Motorola Droid X (Verizon Wireless)
Motorola
MSRP: $199.99
Typical Price: $115.95
Overview
CNET Editors' Rating: 4.0 / 5
The good: The Motorola Droid X boasts a gorgeous 4.3-inch touch screen and great multimedia features like an 8-megapixel camera with HD video capture, HDMI output, and DLNA support. The smartphone can also be used as a mobile hot spot.
The bad: Camera is a bit sluggish. Motoblur software is a lot better but still not quite as refined as HTC Sense. Lacks a front-facing camera.
The bottom line: The Motorola Droid X makes another fine addition to Verizon's Android family, bringing with it a rich multimedia experience and more connectivity features.
Design, Features & Performance (out of 10)
Design: 9.0
Features: 8.0
Performance: 8.0
Review
Motorola and Verizon aren't afraid to go after the competition, whether it be blatantly calling out a certain phone in TV ads or introducing a pretty killer device right before the launch of another. However, when you're introducing devices like the Motorola Droid X, we can see why they would be so bold.
The Droid X is the latest member to join Verizon's army, and just like the original Droid before it, it's a beast, but in a good way. The smartphone rocks a brilliant 4.3-inch touch screen and offers some great multimedia features, including an 8-megapixel camera with HD video capture, HDMI output, and DLNA support. However, we'd be remiss if we didn't mention that it does lack some features that the similar-looking HTC Evo 4G has, such as a front-facing camera and, of course, 4G support.
Still, we think Verizon has a formidable competitor in the Droid X. It's it's a great option for Verizon customers who want a little more multimedia oomph than what the HTC Droid Incredible has to offer, and is a worthy upgrade from the Droid if you can do without a physical keyboard. The Motorola Droid X will be available starting July 15 for $199.99 with a two-year contract and after a $100 mail-in rebate. Best Buy is taking in-store preorders for the phone, and we should also note that current Verizon customers who have contracts ending by December 31, 2010, will be able to upgrade to the Droid X without penalty.
Design
Motorola and Verizon definitely like to go big with their Android devices, first with the Motorola Droid and now with the Droid X. Measuring 5 inches tall by 2.6 inches wide by 0.4 inch thick and 5.47 ounces, it's a hair taller than the HTC Evo 4G, but also slightly thinner and lighter. We were actually surprised at how light the phone felt in the hand, but at that size, one-handed operation is a bit tough if you have smaller hands. It also makes for a tight squeeze in a pants pocket, but without a slide-out keyboard like the Droid's, it's doesn't feel quite as bulky. There is a slight bump on back where the camera and flash are housed, though we didn't find it to be too much of a nuisance. The backside also has a nice soft-touch finish, and the Droid X feels like a solid handset overall.
Now, we admit it feels awkward to hold such a big device up to the ear for phone calls, but the upside is that the extra space makes room for a bigger screen. The Droid X's display actually looks deceptively bigger than the Evo 4G's because of a thin border around the edge that blends into the screen, but it's the same size at 4.3 inches. It has a WVGA (854x480 pixels) resolution with a 16:9 aspect ratio and looks absolutely brilliant and crisp. Text is easy to read, and colors look vibrant, making the multimedia experience quite great. It is a multitouch display, so not only do you get pinch-to-zoom support, but you can also press two buttons on a keyboard at once (e.g., shift + letter key). There's also a proximity sensor and a built-in accelerometer that was pretty responsive in changing the screen orientation.
The Droid X offers two keyboards: a standard virtual keyboard and Swype. If the idea of dragging your finger from key to key to enter text sounds crazy, you're not alone. We were initially skeptical, too, but after first trying it on the Samsung Behold II, it's become our keyboard of choice. It's surprisingly accurate and quick. If you still don't like it, not to worry; the Droid X's standard keyboard is pretty awesome and feels more responsive than the Evo 4G's keyboard.
