Do you like your Android phones the way you used to get your Blackberry?  You know, with a QWERTY keyboard on the front panel and all.  Well, then, these two new releases might interest you: the Motorola XPRT and the Motorola Titanium.

The XPRT is the business class of the pair, boasting enterprise-level security features built in, including 256-bit AES data encryption, enterprise-controlled security schemes and several specialty functions (such as remote wipe, password recovery and multiple types of access locks).  Appearance is decidedly professional, veering on the side of industrial.  Known details include a 3.1-inch capacitive touchscreen (480x  320 resolution), a four-row QWERTY keypad and a 1GHz processor.  It runs Android 2.2 with the Motoblur UI on top.

The Titanium is the blue-collar performer of the duo, packing iDEN support and military spec rugged construction.  Details are scant, but you get a 3.1-inch touchscreen, a four-row QWERTY keyboard and Android 2.1, set on a rather unpretty frame.  We're getting it comes with all the usual field worker special, as it's intended as a successor to last year's Motorola i1.

Both handsets will be released by Sprint in the US, with the Motorola XPRT coming on June 5 ($129).  No dates or pricing yet for Motorola Titanium, though.

[MobileCrunch]

While the Motorola Cliq 2 looks like a great phone, it barely got attention during its CES debut.  That's understandable, considering it was on the floor with dual-core smartphones and 4-inch behemoths.  This time, though, we get to inspect it up close.

Physically, it bears the same basic shape and form factor as the original Cliq.  It does appear slimmer because of the sleeker design and it looks just a tad more professional.   Do note that it's quite hefty at 6.17 ounces -- a quality you'll probably have to expect with many of this year's releases.

Display is an ample 3.7-inches (854 x 480 resolution) with excellent color, sharpness and touch responsiveness.  We love the crazy-looking slide-out landscape QWERTY keyboard.  More than the spider web appearance, the large keys and rubbery feel actually make for very comfortable typing.

As a phone, the Motorola Cliq 2 makes for clean and clear calls.  Audio on both ends were very good, albeit nothing exceptional.  It can probably use an extra level of volume for talking in noisy places, though.   Speakerphone is better than average, while the battery is rated for close to 8 hours of talk time.

Android 2.2 Froyo is the build of choice and it has all the usual features you've come to expect.  Like Motorola's other releases, it has Motoblur over the Android installation and that could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your preferences.

The Cliq 2 has all the typical smartphone stuff on board: calling options, basic and advanced messaging, an organizer, aGPS, Bluetooth, WiFi and a heaping of preloaded apps.  It runs on T-Mobile's old 3G network (not the HSPA+ variety), where speeds are actually pretty decent.  A 1GHz processor powers the action, allowing it to breeze through all functions without lag.

A few capabilities not available in all smartphones are thrown in, as well.  It can work as a 3G hotspot and even allows Wi-Fi calling; there's also a better Task Manager (necessary, since Froyo disabled third-party app killers) onboard; a dedicated file manager; and a DLNA app for streaming media over WiFi.

It uses the standard Android media player, so don't expect any improvements on that end.  The  5.0 megapixel camera does take above average snaps -- even indoors where a flash is needed.

Overall, the Motorola Cliq 2 is an excellent phone.  If you can live with the heft, the keyboard is one of the best in the business, while the rest of the device performs at a notably premium level.

While the Motorola Droid Pro isn’t the sleekest-looking Android phone around, it does pair both a touchscreen and a keyboard in an easy-to-use candybar slate form factor.  More importantly, it brings plenty of strengths that make it a good option for a business phone.

Physically, it looks a bit odd -- almost like somebody took the Droid and attached a QWERTY keypad right below the display.  That shouldn't be that big of a deal, though, since this is a business phone, so a little industrial aesthetic wouldn't hurt.   As a result of the design, it's a tad big, but it remains pocketable.

Display is a 3.1-inch capacitive touchscreen (320 x 480 resolution), which is bright and colorful but pales against many other options when it comes to sharpness.  Touch interface is sufficiently responsive.  The four-row keyboard is almost as good as the ones on Blackberry devices.  Suffice to say, typing is a positive experience.

As a phone, the Motorola Droid Pro makes for average call quality.  Audio sounded good for the most part, although we encountered background noises a couple of times.  Those on the other end reported excellent reception, so the problems were only on our end.  Speakerphone was good and should be usable outdoors.  Battery life is rated at 6.5 hours.

