Motorola is at it again, releasing a third phone into the Verizon Wireless Android lineup.  After releasing the Motorola Droid (review link) and the Motorola Devour (review link), they are at it again with the Droid X.  This new handset is the king of Verizon’s Android offering at this time. It has some amazing features including an 8 megapixel camera, high definition video recoding capability, a whopping 4.3″ screen, and a crisp display.

As you can see, the Droid X has a fantastic array of hardware capabilities and considering it’s running Android OS from Google, it has some amazing apps for you to use as well.  How does the Droid X stack up against the competition?  Lets find out.

Design

The Droid X is an attractive device.  It has an all-black finish that hugs the monstrous 4.3″ screen.  Motorola obviously paid attention to detail when designing this handset, paying attention to details and focusing on a simple, aesthetically pleasing look.  The face of the handset is dominated by the huge screen and is anchored on the bottom with the four conventional Android buttons that you routinely find on Android phones.  The Droid X’s measurements are: 2.6″ x 5.0″ x 0/4″ and weighs in at 5.4 ounces.

There isn’t a lot of bulk on this phone.  It is a bit big in the hand, because of the screen’s height, but the phone is very thin.  A noticeable chin is seen in the side view at the top because of the camera lens, but this device is very pocket-able.  Anyone who has held an iPhone will see that the Droid X is only slightly wider than the iPhone, perhaps by a centimeter.

On the right side of the Droid X are only three buttons that control the volume of the handset, along with a dedicated camera key at the bottom. The left side has two jacks, one micro-USB and an HDMI port for watching videos or seeing images captured by the Droid X – a very nice touch.  On the top of the device is one button – a power button that powers the device (naturally) and unlocks it as well.

Hardware Capabilities

The Droid X is powered by a powerful 1Ghz processor and has a dedicated graphics chip, which makes watching video smooth as silk.  It should be noted that not many phones have dedicated graphics chips.

Using the excellent optics on the backend of the phone, the Droid X can capture very high-quality video.  Watching the video on the phone is very enjoyable as well on the vibrant 4.3″ screen.  Still images are awesome as well, as the phone can take them at 8 megapixels.  One thing I like about the Droid X is that it has a dedicated camera key on the handset.  This lets you hop into picture taking mode very quickly.

Motorola equipped the Droid X with 512Mb of RAM, 8GB of onboard memory, and the device comes with a 16GB microSD card, which can be upgraded easily by the customer.

As for battery, the Droid X has a 1500 mAh monster included in the box.  I have been able to get about 1.5 days off of a charge, which is really good considering the types of functionality this device which is very draining on any battery.

Another unique feature on the Droid X is it’s noise canceling microphones.  The phone has three mics that reduce and eliminate background noise, so that your callers only hear your voice.  This is a very nice touch.

Software Features

The Droid X runs version 2.1 of the Android OS.  While 2.2 (Froyo) is getting all the press attention these days, 2.1 is a very robust version – and I’m sure the Droid X will be getting Froyo very soon.  As for out of the box software packages, Motorola has thrown in a few treats and a few apps I’d delete (if end users were given this possibility).

The Blockbuster app allows you to rent and watch videos on the phone using their service.  Amazon’s Kindle app is also included, giving you access to any books you’ve bought through their service.  NFS Shift is a racing game and Skype Mobile is a mobile version of the popular Internet phone client.  I don’t necessarily like the fact that Motorola included this bloatware on the computer, but even more absurd is the fact that you can’t delete any of it off your phone!

Another included software package that may catch your eye is Mobile Hotspot.  This service, from Verizon allows you to turn your Droid X into a wireless hotspot so that you can connect other devices to it and share an Internet connection.  Verizon charges an insane $20/month for this service, on top of the overpriced data plan you’ve already for the Droid X.

The Droid X also includes an FM tuner which makes it possible to listen to FM radio via the device.

