Leakdroid Review Series – Motorola Droid

From the release of the first Android smartphone (the T-Mobile G1/HTC Dream), every Android phone since has used the same Qualcomm 528MHz CPU. And while performance has been decent, the phones honestly have been a little underpowered. To get the best Android experience with all of it’s multi-tasking goodness, people have been very vocal about needing better hardware and higher performance. With the upcoming arrival of the Motorola Droid on November 6th, that cry has been answered – better hardware and performance is here.

The Motorola Droid is a new smartphone that is the joint creation of Google, Motorola, and Verizon Wireless, and is an absolute beast spec-wise.  The Droid features a gorgeous 3.7″ 854×480 resolution capacitive glass touch screen display, 5 Megapixel autofocus camera with dual-LED flash and low-light sensor, Wi-Fi, GPS, accelerometer, digital magnetometer, light and proximity sensors, 3.5mm headphone jack, micro-USB port, and 16GB micro-SD card (expandable to 32GB) for your storage needs.  As displayed by the RAZR, Motorola is no stranger to creating thin devices, and according to the company, the Droid is the thinnest QWERTY-slider ever built.   The Droid is a major evolution in Android performance, driven by the ARM Cortex A8 CPU architecture which includes a 600 MHz Texas Instruments OMAP3430 CPU, and a PowerVR SGX 530 GPU for graphics processing.  The Droid also has the honor of being the first phone to run Google’s new Android 2.0 operating system, and even though it is Verizon’s first Android device, it instantly becomes the best phone the company currently has to offer.

With all of this new hardware, and a host of new features I wanted to really put this device through the wringer.  I have spent the last week with the Droid, using it as my primary phone.  Our 3-part video review is located at the bottom of this post.  Now, here’s the juice:

Hardware/Design – The design of the Droid is part sexy, part industrial bad boy. Even though the Droid has a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard, the devices is only 13.7mm thick which is a huge accomplishment for Motorola.  The Droid is also a very solid device, due to it’s mostly-metal construction.   It feels heavy (a good heavy) but solid, and immediately reminds you that this is a high-end quality device that’s in your hands. Motorola scrapped the trackball on the Droid (a staple on every Android device so far), instead opting for a 5-way D-pad that rests next to the slide-out keyboard.  They also opted to use 4 touch-sensitive navigation buttons just below the screen instead of physical buttons, and they work really well here.  The buttons are backlit which is great for low-light situations, and have haptic feedback which makes them vibrate a bit upon touch.  The dedicated camera button is also a welcomed feature, and holding it down quickly fires up the camera app to shoot your pictures and videos.  Overall, while the sharp-but-rounded angles and gold accents may not appeal to everyone, the Droid certainly stands on it’s own and looks like nothing else on the market.

Performance - Let’s just get it out of the way now.  The Droid absolutely blows the pants off every previous Android phone in terms of speed, and is right on par with other top smartphones on the market.  The device marks a milestone for Android in terms of hardware specs, and the chipset used is born from the same family as those used in the Palm Pre and iPhone 3GS.  Opening and closing apps, switching between them, and in-app performance are at an all-time high here for Android.  Web Browser page rendering is blazingly fast due to not only the beefed-up hardware, but also Verizon’s 3G network which has proved to be very speedy in my area.  The 600Mhz processor has even been underclocked to 550MHz to save on battery life.   We’ve been getting a lot of questions about the CPU speed in the Droid due to it being clocked at 550Mhz. Just as with computers, clock speed isn’t everything.  A faster clock speed doesn’t always equal faster performance.  A 600 Mhz ARM Cortex A8 processor is much more powerful than the older Qualcomm 528MHz ARM11 processor, so while similarly clocked MHz-wise, a 600 Mhz Cortex A8 processor easily beats a chip using the older architecture (think Pentium 4 vs. Core 2 Duo).  The ARM Cortex A8 architecture also offers lower power usage, so you will have better performance and better battery life which is win-win.  Moto outfitted the Droid with 256MB RAM, and between the RAM and CPU gone is the all-to-familiar lag that can happen when running lots of apps at once using the the older hardware.  I did notice a bit of lag when switching between the three default home screens, which is strange considering that this is the most powerful Android handset ever created.   The home screen lag isn’t too bad – just a half-step slower really – but considering the amount of horsepower in the Droid, it really shouldn’t be there at all. It isn’t a deal-breaker, just something to note.  Performance of the Droid is otherwise stellar, and lag is absent everywhere else which makes the home screen issue slightly confusing. Something must be amiss software-wise, but it could be just my unit.  Either way, considering how much time Android users spend on their home screens, let’s hope either Google or Motorola has a quick-fix planned before public release.

