A journalist asked us recently what all the fuss was about regarding the now infamous “white iPhone 4”. It’s like a black swan we told him - you just don’t see white handsets that often.

While Apple struggles to get the paint finish right on its model, there are a number of other manufacturers who’ve cracked the white handset with aplomb.

Here are the best ones either on sale or about to go on the sale in the UK. 

White LG Optimus 2x

Here’s a dilemma, do you opt to be one of the first of your peers to own a dual core Android powered smartphone in black, or do you wait a little bit longer and be the first of your peers to own a dual core smartphone in white? Tough one.

LG has confirmed that a white version of the LG Optimus 2X is coming in the colour of snow, but not when you’ll be able to lose it on the slopes. Maybe opting for the company’s LG Optimus Black might be the better option for those undecided about their phone’s colour. It might not be as powerful, but with the promise of interchangeable back plates you’ll be able to switch out to pink or whatever colour you like when white just isn’t the in-colour any more.

- First Look: LG Optimus 2X review

White BlackBerry Bold 9780

So you want your email and you want to rock a white smartphone. No problem says RIM with the BlackBerry, or should that be WhiteBerry, Bold 9780. It’s not all white, white, white though, the 9780 from RIM features a black band around the edge of the smartphone and that accent is seen on the back as well.

So a white, silver, and black affair, but still a striking one that should give you that little bit of extra sparkle if you want a business phone without the boring black colour.

Still, it will help you stand out from the crowd.

- BlackBerry Bold 9780 review

White BlackBerry Torch

If you want a WhiteBerry with a touchscreen you’ll have to opt for the BlackBerry Torch in White, thanks to RIM and Vodafone.

We’ve manhandled the device already, even though it’s not officially out yet and can report back that it's a damn good paint job with a nice ribbed effect to show off that white around the back.

White keys, white back, with highlights of black will make you look like the snow queen or the Ice wizard ready to flex your power.

- White BlackBerry Torch hands on

- BlackBerry Torch review

White Samsung Galaxy S

The Samsung Galaxy S was one of “the” smartphones of 2010, so here you get to enjoy that power and usability in white. Lovely.

Available from The Carphone Warehouse, the white Samsung Galaxy S will be available for nothing on contracts starting from £30.

- White Samsung Galaxy S lands

- Samsung Galaxy S review

White HTC Desire

Voted as the best phone of the year by Pocket-lint in 2010, the white version of the HTC Desire is as you would expect, the smartphone from HTC in, err, white.

There are no major style differences here but seeing that metal anodised in white is pretty tasty.

- HTC beats Apple to the white phone punch

- HTC Desire review

White Nexus S

It’s not 100 per cent official yet, but we’ve got it on good authority that Google will be launching the Samsung made Nexus S smartphone that packs Android 2.3 in a white version for certain operators around the world.

Pictures have already leaked on the Internet and we’re expecting an official announcement in the next couple of weeks, if not days.

The latest version of Android on one of the highest specced phones on the market, in white, what more could you ask for?

- White Google Nexus S goes on show

- Google Nexus S review

White Nokia E72

It might not be the latest and greatest smartphone on the market, but if you like Nokia, then this will let you enjoy that white look while sending your emails, and enjoying Ovi at the same time.

For those paying attention, the new phone updates the camera on the back from 3 megapixels to five, sees a change to the layout of the QWERTY keyboard ever so slightly, and introduces an optical navigation key for trackpad-like control through the menus. 

- Nokia E72 review

Samsung Galaxy Tab

Okay, so we said smartphones in the title, but we couldn’t resist adding a tablet. If you like your tablets with a spot of white, you've got a couple of choices. There's the Creative ZiiO 7, which comes in white, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab. 

Now you can enjoy the Samsung Galaxy Tab in white while you play with the 7-inch tablet and all its Android love.

If you’re a Samsung Galaxy S owner, it should go together with your white version beautifully.

- Samsung Galaxy Tab review

White iPhone 3GS

If you really must have a white iPhone you’ll currently have to settle for the over-a-year-old iPhone 3GS. Still, at least you’ll be able to flash that white iOS touting handset to your mates.

If you’re quick enough maybe you’ll be able to convince them that it’s actually an iPhone 4. Highly unlikely, but it’s worth a go.

- iPhone 3GS review

White iPhone 4

Ahh, the black swan of the pack that’s been spotted here, there and everywhere, promised for almost a year and yet still unavailable.

Apple is still keeping quiet (at time of writing) about whether there will ever be a white iPhone 4 for people to buy, leaving just Stephen Fry in the UK as one of the only ones to still be carrying one (reportedly Apple asked for it back before he told them to “bugger off”).

If you do want one you can go off piste and order the parts from various dubious websites and make it yourself, but that’s just taking it a little too far.

- Apple iPhone 4 review

Are you tempted by a white phone? If so, let us know which one you would go for in the comments below.