Top 5 CES 2011 smartphones

The mobile world kicked off 2011 with a bang, as the Consumer Electronics Show opened its doors in Las Vegas. The show gives manufacturers the opportunity to whet consumer’s appetites by showing off their upcoming releases. Unsurprisingly the smartphone has taken centre-stage at this year's show, with a number of companies lifting the curtain on their next generation of devices, boasting features such as dual-core processors, 4G connectivity and ever improving photographic capabilities. Here, for all you gadget-freaks, are the top 5 devices that got people talking at the event.

Motorola Atrix 4G
One of the first devices to be unveiled was Motorola's Atrix 4G, an Android based smartphone powered by NVIDIA's cutting-edge 1GHz Tegra 2 processor. The device also comes equipped with 1GB RAM, a 5 mega-pixel camera with HD video capture, dual-LED flash and 16GB of on-board storage. As its name suggests, the Atrix is also provisioned for 4G data connectivity, which will allow users to enjoy vastly improved data speeds while they're out and about. On top of all of these great features there's also fingerprint recognition to protect the device from unauthorised use!

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc
The next big Android release from Sony Ericsson is shaping up to be a winner. The Xperia Arc comes packing some serious hardware, including a 4.2-inch screen with mobile Bravia engine, an 8-megapixel camera incorporating Sony's award winning Exmor R sensor, a 1GHz Qualcomm processor with 512MB RAM and an HDMI-out port, so you can enjoy your captured HD movies on your big screen TV. You'll also have all the apps and familiarity that you've become used to courtesy of Android 2.2, Froyo.

Acer LiquidMini
Not all the devices at CES are bleeding edge tech, some aim to bring high-end functionality to the middle of the market. One such device is Acer's LiquidMini, a pocket-friendly (110.4 x 57.5 x 13 mm, 109g) Android smartphone, which boasts among its features a rich 3.2-inch display, 5-megapixel camera and an overhauled User Interface, which includes support for all your favourite social networking services. The hard work is ably undertaken by a 600MHz processor with 512MB of RAM and ROM, so it's unlikely you'll have to worry about any nasty lag or stuttering video playback!

HTC Thunderbolt
HTC unveiled an awesome addition to their already amply stocked range in the shape of the Thunderbolt, which comes with all the usual high-end tech that you've come to expect from the Taiwanese boffins, such as 4G LTE support, 1GHz Qualcomm processor, an impressive 8 mega-pixel camera with dual-LED flash and 8GB of on-board storage. As well as this extensive feature set, the Thunderbolt also offers full Skype integration out of the box, allowing you to make use of the 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera to chat with your friends, whether you're in a Wi-Fi zone or not.

LG Optimus 2X
The undisputed star of the show has been LG's Tegra 2 powered Optimus 2X, which blew people away when it was demonstrated. The device takes the smartphone to the next level with its 8-megapixel camera with dual-LED flash, which is capable of 1080P video capture, 8GB of on-board storage and the amazing 1GHz dual-core Tegra 2 chip from NVIDIA, which brings unparalleled power to the device, allowing it to display the latest mobile games and movies without so much as a stutter.

You'll also get a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video calling and an ample 1500mAh battery, to keep the whole kit and caboodle ticking over all day long. The device ships with Google's Android version 2.2 but LG have promised an upgrade to 2.3 (Gingerbread) will be forthcoming.

There have been a great number of smartphones and tablets revealed at the show, but these 5 represent the cream of the current crop. Between them they offer unrivalled power, amazing optics and plenty of bang for your buck, so you'll likely want to start saving now, because your old phone is going to look prehistoric when these devices come to town.