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In the market for a rugged smartphone?  If you've looked around, you probably noticed that there aren't plenty of options out there.  Lucky for you, Motorola decided to fill the void with the Motorola Defy, a durable-bodied slate handset running Android 2.1.

Physically, it's notably sleek and slim for a rugged device.   The design does have that rough-and-tumble aesthetic, though, so the lines aren't quite as elegant as more popular Android phones.  Still, the rounded corners and half-inch thickness make it a pleasant departure from the typically industrial looks of durability-focused handsets.    Screen is  a 3.7-inch capacitive touchscreen (480 x 854), with Corning Gorilla glass covering it for heavy-duty protection.  Display is gorgeous with an excellent touch response.

The ports are covered with rubberized stoppers to keep water from seeping in.  While it doesn't quite cut the military specifications of most rugged phones (resistance to salt, fog, humidity, and solar radiation), it does make a nice compromise between style and durability.

As a phone the Motorola Defy makes for excellent calls.  Sound on both ends of the conversation were pristine, with almost no discernible background noises.  Speakerphone added just a hint of echo, but performed similarly well.  Battery is rated at 8 hours of talk time, which should easily last you the day (likely more).

Just like most of Motorola's Android releases, it comes with an enhanced version of Motoblur, which I personally prefer over the default Android experience.  The 800MHz processor was duly capable of servicing most tasks, with lags only occurring after having many apps open.  Wireless data speeds over 3G were very good, as well, with YouTube videos playing smoothly after just a few seconds of buffering.

All the usual smartphone capabilities are onboard, including various voice features, Bluetooth, WiFi and GPS (with Telenav and Google Maps Navigation support).   Messaging is adeptly handled, with SMS, MMS, IM and email (including corporate mail) easily within reach.  Google's roster of apps are onboard, too, along with a few extra ones, such as QuickOffice, Social Networking and Media Share.

For music and videos, it relies on stock Android tools and it delivers an average experience.  There's DLNA support, though, so you can share your media files with other devices in the house.   The 5.0 megapixel camera took decent shots, which could have used a little more brightness (even with the LED flash involved).

Overall, the Motorola Defy sits alone in a market category no manufacturer seems to be paying attention to.  Even if ruggedness isn't a primary consideration, it is quite a solid purchase at $99.99 on a two-year contract with T-Mobile.

Handsets bearing that cute square form factor are usually feature phones, designed for heavy messaging users.  The Motorola Flipout departs from the norm, putting a full-featured Android smartphone inside the pudgy frame.

Physically, the device sports 2.64 x 2.65 x 0.67 inch dimensions, allowing it to fit even in smaller pockets.   Despite the compact stature, the hardware's overall construction feels sturdy.  Instead of sliding to reveal the QWERTY keyboard, it uses a swivel mechanism, similar to the Nokia Twist.   It sports a 2.8-inch touchscreen (320 x 240 resolution), which is a tad too small for comfortable fingering.  Keyboard is especially roomy, though, making for very good typing.

As a phone, the Motorola Flipout makes for clear calls with very little interference on both ends of the conversation.  It could probably use a little more volume, as it becomes a bit difficult to use in crowded environments.  Speakerphone performed somewhat below average.  Do note: you'll need to flip out the keyboard to make calls, which is odd.  Battery life is rated at 4.6 hours of talk time, which should easily last you an entire day of regular use.

In terms of features, it sits right in the middle of the Android pack.  All the basic voice functionalities are intact (with quad-band world support), along with full messaging capabilities, including SMS, MMS, IM and email with universal inbox (POP3, IMAP and corporate).  It's fairly usable as a business device, as well, with calendar syncing and Quickoffice in tow.  Social networking fans should  have plenty to chew on, too, as it has Motoblur UI running over Android 2.1.

The usual set of connectivity options are on board - aGPS, WiFi, 3G and Bluetooth.  Data speeds over 3G were uneven, with pages loading at rather irregular rates. Web browsing and video playback were fairly average for Android handsets, although the small display makes both activities unsatisfying as a whole.

Music playback is similarly average and uses the stock Android player.  The 3.1 megapixel camera offers limited editing options and takes fairly reasonable photo quality.   Aside from the usual Google suite of apps, it also includes a helping of AT&T's numerous services.

