The good:The Motorola Brute i686 has a very rugged and durable design, plus a decent feature set that includes push-to-talk, GPS, and a 2-megapixel camera. Call quality is very impressive.
The bad: The Motorola Brute i686 is only very slightly different from its predecessor, the Brute i680. There's no external camera shutter button, photo quality is average at best, and we wish there were a 3.5mm headset jack.
The bottom line:The Motorola Brute i686 can take a longer dunk in water, but is otherwise identical to the Brute i680. It's not the prettiest phone on the block, but it's incredibly durable with great call quality to boot.
When we first looked at the Motorola Brute i686, we wondered if there was a mistake. It seemed practically identical to the Motorola Brute i680, its predecessor. Even the overall features are similar--the 2-megapixel camera, GPS, Bluetooth, and of course, support for Nextel's iDEN network.
The main difference seems to be that the Motorola Brute i686 is a touch more durable. It now can be immersed in 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes. Aside from that, it retains the ruggedized exterior of its predecessor, keeping its "Brute" moniker alive. If you ... Expand full review
When we first looked at the Motorola Brute i686, we wondered if there was a mistake. It seemed practically identical to the Motorola Brute i680, its predecessor. Even the overall features are similar--the 2-megapixel camera, GPS, Bluetooth, and of course, support for Nextel's iDEN network.
The main difference seems to be that the Motorola Brute i686 is a touch more durable. It now can be immersed in 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes. Aside from that, it retains the ruggedized exterior of its predecessor, keeping its "Brute" moniker alive. If you already have the Brute i680, we wouldn't encourage you to run out and buy the i686, but if you've been looking for a tough phone that'll survive a diving trip or two, then this might be for you. The Motorola Brute i686 is available for $119.99 with a two-year contract from Sprint Nextel.
Design As we mentioned in the introduction, the Motorola Brute i686 hardly differs from its predecessor. At 3.92 inches long by 2.09 inches wide by 1 inch thick, the Brute i686 is just as bulky, and at 5.63 ounces, it's just as heavy. It's clad in hard plastic and a thick rubber exterior that protects it from all manner of scrapes and bruises. Indeed, we dropped it onto concrete and dunked it in a sink of water for a solid 20 minutes without ill effects. The Brute i686 is said to be military-certified under specification 810G for resistance to dust, shock, vibration, extreme temperatures, low pressure, salt fog, humidity, and more.
The Motorola Brute i686 is a tough-looking phone.
On the front is a color external display that supports 65,000 colors and 160x120-pixel resolution. We're glad to see that it supports photo caller ID and recent call history, and it'll also work as a self-portrait viewfinder when the camera is activated. As for the camera, that sits right on top of the display, next to the LED flash.
The left spine is home to the volume rocker and push-to-talk button, both of which are large and easy to find by feel. On the right is the Micro-USB charger jack hidden securely beneath a rubber flap. On the top of the Brute i686 are the speakerphone control and the usual Nextel button for accessing your recent calls list. Also on the top is a 2.5-millimeter headset jack protected by a rubber flap. We would've liked to see a 3.5mm headset jack, however. We also would have preferred a camera shutter control on the sides.
To keep the phone nice and dry on the inside, the battery cover is secured by a round locking mechanism that you can unlock with either a fingernail or a penny. Behind the battery cover is the microSD card slot.
Flip the phone open and you'll find a simple but legible 2.2-inch color display. It only supports 65,000 colors and 220x176-pixel resolution, but as you aren't likely to use this phone for multimedia purposes too often, we didn't mind the average resolution. Colors are bright enough, and we like that we can change the text size and the backlight timer. Along the bottom row of the display is a series of shortcuts to frequently accessed applications or functions that you can toggle through. The main menu itself is displayed in either a grid or list view.
The navigation array consists of the usual two soft keys, a round toggle with a middle select key, a main menu key, a camera key, and the Send and End/Power keys. The overall keypad is spacious, with enough separation between each key. We found it easy to text and dial with the raised keys as well.
Features The features on the Brute i686 are similar to the Brute i680, so forgive us if there's a little bit of deja vu here. To start, the Brute i686 has a 600-contact phone book with room in each entry for seven phone numbers, an e-mail address, and notes. You can categorize those contacts into groups, and also into push-to-talk groups if you're on Nextel's Direct Connect service. You can also pair the contacts with a photo and one of 20 polyphonic ringtones for caller identification. The Brute i686's Direct Connect features include International Direct Connect, Group Connect, and Direct Talk.
The i686 is a phone first and foremost, with simple features like a vibrate mode, a speakerphone, a memo pad, text and multimedia messaging, call timers, an alarm clock, and a datebook. For the slightly more advanced user, there's stereo Bluetooth, an application manager, USB mass storage, a voice recorder, voice playback when browsing menus, and PC syncing. There's also GPS with support for Sprint's TeleNav service.
Even though the i686 is a relatively basic phone, it does have a few multimedia options. These include a music player, which has the usual album art and player track controls. You can customize it to a certain extent with themes and visualizations. You do get basic features like shuffle, repeat, and even an equalizer. You can load music onto the phone via a USB cable or a microSD card. The phone only takes cards of up to 8GB, which is rather stingy.
The Motorola i686 takes only average-quality photos.
The 2-megapixel camera is unchanged from the Brute i680. It can take pictures in seven resolutions and two quality settings. Other camera options include exposure control, white balance, a 4x digital zoom, a self-timer, geotagging, a macro mode, autofocus, four color effects, and a couple of shutter sounds. Photo quality is fair. Shots were not as sharp as we would like, and colors were unfortunately quite dim and washed out. There's also a built-in camcorder with similar editing options. You can shoot clips for 1 minute for MMS messages or longer in storage mode.
The Brute i686 comes with a few Sprint apps like Nascar Sprint Cup Mobile and NFL Live, but that's about it. You can always get more apps, games, graphics, and ringtones from the Sprint store via the WAP 2.0 browser.
Performance We tested the Motorola Brute i686 in San Francisco using the Sprint Nextel service. As is the case with most of our Nextel phones, call quality was very impressive. Audio was crystal clear, as if our callers were right next to us. Callers sounded very natural, and there was little to no background noise.
On their end, callers too reported great audio quality. They said we sounded very loud and clear, and we were interrupted by very little static, if any. Reception was overall quite reliable, and the speakerphone quality was stellar as well.
We tested the Brute i686 with another i686 for Direct Connect calls. There was a slight audible distortion at times, but that seems to be the case with most push-to-talk calls. Otherwise, audio quality was great--loud, clear, with very good noise reduction.