Social Networking

I expected this phone, because it comes from Motorola, to have Motoblur, the obnoxious social networking app that runs on Moto’s other handsets.  Instead, of you want to do some social networking on the phone, there are some great widgets that can be installed for your social pleasure.  This is a very nice touch, as I find Motoblur to try to hard to be my ‘social hub’.  No thanks – not for me.

Overall User Experience

One word: Wow!  First of all, this phone is the one for you if you use Google services.  Just type in your Google credentials and your Gmail, calendar, contacts and other Google services are magically populated.  Also, because of the impressive array of apps in the Android market, I had my favorite apps including Twitter, Facebook, Yelp, Foursquare and Wapedia loaded up in no time.

The Droid X is such a great media taking device and the camera/video capture are just excellent.

This handset is so high powered that going through menus and switching between even the most intensive apps is fast and furious.

Conclusion

If you are looking to get a Verizon Android device, the Droid X should be at the top of your list.  The HTC Incredible (the next best option on Verizon) has similar hardware and is slightly smaller because of it’s 3.7″ screen; but the Droid X is hard to beat.

The phone currently is priced at $199 at your local Verizon store.

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Review: Droid X From Verizon Wireless

While the company is also rolling out the service to major metro areas such as LA, New York and others, it’s great to see them paying attention to smaller cities as well.

In Oregon, this news now means that 4G is available in Portland, Salem, Corvallis, and Eugene.  As a frequent visitor to Bend, Oregon, I’m hoping Central Oregon is on the company’s list too!

I currently use the U301 to utilize the 4G and regular 3G networks and find Sprint’s speeds to be reliable and quick.

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Clear and Sprint 4G Comes To Eugene and Tri-Cities

Jawbone has been known for years as a leader in noise-reducing headsets.  Aliph has recently unveiled the Icon model that differentiates itself in many ways.  First, the headset comes in 6 different finishes that give you the choice of how you want to have the device look in your ear.

Also, the Icon comes with it’s own OS on board that provides access to some cool apps custom to this headset. The one I noticed first was a headset battery indicator on the iPhone.  There are other apps on Jawbones’ MyTalk website.

So, with nice looks and some interesting proprietary apps, how does the Icon perform?  Lets dig in and find out.

Out of the Box

The box is minimal in packaging, which is good from an environmental package.  The headset is quite small, only 1.8 inches long by about 1″ wide and only 0.72″ thick.  Additionally, the Icon only weighs 0.3 ounces, feeling very comfortable in the ear.  There’s one send/end button on the device which is right next to the charging jack.  There is an on/off button on this device as well.

The Icon comes with an array of earbuds and loopy devices for fitting in your ear.  They want the Icon to fit in anyone’s ear, apparently, and this is a good thing!

Apps and Other Features

Of course the Icon can do regular Bluetooth headset things such as answer, reject and redialing of calls.  One great feature about the Icon is that it reads the incoming caller ID, giving you more info when deciding to take or reject a call.

The little apps that the Icon can run are a very distinguishing feature.  Some cool apps include the ability add new languages, Jott Assistant, Voice Dial, and Dial2Do (a Jottspot type application).

Real World Test

The Jawbone Icon has some amazing noise canceling technology.  For instance, there’s a sensor on the unit that detects when you are talking and goes into action.  It didn’t matter if I was in my noisy Honda Civic, walking down a city street with traffic, or in an office environment, my callers said I sounded great and barely knew I was on a headset…that is rare!  The “NoiseAssassin” technology works very well.

To me, callers sounded quiet at times.  There is no manual volume control on the Icon (my only complaint) so I was unable to adjust their voices.  As a result, I asked folks to repeat themselves – which is annoying.

But, with this one complaint aside, this is the best performing Bluetooth headset I have used to date.  I was able to get the 4 hours of battery life it advertises and then some.  Also, the Icon paired easily with 5 different handsets.

The Jawbone Icon is priced at $99 and is available at Amazon.com

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Review: Jawbone ICON Bluetooth Headset

In my recent experience, the best cases for Nokia devices have come from OtterBox of Ft. Collins, Colorado.  I received a Commuter case for Nokia E72 and so far I have been very impressed.