Below the display, you get the four standard Android shortcut keys--menu, home, back, and search--but unlike on the Evo, they're hard buttons and not touch-sensitive. Some might have a preference for one or the other, but we definitely liked having the physical buttons, and Motorola did a nice job of streamlining them into the phone's design. You also get some controls on the right side, including a volume rocker and camera activation/capture button. The latter is a little too close to the edge for our taste, which made it difficult to press, but it's certainly not a deal breaker.
On top of the device, you'll find a power/lock button as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack, and on the left, the Micro-USB port and the HDMI port. Like the Evo, the HDMI port is the Type D standard so you'll need to get a Micro-HDMI cable in order to connect it to your HDTV. You can easily find said cable on the Internet for as low as $8. And sorry, folks, but no kickstand on the Droid X.
Verizon packages the Motorola Droid X with an AC adapter, a USB cable, a 16GB microSD card, and reference material. As with the Droid, other accessories, such as a car mount ($39.99) and a multimedia dock ($49.99), will be made available. For more add-ons, please check our cell phone accessories, ringtones, and help page.
User interface
The Motorola Droid X will ship running Android 2.1 with a revised version of Motoblur software. The latter looks nothing like what we've seen on the Motorola Cliq and Backflip. You still get widgets for your social networking updates, weather, photo gallery, and favorite contacts, but they no longer take up huge chunks of space on your home screen, and you can even resize the widgets. It makes for a much cleaner experience, and you don't feel overwhelmed by all the information.
Aside from the Motorola widgets, you can also add Android widgets as well as shortcuts and folders to any one of the seven home screens. As you swipe through them, a small toolbar appears on the bottom to show you which panel you're on, and you can quickly jump to a page by pressing on the corresponding button. (The toolbar later changes to a quick-launch bar for the phone, full menu, and contacts after a couple of seconds.) It certainly makes it easier than swiping through all the panels, but we definitely preferred the HTC Sense Leap screen feature, which gives you a quick thumbnail view of each screen.
Overall, the Motoblur experience is much improved; it's a more refined, sophisticated Motoblur, if you will. However, users coming from the Droid, which ran the stock Android UI, might need some time to acclimate, and even then it still might be too much for some. Just remember that, like all Android phones, it's completely customizable, so just keep tweaking the UI until you find a system that works for you.
Features
As we mentioned earlier, the Motorola Droid X will ship with Android 2.1, but Verizon and Motorola are planning to release an over-the-air update to Android 2.2 Froyo later this summer. (The Droid is also expected to receive Froyo at that time.) This will bring speed improvements as well as new features like camera software improvements and, of course, Adobe Flash Player 10.1, so you'll get a more PC-like experience from the phone's mobile browser.
The Droid X still has plenty of other features to keep you distracted while you wait for that update. Given the large screen, it's no surprise that multimedia plays a huge part. Much like the HTC HD2, the smartphone offers a dedicated Blockbuster On Demand app where you can preview and download movies--to rent or to own--on the go. Once purchased, you can watch the video on another connected device, such as a TV, a Blu-ray player, or a PC, using Blockbuster software.
You can make your own movies, too, since the Droid X has an 8-megapixel camera that's capable of capturing 720p HD video. In addition, the smartphone has a three-mic system for capturing the best audio for the situation. This option is available in camcorder mode under Scenes, and you have four choices: Everyday for capturing audio from all directions; Outdoors to reduce wind noise; Narrative for when you're, well, narrating a scene; and Subject to capture audio from the person you are filming--can't say we've seen this on any other camera phone. The camcorder, as well as the camera, also offers effects, face detection, dual-LED flash, autofocus, and digital zoom. The one thing you don't get is a front-facing camera like on the Evo 4G, but Motorola has said it will add this feature in future devices.
