The Droid series has been one of the most well-known Android lineups in the US, and the Droid 3 was a meaningful upgrade over the Droid 2. Motorola packed in serious specs: a 1GHz TI-OMAP 4430 dual-core processor, 1080p HD video recording, Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread, a 4-inch qHD display (960×540), 512MB RAM, 16GB onboard storage, a five-row QWERTY keyboard with a dedicated number row, world phone functionality, an 8-megapixel camera with LED flash, a hot-swappable microSD slot, a 1500mAh battery, and a VGA front-facing camera. All of this in a body slimmer than the original Droid. Priced at $200 with a two-year contract.
Buttons and Build
The power/lock button on top had a firm, comfortable feel. Volume buttons were on the right side. The four capacitive Android buttons (Menu, Home, Back, Search) were responsive with accurate haptic feedback and no lag. Build quality felt solid throughout.
Keyboard
The five-row QWERTY keyboard was a step up from previous Droid keyboards, which had historically been below par. Keys had good spacing, satisfying feedback, and a rubberized feel. The dedicated number row was a welcome addition for anyone who typed frequently.
Display
The qHD screen was excellent. At 960×540, web browsing and photos looked bright and crisp. HD video played full-screen without letterboxing. Touch response was accurate with no haptic lag.
Camcorder
The 1080p camcorder worked cleanly with no frame drops or freezing. Quality was comparable to a Flip camera shooting at 720p, not a professional camera, but solid for a smartphone. Shooting footage was smooth and reliable.
Software (MotoBlur)
The refreshed MotoBlur was a noticeable improvement over earlier versions. A 4-icon dock, a horizontally scrolling app drawer, a 3D-style home screen transition effect, and resizable widgets all made the experience feel polished. The new contacts widget with swipe gestures was a standout. All content widgets were scrollable even with third-party launchers. Lag was occasional but never severe enough to require a battery pull; system apps were the main source of slowdown.
Camera
The 8-megapixel camera produced inconsistent results. Photos were often acceptable but rarely impressive; there was noticeable shutter lag. The panoramic mode was a useful addition but saved photos unreliably, working roughly 2 out of 5 attempts.
Battery
Battery life was a weak point. Despite pre-release reports of strong battery performance, real-world use was disappointing. An extended battery would be worth considering for heavy users.
Conclusion
The Droid 3 is a well-rounded device for business users, power users, keyboard enthusiasts, and anyone who shoots video regularly. The dual-core processor, revamped UI, and outstanding keyboard make it easy to recommend at $200. The camera inconsistency and battery life were the main drawbacks, but neither was a dealbreaker. The Droid Bionic was on the horizon as Verizon’s next flagship, but the Droid 3 held its own as the best keyboard Android phone on the carrier at the time.
