Motorola Droid X2 First-Look Review: Blazing Fast

The X2 is, rather obviously, the successor to the Motorola Droid X released on Verizon last summer. Physically the two are almost identical: same design, same dimensions, even the same weight. The only way to tell the difference between them is to read the model name on the back battery cover. Like its predecessor, the X2 is somewhat broad and flat, although not as much as competing models like the Samsung Infuse 4G. It also features aluminum trim around the screen, which gives it a bit of a hefty, solid feel.

The Droid X was originally one of the forerunners of the "big-screen smartphone" trend, and the new version has the same size display -- although it's since been surpassed by models like the Infuse and Dell Streak. That said, its 4.3 inch screen still puts it in the top tier in this area, and it's now been upgraded from the "old" WVGA (800 x 480) to a cutting edge qHD (960 x 540) resolution. This change is definitely visible when you're looking at icons and zoomed web pages, although it's not as major a shift as going from the older HVGA (320 x 480) Android devices to the current standard WVGA.

PERFORMANCE
Once you get to the internals you really start to see the differences between the X2 and its predecessor. The Droid X2 has been upgraded with a dual-core processor for more speed, and it really delivers -- if processor power is important to you, the Droid X2 has it in spades. Not only does it outperform it's predecessor on benchmarks, it does so by a more than two to one margin.

The processor is definitely the main draw though, as the X2 has the same internal memory, same wireless options, and almost the same specs in every other way as the older Droid X. I would go so far as to call it more of an update than an upgrade, providing a few software benefits and improved performance, but otherwise providing nothing too revolutionary.

PRELIMINARY CONCULSION
If you were about to buy a Droid X, there's certainly no reason not to choose the Motorola Droid X2, although I'm withholding judgment as to whether it outpaces similar competing models until I've had more time with it. That will come with the full review, available soon, along with full benchmarks, more photos, battery life tests, and the works.

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Samsung Infuse 4G First-Look Review: Big and Beautiful

AT&T's latest Android OS smartphone offers a 4.5-inch touchscreen, larger than the 4.3-inch displays on some of its competitors. Other cutting-edge features include a 1.2GHz Hummingbird processor, HSPA+ support, and an 8-megapixel camera.

I've had the new Samsung Infuse 4G for about 36 hours now, and I'm ready to make some preliminary observations.

BUILD & DESIGN

Right out of the box, the Infuse is unlike most smartphones. Broad, long, and thin, its design is clearly all about the screen. I'm sure some people will be disappointed that the resolution on the 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus display is "only" 800 x 480 (WVGA), instead of the new vogue 960 x 540 (qHD). Realistically though, the screen looks beautiful as it is, and I could hardly ask for better.

In fact, using it is enough to make me a convert to OLED screens: not only does it have fantastic contrast and colors, but the greenish tint I observed in my last OLED-based review unit is entirely absent. On top of that, it has superior performance in direct sun, not just compared to older OLEDs (which struggled in sunlight), but also to most LCDs.

I feel like if they made this thing much thinner, I could peel fruit with it. Not only is it one of the thinnest smartphones on the market (just 0.35-inches), but the large, flat footprint makes it feel even thinner in the hand. You might think that due to its size, the Infuse would be unwieldy to hold. Surprisingly, this isn't the case: it's width is quite manageable, although people with smaller hands might find it less comfortable. And yes, it feels a bit strange to put it up to your head to talk on it.


PERFORMANCE
There's been a rumor going around that starting with the Infuse, AT&T would start to allow "sideloading," which is installing applications from sources other than the Android Market. I can confirm that this is indeed the case: the Infuse now loads non-Market apps with no more hassle than any other Android device. This means AT&T users can finally load apps from other sources, including the Amazon app market, without having to hack their devices first.
The broad, flat design also provides room for a surprisingly large battery: 1750 mAh, much higher in capacity than most phones, which run from 1200 to 1500. And the difference shows, since the battery performance so far has been stellar: even after a fairly robust day, with Wi-Fi running constantly, music playing, some streaming video, a little GPS, and lots of web surfing, the battery was still showing 32%.


PRELIMINARY CONCLUSION
So far, the Samsung Infuse 4G is showing a great deal of promise. I'll have a lot more to say about it in the full review, including performance benchmarks, more battery testing, and discussion of who the design is aimed at, and why. Stay tuned.

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