The Commuter case is actually 3 pieces.  The first is a clear protective layer for the screen.  Secondly, the Commuter has a soft rubber shell that goes around the entire phone, providing protection against bumps and scratches.  Lastly, a plastic shell snaps into place, adding a solid feel.

After inserting the E72 into the Commuter case, my phone feels indestructible.  I’m guarded against screen scratches caused by keys or loose change in my pocket and against nicks from the accidental drop.

Also an important factor, the Commuter case preserves the slim feel that the E72 has.  The case adds a terrific amount of protection, without making the phone bulky or awkward.

Aesthetically , the Commuter case is all black and compliments the color scheme and professional look and feel that that E72 carries.  The Commuter is very functional too and allows access to all the ports and buttons when utilizing the phone.

At $35, the Commuter case compliments the E72 perfectly and is a definite pick if you’re looking to add protection to your beloved smartphone.

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Review: OtterBox Case For Nokia E72

In 2009, however, the field changed a bit.  Sprint launched their 4G network, that utilizes Clear’s Wi-Max network that is now in quite a few major metro areas.

Today’s review is on the Sprint U301, a device that is a 4G/3G combo device, meaning where a Sprint 4G network is available, the U301 will hop on that for uber-fast net surfing.  Alternatively, when Sprint’s ubiquitous 3G network is available, the U301 will attach to this older but more pervasive broadband network technology.

Getting Started

The U301 comes in a standard box.  It is a USB device that requires an open USB port on your laptop.  The U301 is unique on Sprint’s network because it supports both Apple Macs and PCs.  This is important for me, as I switch between two computers quite regularly.

After loading the Sprint SmartView software on your computer, you are ready to pop in the U301 and start surfing the web.  On both my Mac and PC, I was able to successfully install SmartView and all the necessary software/drivers with no hassle.  The process took maybe 10 minutes.

Note: For Macs, you must be running an Intel-based model and you have to run OS X 10.5 (Leopard) or higher.

Testing the Network

I tested the U301 all across the country.  Starting out in Salem and Portland, Oregon, I found 4G speeds to vary from being very zippy to decently fast.  I also trialed the device in Las Vegas, Nevada and Austin, Texas (yes, I was in Austin after the 4G launch – in mid-March).

Everywhere I went, I found that if you have a seemingly strong network signal, you are going to get fast and reliable 4G speeds.  Once in Beaverton, Oregon, I got stellar speeds clocking in and 9Mbps down and 1Mbps up.  If you don’t believe me, see my Speedtest score.

However, in many places where I tested, I had 1 or maybe 2 bars.  In these environments, I would achieve perhaps 2 Mbps using the same site I did my above mentioned Speedtest score.  In these cases, I actually got faster surfing speeds when I forced the U301 to go to the legacy 3G network.

One nice factor about having the U301: while I was at a coffee shop with bad Wi-Fi and when I was at tech conferences including CES and SXSW; I didn’t have to concern myself with finding a hotspot.  Also, I was never concerned with dealing with a coffee shop or hotel with a bad Internet connection.  Armed with the U301 and Sprint’s 4G/3G network, I was able to get online and do my business.

I would say that overall, I averaged about 3 Mbps down while doing Speedtests in the areas of the country I tested over the last few months. These speeds aren’t as smoking fast as the Sprint ads make them out to be, but it is an improvement over 3G.

The bottom line is this: when you’re in close proximity to a Sprint 4G tower, the speeds are spectacular.  However, the ‘net speeds drop off pretty fast when you start to get distance between you and the tower.

Software Problems

I have been using Sprint SmartView off and on now for the last year.  On both the PC and Mac platforms, this software continues to be a nuisance.  I find overall the the software is very slow and sluggish.

