Droid X for "Excellent"
Motorola hits an additional one homerun with the Droid X. I'm not inevitable what the "X" stands for, but I'm going to say that it must stand for "Excellent" because it is. Let me tell you why I have come to that conclusion.
Basic Specs
The first thing that will grab you is the humungous 4.3 inch touch screen, and its great Wvga edge to edge display that supports up to 16 colors. Remember the old three and four color screens we used to get so excited about?
Its sleek, shiny black case measures 5.02" x 2.57" x.39". It has a diminutive hump on the back presumably to accommodate the camera and flash-more about that later. It weighs in at 5.47 ounces. So, it's not going to make your pants fall down if you put it in your pocket.
The Droid X runs on the Android 2.1 with the Motorola platform. Version 2.2 (Google Froyo) should be ready soon. It features a 1.0 Ghz processor with abundance of hunk and 8 Gb of internal memory. With a micro Sd slot, you can get up to 32 more Gigs of memory. It comes with a 16 Gb card installed.
A 540 mAhli-ion battery is rated to contribute up to 480 minutes usage time and 220 hours standby time. But, in practice, I found that the battery can come to be exhausted rather rapidly, especially if you are multitasking with supplementary services such as Gps, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Keep your charger handy or a spare battery.
Let's take a walk nearby the unit checking for buttons, inputs and outputs. On the top, we have a 3.5 mm jack for earphones, a microphone (one of three), and a power button. On the right side are two volume operate buttons and a button to invoke the camera. There is nothing on the lowest unless you count the lowest of the screen in the front where there is an additional one microphone plus Menu, Home Screen, Return, and search corporal hardware buttons. On the left side, toward the lowest is a micro Usb port for a charging/sync cable. Below that is a Hdmi cable port for audio/video production so that you can exchange content from the Droid for viewing on your Tv. Nice. You can also production to a projector. On the back is an 8 Mpx camera lens and a dual Led flash. On the lowest of the back is yet an additional one microphone.
Camera and Video
The camera is to covet with its 8.0 Mpx lens 1/1000 second mechanical shutter, auto focus, touch to focus, face recognition and panoramic modes features. The Droid X will share photos, video, and music with other Dlna compatible devices. (However, I didn't have much luck with this feature.) The 720 p Nd video allows slow motion capture, fast action, and quick uploads to YouTube. It features directional audio capture with is three microphones that improve sound while tuning out background noise. With Hdmi output, you can play your recorded videos on your Hd Tv. Unfortunately, a cable is not included. But there is still no way to take screen shots, which is a pity.
Entertainment: Music-Movies-Tv-Radio-Games
If you enjoy listening to music on your phone, the Droid should please you with its appropriate 3.5 mm jack for headphones, Bluetooth, Android Music Player, ability to generate playlists, way to the Amazon Music Store of Mp3 downloads, and Fm Radio. There is also a Verizon Vcast store ready for the purchase of music.
I found the sound ability to be appropriate with earplugs, external stereo speakers, and with Bluetooth headphones.
If you're looking for video entertainment, the Droid X can deliver. It comes with an Interface app for Blockbuster video that allows you to stream videos. Of course, you must rent them. Unfortunately, there is no app for, nor could I even way Hulu on the browser to watch Tv and movies. Fortunately, there is an app for Orb, which allows you to tune into your desktop computer remotely to way files, watch videos, and live or recorded Tv. Also, I am happy to record that SlingBox now has an app for the Droid. It costs .95, and you must have a Slingbox installed on your Tv, but it's well worth the investment. Welcome aboard Sling Media. There are some other apps for viewing more diminutive Tv channels as well that are worth exploring. I only wish there were an application for Netflix streaming videos. Maybe I'll have to generate one myself.
Droid X comes with an Fm tuner that requires you to plug in ear buds that act as an antenna. There are many nice radio and music apps ready as well. My favorite is Pandora, which is free. If you advise a tune or a composer, it will generate a playlist of similar items in the same genre and stream them to you. Nice.
If you are a gamer, there is a plethora of games in the store for you to download. Many are free. The large screen, fast processor, memory and great graphics integrate for a pleasant gaming experience. I haven't tried it yet because I don't have an Hdmi cable, but I calculate it may also be potential to play games from the X on your Hdtv or on a projection screen.