Overall, the Motorola Flipout feels a lot better than its diminutive frame suggests.  The keyboard is impressive, although the screen is a bit too small for comfort.    You can get it from AT&T, priced at $79.99 on a two-year agreement.

I hate press releases with a bunch of products  squeezed in.  That's exactly what Motorola did, though, for announcing the phones they have showing at their booth in CTIA Enterprise & Applications.  With that said, they introduced six Android smartphones, some of them previously announced, namely: the Motorola Citrus, Motorola Spice, Motorola Bravo, Motorola Flipside, Motorola Flipout and Motorola Defy.

Motorola Citrus. There aren’t many details, but this appears to be the entry-level of the lot.  Only known details are that it will have a capacitive touchscreen and the Backtrack touch panel, along with a custom skin over Android.  It will be released in the US under Verizon sometime in the fourth quarter.

Motorola Spice. This one's a vertical QWERTY slider with a touchscreen, Backtrack and Motorola's Flashback app, a centralized management screen for user content.  Details include a 3-inch capacitive touchscreen (320 x 240 resolution), a 3.2 megapixel camera module and 3G with HSPA.

Motorola Flipside. A horizontal slider, it features a 3.1-inch capacitive touchscreen (320 x 480 resolution), a four-row QWERTY keypad, a 3.2 megapixel camera module, 3G with HSPA, microSD card expansion (2GB included) and 256MB of RAM.

Motorola Bravo. The better-equipped of the new announcements, details include a 3.7-inch touchscreen display (480 x 854 resolution), a 3.2 megapixel camera module (with autofocus and one-touch uploading to social networks), aGPS, stereo Bluetooth, WiFi, DLNA support, microSD card expansion (2GB preloaded) and a 1,540mAh battery.  Processing is handled by an 800MHz processor, paired with 512MB of RAM.

Both the unusually-styled Motorola Flipout and the semi-rugged Motorola Defy have been announced previously.

[Motorola]



QWERTY candybars aren't anything unique.  The Motorola Droid Pro, though, is certainly different from what everyone probably expected.

In design, it looks like a regular touchscreen phone with a Blackberry-like QWERTY keyboard bolted at the bottom.  To say that the 134-gram hardware looks like two phones mashed together isn't going too far - the thing is odd.

Intended for use as a business device, the Motorola Droid Pro features support for international networks, remote wipe (both internal storage and SD cards), complex password support, AuthenTec IPSec multi-headed VPN integration and Android's regular business capabilities, including a unified calendar and full push corporate email.  It runs Android 2.2, comes with QuickOffice preloaded and supports Backup Assistant.

Details include a 3.1-inch capacitive touchscreen (320 x 480 resolution), a 5.0 megapixel camera module, aGPS, 3G (10.2 Mbps HSDPA, 5.76 Mbps HSUPA), WiFi, stereo Bluetooth, 3G mobile hotspot capabilities, DLNA support, 2GB of internal storage and microSD card expansion (2GB preloaded).  A 1GHz processor runs the whole thing, juiced from a 1,420 mAh battery.

Pricing for the Motorola Droid Pro is not yet available, although the standard $199.99 doesn't sound like a far-off bet.  Verizon says they'll announce it closer to launch, which should happen in the coming weeks.

[BGR via Motorola]

Want an Android phone, don't need a touchscreen slab?   You may want to give the Motorola Charm an audition.

Clad in a slim QWERTY candybar form factor, it's easy to mistake it for a Blackberry clone.  It's not the sleekest messaging-style handset we've seen, but it does have its own...uhm...charm.  The squared-off 2.8-inch touchscreen (320 x 240 resolution) feels too small for viewing most webpages, but it does work fine for most other uses.  It's capacitive too, making for excellent touch controls.  Motorola also added a navigation pad on the back of the phone that surprisingly works better than we expected.  Keypad is roomy and has a good tactile feel.

As a phone, the Motorola Charm makes for good calls, with voices just sounding with a little bit of echo.  Audio is clear, though.  Speakerphone isn't that good and will probably be unusable in crowded environments.  Battery is rated at 5 hours of talk time, making for over a day of use before recharges.

The phone runs Motoblur, which adds a number of useful stuff, such as a universal inbox, a socially-connected contacts list and a bunch of widgets.  While we do like the extra functionality, the UI layer does leave the screen a bit cluttered.  An underpowered 600MHz processor controls the action, which does wilt a little once you start to have a whole host of apps running.