On my Mac, I still continue to get an error that I have tried for hours to troubleshoot.  Uninstalling and re-installing the software does not help.  I am a software developer, so I’m pretty well versed in troubleshooting rubbish installs, but SmartView continues to plague me with the same error every time it loads up.  Although, it does sign onto the network just fine, despite the error.

Conclusion

Despite the funny SmartView software, the U301 performs reliably every day for me.  It signs on to the Sprint network and provides the vital connection to the Internet I need to get through my business day whilst on the go.

If you are in a metro area that has Sprint 4G (they are growing in number each month), give the U301 a hard look.  It has awesome 4G speed and will also attach to Sprint’s already-stellar 3G network when 4G isn’t available.

In writing this review, I looked at Sprint’s website and saw that the U301 is free after rebate.  Also, Sprint’s monthly service charge for 4G data service is no more expensive than the conventional 3G plan.  This makes getting the U301 an absolute no-brainer.  Plus, the amount of productivity you gain thanks to Sprint will speak for itself.

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Review: Sprint U301 4G/3G Combo Card

Some say the Internet changes everything.  I completely agree…I use the Internet for all my data connections, to route my phone calls, to pay my bills, to look up phone numbers…just about everything.

Also, with the Roku device, the Internet has now come to my TV. So, just about the only thing NOT connected to the Internet is my radio.

Sonos is a company that makes a suite of devices that bring the wealth of audio content found online to your ‘conventional’ sound system.  That is, if you listen to Pandora, Last.FM or Spotify on your computer, why not listen to them also on your home stereo?

Unpacking the Sonos System

After seeing the Sonos S5 at CES in Vegas, I was intrigued.  When I asked for a review device, I arranged to get an S5 (pictured above), which is a Bose wave radio type device that is a standalone speaker with Wi-Fi and all the smarts built in.

Sonos also included a ZP90, which resembles a Mac Mini in appearance and is essentially a bridge to hook up to your existing receiver/hi-fi system.  Lastly, I needed a Sonos ZoneBridge to complete the system.

To accompany the Sonos software on their PC/Mac or a Sonos remote control to control the music streaming to the Sonos, I have the iPhone/iPod Touch app that gives full access while on the go, around the house.

Setting Everything Up

After plugging in and wiring the ZP90 to my receiver, placing and plugging in the S5, and installing the Sonos ZoneBridge to my router…I was ready to go.  All these components are very well labelled and Sonos includes all the necessary cables to get everything up and running.

If you are even vaguely familiar with hookup up home theatre components, set up will be easy for you.  If not, it doesn’t take long to get either.

My Mom could set this system up.

Getting Started

After all the components are physically attached to your systems…you are ready to load up the Sonos software.  I chose to install on my wife’s MacBook, as all the iTunes music is held on her computer.  Upon installation, the Sonos Controller scans your computer to inventory and index all your existing music.

That’s right – in addition to being able to stream music off the Internet, you can utilize your existing music catalog on your home computer(s), including iTunes playlists.  This is a slick feature!

I then loaded the client up on my MacBook Pro and again the process was quite easy.

iPhone/iPod Touch Client

After getting Sonos controllers installed on my two computers, I fired up the app on my iPod Touch (also works on the iPhone).  Upon launch, the app searches for a Sonos network and instantly finds it.  You have full access to your entire music library and also to online radio stations.

Through geolocation, the Sonos app also displays all your local radio stations also!  This is nice if you have a station you like that has a low signal strength – you can stream it off the ‘Net with full fidelity!

Via the iPhone remote control app, it is also possible to load up Pandora, Last.Fm, and countless international stations including BBC and others.

Audio Quality

Since the ZP90 simply plugs-into my existing Hi-Fi system, it’s hard to judge audio quality, but in terms of the stream and overall experience, the ZP90 hasn’t missed a beat.  The player, even though it’s in an area with crummy Wi-Fi signal strength has never cut out.

On the other hand, the S5 is a standalone speaker system.  How would I rate the S5?  It’s outstanding!  I have it upstairs in the master bedroom and the sound carries throughout my entire upper floor when I have the S5 cranked.