The Droid X has 8GB of onboard memory and ships with a 16GB microSD card, but the expansion slot supports up to 32GB cards, so you can essentially have 40GB of storage. You can share photos and videos through the usual avenues--e-mail, multimedia message, Bluetooth, Facebook, and so forth--but you can also display content on your HDTV via HDMI output or through a Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA)-compatible device. If you're not familiar with it, DLNA is a standard that makes it easier to move content, like movies, photos, and music, from device to device. Since the Droid X supports this technology, you can stream media from your phone to other DLNA-compliant tech, like the Xbox 360, without having to go through a whole setup process. You can find a list of DLNA-certified products here.
Moving away from the multimedia and back to some of the core functions of the smartphone, the Droid X supports Gmail, and POP3 and IMAP e-mail accounts, and it offers native Microsoft Exchange synchronization out of the box for e-mail, calendar, and contacts with access to global lookup. Corporate users will also be glad to know that the Droid X has security protocols for remote password control and wipe. Gmail aside, you can view your various e-mail accounts in a unified in-box or choose to keep them separate.
Voice features include a speakerphone, speed dial, voice commands, conference calling, Skype Mobile, and text and multimedia messaging with threaded chat view. Bluetooth, 3G, GPS, and integrated Wi-Fi are also onboard, and the Droid X can be used a mobile hot spot for up to five devices. To use this feature, you will need to sign up for the Mobile Broadband plan, which costs an additional $20 per month and has a 2GB data cap. If you go over, you will be charged 5 cents per MB in overage fees. By comparison, Sprint's mobile hot spot plan for the Evo 4G costs $29.99 per month, but there is no data cap. Still, it's a much-wanted feature, and we're sure road warriors and mobile professional will make good use of it.
We used the Droid X as a hot spot for a number of devices, including a Lenovo ThinkPad T61 and a MacBook Pro, and measured download and upload speeds using Speedtest.net. We conducted tests throughout Manhattan and averaged download speeds of 1.75Mbps and upload speeds of 0.46Mbps. It was adequate for getting our work done, but we got kicked off the connection several times, which was frustrating.
Performance
We'll be putting the Motorola Droid through a battery of tests over the next few days, but we wanted to give you some initial impressions of the phone's performance. We tested the dual-band (800/1900; EVDO Rev. A) Motorola Droid X in New York using Verizon service, and call quality was great. Conversations on our end sounded mostly clear with just some slight background noise, but nothing too distracting. Our friends didn't complain about any background disruption or voice distortion and were quite happy. They didn't even notice when we switched over to speakerphone, but we noticed a hollowness to speakerphone calls. The good news is that there's plenty of volume to hold conversations in louder environments.
Verizon's 3G network provided mostly reliable coverage through Manhattan, though there were a couple of times it dropped to 1xRTT. With 3G, CNET's full site loaded in 30 seconds; CNN's and ESPN's mobile sites loaded in 5 seconds and 10 seconds, respectively. We also streamed some clips from YouTube and V Cast Video. Videos loaded in just a couple of seconds and played back continuously with synchronized audio and picture. The video quality was a little murky, as expected, but our own MP4 videos looked fantastic on the Droid X's display.
As for the Droid X's 8-megapixel camera, picture quality was a bit mixed. Despite having autofocus, we weren't always able to get a clear shot, and it doesn't help that there's a bit of shutter lag. With a little patience, you can get some nice pictures, and the flash did a great job of capturing images in darker rooms. Outdoor shots also looked good. Given the limited time with the device, we weren't able to fully explore the HD-video-recording capabilities, but we'll be roaming around the city to capture video and test out the three-mic system. For a camera phone, the recorded HD video looked great. The picture was clear, even action sequences, which often tend to get murky or pixelated. We also tried a couple of the mic settings--Outdoors and Narrative--and noticed a subtle difference in the audio, but nothing dramatic. Still, we appreciate that Motorola even thought to make this a feature.
