Four phones that rival the iPhone

Remember all the hype over the iPhone last year at this time? Get ready for it again as Apple releases iPhone 2.0, a whole new model that works even faster on July 11 and, next Tuesday, a bunch of new programs for the current model. But this year Apple has some serious new contenders.

When you;re talking touch screen, check out the Samsung Instinct. It works on the Sprint network and offers all the iPhone has and then some, at a cheaper price, just $129. Voice-to-speech commands, GPS navigation, streaming TV and video, music and full e-mail and messaging capabilities.

Verizon has three cool phones to look at. The Samsung Glyde has an iPhone like touch screen, but a full QWERTY keyboard. It’s a bit tricky for one hand operation but the real keyboard will be appreciated by many. Cost? $299.

Next, consider the LG Decoy. Again, nice screen. Plays music and multimedia. But what’s really cool is a built in Bluetooth headset that docks right in the phone. $179.

But the top of the Verizon lineup is the all new LG Dare. It has big three-inch touch screen, offers a sort of visual speed dial and plays all media. But what really sets it apart is a 3.2-megapixel camera and high-quality video recording capabilities. It costs $199.

The phone’s camera has a Schneider-Kreuznach certified lens for outstanding image quality, and the camera offers advanced features, such as face detection and an LED flash so customers can take enhanced-quality photos from their mobile phones. Additionally, customers can use the photo editing tool to personalize their digital photos with features that include borders and landscapes, and they can draw on their pictures directly on the screen using their fingertips.

The touch-screen also supports handwriting recognition and tactile feedback so that customers can more easily select their options on the phone.

iPhone: You’ve got some competition.