Sprint today announced that the LG Viper will make its arrival in stores around the country on Sunday, April 22. As one of the carrier’s first 4G LTE smartphones, the handset runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread and carries a $99.99 price tag.
Hardware for the LG Viper includes a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB RAM, 4GB internal storage, and a 4G microSD card. Additionally the handset features a 4.0-inch display, 5-megapixel camera, and VGA front-facing camera for video chat. Although it comes with Android 2.3 out of the box, we expect to see an Ice Cream Sandwich update before too long.
If you’re interested in picking up the new LG Viper, Sprint will gladly take your pre-order money today. In fact, doing so will ensure that your phone arrives a day or two before it goes on sale. The $99.99 sticker is after $50 mail-in rebate and with a two-year service agreement.
LG Viper 4G LTE from Sprint Launches on April 22; Pre-Order Begins Today
First 4G LTE device from Sprint with eco-friendly features, LG Viper 4G LTE available for just $99.99
OVERLAND PARK, Kan., & SAN DIEGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Sprint (NYSE: S) and LG Mobile today announced Sunday, April 22, as the availability date for the highly anticipated LG Viper™ 4G LTE, one of the first smartphones to be available on the upcoming 4G LTE Network from Sprint. LG Viper will be available in Sprint sales channels, including www.sprint.comand 1-800-SPRINT1, for $99.99 with a new two-year service agreement and $50 mail-in rebate via reward card1 (excludes taxes and surcharges).
New and existing customers can pre-order LG Viper 4G LTE beginning today at www.sprint.com/viper. Customers who pre-order LG Viper will begin receiving their devices as early as Friday, April 20 – two days before the device goes on sale – while supplies last.
LG Viper offers Android 2.3, Gingerbread, a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM and 4G of ROM. It also includes a 4GB microSD™ card. The sleek, ultra-thin smartphone also boasts a 4-inch bright and clear touchscreen display for better viewing under direct sunlight. It features a Corning® Gorilla® Glass screen protector for extra display resistance. A 5MP rear-facing camera with flash and a VGA front-facing camera allow for a fun and easy face-to-face video chat experience.
Additional apps and features include:
Google Play™ offers more than 450,000 useful applications, widgets and games.
Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, which allows the device to read information from everyday objects, such as stickers and posters embedded with NFC chips. Google Wallet™, another NFC component, allows the smartphone to be used like a wallet to make safe, secure purchases at NFC-enabled merchants nationwide
Sprint ID allows users to cut through the clutter of thousands of apps by selecting from a variety of mobile ID packs. Sprint ID packs include ringers, wallpapers and widgets.
Consumers can download Box on the LG Viper and receive 50GB of free cloud storage and sharing directly from LG, an estimated value of $240 per year, so users don’t have to stress about storing all of their favorite music, files, photos and other memories. The 50GB of free storage is exclusive to LG devices until July 22.
“Life’s Good Fairytales” app, a customizable storyboard that allows parents and children to bond over the creation and sharing of unique fairy tales through their device.2
Additionally, LG Viper is Sprint’s first 4G LTE device to feature eco-friendly attributes, including ULE Platinum Certification, the highest level of environmental performance recognized by sustainable requirements established by UL Environment and Sprint, a casing made of 50 percent recycled plastics, and packaging that is 100 percent recyclable.
LG Viper customers can enjoy an unlimited data experience with Sprint Everything Data plans. Sprint’s Everything Data plan with Any Mobile, AnytimeSM includes unlimited Web, texting and calling to and from any mobile in America while on the Sprint Network, starting at just $79.99 per month for smartphones – a savings of $40 per month versus Verizon’s comparable plan with unlimited talk, text and 2GB Web, or $10 per month savings versus Verizon’s 450-minute plan with unlimited text and 2GB Web.
