Enterprise Mobility - eWeek


Enterprise Mobility: Motorola Droid 4, Droid Razr Maxx Crowds Android Pack at CES

By Clint Boulton on 2012-01-12


LAS VEGAS—Motorola may be making fewer smartphones in 2012, but the ones it launched at the end of 2011 and its first of this year will suit most users craving 4G Long-Term Evolution (LTE) power and dual-core performance. The Android OEM that is in the process of being acquired by Google introduced three new models with partner Verizon Wireless here at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show: the Droid 4, Droid Razr in purple, and the Droid Maxx with extra battery life. Those Android 2.3 Gingerbread handsets will be upgraded to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich this year. The question remains whether Motorola will be able to continue selling enough handsets and tablets to compete with Android OEM giant Samsung, which has made great strides with its Galaxy S II and Galaxy Nexus handsets. Check out Motorola's new handsets in this eWEEK hands-on slide show.

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Droid 4

The handset continues the original Droid line, which put Android on the map as a mobile platform in 2009. This one has a 4-inch quarter-high-definition (qHD) display eWEEK can't wait to test soon on the Verizon network.

Droid 4 Keyboard

The Droid 4, which runs Gingerbread but will be upgraded to Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) this year, features a vastly improved keyboard, with Chiclet-style keys that are edge-lit for easy typing, even in the dark. There is also an 8-megapixel camera with 1,080p high-definition video capture.

Droid 4 Side View

While the Droid 4 is half an inch thick, which seems fat compared with its Droid Razr cousin, it's the market's thinnest 4G LTE smartphone. It's also powered by a dual-core 1.2GHz processor and 1GB of RAM. No pricing is available, but Motorola will start shipping the phone within weeks.

Droid Razr, Now in Purple

Motorola's Droid Razr became the thinnest smartphone, at a svelte 7.1mm, when the company unveiled it in November. The company went on to launch a white version in December. To appeal to women, Motorola added this purple version. Well, it's actually more like puce than purple.

Droid Razr Rear View

You have to flip the phone on its back to get a better sense of the color of the Razr’s case. Let the viewer be the judge of whether it’s purple, puce or lavender. Here it is in all its 1.2 Ghz, dual-core chip-powered glory. Another highlight of the phone is the Smart Applications feature for power and other resource management.

Razr Side View

This provides another view of the color and the device's thinness. Motorola will sell it for $199.99 on contract soon.

Droid Razr Maxx

Last but not least is the Droid Razr Maxx, the thicker version of the Razr. This device has all the software features of its thinner brother.

Razr Maxx Side View

The Razr Maxx is 8.99mm thick, but with good reason: The device holds a 3,300mAh battery to double the battery power of most smartphones on the market to some 21 hours of life. This device, powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core chip, will launch in weeks for $299.99 with a Verizon contract.

Droid Xyboard 8.2

The Xyboard 8.2 was a featured Motorola tablet here at CES. Motorola said the slate, which is media-focused, and its more enterprise-friendly Xyboard 10.1 brother, will get the ICS bump this year.

Droid Xyboard 8.2

The Xyboard 8.2 was a featured Motorola tablet here at CES. Motorola said the slate, which is media-focused, and its more enterprise-friendly Xyboard 10.1 brother, will get the ICS bump this year.

Remote Control

The Xyboard also comes with this Dijit universal-remote-control app, which works with the tablet's IR blaster to let users control their TV, stereo systems and other gadgets with their tablet.

Keyboard Accessory

Consumers may also purchase a keyboard dock separately to do text-heavy work on the tablet. The keyboard enables faster typing for longer-form document composition.

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