Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Applications
    • Applications
    • Mobile
    • Networking
    • Small Business

    Motorola Droid 2 Smartphone Teardown Impresses, Says iFixit

    Written by

    Michelle Maisto
    Published August 13, 2010
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.

      The Motorola Droid 2 went on sale on the Verizon network Aug. 12-going head-to-head with the launch of the BlackBerry Torch on AT&T. The folks at iFixit immediately got their hands on the successor to Motorola’s popular and accolade-winning Droid and performed a teardown to compare the two.

      The verdict? Motorola knows its way around an update.

      “Motorola certainly took the -if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ route by keeping everything people didn’t complain about exactly the same and upgrading the bits that mattered,” iFixit said in an Aug. 12 statement. “Who wouldn’t like smoother games and faster browsing?”

      Motorola made “significant” internal evolutionary changes, the repair company reported-for example, giving the Droid 2 a 1GHz processor and 802.11n connectivity, compared to the Droid’s 802.11g-which result in an “overall speedier experience.” And still, the internal layouts of the two devices are so similar that, once apart, said iFixit, it’s hard to tell one from the other.

      Both Moto smartphones come with the same 3.7-inch full WVGA TFT LCD display, with a resolution of 854 by 480, and the same 2.7V, 1390 mAh lithium-ion polymar battery. On the Droid 2, however, Motorola made enough internal improvements that the battery now reportedly yields 575 minutes of usage time, versus the 385 advertised minutes it offered on the original Droid. Additionally, the battery (we’re looking at you, iPhone) can easily be removed.

      Also new is that the Droid 2’s 5-megapixel rear-facing camera supports DVD-quality video recording at 30 frames per second, up from the Droid’s 24. It also has a SanDisk 8GB NAND flash package soldered to it main board.

      “This part wasn’t included in the original Droid,” wrote iFixit. “The Droid 2 only comes with [an] 8GB microSD card, so its storage capacity out of the box is the same as the original. We didn’t investigate how Android handles the filesystem being split across two physical devices.”

      The Droid is priced at $199 with a two-year service contract, and like the original Droid it pairs its touch screen with a QWERTY keyboard, which Verizon already emphasized is also unique, as it’s a “symmetrical keyboard with raised keys for more responsive typing to push out notes and status updates,” the carrier said in a statement.

      The Droid 2 also ships with Android 2.2 (versus the Droid’s 2.0) as well as support for Microsoft Exchange, Adobe Flash 10.1 and various e-mail and messaging applications. There’s quick access to Google services, as well as assisted and simultaneous GPS. The Droid 2 can also act as a hotspot for up to five WiFi-enabled devices.

      In 22 steps, iFixit transformed the Droid 2 from a serious market competitor to a table of shiny bits. “Are you wondering if the Droid 2 has the capacity to reassemble itself?” the team joked. Despite Motorola’s marketing slogan, it’s likely not something Droid does.

      Michelle Maisto
      Michelle Maisto
      Michelle Maisto has been covering the enterprise mobility space for a decade, beginning with Knowledge Management, Field Force Automation and eCRM, and most recently as the editor-in-chief of Mobile Enterprise magazine. She earned an MFA in nonfiction writing from Columbia University.

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Artificial Intelligence

      9 Best AI 3D Generators You Need...

      Sam Rinko - June 25, 2024 0
      AI 3D Generators are powerful tools for many different industries. Discover the best AI 3D Generators, and learn which is best for your specific use case.
      Read more
      Cloud

      RingCentral Expands Its Collaboration Platform

      Zeus Kerravala - November 22, 2023 0
      RingCentral adds AI-enabled contact center and hybrid event products to its suite of collaboration services.
      Read more
      Artificial Intelligence

      8 Best AI Data Analytics Software &...

      Aminu Abdullahi - January 18, 2024 0
      Learn the top AI data analytics software to use. Compare AI data analytics solutions & features to make the best choice for your business.
      Read more
      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Video

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2024 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×