Sprint recently announced Atlanta, Baltimore, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City and San Antonio are expected to have 4G LTE and enhanced 3G service in mid-year 2012. Sprint 4G LTE should enable faster speeds for data applications, and the enhanced 3G service could offer better signal strength, faster data speeds, expanded coverage and better in-building performance. The upcoming launch of these large metropolitan areas demonstrates the continued commitment by Sprint to invest in its network through Network Vision. Whether a Sprint customer is using a smartphone to share a video, checking the Web via a mobile hotspot, Sprint 4G LTE will make it easier. For the most up-to-date details on Sprint’s 4G LTE rollout, please visit www.sprint.com/4GLTE.
Verizon and LG have officially announced their next smartphone collaboration, the Android-powered Lucid. Expected to arrive in but a few days (March 29), the Android 2.3 Gingerbread handset will retail for $79.99 after $50 mail-in rebate.
Features for the 4G LTE-ready LG Lucid fall right in line with previous rumors and include 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, 1GB RAM, a 5-megapixel rear camera with 1080p HD video recording capability. Although it will debut with Gingerbread, Verizon indicates that the Lucid will be upgraded to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.
We like the price point here as it is low enough to bring in new smartphone buyers but still packs enough hardware to satisfy the savvier crowd. Considering where some of Verizon’s previous 4G LTE smartphones are priced, the LG Lucid is in a good spot.
Step Up To The Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Network With Lucid™ By LG
Affordability and Simplicity Combine for an Ideal Mobile Experience
BASKING RIDGE, NJ —Verizon Wireless and LG Mobile today announced Lucid™ by LG, exclusively for Verizon Wireless, will be available starting March 29 in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com.
Lucid by LG is designed to create an easy-to-learn, easy-to-use experience for first-time smartphone users. The slim and compact design features a stunning 4-inch touchscreen display protected by Corning® Gorilla® Glass that gives customers superb brightness, enhanced clarity and readability, even while outdoors. Powered by America’s fastest 4G network, Lucid by LG customers have access to 4G LTE coverage in over 200 markets covering more than 200 million people.
Lucid by LG is packed with features to make the smartphone experience easy, while also increasing productivity. Customers can use the lock screen shortcuts to instantly access the phone, messaging, voicemail and camera application from the lock screen. Customers also no longer have to stop what they’re doing to reply to texts by using the Quick Reply feature, as text message notifications pop up on the screen and allow customers to reply directly from the Quick Reply notification. The Quick Dialer widget lets customers make calls directly from a home screen panel without having to open the phone application. Additionally, Lucid by LG has Guided Tours right on the device, which provides step-by-step tutorials for customers who want to learn more about their new phone.
Business professionals can take advantage of the Polaris Office app on Lucid by LG which allows customers to easily open, create and edit Microsoft® Office documents, including Word, PowerPoint® and Excel®. Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network takes Lucid by LG to the next level, loading websites 10 times faster than 3G, making it that much easier for a professional to stay up to speed on recent news and keep in touch with colleagues. The mobile hotspot feature lets professionals connect to up to 10 Wi-Fi-enabled devices to the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network, making it easy for teams to work from a remote location.
Additional features:
Android™ 2.3 Gingerbread, upgradable to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
5-megapixel rear-facing autofocus camera with flash and full HD (1080p) video capture
Front facing camera for video chatting with friends and family
Video Producer – create and edit HD videos right on Lucid by LG
1.2 GHz dual-core processor and 1 GB of RAM for fast Web browsing and multitasking
Virtual QWERTY keyboard with Swype® technology
SmartShare – share media with friends and colleagues wirelessly to DLNA®-enabled devices
Pricing and availability:
Lucid by LG will be available starting March 29 in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online atwww.verizonwireless.com for $79.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted.
Customers who purchase a Lucid by LG will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan beginning at $39.99 monthly access and a smartphone data package starting at $30 monthly access for 2 GB of data.
For more information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com. Follow @VZWnews on Twitter for the latest news on Verizon Wireless.
