Mobility

Photos: Comparing smartphones to cars, from Prius to Lexus

By // July 11, 2010, 1:04 AM PST // jasonhiner

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  • 1. Apple iPhone 4 = Jaguar

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    The Jaguar is a luxury vehicle that’s a mix between a sedan and a sports car, and it comes in a package with the greatest attention to detail and style. Easy to see the similarities here.

    To read more and to view the entire list at once, see my companion blog post in Tech Sanity Check.

  • 2. Apple iPhone 3G/3GS = BMW

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    The iPhone 3G/3GS reigned for two years as the most popular high-end smartphone on the market; the BMW 3 Series is most popular luxury sedan in the world.

    To read more and to view the entire list at once, see my companion blog post in Tech Sanity Check.

  • 3. Google Nexus One = Lexus

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    Arguably the highest rated and most critically-acclaimed sedan on the road today is the Lexus; the Google Nexus One has received similar rave reviews, and it has the same type of style as the Lexus — top notch quality, but simple and not overdone. Plus, the name similarity is too good to pass up.

    To read more and to view the entire list at once, see my companion blog post in Tech Sanity Check.

  • 4. Motorola Droid X = Cadillac Escalade

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    Both the Motorola Droid X and the Cadillac Escalade are symbols of oversized luxury vehicles. They both make a big, powerful statement.

    To read more and to view the entire list at once, see my companion blog post in Tech Sanity Check.

  • 5. Motorola Droid = Ford Fusion Hybrid

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    The Ford Fusion Hybrid is Motor Trend’s Car of the Year (2010), while the Motorola Droid was widely hailed by the tech press as the phone that launched the Android revolution. Plus, they’re both very popular with the public, and the Fusion Hybrid gets great gas mileage (+40 mpg) and the Droid has some of the best battery life of any smartphone on the market.

    To read more and to view the entire list at once, see my companion blog post in Tech Sanity Check.

  • 6. Motorola Backflip = Chrysler Sebring

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    Motorola Backflip has drawn customer interest, but has been also drawn wide criticism for “crippling” the Android experience. Similarly, the Chrysler Sebring was derided by U.S. News & World Report for its performance and style and called “the worst midsize car for the money.”

    To read more and to view the entire list at once, see my companion blog post in Tech Sanity Check.

  • 7. HTC EVO 4G = Hummer

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    Another monstrous new smartphone in 2010 is the HTC EVO 4G. With its large, boxy design and everything-but-the-kitchen-sink feature list, the EVO naturally evokes the Hummer.

    To read more and to view the entire list at once, see my companion blog post in Tech Sanity Check.

  • 8. HTC Incredible = Infiniti

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    The Infiniti is a luxury sedan (made by Nissan) that often flies under the radar but is known for its quality and is typically well-liked by its owners. In the same way, the HTC Incredible is a top quality smartphone that is overshadowed by the EVO and the Droid X.

    To read more and to view the entire list at once, see my companion blog post in Tech Sanity Check.

  • 9. Samsung Galaxy S = Ford Taurus

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    The Samsung Galaxy S is a new Android phone that is coming to many different wireless carriers under various product names in 2010. It’s automobile equivalent is the workman-like, unpretentious Ford Taurus.

    To read more and to view the entire list at once, see my companion blog post in Tech Sanity Check.

  • 10. LG Ally = Nissan Sentra

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    LG’s first Android phone comes in a minimalist package and is a little underpowered, but the price is right and it has few nifty features to brag about, much like the practical and economical Nissan Sentra.

    To read more and to view the entire list at once, see my companion blog post in Tech Sanity Check.

  • 11. BlackBerry Bold = Cadillac CTS

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    BlackBerry’s flagship device, the Bold, is a symbol of well-balanced, high-quality craftsmanship based on years of experience and wisdom. It’s design also represents a rebirth of a classic brand, similar to the Cadillac CTS. And both are popular sellers as well, especially in the US.

    To read more and to view the entire list at once, see my companion blog post in Tech Sanity Check.

  • 12. BlackBerry Curve = Toyota Corolla

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    These two both represent minimal styling but reliable service year-after-year.

    To read more and to view the entire list at once, see my companion blog post in Tech Sanity Check.

  • 13. BlackBerry Storm = Audi A4

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    The Storm 2 and the Audi A4 are both slightly quirky but nevertheless top quality. Both tend to get lost in the shuffle because of more prominent competitors.

    To read more and to view the entire list at once, see my companion blog post in Tech Sanity Check.

  • 14. BlackBerry Pearl = Honda Civic

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    Like the Curve-Corolla match, here’s another example of two brands that represent substance over style. Both draw solid reviews year-in and year-out and are distinguished mostly for their dependability.

    To read more and to view the entire list at once, see my companion blog post in Tech Sanity Check.

  • 15. Palm Pre = Volkswagen Beetle

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    Here are two brands that both think outside of the box with a unique sense of style, and both have a small cult following because of it.

    To read more and to view the entire list at once, see my companion blog post in Tech Sanity Check.

  • 16. Nokia E71 = Toyota Prius

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    Nokia’s E71 has a great mix of high-end smartphone features in a very slim package with great battery life. The Prius packs lots of terrific tech features (from hands-free Bluetooth to a big LCD in the dash) into a small hyrid vehicle that can get up to 50 mpg.

    To read more and to view the entire list at once, see my companion blog post in Tech Sanity Check.

  • 17. Nokia N97 = Honda Odyssey

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    Nokia loaded a ton of high-end features into the N97, including an excellent camera and a full hardware keyboard. But, the result was a thick, bulky device, the smartphone equivalent of a mini-van. And since the Honda Odyssey is among the most tech-equipped mini-vans available, it is the perfect analogue.

    To read more and to view the entire list at once, see my companion blog post in Tech Sanity Check.

  • 18. HTC HD2 = Ford F-series

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    Before the EVO and the Droid X, the biggest smartphone on the market was the HTC HD2. This monster is still around, but since it runs Windows Mobile it’s a more utilitarian and less flashy device, albeit still very powerful. It’s perfect counterpart is the Ford F-series pickup truck.

    To read more and to view the entire list at once, see my companion blog post in Tech Sanity Check.

  • 19. HTC Touch Pro2 = Honda Accord

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    The most popular Windows Mobile device on the market is arguably the HTC Touch Pro2. It’s the Honda Accord of smartphones. It’s a little bit nicer than its smaller competitors, but it also doesn’t have any of the extra touches that its high-end competitors can boast.

    To read more and to view the entire list at once, see my companion blog post in Tech Sanity Check.

  • 20. Microsoft KIN = Yugo

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    Microsoft’s KIN was hyped for years as “Project Pink” but the product was so disappointing when it finally hit the market this year that Microsoft killed it shortly after launching it. The whole saga has echoes of the much-hyped Yugo car from the 1980s, one of the most infamous automobiles ever made.

    To read more and to view the entire list at once, see my companion blog post in Tech Sanity Check.

1. Apple iPhone 4 = Jaguar

(Click image to enlarge)

The Jaguar is a luxury vehicle that’s a mix between a sedan and a sports car, and it comes in a package with the greatest attention to detail and style. Easy to see the similarities here.

To read more and to view the entire list at once, see my companion blog post in Tech Sanity Check.

Related Topics:

Mobility Security Hardware Software Apple Android Google

By Jason Hiner

Jason Hiner is Editorial Director of CNET and former Editor in Chief of TechRepublic. He's co-author of the book, Follow the Geeks.