Amazon is giving away a whole bunch of Android apps again, and just like last time, there are several titles you won’t want to miss. In addition to games like Monopoly, Angry Birds Star Wars, and Riptide GP2, you’ll find AVG AntiVirus PRO, Xtralogic Remote Desktop, and BuildCalc — all completely free.

Is the iPhone 6 Plus the best smartphone of 2014?. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Android

Smartphone innovation may have stalled in recent years, but that hasn’t stopped manufacturers from updating and improving upon their best devices. This year, we’ve seen big changes to devices like the iPhone, the Galaxy Note, and the LG G — as well as new contenders like the OnePlus One. But what are the best smartphones of 2014?

Here are our picks.

Palm may not be dead yet. Photo: Anthony Goto/Flickr

Some might say HP threw in the towel on Palm and its webOS software a little too prematurely, but it seems another hardware manufacturer may be willing to give it another chance. Alcatel Onetouch appears to have purchased the Palm brand from HP, but it’s currently unclear what the French company intends to do with its new trademarks.

Samsung beat Apple and HTC in consumer satisfaction. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android

While Samsung’s smartphone sales may be falling, those who are buying its devices couldn’t be happier with them. In a new satisfaction study, the South Korean electronics giant beat even Apple to the top spot of the smartphone category, while Nokia ranked higher than BlackBerry, LG, and even HTC.

The Galaxy A3 combines premium design with affordable specs. Photo: Samsung

Smartphone shoppers awaiting Samsung’s mid-range Galaxy A series can now purchase both the Galaxy A3 and the Galaxy A5 off-contract in the U.S. Prices start at $349.99 for the Galaxy A3, while the Galaxy A5 — which is bigger and has better specifications — costs $409.99. Both devices come completely unlocked.