The Droid X has a 1GHz TI OMAP processor, and the phone has been quite responsive. It's not quite as lightning-fast as the Droid Incredible, but we were able to open multiple apps with little delay. There were a couple of instances, however, when we returned to the home screen and the background went completely black before returning to normal, so we'll keep an eye out for that as we continue testing.
The Droid X comes with a 1,540mAh lithium ion battery with a rated talk time of 8 hours and up to 9 days of standby time. In our battery drain tests, the Droid X impressed us with 7.5 hours of continuous talk time on a single charge. Standby time was also great, and the smartphone lasted at least a full day with moderate use. According to FCC radiation tests, the Droid X has a digital SAR rating of 1.43 watts per kilogram and a Hearing Aid Compatibility rating of M4/T3.
Basic Specs
| Cellular technology | CDMA2000 1X |
| Band / mode | CDMA2000 1X 1900/800 |
| Talk time | Up to 480 min |
| Internet Browser | Yes |
| Short Messaging Service (SMS) | Yes |
| Combined with | With digital camera / digital player |
| OS provided | Google Android 2.2 |
| Included accessories | Power adapter |
| Style | Candy bar |
| Weight | 5.47 oz |
| Width | 2.57 in |
| Depth | 0.39 in |
| Height | 5.02 in |
User Reviews
Average User Rating: 4.0 / 5
User Rating Breakdown
5 Star: 141
4 Star: 46
3 Star: 19
2 Star: 15
1 Star: 32
Droid X Is My Favorite Phone Of All Time!
Rating: 5 / 5
on March 10, 2011
49 out of 52 users found this review helpful
Pros: + X-tra large screen is beautiful
+ Web browsing on the big screen is a great experience
+ HD Video recording capability is super great.
+ Battery life pretty good
+ FM Radio pretty good
+ V Cast compatible
+ All of standard Android functionality
Cons: - Doesn't have Send or End buttons
- Motorola has locked/encrypted the boot loader on the DX
- Haven't tried the camera much yet
- Physical buttons aren't that great
Summary: I've own many of the Verizon Wireless (VZW) smart phones including the Treo, Moto Q, XV6700, Saga, Omnia, Touch Pro, Blackberry Curve, Storm1, Tour, etc. I also owned the first Droid (D1) and thought at the time it was the best VZW phone I've ever owned. Well, Droid X (DX) has changed all of that. The DX is now my favorite phone of all time. But is it actually "better" than the D1?!?!?!? Check out my review.
PROS
- The DX's X-tra large screen is beautiful. The touch interface is very responsive. I feels like a powerful computer in your pocket.
- DX is big but I don't think it's too big. I could actually "do" a 5 inch phone if VZW ever sold one. I use the DX one handed but I have big hands. ;-) YMMV, however.
- The screen size also makes typing on the screen easier. I usually hate virtual keyboards but I like this one.
- Web browsing on the big screen is a great experience. I can see myself not using my iPad as much now (I would take it along to the barber, doctor's office, etc.). When the DX gets Flash support, the iPad might be going to eBay. :)
- HD Video recording capability is super great.
- I actually like the new version of Moto Blur. The re-sizable widgets are cool. Plus you can remove anything you don't want to use. I guess this wasn't the case with the original Moto Blur. They just need to add a "close" button (or swipe to close) to the widgets so I don't have to reach down for the back button.
- Battery life seems pretty good, much better than the Incredible.
- FM Radio is actually pretty good.
- DLNA support will allow you to browse media stored on your computers, wirelessly.
- The DX is V Cast compatible.
- The DX has all of the standard Android functionality including the best, free voice activated GPS known to man. Need directions to "123 Main Street"? Simply press the search button and say, "Navigate to 123 Main Street". Want to know where the closest Pizza place is? Say, "Map of Pizza". Google voice navigation is unbelievably good.
- The DX includes full Microsoft Exchange support. I'm not sure if it includes remote wipe or other security features that were missing from the initial D1 release.