For Toshiba’s next tablet, the company is going back to the same well that brought us the original Thrive. The hardware maker recently introduced its new 7-inch LT170, with a seemingly identical form factor as their initial Android effort. Specifications include a 1GHz CPU, 512MB RAM, 8GB internal storage, and MicroSD and MicroUSB ports.
Priced at €299 ($400 US) this will have a hard time selling against a $200 Kindle Fire or Archos G9 Turbo series. Considering the rumored $150 Nexus Tablet could be a few months away we are not optimistic about the Toshiba LT170’s chances. There’s no indication yet as to if, or when, this tablet will come to the United States, however we would expect a separate announcement.
What we liked: At $50 with a two-year service agreement, the Pantech Burst is a wonderful 4G LTE value. The screen sharp and the internals are better than expected. Room for Improvement: Battery life is pretty average at best and the camera autofocus leaves much to be desired. Speakerphone is either tinny or slightly muffled, depending on volume levels. Review at a Glance: For the price, we love the Pantech Burst. Considering the hardware, we would expect AT&T to ask for at least $50 more for the handset. Not that we’re complaining. Thanks to sharp color options and slight personalizations, the phone doesn’t feel cheap or look generic.
When Pantech and AT&T announced the Pantech Burst at CES a few weeks back, we were skeptical at what might be in store for consumers. Priced at only $50 (with a two-year agreement), we didn’t think it would be much of a handset once we got our hands on it. Well, I’m glad to say that I was wrong and that the Pantech Burst is worth every penny.
First Blush
Specs are admirable here and even beat most of the current crop of Android smartphones. Details include a 1.5GHz dual-core CPU, 4-inch Super AMOLED display, a 5-megapixel camera, and 4G LTE support. Powered by Android 2.3 Gingerbread, the phone looks as nice most smartphones, even if it’s a generally uninspired form factor. Color is sharp (Ruby Red) and the black accents give it a touch of class; the phone certainly doesn’t look cheap. The Pantech Burst fits nicely in the hand and feels neither overly heavy or light.
Powering on the smartphone, the 4-inch Super AMOLED display grabs your attention with its contrast, brightness, and clarity. If you’ve ever experienced a Super AMOLED on a Samsung handset then you’re already familiar with the quality we’re dealing with here.
User Experience
The lock screen is slightly different from most other handsets and hardware makers and includes six icons that you drag into the center circle. Much like HTC introduced with Sense a year back, you have instant access to phone, email, music, and others. If there were one recommendation I could give it would be to include the camera instead of something else. The notification drop-down shade gives you quick settings for some of your more common stuff such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
We'd love to jump straight to camera but we cannot.
The Pantech Burst comes loaded with a number of applications such as AT&T’s Navigator, Amazon Kindle, Qite Lite, and RSS reader, Yellow Pages Mobile and more. Not the worst set of bloatware we’ve encountered but it’s not full of value either. Of course you also get your Google apps like YouTube, Gmail, Talk, Android Market and other familiar titles.
Camera
The backside of the Pantech Burst features a 5-megapixel camera while the front offers a 2-megapixel camera. Like most Android handsets there are options for adjusting resolution, flash, white-balance, and others. I liked some of the filters on the phone as it reminds me of Instagram and other third party apps. Unremarkable and mostly average across the board, the phone works best in brighter light. Indoors isn’t the worst, however, as even fluorescent lighting still looks decent in most cases. My one major gripe about the camera is that it takes for ever to focus once you snap a photo. If you are looking to capture a candid moment with babies, animals, or sports then you’ll likely come away with “after” shots that you have to explain.
Sample shots from Pantech Burst (unedited)
Switching to video mode, the Pantech Burst records 720p HD while most of today’s top Android handsets record 1080p video. I cannot complain much here because we’re not dealing with a $150-$200 phone. Playback is crisp and looks great on the 4-inch display and the phone captures sound about as good as it does video.
