Yet another month has come and gone, and we are still left with over 40 Android phones on the big four US carriers. You don’t want to take the plunge on a new two-year contract and end up with the wrong phone. That’s what this little feature is all about. We’re going to go over the top phones on each carrier so you can get the right handset and avoid all that nasty buyer’s remorse.

This month T-Mobile steps it up, AT&T stagnates, and Sprint goes global. Read on for the full rundown.

AT&T

Good old Ma Bell doesn’t really have much new for you this month. There’s the HTC Status, but that's really a niche device that we would not recommend to most users. No, for most prospective smartphone buyers, the choices haven't changed much.

There is the Motorola Atrix 4G, or the Samsung Infuse 4G. Both good devices, but which one is the best? Well, the Atrix is packing a snappy Nvidia Tegra 2 SoC at 1GHz per core. It has a full 1GB of RAM and the screen is a 4-inch qHD LCD panel. It’s not the best looking screen, despite the resolution, but you do get more viewable items in menus.

The Atrix has had a tough time on the software side of things. The device launched with Android 2.2, which was already out of date, and the bootloader was locked. Well, at least now AT&T and Motorola have gotten around to sorting out the Android version. A Gingerbread update has rolled out, so all future devices should get that update quickly, if they don’t ship with it. There is also a reliable way to unlock the bootloader.

We would say that, in general, Motorola’s Blur interface is a little more buggy than competing products. The Atrix is a dual-core device, but doesn’t feel as fast as it should. That beefy SoC is really all about letting you play high-end games, and essentially assuring an eventual update to Ice Cream Sandwich.

The Samsung Infuse 4G is also a nice phone. The internals are more or less an overclocked version of last year’s hardware. We don’t necessarily hold that against the device. In fact, the Infuse feels very fast in daily use. Samsung has the phone running on a Hummingbird SoC clocked up to 1.2GHz, 512MB of RAM, and an 8MP/1.3MP rear and front camera set up.

One of the real selling points of the Infuse is the great screen. It is still WVGA resolution, but the panel is Super AMOLED Plus. That means sharper lines, deep blacks, and vibrant colors. These screens look phenomenal in person. For those that are wary of large phones, we should point out that the Infuse screen is 4.5-inches.

Software on the Infuse 4G is a bit of a mixed bag. It runs Android 2.2. Froyo with Samsung’s TouchWiz UI. It’s still the 3.0 version of the skin, but Samsung has done a lot of work to get it running smoothly (unlike the original Galaxy S release). Whereas the Atrix is a bit buggy, at least it is getting Gingerbread. We don’t know what is going on with the Infuse on that count.

So here’s the long and short of it. You should probably still get the Atrix. It is more future proof, has faster internals, and if the bugs don’t get squashed you can now easily unlock and ROM it. The Atrix is selling for a downright reasonable $99 on contract. The Infuse is still at $199. We should also point out that a Nexus S is now available on AT&T. We love the Nexus S, but it is only a few months away from being replaced. Proceed at your own risk.

Verizon Wireless

As we have been doing for the last few months, we’re going to separate the Verizon offerings into LTE and non-LTE. Let’s attack the 4G lineup first. There has been zero movement in this segment since last time. You still have three LTE phones to pick from: the HTC Thunderbolt, Droid Charge, and LG Revolution.

As usual, we’re immediately disqualifying the Revolution due to the cruel removal of Google search, and because we like to be vindictive like that. So between the Thunderbolt and the Charge, it is a terribly close battle.

The hardware loadout is very similar. The HTC Thunderbolt is a good device with a 1GHz single-core Snapdragon SoC, 4.3-inch Super LCD screen at 480x800, and 768MB of RAM. HTC has included its now customary 8MP rear and 1.3MP front cameras. This phone is certainly fast enough for most uses.

The Droid Charge has a 1GHz Hummingbird SoC, pre-installed 32GB microSD card, and 512MB of RAM. The screen on this device is a differentiator, though. It is a Super AMOLED Plus display at 4.3-inches, and 800x480 resolution. Just like the Infuse 4G, this screen is positively stellar. It definitely has the edge over the Thunderbolt. We would also say that the design of the Charge is a little more daring. it is angular and has clicky physical buttons.