The Brute i686 has a rated battery life of 5.8 hours. According to FCC radiation tests, the Brute i686 has a digital SAR of 0.59 watt per kilogram.
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.
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 ... Expand full 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.
Much like the original Droid, the Droid X is quite a beast.
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 screen, there are four physical shortcut buttons.
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.
The Droid X has an 8-megapixel camera with dual-LED flash and 720p HD video capture.
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.
In addition to an HDMI port, you can also share content from the Droid X to other devices via DLNA.
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 picture quality was a bit mixed; sometimes we got great shots and sometimes we got blurry shots like this.
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.
The good:The LG Optimus S has an attractive, slim profile with features that include GPS, EV-DO Rev. A, and Wi-Fi with tethering capabilities. It also has a 3.2-megapixel camera and it ships with Android 2.2.
The bad: The LG Optimus S' slower processor means it doesn't have Flash video in the browser. The camera doesn't have HD video capture or an LED flash. Call quality was mixed.
The bottom line:The LG Optimus S is an affordable yet full-featured Android smartphone for Sprint, but we did wish the call quality were better.
Budget Android smartphones are on the rise, and you need look no further than the LG Optimus line of handsets to see that. We first saw the LG Optimus T, which was priced at $29.99 with a T-Mobile agreement, and then we found out you can get the black version for free under contract. The LG Optimus S for Sprint may not be quite so cheap, but it's still pretty affordable. It has many of the same features as the Optimus T--it ships with Android 2.2, has Wi-Fi and 3G, and it can act as a portable ... Expand full review
Budget Android smartphones are on the rise, and you need look no further than the LG Optimus line of handsets to see that. We first saw the LG Optimus T, which was priced at $29.99 with a T-Mobile agreement, and then we found out you can get the black version for free under contract. The LG Optimus S for Sprint may not be quite so cheap, but it's still pretty affordable. It has many of the same features as the Optimus T--it ships with Android 2.2, has Wi-Fi and 3G, and it can act as a portable Wi-Fi hot spot. The Optimus S is also one of a few phones to support Sprint's new Sprint ID packs, which let you customize the phone with certain personality profiles. The LG Optimus S is available for $49.99 with a new two-year contract from Sprint.
Design When we first saw the LG Optimus S, we thought we were looking at a clone of the LG Optimus T. Indeed, the two phones are very similar, not just in terms of features, but also in design. Both phones measure 4.47 inches long by 2.32 inches wide by 0.52 inch thick, and both are coated with a smooth soft-touch finish that leads to a comfortable feel in the hand. The Optimus S comes only in charcoal gray.
The LG Optimus S has a 3.2-inch display.
On the front of the Optimus S is a roomy 3.2-inch LCD display that supports 16.7 million colors and 320x480-pixel resolution. It being an entry-level phone, you won't get high-end graphics as seen on a Droid X or a MyTouch 3G, but we think it still looks great. Images are colorful, text is sharp, and it felt intuitive and easy to use. You can adjust the brightness, the backlight timer, and the transitions between opening and closing apps. Aside from multitouch and pinch-to-zoom, the Optimus S also has a proximity sensor and an internal accelerometer.
Underneath the display is where you start to see the differences between the Optimus T and the Optimus S. The Home and Menu keys are switched, and while the Optimus T housed the Home and Back keys in one panel, the Optimus S separated them out into individual keys. Both have the Search key on the far right. The Optimus S has a slightly wider volume rocker on the right spine, and it also has a voice command key and a camera key, while the Optimus T had neither. The Optimus S houses its microSD card slot on the left spine, but the Optimus T hid it behind the battery cover. Both phones have a 3.2-megapixel camera on the back. Rounding out the exterior of the Optimus S are the Micro-USB charging port on the bottom, and the 3.5mm headset jack and Screen lock/Power key at the top.
The interface is also where you'll see a difference between the Optimus T and the Optimus S. Both ship with Android 2.2, and both have five customizable home screens, but the Optimus S can be further customized with Sprint's Sprint ID pack system. A "Sprint ID" is essentially a profile of preconfigured wallpapers, shortcuts, widgets, and settings. You can switch between different profiles by tapping the Sprint ID icon on the home screen. The idea behind the Sprint ID system is that instead of having to personalize your starting home screens from scratch, your selected Sprint ID will do it for you. Read our full review of Sprint ID for more details.
Along with the ID button on the home screen, you also get shortcuts to the phone dialer and the main menu. The phone dialer app is fairly self-explanatory and is similar to the one we've seen on other Android phones. As for messaging, the Optimus S only comes with the default multitouch Android keyboard--you'll have to download and install Swype on your own if you prefer that.
Features Even though the Optimus S is billed as an entry-level smartphone, it's still chock-full of features. It ships with Android 2.2, which has a number of improvements over Android 2.1. They include voice dialing over Bluetooth, app storage on a memory card, a new camera viewfinder, app sharing, and Facebook integration. The one downside is that even though Android 2.2 supports in-browser Flash video, the Optimus S doesn't have the hardware horsepower for it.
Yet, we're not upset, as the Optimus S has plenty more to offer. It has 3G with EV-DO Rev. A and Wi-Fi with hot-spot capabilities. Bear in mind that you do need to pay around $30 a month for the extra tethering/hot-spot option. Other connectivity features include Bluetooth with A2DP and GPS. You can use GPS with Google's own Maps and Latitude apps as well as the Sprint Navigation app.
Basic features on the Optimus S include a speakerphone, vibrate mode, conference calling, voice dialing, visual voice mail, a calendar, and text and multimedia messaging. The phone book is limited only by the available memory, and there's room in each phone book entry for multiple numbers, e-mail addresses, IM handles, and more. You can merge contact information from multiple e-mail and social networking accounts too. For e-mail, you can use Gmail, your own POP3/IMAP server accounts, and it also supports Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync.
The Optimus S comes with a few preloaded apps like Sprint's own Sprint TV, Sprint Zone, NASCAR, and Sprint Football Live. Of course it also supports all of Google's own apps like the aforementioned Gmail, Maps, YouTube, Google Talk, and Voice search. It doesn't come with a lot of extra apps and games, but you can get those via the Android Marketplace.
The music and video players are standard Android fare, so there's no surprise there. The phone has 170MB of built-in memory, but it does come with a 2GB microSD card. You can use up to a 32GB card if you want more storage.
The photo quality was pretty good for a 3.2-megapixel camera.
The 3.2-megapixel camera is pretty decent. It can take pictures in five resolutions, and settings include an adjustable ISO, different white balance presets, color effects, a timer, brightness, six scene modes (Automatic, Portrait, Landscape, Sports, Night, and Sunset), four focus modes (Auto, Macro, Face tracking, and Manual), and 2x digital zoom. Picture quality was pretty good, even without an LED flash. Images looked sharp, though colors did seem a bit more washed out than we would like. There's also a video recorder that can record VGA, QVGA, and QCIF clips.