Sound
Unfortunately no matter how good the Burst captures sound, the phone doesn’t do it justice when it comes to playing. Speakerphone leaves much to be desired and is perhaps one area where the phone falls very short. At high levels the sound is muffled and distorted and low levels are very hard to discern. I love to listen to podcasts and audiobooks on my mobile devices so it looks like I will be using Bluetooth in this case.
Others
Unfortunately we were not able to test the handset on AT&T’s 4G LTE network so we don’t have any speeds or benchmarks to share at this time. Considering the network is just getting underway it may be some time before our neck of the woods is blanketed with the faster coverage. To that end, I would have a tough time selling this phone on the merits of 4G LTE connectivity alone. Chances are good that you’ll not have 4G LTE in your market yet, however, that should not deter you from buying the Burst. If you were to factor in everything else with the phone, it’s more than worth the $50 price tag. Should you have support for 4G LTE in your city then consider that a bonus!
At 1,680mAh battery, the Burst is rated with battery life of 4.5 hours talk time and 10 days standby time. We ran through the battery a couple of times and found that to be somewhat of an aspiration. Even though we had not loaded many of our daily use apps, the phone died pretty quickly. While it wasn’t the worst we’ve encountered, we’ll definitely consider a high capacity replacement down the road. Looking at the competition, other models on the market are starting to come with 2,000mAh capacities which only makes this look worse. If you’re coming from a feature phone and considering your first Android, be warned that the battery is not a selling point.
Wrap Up
When you consider what you get for your money, the Pantech Burst is quite a deal. We’ve come a long way from the days of all Android phones running $200 with a contract and this is a step in the right direction. This might not be something you’ve replaced your current smartphone with but it’s more than enough for your friend’s first foray into Android. Even though other companies such as Samsung and HTC have a chunk of the Android market space there is plenty of room and opportunity for others. If Pantech is able to produce this type of handset and price on a regular basis then we might have a dark horse on our hands for 2012.
There’s just enough personality here to stand out from the gray slabs that we often see and the themes and UI touches are nice. Whereas I previously looked at Pantech as a low-grade handset maker I will certainly give extra consideration to future Android endeavors.
Say what you want about how heavy the Motorola XOOM is, or how bulky the tablet feels but I don’t notice at all. Nor do I mind. I’ve been using the Satechi R1 Arm Series metal stand for my XOOM and it’s brought an entirely new experience to my work life. I rarely find myself holding the tablet anymore.
Rubber padding protects your device from scratches and scuffs.
Made of aluminum, the stand is as solid of an accessory as I have run into for my tablet to date. Not only does it feel strong and sturdy but it also looks sharp on the desk. Rubber padding on the bottom of the stand ensures that it doesn’t slide around or accidentally move when tapping the screen of the XOOM. What’s more, there’s rubber padding on the parts where your tablet touches (back, bottom lip) so that it doesn’t scratch or scuff.
R1 Arm turns any tablet into a second screen for the office.
While I mainly use the R1 Arm on the office desk to turn my tablet into a secondary screen for email and chat, I’ve also used it for smartphones and eReaders. There are two hinges that allow me to adjust the angles and height of whatever I am using and neither seems ready to wear out anytime soon. I like to keep a Bluetooth keyboard nearby so that I can more efficiently pound out an email or two. Thanks to the R1 Arm, I can actually slide it under the tablet when not in use. The folding design and handy blag sleeve/bag also make it extremely portable.
If there’s one thing that might keep someone from jumping all over this tablet stand it would be price. I initially balked at the retail $49.99 price tag however after extended use I can safely say this is one of my favorite mobile accessories. I take this thing to the kitchen and use recipe apps on my tablet, read books on the Kindle Fire, and even put my phone on it for speakerphone conversations. When you consider that a folio case/tablet stand could run $35 a piece it’s easy to justify the extra few bucks. Instead of being tied to one device only, this thing works for pretty much every mobile device you’ll encounter.
