I actually won’t do iPhones purely on principle; the same reason I won’t review a Windows Phone. I dislike Apple and Microsoft as companies enough that I am pedantically disinterested in their devices, despite whatever benefits they may have. I haven’t done much with jailbreaking but plan on jailbreaking my ancient Droid 1 as soon as I settle on a new phone.

Currently, HTC is the go-to phone I typically recommend for people. They develop good UIs and make pretty solid products; they don’t try to wow people with spec sheets, just good, usable devices. Samsung, it seems, is rapidly becoming a contender as well, despite its failures with the Droid Charge. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 (tablet) that I’m reviewing right now has been really solid. Tim Pool (@timcast, the citizen journalist covering street-level Occupy Wallstreet via his Cellphone and ustream.tv) has made great use of his Samsun Galaxy S2 phones as well.

Motorola Phones, I’ve found, are typically solid little devices for people who don’t really care about anything spectacular, they just want something reliable (or they want a slideout keyboard). They’re not bad, but they’re more at par level than leading the pack.

As for your questions:
1. what are your thoughts regarding the pecking order of these phones?
Android and iOS are apples and oranges, really. The iOS app store has some really solid apps, I won’t deny that. If you have a lot of cash (Apple devices, in general, will bleed you dry after cutting you deep with the initial purchase), or an unhealthy obsession with other people’s perceptions of you (status gained via said conspicuous consumption), then Apple is an optimal choice.

I choose Android almost pedantically in protest to iOS and also because, despite all the stupid patent trolling by Microsoft and Apple, and the questionable lock-down pushed by Verizon, they are the “most” free (as in speech) phones. I have an SNES emulator on my phone that I downloaded through the marketplace; but if I couldn’t find one there, I could find someone’s APK on the internet, download it, and install it on my phone. That is freedom, and I refuse to give it up. The Android marketplace (called the “Play” store now) is growing rapidly, as well. It is almost at the point where the Apple app store is, and is closing in.

2. which would you consider buying?
Presently, the Droid RAZR looks the most promising (for me) simply because I like how it looks, the fact that it does 4G, and I have seen it personally. If I can find someone that has one of the newer Samsung phones (or can find time to review one), I might consider one of those instead. I actually never look at the spec sheets because I just assume that no company will ever list their product specs in a way that portrays both the positive and negative, which makes them factually useless. As is typically with tech devices, you get what you pay for — if you buy El Cheapo phone, it will probably perform adequately, but that’s it; maybe that’s enough for how you use it though. I don’t get overly wrapped up in the pissing contest of spec-chasing; if the phone does what I need it to do, is usable, and isn’t going to fall apart, that’s good enough for me.

Which do you feel is the least futureproof?
No phone is futureproof. Expect whatever you buy to be obsolete within a few months. That said, when they have crazy sales on phones, it’s because they’re getting ready to roll out a new model. This can either be a boon or a bane, depending on what you’re wanting. If you are one prone to buyer’s remorse, then wait 2 weeks or so and see what’s getting rolled out.

Phones are being released so absurdly frequently that I had to take a break from reviewing them to actually see a difference in performance (my reviews are on hiatus till this fall; my rep has invited me to continue when I am ready). The industry is in “rapid iterative refinement” mode, rather than “innovation”. I suspect we’ll see a lot more of this as long as it is economically sustainable or one company funds their R&D department to really revolutionize things. (This is another reason I will not by Apple products — they moderately iterate but hype the new product disproportionately to the level of improvement; iPhone 1 -> iPhone 4S = Huge advances. iPhone 4 -> iPhone 4S = not so much).

Sharper displays and fancier appearances are just bait to get you to drop more money. I want to see a phone that can be used in a new way; that will be something to behold. Google Glass, if they can deliver with it, looks promising.

What’s your favorite?
I have not seen a bad HTC phone yet — despite the occasional problems they have, they are solid little devices and suitable for most people. The Thunderbolt was a really terrific phone and I wouldn’t be opposed to picking one up. It was legitimately fast, does 4G, has a large display, and is probably pretty cheap at this point since it’s past the curve. My phone (Motorola Droid 1) reminds me every day that it needs to be replaced, but I’m riding it as long as I can.

Who do you think would win in a cell phone cock off? the Galaxy Nexus, the iPhone 4 or the Droid 4
Hm.

While I have not used the Droid 4, I have used the Droids 1 and 3, and assuming the Droid 4 hasn’t veered off into Awesomeland, I’m going to estimate that it’s probably “the same as the Droid 3, with slightly better specs and 4G ability.”

The iPhone 4 (and by extension, the 4S) are fancy. They’re good phones. Apple takes usability and consumer reception very seriously, and their devices consistently show it. BUT OMG THEY WON’T STOP TALKING ABOUT IT. The long-term cost (and the fact that it’s put out by Apple) and walled-garden app store are serious detractors for me, but may not be for others.

I have not yet used the Galaxy Nexus but have heard it’s a solid device. Based on the response I’ve seen from consumers, I would be reasonably confident getting one of these phones.

My advice, though — is to re-evaluate whether or not your phone is actually meeting your needs. What is it that you are unable to do with your phone? Does it need to be replaced because the batter life has shortened? Can you not run the apps that you legitimately need to run? I am only just-now replacing my Droid 1 because there are apps coming out now that I can barely run on it — stuff that wasn’t around nearly 3 years ago, when I first got it. If you don’t need to replace it, then why not wait? There will always> be newer phones coming out — ones with faster specs, better displays, fancier chasses; it’s a never-ending rat race of dissatisfaction. Just don’t play the game.

I suppose that’s an allegory for life, too.