Performance We tested the LG Optimus S in San Francisco using Sprint. Call quality was mixed. We heard our callers loud and clear, but did think there was a bit of static in the background. When we called automated phone systems, they recognized our voices without problems.
Callers, however, said that we sounded a little digitized. They also reported that our voice clarity was inconsistent--it was clear one second, and oddly muffled another. They could still hear what we were saying, but it was definitely not as clean as they would have preferred. Speakerphone quality was not much better--our voices sounded even more muffled, and the echo increased as well.
We were mostly pleased with the EV-DO Rev. A speeds. We loaded the CNET mobile page in 12 seconds, and YouTube videos had only a few seconds' buffering time. Video quality did seem blurry and pixelated, though.
Despite the Optimus S's dinky 600MHz processor, we experienced zippy performance overall. We experienced few hiccups when launching and switching apps, or when scrolling through the browser. Our main hurdle was when we were switching Sprint ID packs, which sometimes took a few more seconds than we would like.
The LG Optimus S has a rated talk time of 11 hours and a standby time of 18.75 days. It has a tested talk time of 10 hours and 42 minutes. According to the FCC, it has a digital SAR of 1.04 watts per kilogram.
Correction, Friday at 10:30 a.m. PT:The LG Optimus S' features include EV-DO Rev. A.Previous page
The good:The Samsung Gravity T is good-looking touch-screen messaging phone with nice interface elements like TouchWiz widgets, a Command bar of shortcuts, an etiquette pause, and more. It has a decent set of multimedia features, 3G, and great call quality.
The bad: The Samsung Gravity T's keyboard is a bit flatter than we would like.
The bottom line:The Samsung Gravity T is overall a great messaging phone option for those who want a full touch-screen experience combined with a simple yet functional multimedia feature set.
The Samsung Gravity brand has changed quite a bit since its debut in 2008 as a simple messaging phone for T-Mobile. As further incarnations came along, the Gravity handset improved--the Gravity 2 added 3G and GPS, while the Gravity 3 has a slightly more ergonomic design. The Gravity T, or the Gravity Touch, is the latest rebirth of the Gravity line, and as its name suggests, it now has a touch screen. This allows it a few nice touches like a customizable home screen along with gesture-based shortcuts. Aside from that, it has many of the same features as its ... Expand full review
The Samsung Gravity brand has changed quite a bit since its debut in 2008 as a simple messaging phone for T-Mobile. As further incarnations came along, the Gravity handset improved--the Gravity 2 added 3G and GPS, while the Gravity 3 has a slightly more ergonomic design. The Gravity T, or the Gravity Touch, is the latest rebirth of the Gravity line, and as its name suggests, it now has a touch screen. This allows it a few nice touches like a customizable home screen along with gesture-based shortcuts. Aside from that, it has many of the same features as its other Gravity cousins--a 2.0-megapixel camera, GPS, a music player, and more. The Samsung Gravity T is available for $74.99 with a new two-year service agreement from T-Mobile.
Design The Samsung Gravity T has a similar design to other Samsung touch-screen messenger phones, like the Samsung Messager Touch for example. Measuring 4.29 inches long by 2.23 inches wide by 0.59 inch thick, the Gravity T has a wide oval form factor, with a slightly curved back for a more comfortable feel in the hand. This does mean it rocks ever so slightly when it's resting on a flat surface, but we didn't find that to be a problem. At 4.23 ounces, the Gravity T is also not too heavy, and would fit easily in a large pocket or purse.
The Samsung Gravity T has a 2.8-inch resistive touch screen.
The Gravity T has a 2.8-inch resistive touch screen, which we found quite pleasing to the eye. It has 262,000 colors and a 240 x 320 pixel resolution, and the phone takes advantage of that with colorful and detailed menu icons. You can adjust the font type, the brightness, the backlight time, and the greeting message on the home screen.
We found the display to be as responsive as a resistive display gets--it still requires a bit more pressure than capacitive screens, but the transitions and screen reactions were quick enough for our liking. To improve the accuracy of your taps, you can go through the calibration wizard. There's a vibration feedback setting as well in case you want the phone to buzz to let you know you've activated something with your finger taps. You can adjust the vibration intensity if you like.
Like a lot of other Samsung touch screen phones, the Gravity T has three customizable home screens in addition to the TouchWiz interface, which lets you drag and drop different widgets and shortcuts to those home screens. At the bottom row of each home screen are shortcuts to the phone dialer, the contacts list, the messaging in-box, and the Web browser. There's also a "Command bar," which is a list of up to five customizable shortcuts that are only accessible when the phone is open.
The Gravity T also has a unique "smart unlock" system, which consists of gesture-based shortcuts that are accessible while the phone is still locked. For example, you can draw a "C" on the screen, and that'll open up the Contacts list without having to unlock the phone first. The default shortcuts include "M" for a new message, "B" for the browser, "V" for voice mail, and a simple square for just the home screen, but you can change these controls in the settings if you like.
Another nice design feature is an "etiquette pause" that makes use of the phone's motion sensor. If you have an incoming call that you wish to silence quickly, simply turn the phone over to quiet it down. We can see this as a potentially useful feature in meetings, for example.
The phone dialer is pretty typical of most touch-screen phones. We like the large keypad as well as the generous number input area. The quick shortcuts to the Recent calls history, the messaging in-box, and the Contacts list are handy, too. As for text entry, you can do so via the T9 alphanumeric keypad, but we would rather slide the phone open to use the physical keyboard. Underneath the display are three physical keys, which are the Send key, the Menu key, and the End/Power key.
The Samsung Gravity T has a slide-out QWERTY keyboard.
As we mentioned earlier, the Gravity T comes with a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard. The keyboard feels quite roomy, and the number and arrow keys are highlighted in red. The keys have a cushy rubbery feel to them, so they were easy enough to press and type. However, we did wish they were a bit more raised above the surface for even quicker texting. We also thought the keys could be a little bigger.
The volume rocker is on the left spine, whereas the charger jack, screen lock key, and camera key are on the right. The camera lens is on the back, while the microSD card slot is located behind the battery cover.
Features The Samsung Gravity T has an impressive 2,000-entry phone book, with room in each entry for four numbers, an e-mail address, an instant messenger username, a birthday, a street address, and notes. As always, you can add your contacts to groups; pair them with a photo for caller ID, plus any of 20 polyphonic ringtones.