CONS
- I usually prefer physical buttons but the ones on the DX aren't that great. They feel cheap. Plus they are all the same height so you can't easily press the button you want without looking at the device. This takes away one of the biggest advantages of having buttons.
- Like many smart phones these days, DX doesn't have Send or End buttons. I don't understand why companies make PHONES that don't include buttons for starting and ending a PHONE call!
- Unlike D1, the DX power button is in the middle-top of the phone. This probably helps out the lefties (the D1 power button is on the top-right). However, I don't like the extra reach for the power button. I'm already reaching over a much larger device.
- Motorola has locked/encrypted the boot loader on the DX. Thus, it will be harder or impossible for third party developers to create custom roms for the DX. I think this is a mistake. Custom roms is one of the biggest reasons why the D1 was so popular. The d1 put Android on the map.
- The syncing software that comes with DX is nothing to write home about. Syncing music, photos, and video to Android phones still remain a hassle. Google needs to develop something like iTunes ASAP. I read that they are working on a music service though...
- I find it hard to put the DX in its desktop doc.
BOTTOM LINE
I think the Droid X is best stock VZW phone available. Its big screen makes it really a computer in your pocket. The HD video recording capability is great. DLNA support is great. I didn't even know an FM radio was included- nice! Battery life so far has been really good, especially considering its big screen. The DX offers just about anything you need in a phone sans the front facing camera. This one device may replace a standalone mp3 player, gps, camera, camcorder, netbook, and possibly, an iPad. The Droid X simply does it all.
Is it the best Android phone on any carrier? I haven't used the EVO so I can't say which I would like more. VZW's voice network and customer service are better than Sprint's so the EVO loses in that respect. The Incredible was crippled with poor battery life so that's a no-contest. The only real, current competition is a hacked Droid 1, if you care about hacking your phone. I personally don't care about custom roms. For these reasons, I think the DX is the best Android phone to date. However, the current champ may lose its belt to one of the many great phones that are coming out soon. But at the end of the day, the real winner is the Consumer. There will be many great devices to pick from and that's always a good thing.
*** P.S. If you will buy this Motorola Droid X I suggest at: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003UESOGA/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=***************&********=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&************=B003UESOGA
Traded Droid Incredible for X.
Rating: 4 / 5
on July 15, 2010
80 out of 134 users found this review helpful
Pros: Big screen=less eyestrain & easier typing
Swype built in (easy text entry once you get used to it)
Nice feel in hand, solid build
Dedicated camera button
Cons: User Interface not as polished as HTC Sense
Software sometimes buggy
Slightly big for pocket
Screen not as responsive as Incredible
Summary: I used an iPhone 3G, upgraded to the Incredible a little less than a month ago, then switched to the Droid X. All great phones. Here, I'll focus on the X vs. Incredible.
Short version: The Inc has a nicer screen for indoor use, and the software and user interface is more polished with more built-in features. The X has a more versatile screen and is obviously bigger. Otherwise, there is no clear choice between the two--you would have to make tradeoffs as outlined below:
User Interface: The X's UI is not as polished as the Inc's. But, this is a matter of personal preference (I prefer the look of the X widgets since they aren't as visually heavy, but they also aren't as functional). Some other UI/OS differences:
*The X phone dialer is not as nice--with the Inc., you can just dial the first few digits corresponding to a name in your address book.
*Voice control is easier on the X. Hold home then say a command (this makes up for the dialer)
*No option to reduce ringer volume when picking up the phone as with Inc. Inc. has option to leave phone upside down on a desk--incoming calls will then cause one beep. With the X, turn the phone over to silence the ringer (but it rings if it's already face-down).
*The HTC mail widget is worth a separate mention: it allows you to easily scroll through messages without opening the mail app. I found it useful as a way to catch up between meetings. No such widget is on the X.