Screen - The aforementioned 3.7″ glass capacitive screen is nothing short of amazing.  It is vivid, sharp, and just visually beautiful. Like most touchscreens, it is a fingerprint magnet, so getting a screen protector will give you some piece of mind that your new baby is protected.  The display is very responsive to the touch and due to the high resolution, viewing web pages, pictures, and video is a pleasant and pain-free experience.  The display has an auto-backlight setting, which uses the phone’s light sensor to determine how bright the screen should be. You can turn this on or off according to your personal preference.  One VERY cool feature I noticed on the Droid happens when placing a call. During a call, I found myself wondering how I would end the call since there are no physical talk/end buttons. Well, the Droid apparently uses the phone’s proximity sensor to determine how close the phone is to your face.  The Droid turns the screen off when you lift the phone to your ear close to your face, and then turns it back on the moment it senses that you’ve lowed the phone back down to viewing position!  I truly had a “how does it know?!” moment – and the effect while cool, is also very thoughtful and practical.

Keyboard - Having a physical keyboard is a must-have for many potential consumers out there.   With e-mail, web browsing, texting, Facebook, Twitter, and so many other functions being performed by smartphones these days, a virtual-only keyboard is simply not an option for many.  The sliding mechanism is not spring-assisted, but the motion is very smooth, and responds with a satisfying “click” sound when you slide the screen up or down.  The keyboard on the Droid is a very welcomed feature, but it’s not without its flaws.  When cramming so much technology into such a thin package, something is inevitably going to have to suffer, and unfortunately in the case of the Droid, it’s the keyboard.  First off, the D-Pad is set to the right of the keyboard, and takes up enough room itself to make the keyboard a little smaller than I would have liked.  It also forces you into a different hand-position much like the G1’s keyboard does, and while a minor gripe, may take little getting used to for those unfamiliar.  The keys are flat and very close together which, at first, made typing a bit tougher than it should’ve been.  It took me a little while to get acclimated to the keyboard, but once I figured out that using a “sliding my thumbs across the keyboard and pressing” technique vs. a “lifting my thumbs and tapping on each individual key” technique would bring me the desired result, I was much better off.  I would have liked to see larger keys and more spacing on the Droid’s keyboard, but the inclusion of the D-Pad made that all but impossible.  That said, it’s not all bad.  The keyboard is decent, and once you are up to speed with it, you’ll be banging out e-mails and text messages.   The keys (and D-Pad) are backlit, which makes for easy low-light typing. The button texture is good, and the keys while on the small side, have good responsiveness and feedback.  Overall the Droid’s keyboard average, even if it is a little disappointing.  While it’s not the greatest physical keyboard out there, it’s certainly good enough to be usable.  There is always the virtual on-screen keyboard to fall back on, and with such a large touchscreen, it shouldn’t be a deal-breaker.

Software/OS – The Motorola Droid is the first device to run Google’s Android 2.0 operating system, and there are many changes and new features under the hood.  A new lock screen not only prevents against accidental pocket-presses, but allows you to put the phone in silent mode with a quick swipe to the left.  The Droid is a Google Experience phone, which means that it runs the stock Android user interface, and carriers are not allowed to modify the device in any way.  There are no Verizon-branded apps pre-installed, and Android is ready to be customized to your heart’s content.

Android 2.0 + Applications

Android 2.0 doesn’t look much different than 1.5 or 1.6, but Google has added some much-needed polish to the operating system as a whole.  A lot of work has been done, and new features and icons contribute to an overall better Android experience.  Android 2.0 features an updated Settings menu, which has a few new features, but mostly been cleaned up and re-organized.