You get the usual basic features like vibrate mode, a speakerphone, text and multimedia messaging, plus PIM organizational tools like the alarm clock, a memo pad, a calculator, a calendar, a unit converter, a stopwatch, a tasks list, a timer, a world clock, and a voice recorder. Instant messaging is also available, as is GPS with TeleNav support, voice recognition, and Bluetooth. For the social network savvy, the Gravity T also comes with a Social Buzz app that offers quick connectivity to certain sites like Facebook and Twitter.
Aside from the usual messaging features, you also get e-mail with Microsoft Exchange support. With your personal e-mail, you're free to use your own POP or IMAP server settings. For Exchange support, just enter in your Exchange server URL and login details, and you're good to go. If you like, the Gravity T also lets you send and receive audio postcards, which are audio messages attached to an image of your choice. The e-mail in-box interface is similar to other Gravity phones.
Since the Gravity T is blessed with a touch screen, it seems fitting that it comes with a full HTML browser to take advantage of the large screen real estate. The Gravity T uses T-Mobile's proprietary web2go browser, so it's rather simplified for a mobile browser. You get the usual location bar and bookmarks, though, which is enough for us. You can also jump to full screen mode, copy URL to a message, and Google search from the homepage. To zoom in and out of Web pages, simply hold down your finger on the screen and move up to zoom in and move down to zoom out. This is far easier to do than using an onscreen magnifying glass.
The Gravity T comes with a fairly rudimentary media player, but it works well enough for simple music playback. The interface is fairly simple to understand; you can organize your playlists on the go, and you can set songs on repeat or shuffle. You load the songs onto the device via microSD card--the phone takes up to 16GB--and you can then use the songs as ringtones or alert sounds.
The Samsung Gravity T has a 2.0-megapixel camera on the back.
We're a little disappointed that the Gravity T is saddled with the same 2.0-megapixel camera as its predecessors, but we do think the photo quality is quite decent. Images look sharp enough and though the colors looked a bit dark, it was still pretty good. You can take pictures in four resolutions and three quality modes. Other settings include brightness, a self-timer, white balance, color effects, exposure metering, a night mode, geotagging, and three shutter sounds plus a silent option. You also get single, continuous, smile shot, mosaic, and panorama shooting modes. Beyond the still camera, you also get a camcorder, which can record clips in 176x144-pixel resolution in either normal length or shortened for MMS.
The Samsung Gravity T has good photo quality.
The Gravity T can be tweaked and customized to fit your personal style. You can do so by changing the wallpaper, screensavers, and sounds. The Gravity T comes with a few apps and game demos like Ms. Pac-Man, Millionaire 2010, Guitar Hero 5 Mobile, Google Maps, Bubble Bash 2, and Bejeweled, but you can always get more from the T-Mobile store.
Performance We tested the Samsung Gravity T in San Francisco using T-Mobile's network. We experienced very good call quality--almost that of landline quality. We heard our callers very clearly, with hardly any distortion or background noise. The voice quality was also crisp and natural; not at all tinny or mechanical.
On the callers' end, they too were impressed with the quality. They reported very little noise or static, though there was the occasional buzz. Voice quality sounded good to them as well. For speakerphone calls, they said we sounded a bit more echo-heavy than usual, but otherwise the volume was good enough for them. On our end, we thought they sounded rather tinny and hollow, but that's to be expected from most cell phone speakers.
Similarly, audio quality for music playback didn't sound so hot via the speakers. The songs sounded rather flat and dull, although the volume was quite good. We would opt for headsets for a better listening experience.
We enjoyed good 3G speeds with the Gravity T. We loaded the CNET front door in very good 20 seconds, and had little buffering time when streaming videos from YouTube. The 3G signal was good too, especially in downtown San Francisco. That said, the video quality is noticeably pixelated and choppy, so it looked obviously down-sampled.
The Samsung Gravity T has a rated battery life of 6 hours talk time and 16 days standby time. It has a tested talk time of 6 hours and 29 minutes. According to the FCC, the Gravity T has a digital SAR of 0.38 watt per kilogram.
The good:The RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530 for MetroPCS has a lightweight and compact design with features like Wi-Fi, EV-DO, Bluetooth, GPS, and a 2.0-megapixel camera. It has fantastic call quality as well.
The bad: The RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530 has a low-resolution screen, and we experienced spotty 3G service.
The bottom line:Though not the best BlackBerry on the market, the Curve 8530 is a great entry-level smartphone, especially with MetroPCS's inexpensive unlimited monthly plan.
While you don't often see smartphones offered by smaller carriers, BlackBerrys tend to be the exception to the norm. The BlackBerry Curve 8530, for example, is now available for MetroPCS, after making the rounds with Verizon and Sprint. The Curve 8530 is decidedly an entry-level smartphone, but it's a pretty good one at that. It's not flashy by any means, but we like its features, and MetroPCS is throwing in a sweet $60 unlimited BlackBerry plan with it. Do note that the Curve 8530 is $230 with MetroPCS, but that's because you don't have to ... Expand full review
While you don't often see smartphones offered by smaller carriers, BlackBerrys tend to be the exception to the norm. The BlackBerry Curve 8530, for example, is now available for MetroPCS, after making the rounds with Verizon and Sprint. The Curve 8530 is decidedly an entry-level smartphone, but it's a pretty good one at that. It's not flashy by any means, but we like its features, and MetroPCS is throwing in a sweet $60 unlimited BlackBerry plan with it. Do note that the Curve 8530 is $230 with MetroPCS, but that's because you don't have to get it with a contract. For this review, we'll focus on the smartphone's performance and MetroPCS services, but for more information about the phone's design and features, please read our reviews of the Verizon Wireless RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530.
We tested the dual-band (CDMA 800/1900 Mhz; EV-DO) in San Francisco using the MetroPCS service. The call quality was fantastic. Neither side detected much background noise--we experienced great call clarity for the most part. We heard our callers clearly and thought their voices sounded quite natural, though a bit tinnier when heard via speakerphone.
On their end, callers said we sounded great. Volume was loud enough, and our voice came through with almost landline quality. On speakerphone, they said we sounded much the same, except louder. We paired the Curve 8530 with the BlueAnt Q2 and it worked well, with great audio. We also used the phone with a pair of Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7 QuietPoint headphones, and music quality was really rich and full.
We experienced no dropped calls during our test period and had decent signal strength for the most part. However, we didn't get a very strong EV-DO signal, and it would often slip back into 1xRTT speeds. Still, we managed to load pages fairly quickly. The CNET mobile page loaded in just 15 seconds, whereas the full front page loaded in around a minute. As for video quality, it was the same with the other Curve 8530s--images looked grainy for the most part due to the relatively low-resolution screen.