Should you find yourself in the market for a stand or semi-permanent fixture for your tablet then I would certainly recommend the Satechi R1 Arm Series tablet stand. Shop around at places like Amazon and you could save a few bucks. I just checked and they are $44.99 on Amazon.com as of this post. When you own more than one device (tablet, eReader, phone, etc) this is a great all-in-one stand to consider.
Sprint today announced yet another Android device from ZTE in the form of the Fury, an entry-level smartphone. Priced at only $20 it’s plenty enough for a first-time buyer but that’s about it. If you’ve ever owned an Android handset then chances are good that you’ve had this much firepower. However, this ought to do the trick for Aunt Dianne.
Hardware includes a 1GHz processor, 4GB internal storage, 5-megapixel camera, a 3.5-inch display, and your requisite Android details. Powered by Android 2.3 Gingerbread, the ZTE Fury is a 3G-only phone so don’t look for WiMAX or LTE speeds.
The ZTE Fury arrives this Sunday, March 11th with a $19.99 price tag and two-year service agreement.
Say goodbye to the Android Market. Google has officially rebranded the storefront today as they unveiled Google Play, the all-in-one destination for apps, books, and movies. A post on the Android Developers blog tells us that we’ll soon be getting updates on our 2.2+ handsets which will replace the Android Market app with Google Play. In essence nothing changes for the seasoned Android user, and the experience will remain untouched. Head to market.android.com and watch as you’re already redirected to the new website with a familiar layout.
We’ll be rolling out Google Play to devices in a phased OTA update, starting today and continuing over the days to come. With the update, the Android Market app will upgrade to the Play Store app and the Music, Videos, and Books apps will upgrade to Play Music, Play Movies, and Play Books. This update is for devices running Android 2.2 or higher, and users on other devices will continue to have the same access to your apps as before.
Although it gets rid of the “Android” aspect of the Market, we applaud the decision to go less platform-centric for content. “Get it on Google Play” rolls off the tongue and will help push a larger agenda forward for Google. It also makes sense if we consider that Google has a hardware device up their sleeves as it should play music and/or other media.
If you need to sell your used Android handset, or you’re in the market to buy a new device but you’re against paying the carrier prices, Swappa is your knight in shining armor.
The reason they’re here, and why they’re better than Ebay, Craigslist or the like, is that all listings on Swappa meet the following criteria (according to the seller):
All devices are fully functional
All devices have clean ESNs (have not been reported lost or stolen) and are ready for activation
All devices are free of water damage and screen cracks
There’s no bidding, and a device isn’t considered “sold” until the buyer actually pays.
A lot of these phones are rooted, with custom ROMs installed, and “every device sold on Swappa that has CyanogenMod installed results in a $5 donation to the developers of CyanogenMod.” This is a great way to give back to the development community, and I commend Swappa for this policy. As if that wasn’t enough, Swappa has promised that “if you are a Reddit user and you buy or sell a device on Swappa we will buy you a month of Reddit Gold to show our appreciation.”
Upon entering the Swappa site, from top to bottom, you have the site header and your information (if you’re logged in), and some quick links (how to buy, how to sell, top devices, all, and more) situated next to a search box, for those who know what they’re looking for. Beneath that you’ll notice that whichever Android device has the most listings at that moment will make a headline appearance. They’ve conveniently categorized the devices, first by carrier, then by type (unlocked, tablet, 4G, keyboard and all devices) beneath which they have a yearbook-style listing of the 16 top stocked phones.
After choosing a phone, you’ll come to a page that lists each individual sale for that phone, with convenient icon tags that tell you something about the phone or it’s accessories.
Inside each listing is a more in-depth description of the specific handset being sold and what, if anything, you’ll receive with the device, along with public comments, where you can ask the seller questions (although they’re more often used for haggling).
After purchasing a device you are presented with a screen similar to the sale listing, where you’ll confirm your shipping address and have the option to communicate privately, comment-style with the seller. The Swappa staff might even drop in and say thanks while you’re there!