It comes with the usual smartphone capabilities (threaded chat view, Bluetooth, aGPS, WiFi), along with the host of features that go with Android 2.1 (multiple home screens, robust messaging with Exchange support, speech-to-text and more).  Running on T-Mobile's network, it gives fast 3G speeds, with YouTube clips running smoothly after some short buffering.  Both the media player and HTML browser are stock, so don't expect much excitement there.  The 3-megapixel camera takes rather disappointing pictures.

Overall, we love the design of the Motorola Charm.  While I'm not swayed by its looks, it does offer an alternative for users who want a slim Android phone with a QWERTY keyboard.  Plus, it's priced pretty sweet at $74.99 on a two-year contract with T-Mobile.

We're not sure how rugged a slim and sleek smartphone can be, but Motorola claims their latest device "has been designed to handle everything that life throws your way."  Called the Motorola Defy, it's a semi-rugged Android phone with a specs list you typically don't see in handsets marketed for their durability.

While the pleasant 59 x 107 x 13.4 mm frame isn't  rugged enough to survive hard drops onto concrete, it claims dust-proof and water-resistant qualities.  The screen is scratch-proof, as well, so typical clumsy handling (read: your regular use) should leave it unscathed.

Details of the Defy include a 3.7-inch touchscreen (480 x 800 resolution), a 5.0 megapixel camera module with LED flash, aGPS, 3G (7.2Mbps HSDPA), WiFi, stereo Bluetooth, 3.5mm audio jack, DLNA support, microSD card expansion (up to 32GB) and a 1540 mAh battery (rated at over 6.5 hours of talk time).  It comes with Motorola's CrystalTalk Plus, which uses dual microphones to better drown out background noise.  There's no word on the CPU, but it gets 512MB of RAM and a hefty 2GB of ROM.

It's running Android 2.1 (so, no full Flash for you),  but it will feature Motoblur 1.5 on top.  You'll get all the usual Android fare, including robust messaging, Google's suite of services and support for third-party apps.  Honestly, this sounds pretty good, especially when you factor in the water resistance.

The Motorola Defy will debut in Europe sometime in the fourth quarter.  No word on carrier, specific markets or pricing has been given.

[Motorola via Gizmodo]

Not to be confused with the original Milestone (which is known in the US as the Droid), the Motorola Milestone XT720 is a newer model, which ditches the slide-out keyboard and takes on an odd styling.  It doesn't have the raw CPU power of other new high-end Android phones, but makes up for it with a solid set of hardware features.

Physically, it takes on a slate design, but includes an odd bump on the lower right side that's used for displaying a variety of LED indicators.  Personally, I like the unique touch, although I can imagine a lot of people finding it unnecessary.  Screen is a 3.7-inch capacitive touchscreen (480 x 854 resolution).  It manages a very crisp display, with bright colors and sharpness to spare.  Touch interface is quick and responsive.

As a phone, the Milestone XT720 managed good calls, with loud volume and no interference.  Those on the other end reported the same thing, citing very clear audio.  Speakerphone added some echo, but was serviceable even in loud environments.  Battery is rated at 4.5 hours of talk time, so expect to charge every night or so.

Like other Android 2.1 phones, it comes with the staple Google suite of apps, robust messaging and other OS-based features, aside from access to lots more via the Android Market.  It runs on a 720MHz CPU.  While far from the 1GHz performers now flooding the market, it performs most tasks without hitch, although it would occasionally act in a sluggish manner when you have a fair share of apps open.

Standard capabilities include quad-band world roaming, smart dialing, Bluetooth 2.1 and aGPS.  A few notable preinstalled apps include QuickOffice, a Phone Portal utility (for managing phone content on a PC over WiFi or USB) and an all-in-one social networking app.  It uses the default standard browser, with pinch-to-zoom and Flash lite.

Multimedia playback is typical for an Android phone, so it's nothing special.  It does have a high-res 8.0 megapixel camera with a Xenon flash and 720p recording.  Stills look very good outdoors and very usable indoors, while the video has nice colors but remains somewhat grainy.

Overall, the Motorola Milestone XT720 is a full-featured Android 2.1 phone with a high-res camera and good overall performance as its main selling point.  It costs $460 unlocked, but probably isn't the best deal available when Cincinatti Bell releases it for $199.99 on contract.