The possibilities are nearly endless this year at Verizon alone. But this week all eyes are on the HTC Droid DNA as it goes on sale exclusively at Verizon for $199 with a two-year contract.

There's plenty of hoopla among smartphone reviewers about the screen -- and for good reason. Nothing else on the market compares. The Droid DNA rivals the quality of the latest HD TVs and fits in the palm of your hand. The device earns bragging rights as the first smartphone to feature a true 1080p HD super LCD 3 display with Corning Gorilla Glass 2 protection. Of course, it's big. The Droid DNA also boasts a 5-inch screen.

The Droid DNA Downside

We asked Avi Greengart, an analyst at Current Analysis, for his take on the reviews -- and the phone. He already told us that the Droid DNA's screen is magnificent. Now he's sharing some of HTC's strategy.

"When HTC launched the Droid DNA they kept talking about the Galaxy S III. HTC is really looking to Samsung as the primary competition for this phone -- not Apple. There's a lot of talk about how everyone is searching for an iPhone-killer," Greengart said.

"But HTC is positioning the Droid DNA as the phone for someone who comes in to a Verizon store and is looking for an Android device. The Droid brand has a great screen, a quad-core processor and is $199."

Much has been made about the fast image-capture camera, but audio fans will also appreciate the Droid DNA. The device totes a 2.55-volt, built-in headset amplifier and dedicated amp for the external rear-speaker to help boost the audio signal to deliver crystal clear sound with less distortion, even at maximum volume. That's helpful when watching movies on the device. The phone also features Beats Audio, which enhances sound quality.

Choosing a New Smartphone

"There's a lot to like in this phone. The downside is it only comes in a single 16 GB version, so there's no 32 GB version or 64 GB version available like there is on the iPhone 5," Greengart said. "There isn't even a memory expansion slot. If you want to put a few HD movies on this, you are going to run out of space. If you want to take advantage of the gorgeous display and watch a HD movie, 16 GB is probably not enough."

As Greengart sees it, the other downside -- at least for some consumers -- is the size. Although some consumers enjoy larger devices, one size does not fit all. Greengart said the Droid DNA has rounded edges, is very thin and the bezel on the sides is minimal so you can hold it -- but it's still a large device.

"Verizon has a nice array of devices on the shelves this week that have different features. You can pick and choose if you want longer battery life or a larger screen or iOS applications," Greengart said. "If you are looking for something that's more tablet than a phone, then the Galaxy Note 2. And of course they have many other phones with other capabilities as well."
 

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