The person from whom I bought my phone was kind enough to share his opinions on what it’s like selling a device through Swappa.com
From the seller’s point of view, Swappa couldn’t be easier to use. Creating a listing took me about ten minutes from start to finish. Swappa maintains a database of just about every Android device out there, so there’s no reason to hunt for system specs or photos. You simply choose your device, and Swappa provides a stock photo and specifications.
That’s not to say that you can’t customize your listing. Sellers can also attach their own photos of their device if necessary, and because the site was designed for casual Android users and enthusiasts alike, there is plenty of room to post every detail about the device. There are the typical fields for description, condition and included accessories, but sellers can also check boxes that tell a potential buyer what version of the OS the phone is running, whether it’s rooted or if it has an unlocked bootloader. There’s even a field for custom ROMs. Interestingly, CyanogenMod even gets its own dedicated checkbox.
After choosing shipping, return and payment options, one click and the listing is live. Sellers agree to a $10 sale fee, payable when the device sells. This is a significant savings over eBay, where my estimated fee for the same item with the same price was approximately $24.
Buyers can ask the seller questions via a public threaded comment system, and sellers are alerted to activity via email. Once the purchase has been made, the buyer and seller can use a private version of these comments to communicate the details of the sale. One of the site’s operators even dropped in on my sale’s conversation to personally thank us for using Swappa. When was the last time you got a personal thank you from eBay?
Overall, selling my device via Swappa was an efficient and easy experience. Because of the focused nature of a site that deals in one specific type of device, it seems as though most buyers and sellers tend to be more knowledgeable. It feels more like a community of peers instead of the adversarial feel you get from Craigslist or eBay. I’ll definitely be using Swappa again when I need to sell another Android device.
-Cameron Richmond
Overall, Swappa.com seems to be a hit from both ends of the deal. Check them out next time you’re in the market, and if you’ve already purchased a device through Swappa, let us know in the comments what you think of it!
If you’re like me, you use your device heavily, which tends to drain the battery. Extended batteries are always an option, but they typically add noticeable thickness to a device. Motorola is seeking to solve this issue with the Droid Razr Maxx, a newer variant of the Droid Razr, known for its incredibly thin profile. The folks at Verizon were kind enough to send over a review unit, and I’ve been using it as my daily device for just over a week. So without further ado, the Droid Razr Maxx…
Look & feel
The Menu, Home, Back, and Search capacitive buttonsMotorola has added a few nice touches to the device, like the chrome power button.
A quick tour of the device gives a bit of information, such as the gorgeous 4.3-inch, 540 x 960 Super AMOLED display, capacitive buttons at the bottom, and the microSIM and MicroSD card slots nicely concealed on the left side.
The top of the Razr Maxx
Up top, we can see the miniHDMI port, and the MicroUSB charging/data port, as well as a 3.5mm headset jack. On the right, there’s the power/lock button, and the volume rocker.
The Kevlar back gives the Maxx an industrial feel
Looking at the rear of the device, the first noticeable thing is the Kevlar back that we first saw on the Droid Razr. Near the top, we can see an 8MP camera with 1080p HD video capture, an LED flash, and the speaker.
The front-facing camera, just under the Motorola logo.
Finally, there’s a 1.3MP front-facing camera, for all those video chats and self portraits.
The Razr Maxx has a natural feel, and doesn't give the impression of cheapness
The device itself fits nicely in the hand, without feeling too wide or awkward. It’s very light, but it definitely has a quality feel to it, unlike some other devices that seem cheap and made primarily of plastic. It does look more uniform than the original Droid Razr, which had that hump at the top of the device where the camera and LTE radio were stored. I’m duly impressed with Motorola’s ability to cram such a huge 3,300 mAh battery into a slim profile.
Performance
Quadrant tests are average, mostly hindered by Motorola's UI
As far as performance goes, the Razr Maxx is up there with one of the best that I’ve ever used. Despite Motorola’s UI, it’s pretty fast, and that 1.2GHz dual-core processor has a lot of power. I have noticed some lag here and there, but nothing major enough to change my mind about the device.