Both the Charge and the Thunderbolt are running on Android 2.2, but have very different implementations. HTC’s phone runs Sense and the Charge runs TouchWiz. The old fears about TouchWiz performance are unfounded here. Samsung has cleaned it up, just like on the Infuse. HTC’s Sense is responsive, but it is starting to feel so overwhelming to us. There is so much going on that we just don’t need. The Charge is also a much better battery performer. Both devices are slated for a Gingerbread update, but there have been numerous leaks for the Charge. We believe this one is closer to happening.

It’s close, but we recommend the Droid Charge because of the screen, better battery life, and the design. The Charge is going for $299 on contract, and the Thunderbolt is selling at $249.

Now, on to the non-LTE phones. The Droid 3 is new this month. It joins such favorites as the Droid X2 and Droid Incredible 2. Let’s first go over the pair of Motorola devices. The Droid X2 is a reasonable step up from the first generation X with a Tegra 2 SoC, 512MB of RAM, and new qHD 4.3-inch screen. This device is in the midst of getting a Blur-ified Gingerbread update right now.

The Droid 3 is similar in some ways, but it is based on the 1GHz dual-core TI OMAP4430 processor. Performance is about the same between the two devices, though. That is to say, it leaves a little something to be desired. They are fast, but not as fast as we would expect a dual-core phone to be. The Droid 3 also has a 4-inch qHD LCD, 512MB of RAM, and that 5-row slide-out QWERTY. This phone is Gingerbread with Blur out of the box.

Both Motorola devices also use a pen-tile subpixel arrangement that many users feel looks strange up close. We will grant that it is not as crisp as it should be, but for most users it will be fine.

The Droid Incredible 2 is neither dual-core nor LTE. It is perhaps the least significant update over the last generation model. The Incredible 2 has a 1GHz single-core Snapdragon SoC, 4-inch Super LCD screen at 480x800, and rear 8MP/front 1.3MP sensors. This phone excels with its excellent build quality and form factor.

The Incredible 2 is running on Android 2.3 Gingerbread, and it is reportedly quite snappy. We have our issues with Sense, but the ROM on this phone is strangely fast. It’s never going to get the fancy Sense 3.0 goodies we see on the Sensation and EVO 3D, but maybe that’s okay. We are concerned that the Incredible 2 won’t make it up to Ice Cream Sandwich due to the single-core Snapdragon, though.

So, where does this leave us? Despite the odd pen-tile pixel arrangement on the Motorola phones, we don’t think they look bad in-person. However, if you’re the picky type, it might bother you. Take a look in the store, and if you don’t dig those screens, the Incredible 2 is a fine choice. But for most users, we’re ready to call the Droid X2 the top dog for 3G phones. The Incredible 2 is going for $150 on contract, and the Droid X2 is $200.

If you like the Droid X2, but want a keyboard, the Droid 3 is essentially a shrunken X2 with the keyboard slapped on. The Droid 3 is $200 on contract as well.

T-Mobile

Little Tmo isn’t dead yet, but they very well could be in a year or so. Before AT&T swallows them whole, T-Mobile is still bringing some solid phones to market. This month the MyTouch 4G Slide was released with some surprisingly good hardware. This device has a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor is under the hood. This is paired with 768MB of RAM, 3.7-inch WVGA Super LCD, an excellent keyboard, an 8MP rear camera, and a VGA front-facing camera.

One of the main selling points of the MyTouch 4G Slide is that rear camera. HTC chose to go with a backlit sensor that has native HDR and almost zero shutter lag. T-Mobile is calling it the best smartphone camera available, but really some Nokia phones like the N8 have it beat. What the MyTouch 4G Slide camera does offer is very, very good images with no additional hassle. When you take a photo, it almost always looks great.

The software on the MyTouch 4G Slide is unusual. it uses Android 2.3 with HTC Sense 3.0, but it is a stripped down version of the skin. The MyTouch devices have a very distinct look and feel, and this device adheres to that. Some of the more advanced options from Sense (like a more configurable lock screen) are gone.