The Application Tray has seen a few slight modifications in Android 2.0, and there are a host of newer and higher-quality icons to take advantage of Android 2.0’s support for higher screen resolutions.  ndroid 2.0 includes the stock apps that current Android users are familiar with like: Alarm Clock, Amazon MP3 store, Browser, Calculator, Calendar, Camera, Contacts, E-mail (for setting up POP/IMAP e-mail accounts), Gmail, Maps, Android Market, Messaging, Music, Phone (formerly dialer), Settings, Talk (formerly Google Talk), and Youtube.  It also includes some new additions such as Car Home, Corporate Calendar, Facebook, Gallery, Voice Dialer and Voice Search. Facebook is now integrated into the Android 2.0 platform, and you can sync your contacts with their Facebook profiles if you choose to.  Furthermore, the Droid also features the updated and rapidly-growing Android Market, with ~15,000 apps and games available. Verizon also has a section in the Android Market for its own branded apps, so users can download them if they so choose.  Currently Visual Voicemail is the only app in the Verizon section, but expect a whole slew of VCAST apps to appear shortly.  The Visual Voicemail app works really well, and has a nice design and layout. The ability to store downloaded voicemail files on either your phone or SD card is a nice touch.

The Android 2.0 Browser has seen some improvements, including a new address bar and bookmarks interface. When viewing a full webpage, you a now presented with the fully zoomed-out full-page view, and can double-tap or use the zoom icons to zoom in and out.  Navigating websites on the Droid proved to be one of the best if not THE best mobile browsing experiences I’ve ever had, and the extra space provided by the 3.7″ touchscreen really helps. There is also a new dialer app called “Phone”, or at least it’s refreshed skin on the old dialer.  The new skin is much better than previous versions, and a new dedicated Voicemail button is a welcomed addition.

Quick Contact

The new Quick Contact feature allows you to tap on any one of your contact’s pictures, and pops up a little box showing you quick access to all the services you have set up for that user.  If you have the contacts address, you simply tap the Maps icon and it takes you directly to the contact’s address on the map.  Click on the Facebook icon and it takes you directly to their Facebook profile, and so on and so forth.  This new feature is very useful, and is built into the system so developers are free to hook into it from within their own apps.   Developers will find this very useful, and we’ll see the benefits of this in 3rd-party apps soon.

Android 2.0 also finally introduces native support for Microsoft Exchange, so business/corporate users can rest easily knowing they can sync up their work e-mail, calendar, and contacts out of the box.

The Camera app has finally been updated, and includes many new features that were sorely lacking in previous versions. It gives you one-tap access to switch between camera and video modes, and a new settings drawer that slides out from the left side and gives you the ability to set: Flash Mode, Scene mode, White balance, Color effect, Store location, Picture size, Picture quality, and Focus mode. Tweaking these settings can help you achieve the best picture quality possible.

Car Home / Driving Mode

The Car Home app is new to Android 2.0, and is a wonderful feature. It presents you with a new UI with large icons for the features you would need most when in the car: Voice Search, Navigation, View Map, Contacts, and Search. Voice Search is a great feature, and you can use it to start navigation to any destination, perform Google searches, voice dial your contacts and more. You can also access voice search by holding down the dedicated search navigation button just below the touchscreen. The Car Home app on it’s own is nice, and should help promote safer driving, but the real reason they created it is…

Goolge Maps Navigation – Yup, it’s official. Google has entered the GPS navigation space, and the Droid is the first device to show it off their new baby.  Google Maps Navigation provides you with turn-by-turn voice-guided GPS navigation. It’s based on Google Maps, features Satellite & Street Views, and layers for Traffic and finding Restaurants, Gas Stations, Banks, ATMs, Parking, and more nearby.  And oh yea, it’s FREE.  Maps Navigation is exclusive to Android 2.0, so expect it to appear on future devices running Google’s latest creation.  While the app is still in beta, it is fully functional and performed wonderfully in my testing.  It immediately will become my primary GPS navigation tool, and I suspect it will do the same for many others.  My only beef is that the voice used is a bit robotic sounding and not quite as pleasant as with other GPS navigation software.  As I said it’s still in beta, so I’m sure additional voices are are the way.  Overall Google Maps Navigation is a great product, and has been very accurate.  Satellite and Street View modes are huge advantages here, helping people navigate unfamiliar territory with better visuals than just an imaginary road. Maps will always be updated and the app also caches your route to the SD card, so if you lose your internet connection navigation can continue until it returns – a GREAT feature.  The Droid’s accessory line includes a GPS dock that automatically puts the phone in Car Home mode when connected.