Despite the suicidal screen bug, the Super AMOLED display is very colorful and crisp.
While I’m on the subject of lag and bugs, I do want to point out that the Super AMOLED display is very vibrant and responsive, but I have noticed a recurring bug, where the device will lock itself, and the screen will go dark as if I’ve just pressed the power button. It’s an issue that randomly presents itself without warning. I’m not sure if this is a software bug on Motorola’s part, or if it’s a problem with the screen itself. I haven’t found any reports of this issue with other Razr Maxx users, so it may very well be that the device just hates me.
Madden NFL '12 is one of the few preloaded apps that can be uninstalled.
I’ll go ahead and answer a question that several people have asked by telling you that out of the box, you get quite a bit of bloatware. The Razr Maxx comes preloaded with Amazon Kindle, Blockbuster, GoTo Meeting, Let’s Golf 2, Madden NFL ’12, Netflix, MotoActiv, Motoprint, QuickOffice, Slacker Radio, SlingBox, and some Verizon-specific applications like My Verizon, Verizon Video, and VZ Navigator. Most of the bloatware can’t be uninstalled, and the only preloaded apps that you can get rid of are the games and a few others like GoTo Meeting. The Motorola and Verizon apps can’t be uninstalled, so unfortunately you’re stuck with those.
The launcher is the same as that on the Droid Razr, with 5 homescreens and a nice transition effect. The app drawer that Motorola has implemented is actually pretty useful. There are options to view different sets of applications, like those that you’ve downloaded, recent apps, etc. Motorola has even given users the option to create their own folders to categorize apps.
Motorola has gone the extra mile to make this device as usable as possible with the implementation of Smart Actions. These are actions that a user can set or adjust, to make everything seem more natural when using the device. For example, the Work option helps to speed up the device, so users can “stay productive at work.” The Meeting action sets the ringer to vibrate every time there’s a meeting listed in calendar events, and even allows the user to select a predefined message to send to anyone that tries to contact them during the meeting. Useful? Extremely.
Camera
The rear 8MP camera is top notch
Moving on, let’s talk about the camera on the Razr Maxx. Like I said, it’s got an 8MP rear camera with 1080p HD video capture and an LED flash, and I couldn’t be more impressed with the results that I’ve gotten. As you can see from the gallery below, pictures are clean and crisp, and they look amazing on the Super AMOLED display.
The Maxx is touted because of its 3,300 mAh battery, but I would consider buying it based solely on the camera performance. Motorola has added a camera slider to the lockscreen, so users can quickly jump from a locked device to snapping that priceless moment.
The camera switching button is a nice touch.Motorola didn't go all out with the camera options, but the average user will be satisfied
There are several standard options within the camera, like color effects, scenes, and geotagging. I was definitely pleased with the ability to switch between the rear and front-facing cameras with one click, as opposed to some other devices that require shuffling through menus to do this. The front-facing shooter performs just as well as a 1.3MP camera should.
Browser
Naturally, I set the browser's homepage to AndroidGuys.com
With a big screen like this, the average user is probably going to surf the web more than a few times. The browser was left largely untouched by Motorola, which is a plus in my mind. Pinch-to-zoom works great, with no lag or checkerboarding. Flash content plays fairly smoothly, with little to no buffering. Pages loaded quickly, especially with LTE speeds. I don’t have LTE coverage where I live, but I was able to run some speed tests in an area where there is 4G coverage. The results were fairly consistent, and blew any 3G speeds out of the water. The download speeds peaked at around 20Mbps, and the upload at around 7Mbps. Some people may not like Verizon, but they can’t deny that Big Red has some of the fastest speeds we’ve seen.
Usability
Motorola's multitouch keyboard isn't amazing, but it gets the job done.