The tweeters and bass units create a balanced, heavy hitting sound.  I realize the S5 is a bit expensive at $399, but you can tell Sonos has engineered the S5 to be a platform for high-quality audio playback.

Other Capabilities

Using Sonos’  music controller, you can make zones for your music.  For me, I have a Sonos in my living room and upstairs master bedroom.  If I want, I can unify the zones and play the same tunes upstairs and down.  Alternatively, I can play one set of music upstairs and a different song downstairs.

Closing Thoughts

I review a lot of technology products and have seen some impressive pieces of kit.  However, nothing has impressed me quite like the Sonos.  I find the audio quality, ability to control my music and overall experience to be next to nothing.

I find it very hard to send the Sonos review units back.  Even my wife, who normally doesn’t get sucked in by tech has said she wants to buy a Sonos system…so we’ll be whipping out our credit card soon, I imagine.

Having the Sonos means I can listen to a seemingly endless stream of music, whether it’s my own tunes from my music collection, from Pandora, or from a some Internet service.

The Sonos Music System is officially a must-have for any Internet audio user.  Visit Sonos.com and assess it for yourself…you can easily build a system that will augment and enhance your current audio set up in your home.

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Review: Sonos Home System – S5 and ZP90

I was impressed with the selection I saw and was blown away because this American company makes cases for many popular Nokia models!  (For those unaware, Nokia has about 10% US market share, so for a US company to make accessories for Nokia phones is rare).

I requested a few samples to write up and here’s the skinny on OtterBox:

OtterBox is a small business who specializes in more rugged cases for devices.  They have cases for many brands of devices including Apple iPhone, BlackBerry, Nokia, HP, HTC and countless others.  Pretty much every popular model on these brands is covered.  Head over to OtterBox.com and use their phone selector right on the home page for more info.

The cases look really good – most are a flat black.  Some of the cases, like the Defender series, have a more rugged look, something you’d find in an REI.  OtterBox apparently wants their cases to give a sense of protection as well as accenting your mobile phone.

I received a case for a Nokia E71 in the Commuter model.  Along with the physical case for houses the phone itself, the Commuter also includes a screen protector, for even more protection.

Easy to Install

The cases I received only took about 1 minute to install my phone into.  In contrast, I’ve used some rubberized cases that take a shoe horn to wedge your phone or device into.  Not so with the OtterBox…you can easily tell when you utilize the Commuter or Defender series that the company has thought out the devices for an ease-of-use like no other.

I have dropped my E71 a few times on purpose to see how well the device is protected.  Granted, the E71 is pretty tough on it’s own, but the case ensured I had no dings or scratches on the device, even after dropping onto concrete, wood floors and onto a desk.

Quality Across the Line

I received samples for the Nokia E71, BlackBerry Storm, and Apple iPhone.  I did this so I could test ease-of-use, fit, and protection across these consumer and business phone lines.  In each case, the OtterBox cases performed wonderfully.

OtterBox cases give protection without adding too much bulk, and they look good for both business and personal use with your mobile phones.

Bottom Line

OtterBox makes very sharp and well constructed cases that add awesome protection to your beloved mobile devices.  Considering many of us pay many hundreds of dollars for our phones and want to help preserve their looks for years to come, I would recommend getting a case ASAP after you buy said device.

Whether you have an iPhone, Nokia, HTC, or Blackberry, give OtterBox an evaluation when you seek protection for your phone.

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Have a Mobile? OtterBox Cases Are Excellent

In the past few months, I have received many requests for reviews on bags for carrying this type of gear.  Today’s post kicks things off with a review of a bag from Booq, a company that carries many types of bags for all kinds of needs.

Introduction

I am pretty needy when it comes to the type of bag I’m willing to call upon when I travel.  I carry a lot of gear that comes with a lot of accessories including: chargers, memory cards, cables, tripods and more. Therefore, I need a bag with all types of compartments and pocket types.  Oh, and it doesn’t hurt if all this functionality is combined with a bag that looks good too.