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Sound/Call Quality – The Droid has a fantastic external speaker on it, and is probably one of the best speakers I’ve ever heard on a phone. I thought Sprint’s HTC Hero had a great speaker, but the Droid’s definitely tops it. Sound is loud and clear even at high volumes. Music sounds great from the speaker, and speakerphone calls are very good. Because the speaker is so powerful, I found myself turning the ringer down pretty low to the level that I prefer. I would much rather have a speaker that’s so loud I have to turn it down, than one that’s too quiet and isn’t loud enough even at its highest volume. The loudness of the speaker also comes in handy for GPS navigation, and there’s no missing the voice guiding you to your destination. The earpiece speaker is also quite loud, and as a phone call quality has been clear and excellent. I had no trouble hearing callers, and just like the external speaker, I didn’t have to max the volume out just to hear the other party.

Camera - The Droid attempts to best many other phones by including a 5 megapixel autofocus camera with dual-LED flash, and image stabilization. The aforementioned new camera settings are a very welcomed addition. Actual picture quality is decent, but it won’t have you replacing your trusty digital camera for full-time usage. Video recording on the other hand is very good, and with the Droid being capable of recording DVD-quality video, your on-the-go flicks are sure to come out well.

Battery - Battery life will always be an issue with the multi-tasking smartphones in general, and Android is no exception. Running multiple apps at once definitely has an effect on how long you can last on a single charge, so battery life is subjective depending on how you’ve got your Android customized. That said, the Droid’s battery life is good, and seems to be the best of any Android phone so far. Now it’s probably not quite fair to include my early-stage hard testing as a sample, but once I settled in to “everyday use mode”, I have had no problems getting through a full day of usage with the Droid. I usually found myself reaching for the charger early on in day 2. If you keep an eye on how many background apps you have running by using a task manager app such as TasKiller, and are smart in employing other often-used Android battery life strategies, you could easily squeeze 2 or 3 days out of the Droid.

Conclusion - The Motorola Droid is an excellent smartphone and is hands down the best Android device created thus far. The Droid immediately becomes Verizon Wireless’ new flagship phone, and judging by the intense DroidDoes ad campaign the carrier has running, the carrier knows it too. The beefed up hardware really makes Android shine, and the form factor and design are downright sexy. The large touchscreen and speed make for a great web browsing experience, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find something comparable on Big Red’s network, or any other network for that matter. When the Droid launches on November 6th, it will be catapulted straight to elite smartphone status. The device will be $199 with new 2-year contract (after $100 mail-in-rebate), and will require one Verizon’s Smartphone Data plans. If you’re looking for a powerful do-everything smartphone paired with the Nation’s largest wireless network, the lust-worthy Droid certainly fits the bill.

Videos:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Official Specs:

DROID with Google™ by Motorola
Talk and Standby Time for GSM4: TT: 385 mins/6.4 hours SB: 270 hours/11.25 days
Form Factor: Capacitive Touch; Full Qwerty Side Slider
Band/Modes: 800/1900, CDMA EVDO rev A
OS: Android 2.0
Weight: 169g/5.96oz
Dimensions: 60.00 (x) x 115.80 (y) x 13.70 (z) mm 2.36(x) x 4.56 (y) x .54 (z)
Browser: Webkit HTML5 based browser
Email Support: IMAP and POP, Macmail, GmailTM, MSN Hotmail and AOL
Battery: 1400 mAh
Connectivity: Bluetooth® v2.1+EDR2, 3.5mm Headset jack, USB 2.0 HS
Display: 3.7”, 480×854 WVGA
Display Resolution: WVGA display houses 400,000 pixels, up to 16 million colors
Messaging: SMS/MMS, Full HTML5 Browser
Audio: AMR-NB/WB, MP3, PCM/WAV, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, MIDI, OGG
Video: Advanced Video record/playback at D1 resolution (720×480) at up to 24fps, MPEG-4, H.263, H.264
Camera: 5.0 megapixel, AutoFocus, dual LED Flash and image stablization
Memory: 16GB card included in phone
Location Services: aGPS, sGPS1
Extras: 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, 3-axis accelerometer

Filed Under: Android Phones • Droid • Google • LeakDroid • Motorola • Reviews • Sholes • Verizon

Tags: Android, Droid, Google, LeakDroid, Motorola, Review, Smartphone, Verizon