Typing is surprisingly nice on the 4.3-inch display. Out of the box, you get Motorola’s custom multitouch keyboard that we’ve seen on some of their other devices recently, and Swype. Call me old fashioned, but I’ve never been a huge fan of Swype, so I stuck with the Motorola keyboard. The keys themselves look quite narrow, and I was worried about typing on the keyboard at first. However, it didn’t take long for me to get comfortable with the keys, and I was hammering out emails and tweets in no time. It’s very responsive, and the autocorrect is on par with most of the other keyboards I’ve used in the past. The keyboard along with the big 4.3-inch display make the Razr Maxx a good device for someone that might be unsure about the lack of a physical input method.
One of the biggest issues that some people have with Motorola’s devices is their UI. I’ll admit, I’ve never been a fan of Blur, or the Motorola Standard User Interface, or whatever they’re calling it these days. But they have slimmed it down, and it’s not as in-your-face as it used to be. There are actually a few Motorola services that I found to be really useful, like Motocast, which lets you stream content from a home computer while you’re on the go. There are also several widgets that they’ve added, like a favorite contacts widget, social networking, sticky notes, tasks, weather, and a world clock. So Motorola has really thought through their UI, and after looking at the leaked screenshots of Motorola’s Ice Cream Sandwich update for the Razr, I have to admit that I’m impressed with how far they’ve come since the disaster that was the Cliq. Please excuse me while I give a quiet shudder after that flashback..
Battery
The Razr Maxx's thin profile is impressive, especially considering the oversized battery.
Obviously, the Maxx is very thin, even with the big 3,300 mAh battery. Now the downside to having longer life is that the battery is nonremovable, like on the Droid Razr. I put the battery through a lot of testing, and try as I might, I couldn’t manage to kill it within a typical day. I made it though about 20 hours with heavy usage, including browsing the web, updating social networks, downloading a few apps, and checking quite a few emails, with WiFi turned on the entire time, before the battery got below 10%. I have to give Motorola credit where credit is due: this battery is darn near invincible. You’d have to be an extremely heavy power user to drain the battery in a day’s time.
After over 15 hours of hardly any use, with WiFi connected, the battery was staying strong at 80%
Then again, most of the usage I put it through was on Verizon’s 3G network, and I imagine that being connected to LTE for a whole day would have a bigger effect on the battery. Even so, it’s unlikely that the device wouldn’t last at least 17 hours before needing a charge. Surprisingly, it doesn’t take any longer to charge than the average device, despite the larger battery. This is a feature that might appeal to the hurried, busy type.
Wrap-Up
So that’s about it for the Razr Maxx. To sum up my thoughts on the device:
Pros
Great battery life
Gorgeous display
Exceptional camera
ICS update on the way from Motorola
Cons
A bit of lag every now and then
Having to live with Motorola’s UI might be a burden for some
The screen issue, although it isn’t a widely found problem yet
Bloatware
The nonremovable battery could be a turn-off
Is it the device for you? That’s up to you to decide, but I can tell you that if you’re a heavy mobile user, and you haven’t been satisfied with battery life on other devices, you might want to give the Droid Razr Maxx a second look.
That’s all I’ve got for now, so I want to hear from you. Do you think bigger, slimmer batteries like this are paving the way for more powerful devices? Anyone planning to pick up a Droid Razr Maxx? Be sure to leave a comment below!
AT&T today announced that they will be offering the Sony Tablet P as part of their Android lineup come March 4th. Available for $399.99 with a two-year service agreement, the Honeycomb tablet features the unique clam-shell design with two 5.5-inch displays. Should you not want to sign away two years of your Android life away, you can pick one up for $549.99 and pick up pre-paid data plans.
Customers who sign a two-year service agreement have two postpaid data plan options to choose from, including:
AT&T DataConnect 3GB: $35 for 3GB
AT&T DataConnect 5GB: $50 for 5GB
Customers may still choose from the existing monthly billing options, or prepaid options, with no long-term commitment. The Sony Tablet P without a long term contract will cost $549.99.