Some features that are unique to the MetroPCS version of the Curve 8530 are MetroPCS's backup service, Metro Banking, the MetroWEB browser (though we personally prefer the stock BlackBerry browser), the Metro411 directory service, GPS with MetroNavigator, and the @Metro App Store.
The RIM BlackBerry Curve 8530 has an 1150mAH lithium ion battery with a rated talk time of 5.4 hours. Our tests revealed a similar talk time of 5 hours and 30 minutes. According to FCC radiation tests, the Curve 8530 has a digital SAR of 1.31 watts per kilogram and a Hearing Aid compatibility rating of M4, T4. MetroPCS packages the BlackBerry Curve 8530 with an AC adapter, a USB cable, a companion CD, and reference material. For more add-ons, please check our cell phone accessories, ringtones, and help page.
The good:The attractive Samsung Gravity 3 receives a makeover from its previous version while keeping many of its predecessor's best features, including Web mail and Exchange e-mail support, TeleNav turn-by-turn directions, and a full QWERTY keyboard.
The bad: E-mail is clunky to use, and there's no dedicated headset jack for listening to music or making wired calls.
The bottom line:The Samsung Gravity 3's full QWERTY keyboard and messaging features are enough to satisfy most heavy communicators, with other advanced features icing the cake. At $50 with a two-year service agreement, the Gravity is a good midlevel option for those who aren't ready to jump into the smartphone arena.
As it goes with some trilogies, the third installment in Samsung's Gravity series--the Gravity 3 slider for T-Mobile--amps up the production value and visual effects, but adds little to the storyline. That's not to suggest that the Gravity 3 isn't a worthy successor to Samsung's Gravity 2. In fact, the Gravity 3 does keep many elements we liked about last year's model, such as the 3G and GPS capabilities, plus a 2-megapixel camera. In terms of specs, at least, it doesn't stray much from the Gravity 2's formula. ... Expand full review
As it goes with some trilogies, the third installment in Samsung's Gravity series--the Gravity 3 slider for T-Mobile--amps up the production value and visual effects, but adds little to the storyline. That's not to suggest that the Gravity 3 isn't a worthy successor to Samsung's Gravity 2. In fact, the Gravity 3 does keep many elements we liked about last year's model, such as the 3G and GPS capabilities, plus a 2-megapixel camera. In terms of specs, at least, it doesn't stray much from the Gravity 2's formula. The result is a stylish makeover to what has become for Samsung and T-Mobile a blockbuster texting phone, and an alternative to the similarly featured, but touch-screen, Samsung Gravity T. It doesn't hurt that the Gravity 3 sells for an affordable $50 with a two-year service agreement.
Design The Gravity 3 is a looker. Samsung has splashed the mostly black frame with a glossy, metallic gray bezel and with matte, metallic aqua accents. Almost identical to the Gravity 2 in stature, the 4.6-inch-tall-by-2.11-inch-wide-by-0.6-inch-thick Gravity 3 may look like a doorstop when compared with one of those waifish touch-screen smartphones, but it's actually slim enough to slip into the pocket of most pairs of jeans. A full slide-out QWERTY keyboard accounts for the phone's extra height and heft (4.34 ounces). Keep in mind that for heavy users of instant messaging, e-mail, and text messages, the physical keyboard is a benefit, not a detriment.
On its left spine, you'll find a dedicated camera button and a Micro-USB charging port, whereas the volume rocker sits on the phone's right spine. The 2-megapixel camera lens and external speaker are located on the back. Note that although there is a music player onboard, there's no dedicated headset jack. Samsung still hasn't moved the microSD slot from behind the back cover, an inconvenient location, but at least it's no longer situated behind the SIM card
The Gravity 3's slide-out QWERTY keyboard is roomy, even a little wide for smaller hands.
The Gravity 3's 2.4-inch screen is a hair larger than that of the Gravity 2. It supports 262,000 colors and a QVGA 240x320-pixel resolution. You can adjust both the brightness and the backlight time, along with the phone's font size, color, and typeface, and the display's background color. Settings let you switch out of the default carousel-style menu to a more traditional grid. The Gravity 3 is mostly readable indoors or in shadow, though its display was harder to discern in direct sunlight than other phones we've tested.
The navigation array keeps the same Talk and End, messaging, clear, and soft key buttons as its predecessor. However, a new design makes the array easier to press with the pad of your finger, and the Gravity 3 hosts a rectangular--rather than round--four-directional navigation pad with central OK button. The dialpad keys located below the navigation are also squared off. Their wide shape, domed centers, and rubber finish make the backlit buttons easy to press.
The Gravity 3 lets you map the dedicated messaging button to one of eight functions--three more than did the previous model--including instant messaging, your e-mail in-box, and the third-party social-networking app known as SocialBuzz.
Slide the phone face to the right to reveal the wide keyboard with its electric blue rim and keys. Gone are the small, square buttons of the previous model. The Gravity 3's spacious QWERTY keyboard is sci-fi-evocative, with a bubbly space bar that's reminiscent of a spaceship and oblong keys tilted slightly on their axis. Gravity 3 has moved the handy soft keys on the QWERTY keyboard to either side of the space bar.
The Gravity 3 keeps its navigational arrow keys on the bottom right, its dedicated OK key, Shift/Symbol button, and its .com/www key for quickly entering URLs. The emoticon button quickly perks up text with a standard smiley. The keys are only very slightly raised, and though a little wide for this editor's hands, the buttons depressed easily enough to keep the messages a-flowin'.
Features Up to 1,000 contacts fit into the Samsung Gravity 3, with room in each entry for four phone numbers, four e-mail addresses, three IM usernames, an address, a birthday, URL, an anniversary date, and notes. In addition, you can associate one of 19 polyphonic ringtones (there's room for 72 total), a calling group, or a picture ID with your contact.
Basics include a calendar, a task scheduler, a clock, a world clock, a to-do list, an alarm, a converter, a calculator, a memo book, a stop watch, and a timer. Tick off the TeleNav A-GPS navigator with turn-by-turn directions, Google Maps, voice dialing, and an RSS reader as more advanced features. There's also stereo Bluetooth, and support for e-mail and IM. Internet access comes courtesy of T-Mobile's web2go browser, which lets you view Web pages in desktop or mobile mode. The browser will also stream YouTube videos over 3G through the Gravity 3's media player.
The 2-megapixel camera produces decent images, though the Gravity 3 is much more adept at texting than photography.
