Right from the get-go, the Motorola Droid is being hailed as the iPhone's only real competition in the current market. For good reason, too, as the device brings a marriage of topnotch hardware and a powerful software in Android 2.0.
Physically, the Droid isn't exactly a headturner. The design is very understated, with sharp angles and a rather dull appearance. That's the last thing you'll care about, though, once you catch sight of the large 3.7-inch display with a 440 x 854 resolution. Suffice to say, the iPhone's screen looks ugly and outdated next to this smartphone.
Because of the big screen and a slide-out keyboard, it's quite a hefty phone, but still remains within the bounds of being very pocketable. Honestly, though, I would have liked the Droid better as a pure touchscreen phone. The slide mechanism is very suspect (I have a feeling it isn't sturdy enough to last past six months for less-than-gentle users) and the keyboard isn't all that great (very flat feel). In fact, I prefer using the excellent onscreen keyboard for a lot of the usual functions.
As a phone, the Droid manages very good calls (CDMA 800/1900; EV-DO Rev. A), with clear and crisp sound coming through on both ends of conversations. The speakerphone was similarly excellent, with very little echo and plenty of volume. Overall handset performance is sufficiently fast, with no lag when moving between screens and apps (even during multi-tasking, which it does beautifully). Battery life is rated at 6.4 hours of talk time. That's a lot of leeway, but considering this phone was meant to be used incessantly (like the iPhone), I imagine you'll be charging this every two days (or less).
The real star here, however, is Android 2.0 and everything it brings to the table. It doesn't look much different from old versions (other than being a bit more streamlined), but the small interface changes really make a difference in the overall experience. Some notable updates include a beefed-up productivity system (MS Exchange sync out of the box, push Gmail, single screen for all messages, improved calendars and Synergy-like contacts), a faster, improved browser (with HTML5, multitap and the promise of Flash 10 when Adobe releases it) and the much-touted Google Maps Navigation (possibly the most promising cellphone GPS around).
Music and video, however, weren't given much attention here and remains largely at the same level as previous Android devices. It's good, but noticeably trails behind more media-oriented smartphones. The 5.0 megapixel camera took decent shots, although we've seen better. With a dual-LED flash and a good amount of editing options (plus the potential in third-party apps), it should prove much better than previous Android efforts. Other features include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and the usual basic smartphone capabilities.
Overall, the Motorola Droid is a serious player in the market for older, more professional users. It could have been better without the keyboard (it's not necessary, the virtual keypad is excellent) and world phone support added. Should you choose it over the iPhone, though? For the first time, that choice is really, really hard to make.
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