The Booq Boa Flow is an all black bag that has a stylish color to it with orange as a trim color.  The Boa Flow has a ton of padding and pockets of all sizes for all your accessories.

One unique feature on this Booq bag is Terralink, a cool little barcode that makes it possible to retrieve your bag should you ever loose it.  If a bystander picks up your bag, they go to a link on the bag and enter in a code unique to each bag – then you get a call/email with the finders email.

The main laptop compartment will carry a laptop that is 13-15″ in size, or 13-17″ if you carry a Mac laptop.  The special compartment that holds the laptop is separate from the main pockets, a feature I really like – the laptop sits directly against your back (with full padding), protecting it even further.

Pockets and Sleeves Galore

There are so many types of pockets and mesh compartments in the Boa Flow, this bag is perfect for almost any situation.  The main cargo area has two pockets that I use to hold lenses for my Canon, but could hold anything from power supplies to mice.  Side pockets in this main compartment can hold pens, business cards, or any smaller item.

Also, there is a fancy compartment on the front of the bag for a mobile phone or iPod.  This is perfect for when you have headphones that need to stick out.

On the underside of the Boa Flow is a specially sized compartment for a DSLR camera.  It is very padded and is the perfect size for a camera body and a smaller lens.  One criticism: I wish the compartment for the camera wasn’t on the bottom of the bag..this means any time you put your bag down, you run a small risk of damaging your valuable camera.  It seems padded enough, but this factor is in the back of my mind.

Conclusion

The Booq Boa Flow M is a very practical bag for hauling around all your digital gear.  It’s large enough to handle multiple devices and all the accessories that go with them; but the bag isn’t so big that it weighs you down or makes you feel like you’re dragging it.

The Boa Flow is exceptionally well built and I’m confident that I could use it for years without any worry.

This sharp looking bag is stylish, durable, and highly practical.  It’s ‘cool’ enough for a student and even styled for the casual business professional too.  To me, this bag is a blogger or social media person’s best friend for toting around all our gear and looking good in the process.

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Booq Boa Flow M: Techcraver Review

As a result, I’ve received many requests for suggestions on Bluetooth headsets from Oregon folks and others who want to go handsfree.  Today, I’m featuring another option that doesn’t involve sticking an awkward headset into your ear.

Introducing the BlueAnt S1

The BlueAnt S1 could easily be confused with a normal garage door opener.  The S1 is a Bluetooth speakerphone that clips on to your sun visor in your car.

At first look, the S1 looks pretty intriguing.  It has 4 buttons on the front that facilitate four separate functions: call send, call end, volume up and volume down.  The buttons send button doubles as the power key as well.

Features and Capabilities

The S1 has a whole slew of features that try to win you over.  First of all, the S1 tries to make sure you don’t have to take your hands of the wheel by enabling you to use your voice as much as possible.  For example, when paired with your phone, when a call comes in, you can simply answer the call by saying the word “Answer”.  Also, if you have voice dialing on your mobile phone, the S1 supports this feature as well.

The BlueAnt S1 features A2DP streaming capability.  Like Bluetooth headphones and some other devices, you can stream music from your iPhone or mobile phone to the S1.  This might be of use if your speaker system on your phone is not up to par (which is very likely).  Also, this enables you to utilize the S1 with your dashboard GPS such as a Garmin Nuvi or TomTom device.

The S1 has phenomenal battery life.  BlueAnd advertises 15 hours of talk time and 800 hours of standby time.

BlueAnt equipped the S1 with noise cancellation, to cut down on noise whilst in your car.  This is an important factor for noisy cars, such as my Honda Civic.  Lastly, the S1 features “multipoint” technology – meaning the device can be paired with multiple devices, even 2 devices at the same time.  This might be useful for two folks who have a phone each and want to utilize their phone while in the car at the same time.