3G mobile Hotspot
Another enthralling feature of the X is that it can accomplish as a Wi-Fi router connecting up to five other devices using Verizon's 3G network. Unfortunately, this aid costs an supplementary per month, and there is a 2 Gb cap on usage.
Using the built-in Wi-Fi feature will generally give you a much faster connection to the Internet and save potential billable connection time via 3G.
Apps and Software
As Android is a Google platform, it offers many Google mobile apps such as Maps, Voice, Latitude, Calendar, Push Gmail, Talk, and integrated Google, Exchange, Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter contacts. Let me caution you though. Adding all your group networking contacts to your regular contacts can be spectacular, and bog down the system. It offers advanced Speech Recognition, Imap, Pop, Hotmail, and Aol email support. Other Google and Verizon apps may be installed from the Android store along with nearby 50,000 other paid and free apps.
I am pleased to record that my Google contacts and calendar ported over seamlessly to the X and synced with my desktop Outlook information. You can way your Google tasks and Docs. Strangely, while you can edit Excel docs, you cannot generate or edit any other Microsoft Office documents, which is not exactly a plus in my book. However, there is a workaround with a third party application from DataViz.
My Verizon, Backup Assistant, and CityId are some of the other apps that come preinstalled that let you keep track of your account, backup your device, and have a caller's city appear on the screen. It also comes with a voicemail widget that I never could get to work properly. You can subscribe and pay a fee, for visual voice mail. But I much prefer Google Voice, and it's free.
Screens and Navigation
After turning on the device and unlocking it with a finger gesture, a home screen appears sprinkled with apps and widgets. Sailing is done with finger gestures. You can flick to six different screens that you can customize to suite your tastes. You can even customize the background with pre-loaded graphics or contribute your own.
One of the six screens is set up for quick way to your favorite contacts. It did not work well for me. My first four contacts displayed with large photos, the next four with smaller photos, the next four would not display photos at all, just a blue box with a gear in the corner. Tech reserve was not able to determine this issue.
Another screen is set up with a music widget for easy way to your favorite tunes and playlists.
At the top of an additional one page is a widget that gives quick way to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Phone, and Gps, which I appreciate.
Another page comes with widgets for news and Rss feeds already set up for you. Of policy you can remove these if you wish or add more icons of your own choosing to any of the six screens.
Google Voice search allows you to take fee of your phone and tell it what to do. You can search on the phone for such things as contacts, tell it to call man or pull up an app or file. You can search the Web orally or find a firm or address and then navigate to it. If you have an urge to be dictatorial, here's your chance to be the boss.
Keyboard
Unlike its predecessors, the Motorola Droid X does not have a slide out lateral keyboard. For me that it is plus. I do not like slide out keyboards, and I especially don't like lateral ones. They are bulky, mechanical, and just something more to go wrong. I don't appreciate being forced to use two hands to type if I don't want to. I honestly like the onboard input panel for Droid X.
The X also comes with an onscreen keyboard that opens automatically whenever text entry is required. If you prefer a larger keyboard, just orient the device horizontally, and the keyboard will shift to a wider, horizontal display.
In settings, it is potential to turn on such options as keypress sound or vibrate, auto capitalization, auto punctuate, word suggestions, and autocorrect errors. You also have your selection between the appropriate Multi-touch keyboard, and a new innovative one called Swype.
The Multi-touch keyboard expands the touched character, which reduces typos. You can slide your finger to the desired character if you make a mistroke. Retention the key down brings up every ready incompatibility of the letter along with foreign characters diacritical markings. an additional one nice feature of this keyboard is the voice option. Touch the microphone and speak the text you want to create. It is surprisingly accurate. As a test I said, "I want to say that this is a very definite system." The way it came out was, "I want to say that this is a very definite system." Whoops, maybe it's a diminutive too accurate.
Swype is a pretty spectacular, keyboard option. You merely slide your finger nearby the screen from one desired letter to the next until the word is completed. When you lift your finger the word appears on the screen as if by magic. If there are other possibilities with the letter combinations, a list of choices to tap will appear on the screen. There is a tutorial to get you up and running. You can also use the speech to text machine with Swype, and there's a emoticon directory too.