The other serious contender for the T-Mobile crown is the HTC Sensation 4G. This phone is basically an upgraded 4G Slide without the keyboard. The Sensation has the same 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon SoC as the MyTouch. Additionally, it packs 768MB of RAM and 4.3-inch qHD Super LCD screen. The rear image sensor is also 8MP, but it isn’t the same super-camera we see in the MyTouch.

The Sensation 4G also runs Gingerbread along with Sense 3.0, but this is the traditional Sense. In our opinion, if you’re going to have Sense, you might as well have the real version with all the features, and conventional Android system elements. There is a lot of Sense we could do without, but the MyTouch version seems to lose many of the things we actually like about Sense.

We think most users will be happiest with the HTC Sensation. It has a better screen, better software, and a more appealing form factor. The only reason to get the MyTouch 4G is if you really care about taking pictures, or having a keyboard. The Sensation and MyTouch 4G Slide are both $200 on contract.

Lastly, remember there is a Nexus S available with T-Mobile 3G bands. Despite its year-old single-core SoC, it is still a Nexus with a pure Android experience. It has a 1GHz Hummingbird SoC, 512MB of RAM, a 4-inch Super AMOLED screen, and NFC technology. Don’t wait much longer to decide on this one. Before long, the Nexus S is going to be yesterday’s news.

Sprint

Firstly, the Nexus S 4G is off the list this month since it is getting a little old, and Sprint removed the tethering and hotspot. We have to draw the line someplace. If you want a Nexus, go to T-Mobile or AT&T.

In the next few days, the Motorola Photon 4G is going to be leaking out into stores. If you are a Premiere customer, you can already order one. The Photon is the newest high-end addition to Sprint’s Android arsenal. It brings world-class hardware together with world-wide functionality.

The Photon 4G is basically just a Motorola Atrix on the inside. It has a Nvidia Tegra 2 SoC at 1GHz per core, 1GB of RAM, and a 4.3-inch qHD LCD screen. The Atrix has an overall curvy design, but the Photon squares off the corners of the device, giving it a vaguely octagonal look. It looks distinct, and we really like that.

The radio set up in the Photon is really excellent. There is a CDMA 3G data/voice radio, a WiMAX 4G data radio, and a GSM/UMTS 3G voice and data radio for international use. Yes, three cellular radios in this device. You won’t have to make any connectivity compromises with the Photon.

The Photon runs Android 2.3 under Blur. Not much more to say about that. We’re not fans of Blur, but there’s not much you can do about it other than run a custom launcher and hope the bootloader gets unlocked at some point.

The other contender is the recently released HTC EVO 3D. Like the Sensation, the EVO 3D has a 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC to really chew through bits. There is also 1GB of RAM, a 4.3-inch qHD 3D screen, and dual 5MP cameras on the back. A VGA camera graces the front of the device.

There is a switch on the side of the phone to easily select either 2D or 3D mode for the camera. Any 3D content you create with the EVO 3D is going to be stuck there. Opportunities to play it back elsewhere with be limited. Additionally, many users won’t be comfortable watching the 3D effects.

If you look past the 3D gimmick, the EVO 3D is still a very competent WiMAX phone. The Gingerbred ROM is a bit more fluid than the Sensation, and the build quality is good. The Android build is obscured behind HTC Sense 3.0, of course. If that is your cup of tea, great. Otherwise you can look forward to unlocking that bootloader.

Between the two devices, we are still giving the nod to the EVO 3D. What it really comes down to is the software. While we have repeatedly told you (are you sick of hearing it?) that Sense is starting to feel too heavy and glossy, it is still snappier and more bug-free than Blur. Give the EVO 3D a try. Even if you don’t care for the 3D effect, you can leave it off until you need to impress someone in a bar. The EVO 3D and Photon 4G are both $200 on contract.

So there you have our picks for this month. We're coming to the point where holiday phones are going to start leaking. If you take the plunge now, be ready to steel yourself against the upcoming temptations. Are you shopping for a phone right now? What device are you leaning toward?