Setting up the S1

After you open the box, the S1 requires to be fully charged.  Once you charge it, the S1 is ready to pair with your mobile device.  Setting up the S1 is very easy, as fluid as pairing any Bluetooth headset with your handset.  I was able to easily pair the S1 with many different devices, including a Motorola Droid, iPhone, Nokia N900 and N97.

Using the Device

So, the S1 has all sorts of great bells and whistles, but how does it sound while making calls?  In a word, it sounds OK.  When I called folks on the S1, they sounded pretty good to me.  BlueAnt did a great job of making this Bluetooth speakerphone very capable as a speaker phone for you, as a caller.

However, when I had folks call me from the S1, the sound quality left me wanting more.  When my wife, who drives a relatively quiet Ford Escape, called at low speeds, she sounded distant and at times, I had to really concentrate to understand her.  I was able to hear her words in most cases, but BlueAnt needs to refine the noise cancellation on the S1.

One area the S1 shines is battery life.  I can’t verify the 15 hours of talk time, but in my estimates, I have easily gotten 13 hours of it on a single charge.  It is so nice to be able to just leave the S1 on at all times and not fuss with having to turn it off and on.  The S1 has such remarkable battery life that there’s no need to concern yourself with having to manage the power settings on the S1.

I was able to utilize the multipoint technology, which was nice as I was testing a Motorola Droid recently and it was nice to be able to pair with both of my phones.

Conclusion

All things considered, should you buy the BlueAnt S1?  One must consider the great features including music screaming, long battery life, and ease use.  With these advantages, you must balance these against the OK audio quality.

Above all this, you must consider the price point.  A recent search revealed that the S1 is available for around $50 US.  I would say at this price, the S1 is worth the money.  Not everyone wants to fuss with locating their Bluetooth headset, putting it in your ear, and shouting into your car so that folks can year you.

The S1 is a no-fuss solution for talking on your phone, freeing you from headsets, bad battery life, and awkward looks when you have a headset in.

For those looking, the S1 is available from Amazon for about $54.

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Review: BlueAnt S1 Sun Visor Bluetooth Handsfree

The Motorola Droid is the first handset offering from Verizon Wireless that runs the Android operating system.  In the year since it’s release, Android has been available in the U.S. on HTC handsets branded by American mobile carrier T-Mobile.  The Droid, from Motorola, was highly anticipated because it runs version 2.0 of Android and is backed by the nation’s best wireless network, Verizon Wireless.

What’s new in Android 2.0?  Mainly some nice user interface changes that add some sparkle to the user experience.  Also is the new version of Google Maps with full driving directions, much like your Garmin or regular GPS.  You see, the older versions of Google Maps on the mobile give you driving directions, but can’t re-route you if you go off course and don’t provide real-time status of where you’re heading.

Opening the Box

The Droid is kept in minimal packaging, which is good for environmental reasons.  After getting the back box open, you get your first glimpse of the Droid…a piano black lined phone that has a massive 3.7″ screen that dominates the front of the device.  At the bottom of the front of the device are the conventional Android buttons including the universal ‘back’ button, menu key, home screen, and search button.

On the right hand side of the device you have the volume rocker and camera keys and the left side features the micro-USB port that is intended for memory card access and charging.  The Droid can charge of a USB connection to your computer – which is a handy feature if you are without the AC adapter.  The back of the device shows the 5.0 megapixel camera and battery cover.

The Droid has a unique feature: a slide-out full QWERTY keyboard.  Once flipped out, a directional pad is revealed for navigation on the screen.  The giant screen should he highlighted as well as it is the best capacitive touch screen I have used outside of an iPhone.  One advantage the Droid has is the haptic feedback when you press and interact with the screen.

It should be noted that not everyone digs the Droid’s styling – the form factor is dominated by black and gold, reminiscent of the 1970′s to some folks who I’ve shown the device to.

