Announced back in early January, the Sony Xperia Z was the first Android flagship of 2013, and one of the first smartphones to go global with a 1080p display. It’s also one of the very few that boasts a dust- and water-resistant form factor, which means accidental spills aren’t an issue here.

Inside that form factor, you’ll find a ton of high-end specifications that include a 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, Adreno 320 graphics, 2GB of RAM, and LTE connectivity. Like a lot of high-end Sony smartphones, the Xperia Z also has cutting-edge cameras, with a 13-megapixel Exmor RS snapper on its back, and a 2.2-megapixel camera on its front.

The Xperia Z will be battling it out with the likes of the HTC One and the Samsung Galaxy S4 this year, and Sony will be hoping that the device can finally earn it some sizable market share in a cut-throat smartphone market. But does the handset have what it takes? I’ve been testing it for two weeks to find out.

The Galaxy SIV is official, and it is a beautiful powerhouse of a phone with features unseen in any other device, but how does Samsung’s latest flagship phone stack up against the competition, spec-by-spec? Check out the chart below to find out.

I’ve been in love with the iPhone for the past five years. I got the original as soon as it went on sale in the U.K. in November 2007, and I’ve had every model Apple has released ever since. My job has given me the opportunity to play with plenty of other devices over the years — including those powered by Android, BlackBerry, and Windows Phone — but I’ve always remained loyal to the iPhone and iOS.

That was until a couple months ago, when my contract ended and it was time to decide which smartphone I wanted for the next two years. I already have the iPhone 5 — I bought it unlocked when it was launched back in September — and I wanted an Android device to replace the Samsung Galaxy Nexus I broke late last year. So I decided to pick up the new LG Nexus 4.

I was lucky; I didn’t have to wait six weeks for the device to arrive from Google Play. My carrier had plenty in stock, so a unit was delivered to my door the day after I ordered it. I was looking forward to testing it out, but I figured I’d play around with it for a little bit, then switch straight back to my iPhone 5 for everyday use. Like the Galaxy Nexus, I thought the Nexus 4 would be mostly used for work — testing apps and writing the odd tutorial for Cult of Android.

But boy, how wrong was I.

We simply love wallpapers. They’re one of the first changes we make to our Android devices and often represent our moods, interests, or wicked alter egos. They’re as unique as the individuals who use them and while some people pick one and stick with it, others change them more often than a teenager’s Facebook status. Each day we’re going to feature a free wallpaper for you to download and use on your Android device. Depending on your device, you may want to use your favorite photo editing software to resize the image for a better fit. Once that’s done, apply and enjoy. Your home screen can thank us later. Cheers!

We simply love wallpapers. They’re one of the first changes we make to our Android devices and often represent our moods, interests, or wicked alter egos. They’re as unique as the individuals who use them and while some people pick one and stick with it, others change them more often than a teenager’s Facebook status. Each day we’re going to feature a free wallpaper for you to download and use on your Android device. Depending on your device, you may want to use your favorite photo editing software to resize the image for a better fit. Once that’s done, apply and enjoy. Your home screen can thank us later. Cheers!