Speaking of which, the media player hasn't grown more sophisticated since the last Gravity model. It's easy enough to organize tracks, and create and edit playlists. In theory, you can send MP3s via text message, e-mail, Exchange e-mail, or Bluetooth, though in some instances your file may prove too large. Once a song is in your gallery, you can set it as a ringtone, as an alarm tone, as a message tone, as a calendar reminder, or you can associate it with a contact. The player lists the track's basic details and media information of a song during playback. MP3, AAC, and AAC+ file formats will all play.
In addition to authoring text and multimedia messages, the Gravity 3 proves its chops as a messaging phone by incorporating IM through Yahoo, Windows Live, and AOL's services, audio postcards (framed photos accompanied by an optional voice message), and e-mail. You can set up Web mail from providers like Gmail, Yahoo, AOL, and Comcast, and you can also calibrate an additional Exchange account. We have a hard time envisioning business professionals purchasing any feature phone over a smartphone, but we won't turn up our noses at the offer of Exchange support with SSL encryption.
Toggling through our various messaging in-box folders on the Gravity 3 is a win, but the e-mail experience itself feels rough. All the necessary elements are there, like viewing message alerts when you unlock your phone, opening embedded URLs in the browser, downloading messages with attachments, and adding things like appointments, tasks, and bookmarks into the e-mail message. However, Samsung and T-Mobile could have gone with a more spruced-up interface, more flexibility in setting preferences, and an adjustable typeface size that optimizes message-reading from the phone's constricted screen size.
You'll get decent enough photos with the 2-megapixel camera, which captures shots in four resolutions (1,600x1,200, 1,280x960, 640x480, and 320x240). There's a night mode, five white-balance presets, three metering modes (Matrix, Center-weighted, and Spot), and five color effects. The self-timer has three countdown intervals and three shutter chimes, plus a silent mode. In addition to Single and Continuous photo-taking modes is Panorama, which automatically stitches together photos as you pan from left to right; Smile shot, which takes your photo as soon as it detects a smile; and Mosaic, which fills in each of four quadrants with a different image.
As we mentioned, photo quality is fair on the Gravity 3, but not stellar. The advantage of sharp edges is balanced by the negative of slightly dampened colors and a tinge of blurring. Beyond camera mode, the phone's built-in camcorder records clips in a 176x144-pixel resolution (QCIF), in either normal length or truncated for MMS. A video setting lets you record without audio. The other camcorder settings are similar to those of the still camera. After filling up the phone's 70MB of onboard memory, you can spill over to a 16GB external microSD.
If you don't care for the Gravity 3's default look, you can personalize it by switching out the wallpaper, screensavers, and alert tones. Gamers will find a handful of demos like Guitar Hero Mobile and The Sims 3 in the Media library, but you'll need to buy them from the T-Mobile Web store to keep playing past the demo.
Performance We tested the quad-band (GSM 850/900/1,800/1,900; UMTS/HSDPA) Samsung Gravity 3 in San Francisco using the T-Mobile network. Call quality was good overall, with natural-sounding voice timbres and volumes. We noticed some distortions on our end, however, and on one occasion, some mysterious background beeping that was thankfully short-lived.
On their end, callers were satisfied with the call quality, noting just a bit of fuzziness at times. Calls over speakerphone were loud and mostly clear, with some buzz on our end. For their part, callers were impressed by the volume. Though a certain amount of echo is always expected with a speakerphone, it did not disrupt the call.
The Gravity 3's 3G speeds and signal remained strong while we tested it downtown and in several neighborhoods. We were able to stream YouTube videos without much buffering, but the stream, though steady, suffered from choppiness and small amounts of pixelation.
The Samsung Gravity 3 has a rated battery life of 6 hours talk time and 16.7 days standby time. Our tests revealed a talk time of 6 hours and 3 minutes. According to FCC tests, the Gravity 3 has a SAR of 0.527 watt per kilogram.
The good:The Verizon iPhone 4 offers a hot-spot feature not available on AT&T's device. Performance was better in most regards.
The bad: The Verizon iPhone 4 lacks world roaming and the ability to access voice and data simultaneously. The hot-spot feature didn't work with all devices.
The bottom line:The Verizon iPhone 4 has much in common with its AT&T counterpart, but varying features and different performance give it enough room to stand apart. It won't vastly change your iPhone experience, but we welcome the consumer choice that it brings.
Editors note: We updated this review on March 10, 2011 with additional testing results.
Yes, it's finally here. After almost four years of endless gossip, analyst forecasts, and so-called leaks, the Verizon iPhone is a reality. We're thrilled, to be honest, mostly because we never have to write another rumor story again. And, of course, we're also happy to see U.S. iPhone owners get a real choice in carriers.
If you've been pining for this moment for ages, we feel your elation. But before you rush to the ... Expand full review
Editors note: We updated this review on March 10, 2011 with additional testing results.
Yes, it's finally here. After almost four years of endless gossip, analyst forecasts, and so-called leaks, the Verizon iPhone is a reality. We're thrilled, to be honest, mostly because we never have to write another rumor story again. And, of course, we're also happy to see U.S. iPhone owners get a real choice in carriers.
If you've been pining for this moment for ages, we feel your elation. But before you rush to the store, there are some important points to keep in mind. First off, the Verizon iPhone 4 is nearly identical to its AT&T counterpart. It stands apart in a couple of ways, but it's largely the same device with many of the same benefits and drawbacks. And like its predecessor, the Verizon iPhone 4 entails some serious give-and-take on the part of the user. You get that nifty hot spot, for example, but Big Red's CDMA technology takes away functionality as well.
Performance may also defy some of your expectations, which we know are huge. We can report that Verizon's network offers discernible improvements over AT&T's. The data speeds were faster most of the time, we had more success with placing calls in problem areas, and the calls connected faster. The changes, however, weren't life-changing and they weren't completely consistent. So while it is better in some regards, it can't beat AT&T on all fronts.
Verizon will match AT&T's pricing, which is $199 for the 16GB model and $299 for the 32GB version. You can get it only in black for now, though the elusive white model is due later this spring. Verizon will offer a $30 unlimited data plan to start, but it likely to switch to tiered data plans in the near future.
Design Honestly, we can't say much in this section since the Verizon and AT&T handsets are so much alike. There are a couple cosmetic differences, which we'll discuss, but Verizon's iPhone bears all the familiar Apple-style trademarks. It's the same size and weight (4.5 inches tall by 2.3 inches wide by 0.37 inch deep; 4.8 ounces), it has nearly identical external features, and you'll find that gorgeous Retina Display. We're still not fans of the sharp edges and glass back, but there's no denying that the iPhone 4 remains an eye-catching device.
From the front, the two handsets look exactly alike.