Look and Feel: The X isn't really as big as you might think. I am a big guy, and it is nice to find a phone that is the right size for me. Relative to the Incredible, I like that the camera lens doesn't protrude from the back, and that the phone feels thinner. It does fit better in my hand, and the big screen makes everything from typing to reading easier. Those with younger eyes and smaller fingers might prefer the opposite. The X seems to be made of plastic despite reports that it is made of metal, but it does feel solid.
Joystick: The Incredible has a joystick, the X doesn't. It was helpful when editing text--no need point my fat finger in between letters to insert, I could just scroll the joystick.
Keyboards: X comes the Swipe kb built-in, plus a multitouch version of the stock Android KB.No clear winner here (I'm sure you can eventually get Swipe for the Inc).
Browser: The Sense browser is nicer. It is smart about re-wrapping text when you zoom in and out, and double-tapping usually zooms in where you want. The X browser doesn't re-wrap the text as well, and you will often find yourself using horizontal scrolling. No cut-and-paste in the X browser as with the Inc. I think you can open more tabs, but I'd have to confirm this.
Android 2.2: It is worth mentioning that the X will (per Motorola) get the Android 2.2 update in August. The Droid Inc. will get it sometime before the end of the year (per HTC). 2.2 is rumored to increase speed, among other things. But neither phone has it NOW, so who knows.
Screen: The X has an LCD, no real surprises: it is passable in most light levels. The Incredible's AMOLED screen was wonderful under medium to low light (very good color contrast), but too washed out under bright light. Again, it is a trade off--do you prefer a great indoor screen, or a good all-purpose screen? (Note: the Inc IS usable under bright light, but barely).
Camera: The X has a dedicated physical camera button, making it quicker to open the camera and take a pic. However, the Incredible has tap-to-focus. The X does do 720p HD video recording and there is a noise cancelling mic for video recording. (Rumor: Inc will get 720p in a software update soon)
Phone: The X's dialer isn't as feature rich (see above). I've made several test calls: on the Inc, the people I call reported that my voice was "tinny". The same people report great call quality with the X, perhaps because of the noise cancelling mic. (not present on the Inc). However, I found the earpiece speaker on the Inc. to be clearer and louder.
Reception: reception is good. Note that you can't compare reception by using the "bars"--you need to look at the db reading. On the inc, go to settings->about->network, on the X go to settings->about->status (better values are closer to zero). The X gets consistently better values than the Inc did in the same spots (but, that can vary from day-to-day, so this isn't conclusive). The X is getting a stronger signal than my dad's Moto Droid in side-by-side tests (~5dBm on average!), whereas the Moto Droid beat the Inc in side-by-side tests (about 2dBm on average). I don't know if this translates into any real-world benefit, and it could have more to do with my local conditions/towers. The speedtest.net app shows similar 3g bandwidth and Wifi bandwidth to the Inc. The X gets faster WiFi downloads than the Moto Droid in side-by-side tests (both seem to limit upload to about 2mbps).
Best phone on the market period
Rating: 4.5 / 5
on July 15, 2010
29 out of 46 users found this review helpful
Pros: Strong Signal
Large, vibrant screen
Snappy processor
Great Camera
High Level of customization
Cons: Not the best looking phone i've seen
Software look can use some polishing
Lack of front facing camera
Summary: I returned my lackluster iphone 4 and went to the droid x. Best decision i've ever made. There are plenty of great droid x reviews out there. So, i'll just give a straight up battle royal, showing all the benefits i've found in the droid x over the iphone 4 (because we know the comparison this summer will be inevetable)
Droid X Iphone
-4.3 in. screen -3.5 in. screen
-8 MP Camera w/ dual flash -5 MP Camera w/ single flash
-3 microphones for noise cancellation -2 mics
and sound capture during video recording
-HDMI port for video and photo playback -No HDMI port
on your high def TV
-Removable Battery -Non Removable Battery
-Removable Memory- 8 GB internal with up - Non Removable Memory 16 or 32
to 32 GB Removable Memory. Free 16 GB
card included
-Preloaded Swype Keyboard -No Swype
-Mobile HotSpot Capable -No Mobile HotSpot
-Free Turn by turn navigation -Navigation must be purchased
-Widget Capable -No Widgets
-Full Flash 10.1 Support -No Flash Support
-DLNA Support -No DLNA
-Integrated Social Networking through Ninja-Blur -No integrated social networking
-8 Hours talk time on a 1570 mAh Battery -7 Hours talk time on 1420 mAh
-Unlimited Data use -2 GB data restriction
-Universal Micro-USB charging port -Propietary 30-pin chargin port
-Verizon Network=GOOD -AT&T=BAD
-NO KNOW ISSUES -Death Grip, yellow spots,
dropped calls
For me personally, It was either this or the iPhone...
