Over the past couple of years, Motorola has been synonymous with disappointment. When the world graduating from the lackluster world of ordinary phones to the exciting new world of smartphones, Motorola was busy launching substandard products. And just when we thought Motorola was down and out, the company that gave us the sharp Razr is back with the DROID. With the DROID, Motorola has emerged as the latest fan of Google’s Android. Powered by Android 2.0, a full QWERTY keypad, a wide touch screen and a 5 MP camera, the phone is every smartphone addict’s fantasy.

Verdict:

One look at the phone and you know this phone is a cut above the rest. Motorola has propelled itself into the midst of the smartphone battle with the DROID. The phone a lot of things but it is more of one thing: the best.

Design and Display:

I could just call the phone another iPhone killer but I would refrain from comparing the DROID with the iPhone. The engineers at Motorola have finally been able to assemble a piece which is not just fashionable but also an intriguing piece of technology. The first thing that catches the eye is the huge 3.7 inch touch screen. The next instant you notice that the phone is not curvy as is the current fashion (Samsung Omnia, HTC touch pro 2). The phone is strikingly angular with slightly rounded edges. Weighing a good 169 Gms, the phone is a definitely on the side of the heavier smartphones. But then the weight is expected of phones with full QWERTY keypads. What is striking is that in spite of being heavy, the phone is extremely thin.

Below the screen are the familiar Android buttons – back, menu, home, and search. Behind the screen is the keypad a small part of which sticks out below the screen. Weird design but interesting all the same. Looks more like the Hero’s chin. The stub can be leveraged to push back the screen to reveal the keypad. The keypad tough a little cramped works well with the fingers.

Overall, Motorola’s achievement of patching a large screen and a full QWERTY keypad in such a thin frame deserves applause.

Interface:

I usually do not have a separate section for Interface but the DROID’s interface deserves a mention. The Android 2.0 is a vast improvement over its previous installments. But note that not much of it actually meets the eye. The first major change is the multiple inbox. So now you can have mails from all your mail boxes, web and enterprise land into a single inbox. Way to go, Google! The second major change is the way contacts are handled. Google now has a ‘quick contact’ option which lets you select the way you want to communicate with your friends. The new Android is fully social networking enabled and comes integrated into the quick contacts. So now you not only have the option to message and call your friends but also get in touch with them via social networking.

The navigation should not be a problem for anyone, whether new or used to Android. The 2.0 version is definitely faster though and it is a pleasure seeing the operating system mature so well.

Camera:

The camera though with 5 MP capabilities could definitely have been better but then maybe I am getting used to expecting more from the DROID. Equipped with white balance, focal length, flash settings, and effects along with an LED flash, the camera does manage to impress without comparison to other camera phones.

The video produces a 720 x 480 resolution with a picture quality which can be called superb. Definitely impressive.

Multimedia:

The music player could be described as lackluster but then you can’t have the whole world in your phone. Complete with playlists and search, the music player cannot just keep pace with the phone. But as an application in itself, the player comes out as pretty impressive.

The video playing capabilities of the player are again fairly average but the high resolution screen makes the movie watching experience quite pleasurable.

Internet, email and GPS:

Another surprise in the Android 2.0 is the refurbished internet browser. The browser now features an overview page and is zoom enabled. Most web pages load without a hitch and the large screen of the DROID only eases the job of internet browsing.

Multi inbox support, social networking integration, SMS, MMS and chat clients make the email experience of the DROID exhilarating.

Drop the DROID into the car jack and you have your own sat-nav system. The DROID comes with a fully equipped turn by turn navigation system integrated with Google Maps Get a whole lot of info in addition to exits and turns like satellite, map, traffic, location parking info, ATM spots, restaurants, and gas station locations.

Full Specifications:

Display: 3.7 inch TFT capacitive screen with a resolution of 480 x 854 pixels and support for 16M colors.
Dimensions: 115.8 x 60 x 13.7 mm.
Weight: 165 Gms.
Camera: Main camera – 5 MP, 2592 x 1944 pixels, autofocus, dual-LED flash, Geo-tagging, image stabilization.
Secondary camera – Yes.
Audio: Music player with support for MP3/eAAC+/WAV/WMA9.
Video: MP4/H.263/H.264/WMV9.
Messaging: SMS, MMS, Email, IM, Push Email, social networking.
Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP, microUSB, Wi-Fi.
Internet: GPRS, EDGE, 3G HSDPA, HSUPA, Web Browser.
Games: Built-in and downloadable.
Memory: 256 MB internal with support for microSD unto 32 GB.
Battery: Standard battery, Li-Ion 1400 mAh with talk time of 6.5 hours and standby of 350 hours.
Extras:
*Full QWERTY with 5 way navigation.
* Accelerometer.
* Proximity sensor for auto turn off.
* Android 2.0 OS.
* Organizer complete with Calendar, a task list, a memo pad, a voice recorder, a calculator.
* Built in speaker and 3.5 mm headphone jack.
* Threaded message view.
* Digital Compass.
* Built in social networking.
* Widget and app support.
* A-GPS with Google Maps.
* Widget and app support.
* Document viewer (Microsoft Office and PDF).