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Motorola is planning to launch the Motorola Droid 3 on July 14. The device is a follow-up to the company’s Droid 2, which performed quite well at retail. This time around, Motorola has added several improvements to the smartphone, including a high-quality display, a dual-core processor and several other features that make it a standout in the smartphone market.
But just how much of a standout will the Droid 3 be? The device definitely won’t trump the iPhone 4 in overall sales, but by the look of things, it might just be a fine offering for Verizon Wireless customers who are opting against Apple’s smartphone and want to try something new. And the best part is, at $199, the Droid 3 comes in at a price that just about any consumer or enterprise user can live with.
Read on to find outwhy the Motorola Droid 3 is a winner and should at least be considered when the next smartphone buying decision is made.
1. It’s running “Gingerbread”
According to Motorola, its Droid 3 will ship with Android 2.3 “Gingerbread.” That’s a good thing for potential owners. Android 2.3 is the best smartphone-based version of Android available right now. And the best part is, while other smartphone owners need to wait for an over-the-air update for the platform, Droid 3 owners will have it as soon as they break the smartphone out of the box. If customers liked Froyo, they’re going to love Gingerbread.
2. The price is right
Though there are some critics who say smartphones are still too expensive, Motorola hit the sweet spot by pricing its Droid 3 at $199.99. At that price, the Droid 3 ison the same level as the iPhone 4 with 16GB of onboard storage. At this point, it seems that $200 is the cutoff between a smartphone being affordable and costing too much money. Motorola came down on the right side with its Droid 3 price tag.
3. Dual-core anyone?
The Motorola Droid 3 comes with a 1GHz dual-core processor, putting it ahead of many other devices on the market, including the iPhone 4. Recent rumors suggest the iPhone 5 will feature the same dual-core processor as the iPad 2. But until that smartphone is released, the Droid 3 will offer the kind of processing power Apple can’t match.
4. A top-shelf display
After the iPhone 4 launched with the Retina Display, just about every Android handset maker realized the importance of a high-quality screen. It seems that Motorola did, as well. The Droid 3 comes with a 4-inch qHD display. That qHD display is capable of delivering 960 by 640 pixels, which matches Apple’s iPhone 4 Retina Display. Combine that with the fact that the Droid 3 has a slightly larger screen than the iPhone’s 3.5-inch display, and Motorola’s offering wins out.
Droid 3 Appeals With Great Design
5. The slide-out keyboard is important
Although consumers might scoff at the slide-out keyboard in the Droid 3, enterprise users especially will be happy to see it. Touch screens simply aren’t conducive to typing out long emails or quick documents in the workplace. Since Apple’s iOS virtual keyboard is better than Android’s option, the Droid 3’s slide-out keyboard is a welcome addition.
6. Verizon is still an advantage
Although Verizon announced plans to ditch unlimited data plans for tiered data, the company is still arguably the best carrier option in the United States. It has outstanding 3G coverage, its pricing is in line with other carriers, and its 4G network is far and away the best on the market. For now, Verizon is a winner, and that makes the Droid 3 a favorite.
7. Enterprise features are there
Motorola seems heavily invested in ensuring that the Droid 3 comes with enterprise features. This model has device and SD card encryption and remote data wipe. What’s more, it comes with Citrix GoToMeeting. Though it might not top the list of companies’ most-desired smartphones, the Droid 3 isn’t necessarily a bad option.
8. HDMI-out is important
The nice thing about the Droid 3 is that it appeals to both consumers and enterprise users. One of its nicest consumer features is an HDMI output, allowing users to connect the device to their HDTV and watch multimedia content, including photos, videos and movies. Considering the growing popularity of video content, having the ability to take a clip from the smartphone and watch it on a big-screen set sounds awfully appealing.
9. A strong design
When companies are competing against Apple’s iPhone 4, there is one major requirement in the marketplace: a great design. And luckily for the Droid 3, the device boasts a design that consumers will like. When it’s closed, the device has a large, prominent display that hides its slide-out keyboard. Its black finish helps maintain its sleek look. It’s not as thin as some other devices that lack a physical keyboard, but it’s still easily mobile. All in all, the Droid 3 has a great design.
10. Don’t forget Motorola
In the mobile market, Motorola’s name carries quite a bit of weight. Granted, it’s not Apple, but next to Samsung, consumers might trust the Motorola brand more than just about any other Android vendor. And for good reason. Motorola hasa long track record of delivering outstanding devices that do a fine job of taking on Apple’s iPhone. By the look of things, the Motorola Droid 3 follows those devices along that path.