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First Look: Motorola Droid

Oct 28, 2009, 12:41 PM by Eric M. Zeman

Phone Scoop goes hands-on with the new Motorola Droid, the first Android device for Verizon Wireless. Does it live up to the hype that Verizon has been scaring up the last few weeks?

Motorola DROID

Today Motorola launched the Droid, its second Android handset and the first for Verizon Wireless. Verizon has been pitching the device as an iPhone killer with its attack ads. What's more important is how the Droid stacks up against the existing crop of Android devices...and the rest of Verizon Wireless' lineup.

Droid Hardware

The hardware is the best I've seen from Motorola in some time. The combination of materials, design and execution are exactly what Motorola needs to be doing right now to get back into the game.

The fit and finish is top notch. Nothing about the Droid feels cheap. The joints all lock together snugly. It's impressively thin. Motorola claims it is the thinnest QWERTY slider on the market, and I am inclined to believe it. It is a weighty phone, though. Motorola's engineers said that they really packed everything in, so it is dense. Still, it feels good in the hand, probably in no small part due to the metal surfaces.

The screen is simply huge and it easily topples much of the competition. It stretches 3.7 inches and the 854 x 480 pixel resolution really impresses. Web sites look fantastic, images and video spring to life from the display, and it's very bright. I could gush all day. It really is incredible.

On the bottom of the screen are four capacitive buttons. These buttons provide haptic feedback and require slightly more pressure to activate than the touch display itself. Buttons on either side of the phone are minimal, limited to just a volume toggle and camera key.

The slider mechanism is not spring-assisted, and that makes the device feel even sturdier. The slider is very solid, with zero looseness or give.

The keyboard isn't as impressive as the rest of the hardware. It's flat, the keys have no contour or shape, and there's just enough travel and feedback to be acceptable. I prefer offset keyboards (they look more like a computer keyboard), but Motorola opted for a straight up-and-down keyboard due to space constraints introduced by the inclusion of the D-Pad.

In all, the hardware is definitely solid.

User Interface

On the user interface side of things, it is essentially the same user interface that comes with any regular, non-custom Android handset. Verizon and Motorola have changed up the appearance of the home screen, but only with different wallpapers.

You have just three home screens — compared to the CLIQ's five or Hero's seven — which limits how many apps, widgets and shortcuts can be loaded onto the screen.

The user interface is fairly snappy, but not as fast as we were hoping. Many of the Droid's features are dependent on Android 2.0 Eclair. Having a unified inbox, support for multiple email accounts, SMS search, Facebook contacts integration and the new Google Maps product really help set the Droid apart — for now.

Verizon and Motorola both touted the "upgradability" of the platform, so you know that there are plenty of good things on the way.

Phone Scoop will provide a more in-depth review in the coming days.

Droid Video

Here is a video tour of the Motorola Droid. We take it out of the box, go over the hardware, and show you the basics of the user interface. You can watch the video here:

Or visit YouTube for more viewing and sharing options.

view article organized across multiple pages

About the author, Eric M. Zeman:

Eric has been covering the mobile telecommunications industry for 17 years at various print and online publications. He studied at Rutgers Newark and University of Kentucky, and has a degree in writing. He likes playing guitar, attending concerts, listening to music, and driving sports cars.

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Motorola Droid

3.7" display 480 x 854 pixels
TI OMAP 3430 processor
1,400 mAh battery
Memory Card Slot, Hardware Text Keyboard, Headphone Jack (3.5mm)

Comments

This forum is closed.

This forum is closed.

truejames08

Oct 29, 2009, 8:50 PM

WHAT???

This looks more boring then he Samsung Epix. Users should avoid this phone

TrumpetMan

My first reaction was that it's kinda ugly, after looking at it a bit longer I realized...well, it's still kinda ugly. 🙄

testhombre

Wow so boring that you created a PS account today and posted this...hmmmm 🙄

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bkai

Nov 10, 2009, 10:54 AM

False comparisons...

Stock comparisons or not, you're downloading apps and applying patches to give the Droid the functionality it claims to have over the iPhone yet you don't include all the "jailbreak" features that adds to the iPhone??? Regardless of whether or not one "thinks" they should jailbreak is not debatable, the jailbreak "option" is there and takes less time than it does to install an app on either the Droid or the iPhone. So please start comparing apples to apples people!

I've gone through hundreds of lists of features that Droid claims it can do and the iPhone cannot, I've tested a Droid now for 3 days, and guess what... I have see NOTHING the Droid does that the iPhone cannot do (and/or do better)!

I'm definitely NOT saying the Droid is a...
(continues)

alanj2003

Oct 29, 2009, 8:54 PM

Syncing Music

Anyone know if you can with iTunes or Windows media player? I thought I read somewhere that this was much more difficult than the iPhone but couldn't really figure out what hoops you would have to jump through to do it. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

xzavier2008

Simply put no it will not sync with iTunes; Apple has its own proprietary software. The Palm Pre couldnt sync to the itunes store until apple gave it permission. Apple is very strict on what it will and wont allow; to sync with the iTunes store.
I fo...
(continues)

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FAUguy

Oct 28, 2009, 1:04 PM

5MP camera images

In all the on-line news, pictures and videos, I've yet to see anyone use the Droid to take a 5MP picture and post it.

Tmo Slave

No one has done a full review yet. I'm sure they will have them in the full review.

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bir3rn

Engadget did a review over the last few days. Most importantly, they've included pics and video samples.
http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/30/motorola-droid-re ... »

CrazyCraig01

Oct 30, 2009, 4:05 PM

are there good themes for android

I currently have a BB Curve and like being able to change the feel of the device.

CrazyCraig01

Oct 30, 2009, 10:29 AM

Anyone hear of what the available memory

I know this will come w/ 16gb microSD installed but was wondering if anyone has heard of any other device memory?

mackygirl

256 mb on board.

bizuser

Oct 28, 2009, 4:32 PM

Phone Comparison?

Great review! When will the Storm2 and Droid be available on the phone comparison tool? It's time...

Tmo Slave

Its not a review.

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TrumpetMan

Oct 29, 2009, 11:57 AM

I hope they come out with a model without the slide out keyboard

I text about twice a year and would take a thinner droid with the screen keyboard instead of the slide out keyboard.

My Verizon every-2 comes in March so I'll be ready about the time all the reviews are in.

The CrackBerry Storm 2 looks interesting also.

T-MobileGreen

as thin as the phone is the keyboard will probably stay because it is more of an asset than anything else how many thin phones have a full keyboard. and at what point is thinner too thin. lets be happy motorola is coming back and not ask too much from...
(continues)

acoachcool

Oct 29, 2009, 12:38 PM

window apps

As a business person the Microsoft package of excel, word, and power point is almost a necessity for a smartphone. I haven't seen anywhere that confirms this package is available for this phone. Does anyone know if this package is compatible with this phone?

Tmo Slave

Those have been available for Android for a long time now. They are available through the market.

justfinethanku

Oct 28, 2009, 7:50 PM

This is what you call a review?????

Come on guys, you tear every other phone to peices and give us honest and quality reviews to read....

Are you on Verizons pay-roll????

Come on, give me a real review!

bleu_tropix

There's a reason why it's called "First Look" and not "In-Depth". Relax, the latter is coming...give them some time with the phone first.

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