At first glance, the Motorola Charm is a very odd, strangely shaped Android smartphone — a blend between a BlackBerry and the Motorola CLIQ XT. It’s a messaging device first, smartphone second, and a very unique Android handset.
The Charm represents Motorola’s apparent desire to put Android into every conceivable form factor. Whether it succeeds is another question.
Packaging / Unboxing
The Charm arrives in a small white box with T-Mobile branding. Inside: the phone, a USB/charger cable, earphones, warranty statement, instruction manual, and — surprisingly — a second extended battery with a matching gray back cover. A welcome touch that also quietly acknowledges the battery situation on most Android handsets.
Hardware
Holding the Charm, it feels solid and heavy — almost as weighty as a Nexus One, which puts it somewhere above mid-range in build quality. The phone measures 67.2 x 98.4mm with metal siding and a hard rubber back. Inside: a 600MHz processor, 512MB internal memory, and 512MB RAM. Speedy for its size.
Like the Motorola Backflip, the Charm features a rear gesture pad for navigation. It was initially met with skepticism, but proved genuinely useful for home screen navigation and web page scrolling. Worth seeing more of on higher-end devices.
Keyboard
A keyboard can make or break a device. The Charm’s keyboard — located below the capacitive glass controls — is well done. Keys are raised in the center and curve down on the sides, providing both accuracy and speed. The layout includes shortcuts for the universal inbox, camera, and search, plus a directional pad in the lower right corner. Only gripe: the keys feel slightly mushy.
Display
Unfortunately, the QVGA display is where the Charm falls apart. It’s not just the 2.8-inch size that’s the issue — it’s the cheap, pixelated QVGA rendering. Colors are oversaturated, images are grainy and blocky, and text can be difficult to read. Wallpapers and many web pages look poor. Several apps, including Facebook for Android, only function in landscape mode, which is awkward at this screen size.
Camera
At 3 megapixels, the camera is decent for stationary subjects but struggles with anything in motion. Don’t expect sharp results under typical real-world conditions. Acceptable for casual social sharing, not much more.
Software / MOTOBLUR
The Charm runs a new version of MOTOBLUR on Android 2.1. MOTOBLUR integrates Facebook, RSS, MySpace, and Twitter at a system level with resizable widgets and a universal inbox. On larger devices it’s manageable. On the Charm’s small screen, it feels cramped and drags the system down noticeably. T-Mobile and Motorola also preloaded QuickOffice, My Account, and My Device — minimal bloat, all fairly manageable.
Battery Life
The stock 1170mAh battery dies quickly, particularly with active social networking sync. Expect around 8 hours under moderate use. The included extended battery (1420mAh) gets that to roughly 12 hours — a meaningful improvement. Use the extended battery from day one.
Wrap-Up
The Charm had a lofty goal: a compelling Android device in a QWERTY form factor that could convert BlackBerry users. It falls short. The display is the primary dealbreaker, and MOTOBLUR feels misfit on such a small canvas.
For social media-heavy users who prioritize texting, the Charm is a decent entry-level option with a genuinely capable keyboard. But for any seasoned Android user accustomed to 3.2-inch or larger screens, this device won’t cut it. The Charm is less a smartphone than an Android feature phone — which may be exactly what some users want, but not what was promised.