Features

The Motorola Droid comes stacked with hardware and software features that set it apart from the competition.  The 3.7″ capacitive touchscreen is vibrant that colors pop off it’s screen because of its remarkable 480×854 WVGA screen.  It has a 1400 mAh battery that gets you easily through a full day of use.  Out of the box, the Droid supports Exchange email as well as Gmail and other IMAP/POP mail services.  The Bluetooth stack enables you to do file transfer and A2DP full stereo for headsets and other device.

The onboard Google Maps application is augmented with an aGPS chip that quickly locks on to satellites for navigation.  Also, for media purposes, a standard 3.5 mm jack allows for audio output.  Utilizing the Bluetooth stack, you can also stream music to Bluetooth-capable receivers and Bluetooth enabled headphones.

The Droid features a 5 megapixel camera that is capable of “DVD quality video capture”.  I never tested the video capability, but the pictures on the Droid were of good quality – not as great as a Nokia N97 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss Lens, but definitely better than the iPhone’s camera.

Motorola outfitted the Droid with a rockin’ 550Mhz processor.  This great move makes the Droid zip through tasks such as web surfing, email, and other intensive applications.  The Droid excels at multi-tasking, a much needed feature that again differentiates this device from the iPhone.

Applications, Applications, Applications

One great feature of any Android-based mobile phone is its awesome app selection, thanks go the Android Market.  Where the iPhone is known as the “app king” amongst phones, the Droid isn’t too far behind.  Every must-have app that I utilize daily on the iPhone is available in the Android Market.  This includes Foursquare, Evernote, Flixter Movies, The Weather Channel, and many others.

Downloading and installing applications is quick and easy – just search, find it, and install, all within the Android Market.  The Droid isn’t tied to a computer for updates to the Operating System…I installed an Android OS update using over the air (OTA) updating.  Again, this can’t be done on the iPhone – you must utilize iTunes to install such an update on an iPhone or iPod Touch and are therefore tied down to a computer to complete this task.  Which is a bummer if you travel a lot or are on the go, away from your home computer.

Another application that is quite enjoyable is the YouTube app.  Not only can you watch and rate videos, but you can shoot video directly on your Droid handset and instantly upload it to your YouTube page.  It’s the perfect solution for grabbing quick videos and sharing them with your contacts online.

Using the Phone/Performance

What is the Droid like to use as a day-to-day device?  Quite heavenly, actually.  The Droid has a powerful enough battery to last a full day of use, including heavy data usage (ie web surfing, app usage, and so forth).  The camera makes it easy to snap photos and share them on the web via Facebook or Twitter.

One great feature of the Droid (and Android in general) – when you sign into the phone with your Google account credentials, your Google Contacts, Google Calendar, and Gmail are all synced automatically.  No need to configure each program individually, like my Nokia devices.

The Droid is snappy enough to run multiple applications simultaneously without slowing down.  Also, the navigation features of Google Maps on the Droid are stellar!

I was able to get about a day and a half of battery life out of the Droid, which included pretty much consistent use of heavy apps such as: email, Twitter, Facebook, and Evernote.  The Droid does have a user-replaceable battery in case you run out of juice in the middle of your day.

The only usability factor I didn’t like about the Droid is the hardware QWERTY keyboard.  I couldn’t get used to the key layout and found this keyboard laborious to use.  I much preferred the software keyboard which is a rarity for me.  I normally always prefer to type on a hardware keyboard on devices such as my Nokia N97 and N900.

Conclusion

The Droid from Motorola is by far the best handset in the Verizon Wireless line-up.  Even though I’m not crazy about the Droid’s looks, this is by far the most useful and dynamic phone Verizon Wireless has ever released.

This phone has almost everything (other than looks), a smooth and sexy operating system, full app selection and support, awesome camera, all combined with that stellar performing Verizon Wireless voice/data network.

Aside from the OK keyboard, the Droid is a high-powered, web-savvy smartphone that will make anyone happy who buys it and uses it on a daily basis.

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Review: Verizon Wireless’ Motorola Droid