Turn the handset on its sides and you'll notice some minor alterations. To accommodate the CDMA antenna, the ringer mute switch on the left side has been moved slightly closer to the volume controls. It makes no difference in usability, but the change means that most current iPhone 4 cases, including the bumpers that Apple gave out for free last summer, won't fit properly. Over on the right side, the SIM card slot has vanished because the handset runs on CDMA.
Apple moved the Verizon iPhone's ringer mute switch closer to the volume controls. In its place is the antenna gap that's on the top side of the AT&T phone.
In another change, the gap that sits next to the headset jack on the GSM version has moved to the left side just above the ringer switch. Apple wouldn't discuss the specifics with CNET, nor would it confirm which portions of the antenna serve which features (on the AT&T phone, one portion of the antenna was for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and the remaining portion of the antenna powered cellular calls). We're not prone to conspiracy theories, but it wouldn't surprise us if Apple tweaked the antenna design following last summer's "antennagate" drama. But more on that later.
A feature you gain Inside, the Verizon handset offers a few more differences, both good and bad. Big Red initially beat AT&T by offering a personal hot-spot feature that can support up to five devices. You can establish the connection through and Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or a USB cable and use all three methods at the same time. Though AT&T gained the hot-spot feature with iOS 4.3, the carrier limited the number of devices that can make wireless connections to just three.
Before you can use the hot spot, though, you'll need to activate the option with Verizon. The feature will cost an additional $20 per month, which is cheaper than Sprint's $29 monthly charge, but more expensive than T-Mobile's $14.99 fee. For that price you're limited to 2GB per month, after which you'll pay $20 for each additional gigabyte. On the whole, those charges aren't outrageous for what you get.
Once you're set with the carrier, the hot-spot option will appear in your Settings menu. Then, after you set a password and choose which connectivity options you'd like to use, you can get started. We tried connecting a number of devices including a laptop computer, an iPad, an AT&T iPhone 4, a LG Optimus S, a RIM BlackBerry Torch, a Huawei Ideos X5, and a T-Mobile MyTouch 3G.
For most devices, the connection process over Wi-Fi was quick and painless. The MyTouch 3G was able to find the hot spot, but for some reason it could hold the connection for only 5 seconds before dropping it. The Ideos, meanwhile, was not able to locate the iPhone, even when they were next to each other.
Though those hiccups weren't encouraging, they could be the fault of the other phones. What's more, once we tossed them aside, the hot spot performed well even at full capacity. Web browsing on the laptop, for example, was only a few seconds slower than what we normally experience on CNET's wired network. Uploading a Facebook photo took about 10 seconds (versus the usual 5 seconds), and we were able to load a number of graphics-heavy Web sites without any problems. We had a similar experience when using a USB cable for the PC; it was a bit slower than normal but nothing drastic.
Browsing on the iPad and phones was satisfactory as well. Like on the computer, it took a bit longer to perform tasks then when we were connected to CNET's Wi-Fi, but the speeds weren't painful. Connecting through Bluetooth was trickier; we weren't always able to establish a connection and then keep it once we had it. Battery life on the hot spot was respectable. When streaming a Netflix movie, the iPhone went 5.2 hours before dying. That's just a bit more than the T-Mobile MyTouch 4G running the same test.
The Verizon iPhone tracks how many devices are connected through the hot spot.
Even with those few issues, the hot spot is user-friendly and it makes the Verizon iPhone an even better mobile-computing device. You don't get individual notifications when you connect a new device, and you can't see what is connected at a given time, but a status bar at the top of the display conveniently tracks how many gadgets are linked up. Yet, as with so many other things on the iPhone, the hot spot isn't the first or the best we've seen of its kind. It may do things differently, but it's not better. Remember that some handsets, like Sprint's HTC Evo 4G can support up to eight devices.
Features you keep Outside of the hot spot, you can expect the usual iPhone goodies. You'll get the 5-megapixel camera with LED flash, front-facing VGA camera, Bluetooth, digital compass, e-mail and messaging, iPod player, voice control, voice memo recorder, assisted GPS and Google Maps, Safari browser, access to apps and media through iTunes, and FaceTime over Wi-Fi.
The Verizon iPhone has the same camera features as the AT&T version.
The polished interface also remains the same, though the Verizon iPhone currently runs iOS 4.2.6; the AT&T iPhone runs iOS 4.2.1. Apple said 4.2.6 is a version unique to the Verizon handset and that its only changes are support for CDMA and the hot-spot feature.
The Verizon iPhone's photo quality also is no different form the AT&T handset.
Though the phone is impressive, the smartphone market is a thousand times more mature than it was in 2007 when the original iPhone hit, and even in 2010 when the iPhone 4 first went on sale. We don't doubt that the Verizon iPhone will be successful, but it faces heavy competition from rival carriers and even from within Verizon's own lineup. Some offer features that the iPhone can't touch, and there are plenty of people who have interest in buying Apples device. The iPhone is on a new carrier, but it remains just one player in a very competitive field.
Features you don't get Unfortunately, Verizon's iPhone lacks two very important features present on AT&T's device. Because CDMA essentially separates voice and data into two "pipes" (GSM uses only one), you won't be able to stay on a call and use the Web browser, Google Maps, or any app that requires a data connection (you'll receive a notification if you try and do so). If you're using the navigation feature or hot spot, they will pause when you get a call and resume after you hang up. On the other hand, you will be able to send and receive texts and browse existing content on your device when on a call.
We think that's a big deal, especially when you consider that Apple has made such functionality--you can talk on the phone and get directions to Starbucks!--a centerpiece of some of its ad campaigns. You can use voice and data at the same time if you're connected to Wi-Fi, but that remains the only workaround. There is, however, one benefit to this arrangement. We'll discuss it in the last section.
If you try to use data while in a call, you'll receive this notification.
The good news is that the CDMA Development Group has announced that simultaneous voice and data will become commercially available in the first half of this year. Yet, just because the new technology is out there, it doesn't mean that Verizon will start using it right away. As of now, no CDMA carrier, Verizon included, has said that it will adopt simultaneous voice and data. And even if Verizon does pick up the technology change, its iPhone 4 won't be able to support it without the necessary hardware changes.
Also, we're not pleased that Verizon's iPhone will not support GSM networks. You'll be able to use it in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and around 40 other countries outside North America, but world travelers will have extremely limited roaming capability. Bad move, Apple and Verizon.
Lastly, the Verizon iPhone 4 will not support Verizon's 4G LTE network. That's disappointing, but hardly surprising. As we've said before, Apple is not a company to jump on a bleeding-edge technology. Verizon's 4G network has yet to be used by cell phone customers (only laptop users are on it now), and Apple will make sure it can deliver the polished user experience that it always seeks. Though nothing is confirmed yet, we expect a 4G model on both Verizon and AT&T within the next 12 months. Sure, you'll have to upgrade to a new version, but Apple is a master at that game.
