After years of carrying BlackBerries, the Droid Pro turned out to be the Android phone worth switching to. It didn’t have a massive display or cutting-edge processor, but what it did have, it had in spades. Moving from the Droid X to the Pro as a daily driver, it didn’t disappoint.
The build felt solid and premium in hand, similar to a BlackBerry peer. Volume rockers on the left, a dedicated application button on the right (assignable as a camera shortcut), a 3.5mm headphone jack and power button on top. The chrome bezel and plastic back weren’t flashy, but they were perfectly functional with a case. The back was very slippery, particularly in cold weather.
The full QWERTY keyboard was the reason to buy this phone. Typing speed matched what was possible on a BlackBerry Curve, with no need for autocorrect, which was particularly useful in the tech industry where acronyms were common. The capacitive Android keys just below the screen were easy to reach, and the full touchscreen handled copy-paste and cursor placement without needing a trackball or trackpad.
The 5-megapixel camera was functional, with a slightly faster shutter than the original Droid, though the shutter button was now on-screen rather than hardware. The software experience was Android 2.2 with Motorola’s UI, and the standard suite of Google apps, Gtalk, and Google Voice SMS served as capable BlackBerry Messenger alternatives. IMAP email with push worked reliably. Exchange Server integration should have been solid given Motorola’s recent update addressing secure access.
The Good
- Full QWERTY keyboard
- Android 2.2
- Right-sized form factor
- Verizon 3G Mobile Hotspot for $20/month
The Bad
- Battery required charging mid-day for heavy users
- Speakerphone was slightly distorted
- Earpiece was weaker than the Droid X
- Shipped with only a 2GB microSD card
A BlackBerry-like keyboard paired with Android as the OS. Business in the front, party in the back.