Rating: 4.5 / 5
on July 16, 2010
30 out of 49 users found this review helpful
Pros: A powerhouse of everything mobile!
Cons: - Battery can't keep up with your need to constantly fiddle with this thing.
- Choose the incredible or the iPhone if your hands are on the smaller side.
Summary: I usually am the one reading the reviews to make my decisions and leave it at that, but I felt compelled to put it out there that this is without a doubt "the real deal," "the big boy," "the head honcho" of cell phones right now.
- Lightning Fast with the Ti processor
- Fantastic call quality
- Big beautiful screen
- Feels light, despite its size and fits nicely in your pocket (I suggest getting the glossy phone protector so you dont pull out a pocket sock everytime you answer your phone.)
- Chalked full of endless app options
- Great touch sensitivity
- Roomy keyboard and perfect those with larger meat hooks.
- I was iffy about the Camera housing that bumps out of the bottom of the phone, but it actually makes the phone feel more comfortable to hold.
::Bottom, Bottom Line::
It took the consumer reports denial of the iPhone and about 10 minutes of playing around with the DroidX to push me over the Iphone/droid fence that I've been walking along for the past year. I know that boasting one phone over the other is like discussing religion and politcs at the dinner table now a days, but if you are caught in the middle of the fire fight, do yourself a favor and nerd out with the droid for a while.
After two days: I love it
Rating: 4 / 5
on July 16, 2010
20 out of 28 users found this review helpful
Pros: Screen size
Screen quality
Call quality
Browser
Cons: Battery life (is it ever good enough?)
Summary: I have come from a two year experience with a BlackBerry Curve. Unlike many smartphone users, I'm a businesses user with heavy email needs. The BlackBerry was fine for email, but weak on calendar and Internet and the apps are sadly lacking. I liked the BB keyboard, and was cautious about moving to a phone without one.
I have an iPad that I love. I had tried out the original Moto Droid, but the slide-out keyboard was useless with my big thumbs.
So far, the Droid X seems to be the perfect phone for me. The big screen size and excellent resolution are perfect for my aging eyes. The larger screen also helps makes the on-screen keyboard larger and easier to operate with large thumbs. Only the keyboard in landscape mode is usable for me. I do wish that the screen was a little brighter for outdoor use.(I couldn't use the Incredible at all in sunshine.)
The overall large size of the phone isn't a problem.for me. The processor handles the screen and all processes beautifully.
I'm a professional photographer, so it's hard for me to praise any smartphone camera. The Droid X has one of the better ones, but it doesn't do as well as an average digital point-and-shoot. But, it's nice to have a camera of this quality with you at all times.
I think the battery will make it through a typical work day for me, but without much to spare. It charges very quickly, however.
Here's my analysis of Android 2.1: It isn't quite as polished as iOS on the iPhone. But it is much more customizable. If you think it's fun to tinker with the interface, you'll be able to build a phone that's really customized for your preferences and the way you use your phone. My me, it was worthwhile and enjoyable. So far, the Android Market is somewhat behind the Apple iTunes App store in both quality and quantity of apps, but it's improving quickly and many developers are flocking to this operating system.
Overall, I'm very happy I made this transition.
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