The Next biggie on block, HTC One M8 !

Think of the HTC One M8 as the big-budget sequel to an Oscar-winning indie film. Last year's HTC One won rave reviews and obsessed fans, but not enough customers to keep HTC growing. This year, HTC needs a rip-roaring box-office hit with its flagship phone.

It could happen. The One M8 is undeniably the most impressive handset the company has ever minted. Like its predecessor, the M8 brings a refined and beautiful software and speedy performance, all wrapped in a lithe and eye-catching aluminum skin.

The HTC One M8 must compete head-to-head against its arch-rival's freshest mobile machine, theSamsung Galaxy S5, and compete it does. Aesthetically speaking, the HTC One M8 runs rings around the GS5 with its elegant and intuitive Sense interface. What's more, though the M8 may lack every bell and whistle that Samsung packs into its phones, it matches the GS5 on almost every feature that really matters, from processing speed to. Only the camera and its ever-so-slightly muddy shots give me pause.

Until the Samsung GS5 reviews are out, I can't say with certainty that the One M8 is a better phone or even if its the best Android alternative to the iPhone 5S. But I can say that the One M8 is a truly great phone all on its own--one worthy of anyone's investment.