Motorola Droid X Preview: Motorola & Verizon's "Droid Does" it Again
New OS, Better Keyboard & Better Performance
Screen & Keyboard: Swype or Multitouch?
With a possible exclusive contract with Verizon, their answer to the Sprint/HTC EVO 4G is certainly worth waiting for. Some of the major differences between this phone and the original Droid are obvious. This smartphone appears smaller than the Droid, but larger than the EVO. The screen is speculated to be at 4.3 inches, at a resolution of 854 x 480, but nothing is confirmed yet. This is because of the existence of conflicting reports and no tech specs released from Verizon yet. The keyboard is apparently Swype enabled with a multitouch option from which the user can switch back and forth from if they wish, which is something Motorola Cliq XT fans have been clamoring for.
Operating System: Android & MOTOBLUR
As for the operating system, of course, the Motorola Droid X is running Android; however, it apparently is only using Android 2.1, which is interesting considering the release of 2.2, or Froyo, which Nexus One users were updated with. Why would Google release a new version of Android and not install it on the newest Droid smartphone? Speculation exists that it in fact does exist on the Droid X because of the existence of a "Tip widget" on its home screen, which is used with Froyo in conjunction of MOTOBLUR 2.0. However, nothing is confirmed yet about 2.2 so this is only speculation. However, the MOTOBLUR 2.0 is real and has a brand new navigational bar in use, which is helping in the performance department.
Performance
Also helping in the performance department of the Motorola Droid X is the supposed 1GHz ARMv7 processor that Engadget believes is an OMAP 3630. They say it makes the Droid X smartphone extra fast. They state the phone is especially responsive and with no lag time, which is a great improvement over the previous phones. Additionally, switching keyboards is easily done and just as fast. Engadget also thinks the keyboard swipes better than any other Android smartphone they have tested. This is also an improvement because on previous phones with Android installed, many would complain of the sensitivity of the touch responsiveness.
Other Extras
Some of the other extra features that have been improved on with this release of the Droid include a better camera. Utilizing an 8 megapixel camera, this one can take photos and video at up to 720p resolution. Focusing can be annoying, though because to do so on the Droid X, one has to "tap" the phone. However, the user can only do so once before taking the photo, so if they get the focus wrong the first time, they have to take a picture and refocus and hope they get it right the second time.
Overall
Many improvements exist with the Motorola Droid X smartphone and they are sure to make die hard Droid fans very happy. The problem is, some of these fans might not want to wait for the release. Additionally, there are no official specs released, except for those who have had a hands on preview of the smartphone, so most of everything anyone knows is speculation and will be confirmed on June 23 2010. Until this date, these specs could change at a moment's notice. Overall, this is a great release for the Droid series and is expected to sell out almost immediately after its release.
Verizon: Motorola Droid X Pre-Release Information Page
Engadget: Exclusive: Motorola Droid X Preview
Published by JC Torpey - Featured Contributor in Technology
JC Torpey started writing at a young age and is affiliated with many online publishing websites. JC's expertise includes network security, PC health and the Internet. Her specialized writing areas include we... View profile
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- The Droid X is said to have Android 2.1, even though parts of 2.2 co-exist.
- Screen size is an issue, as there are conflicting reports and no tech specs.
- The announcement is coming on June 23 2010-get ready Droid fans!
2 Comments
Post a Commentdroid looks interesting
An excellent article, JC! I was never a big fan of Motorola phones. Maybe the Droid can convince me otherwise. Thanks!