Now comes the most enthralling part for me, and that is the X's ability to associate to an external Bluetooth keyboard using an interface app called KeyPro. It works like a charm, and you are in the word processing, inputting business. There is a trial version to try before you buy.
The only question is that there is no real word processing schedule ready yet for the X. The work-around is to use Documents to Go by DataViz. It costs .99, but it's a most worthwhile venture if you want to turn you Pda into a road warrior. It will allow you to view, edit, and generate Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Pdf documents. I think this an absolute must have.
It would be an altogether perfect world if the Android store had an application that would display a Droid screen on your desktop and allow interaction with file drag/drop, keyboard inputting, and mouse/cursor movement. Sometimes I honestly miss my Windows mobile devices.
Another feature I appreciate is the you can tap and hold to make a string of entered text improve and the honestly see where to place the cursor to definite a type. Nice.
Browsing
Browsing the Net with the big, crystal clear screen and fast processor on the X is a pleasure. The response time is snappy, and scrolling is smooth and fast. Enlarging the image with spread or retracted shape gestures works well. My only wish would be that there were an selection to configure a Webpage to fit the screen as you can with a Windows mobile device. This is a much better way to view a Webpage on a handheld device because you don't have to scroll all over the place. I would put this selection on my list wish for Droid developers.
There are many enthralling features connected with the browsing experience. For example, you can tap on the star on the right side of the address bar to mark a favorite. It then appears on the favorite screen for easy access. The favorites screen lets you view the bookmarks in a list or image view showing the home page. There are also tabs for Most Visited and History. You can even place a Webpage on one of the home screens for instant access.
By the way, you can watch YouTube in high resolution by tapping Hq on the lower right of the screen.
Syncing
By connecting your X to your desktop or laptop via the supplied micro Usb cable, you can exchange files, videos, and pictures. With downloadable Media Manager, you can also purchase, store, and listen to music from the Verizon store. Unfortunately, the Media owner only supports 32 bit systems. So, if you have a 64 bit system, you're out of luck. However, you can still associate to the X as if it were an additional one drive and exchange files that way.
Accessories
The X comes in a pretty bare bones box with just a charger, a micro Usb cable, and a mini quick start guide. To take full benefit of this remarkable device, you may wish to accessorize it more fully with a 32 Mb micro Sc card, an Hdmi cable, a windshield mount for navigation, a charging/docking station, and possibly a case to safe your investment. I plan to write reviews of some of these items in subsequent articles.
Conclusion
The Motorola Droid X is a consummate powerhouse of functionality with its big, high definition screen, 8 Mpx dual flash camera and Hd camcorder with an Hdmi port for production to Tvs and projectors. While it may not have as many apps yet as the iPhone, there are honestly adequate to keep anything busy, productive, and entertained while more are being advanced for this relatively new platform.
There are any things I wish the X could do and hope they will be forthcoming. I wish it were potential to take screen shots. I wish it had the native ability to deal with Office docs. I wish there were an app to place an interactive X screen on a monitor. I wish there were an selection to configure Webpages for singular column viewing without having to scroll sidesways. I wish there were a Netflix app for viewing movies, which would be much better, in my opinion, than Blockbuster.
I could go on with my wish list, but I feel inevitable that the Droid platform is a serious contender now and developers with place a lot of energy into creating new and spectacular, applications to make it even better. I fear, however, that as an open platform in which every constructor can put its own twist on things using all different screens, processors, and resolutions, that it will be more difficult for developers to generate apps that work across all Droid models and they will come to be discouraged. That is a question iPhone developers don't have as much.
The hump on the back reminds me of the Hunchback of Notre Dame and makes the device appear to be top heavy. It's too bad that it doesn't come with an Hdmi cable and a case to safe it.
In any case, I am very pleased overall with the Motorola Droid X from Verizon, and I wish to give it my very top recommendation. It is worth your serious observation if you are looking for a new device. I would even encourage you to trade in your current model for this beauty.
Droid "X" Is for "Excellent"