

In the PC era, the focus on hardware specs at least made some sense. Nearly every PC was Wintel based. Plus, they were purchased in bulk by IT guys who, frankly, had no real understanding of how every person in every department was using or wanted to use their PC, and for what purpose. Price and specs were all he had to go on. That and who took his sorry ass out to the best golf course.

Whole new world, my friends.

Everyone, at work, at home, children, seniors; we use smartphones all the time, everywhere. We carry them with us, access them to read a book, watch a movie, or simply for a quick check-in or status update. The focus on hardware specs misses the mark.

That screen may in fact be bigger. Is it better? A higher resolution? Does it fit in your hand? How heavy is the device? Can you watch a movie on it? How easy is it to find and buy and stream that movie? And beam it onto your television, should you like?

I'm all for "dual core" processors, but I'll take Blackberry BBM, on a non dual core device, over your powerful processor, without BBM, any day. Oh, and along with no BBM, how come your battery only lasts for like four hours?

Nokia has long made some of the best cameras in smartphones. Yet, even here, where megapixel count is a reliable indicator, reviews of competing devices' cameras reveals that megapixel counts are not a complete proxy for picture quality. 

And if they are, how easy is it, really, to now upload that awesome picture to your Facebook page? Or upload that video to YouTube? That matters, dear user.

Having HPSA+ or 4G speeds is great. Except, it drains the battery, crashes the device, doesn't really work in my area, doesn't offer better calling and is still no substitute for WiFi. Give me WiFi and an intuitive operating system and I'll gladly accept 3G, say, over 4G and a cumbersome OS.

What are the games? The apps? How easy is it to find them, buy them, download them? 

I realize that it can be difficult to not focus on hardware specs. After all, it's hard to quantitatively rank variables such as ease of use, or user satisfaction. Even putting a number on build quality can get dicey. Nonetheless, I still contend that the SMARTPHONE RANKINGS methodology I developed nearly 2.5 years ago, continues to be the best tool out there -- for any and all the billions of potential smartphone users. It is an attempt to assign a quantitative score to qualitative, but extremely important factors. Will the device enhance your productivity? Is it fun to use? Easy? How well is it designed? What is the scope and value of the ecosystem? For the majority of users, this is paramount. How usable is the device? This is a billion plus person market. Usability is absolutely critical. I may prefer Blackberry to any Android but you'll notice in my rankings that top Android devices beat out Blackberry. 

If someone tries to sell you a smartphone, and mentions "dual core" or "gigahertz" or screen size, odds are that the device isn't as usable, and therefore not as functional or enjoyable or as *powerful* as it could be. Make sure you spend plenty of time test driving it, including taking it around a few sharp turns. And if you're still not sure, consult the smartphone rankings.

UPDATE: Link fixed.

Since everyone but me says iPhone 5 is out this September, we have to wonder if anyone will catch up to iPhone 4 -- before iPhone 5 comes out. The Samsung Galaxy S II had a real shot. But, apparently, doesn't quite live up to the hype.

Charles Arthur has an extensive review of the Samsung Galaxy S II. Think amazing hardware and maddening software.

But damn...amazing hardware. Imagine this device built with iOS 5 and iCloud.

When you're choosing a phone, don't be seduced by the hardware. The software is what makes it useful, or not. In particular take some time to use the phone's keyboard, and on apps and services that you like and use a lot. You really will save yourself a lot of heartache. And don't be fooled into believing that a bigger number on the phone OS will necessarily be better.

Engadget, however, suggests that the Galaxy S II may, indeed, have surpassed iPhone:

It's the best Android smartphone yet, but more importantly, it might well be the best smartphone, period. Of course, a 4.3-inch screen size won't suit everyone, no matter how stupendously thin the device that carries it may be, and we also can't say for sure that the Galaxy S II would justify a long-term iOS user foresaking his investment into one ecosystem and making the leap to another. Nonetheless, if you're asking us what smartphone to buy today, unconstrained by such externalities, the Galaxy S II would be the clear choice.