Performance A popular joke about the AT&T iPhone is that it's great device, as long as you don't have to make calls. Honestly, we never fully subscribed to that view, but there's no denying that for some iPhone users, particularly those in dense urban areas, AT&T has delivered a less than stellar iPhone experience. And as the problems continued, the belief that Verizon could deliver a better performance became so ingrained, that many consumers saw no other possible outcome. Yet, like so many other things in tech, the reality is more complex.
Voice calls and antenna We divided our voice call tests into three parts. First, we made calls on the dual-band (CDMA 800/1900) Verizon iPhone without picking up AT&T's device. On our end, the audio was clear with little distortion or interference. The volume was loud, as well, and the noise cancellation feature continued to do a good job of screening out background noise. When we called a friend waiting at the airport, we could hear her clearly, even as announcements blared in the background over the PA system.
We then hung up and placed a call on the AT&T iPhone (to keep the test fair we called from an area where we know both carriers offer good coverage). During the call, we noticed few differences in clarity apart from a small amount of buzz that usually accompanies GSM networks. The volume was equally loud, as well, and the noise cancellation feature did the same job.
On their end, callers had mixed reports. A few people said we sounded no different, but one friend said the Verizon handset delivered tinnier audio quality on his end. The change wasn't significant, he said, but he noticed immediately. All of the people we called could hear us adequately, even if we were calling from alongside a busy street. Speakerphone and Bluetooth headset calls were about the same as on the AT&T handset, and we had no issues when using an automated calling system. Check out this blog post to see how the AT&T and Verizon iPhone 4 voice samples compare.
Apple iPhone 4 (Verizon) call quality sampleListen now:
For our last voice test, we took the phone to five locations in San Francisco that can be troublesome for both carriers. We went to an onramp of the Bay Bridge during the afternoon rush, a ground-level pedestrian tunnel under a street, the elevator in CNET's offices, an underground transit station, and an interior stairway in a residential apartment building. In each place we made a call to the same phone number at the same time. This post explains the test in more detail.
On the whole, the Verizon handset outperformed AT&T's device. It connected first in the pedestrian tunnel and apartment building hallway and showed more bars on the home screen. AT&T connected first in the transit station, but it was unable to connect at all on the bridge onramp. And even worse, it couldn't get a signal in the elevator. Dropped calls were not a problem on either phone during our testing period. Unlike on AT&T, Verizon's network doesn't let you drop off 3G. That's a not a bad thing, but we were not happy that you can't use the Field Test feature to check signal strength.
Of course, we had to see if the Verizon iPhone suffered from any of the attenuation problems that plagued the iPhone 4 last summer. Though Apple and Apple fans may deny there was a problem, we certainly experienced real issues when we touched the infamous gap on the handset's left side. Luckily, the Verizon iPhone didn't appear to suffer the same fate. We didn't experience audio cut-outs and we didn't see the bars drop when we put the phone in the death grip.
Yep, it's really on Verizon.
Data Though AT&T's HSPA 3G network technically is faster than Verizon's EV-DO technology, our tests produced varying results. To start, we compared load times for three Web sites--Airliners.net, NYTimes.com, and the full CNET site--on the AT&T and Verizon handsets. We tried from the same location at three times of day: late afternoon, early morning, and just before midnight.
In most instances, Verizon's 3G (EV-DO) network delivered faster speeds. The difference varied widely--sometimes it was short as 3 seconds, but it could go longer than a minute--and the AT&T phone was more likely to have its connection time out. The AT&T phone won on a few occasions, but only by 9 seconds at the most. Time of day also played a role, with the AT&T handset being significantly slower in the late afternoon.
Recorded times to load Web sites (in seconds)
NYTimes.com
CNET.com
Airliners.net
Early morning
Verizon
22
28
32
AT&T
36
22
27
Late afternoon
Verizon
23
32
17
AT&T
60
35
80
Late night
Verizon
42
19
31
AT&T
37
90
22
For our next test we traveled to four additional trouble spots in San Francisco: the parking garage in the basement of CNET's building, Treasure Island, the Financial District during lunch hour, and the neighborhood just below Twin Peaks. In each location, we compared the number of bars on the display, used Root Metrics' CoverageMap (find it in the iTunes App Store) app to test upload and download speeds, uploaded a photo to Facebook, and accessed the Web page Giantbomb.com. The point was to combine real measurements with real-world use.
Here again, Verizon won most of the time, but the results were all over the map. When we tested data speeds using the Root app, Big Red's data speeds were significantly higher than AT&T's. For instance, Verizon's offered download speeds of 651Kbps at the Financial District location, whereas AT&T's offered download speeds of 116Kbps. The gap in other locations wasn't quite as wide, but the Verizon handset always won and it finished the data test first.
In the other tests, however, the differences weren't as sharp. The Verizon phone was quicker to access the Web page and upload the Facebook photo most of the time, but not always by a lot. On some occasions there was no difference, and in two tests (once on Treasure Island and once on Twin Peaks) the AT&T handset won. We cover the testing process in more detail in this accompanying blog post and video, so be sure to check it out. We also tested the browser speed on Wi-Fi and the handset's boot time.
Phone name
Wi-Fi Web speed (in seconds)
Boot time (in seconds)
Apple iPhone 4 (AT&T)
10.7
35.5
Apple iPhone 4 (Verizon)
9.6
38.6
Samsung Nexus S
7.3
27.1
HTC MyTouch
9.8
5.7
Better, but not by much Yes, the Verizon iPhone offered a better experience in our initial tests. And we suspect that in the first months after its release it will do the same for you. But as we said before, it's important to step back and remember a few things. Though we tried to make our tests as fair as possible, there was one aspect that we couldn't correct. We were, after all, using the Verizon iPhone during a period when just a handful of such handsets were in the wild. Sure, other Verizon smartphones were using the network, too, but our AT&T phone was competing with many more smartphone users, iPhones included, in the immediate area. So in other words, AT&T's faster network won't matter much if you're vying with a lot of people to use it.
That's why the Verizon iPhone's real test will continue to play out over time. As the carrier adds millions of data-hungry users (some estimates say that Verizon could add up to 13 million new customers in two years) we could begin to see more even performance results. As we approach February 10, Verizon definitely has a couple of things going for it. Its reputation for offering a strong network is well-deserved, it's been able to use Android handsets to gauge date use, and there's no question that it's learned from AT&T's travails with capacity. Also, because of the two CDMA pipes, voice quality on the Verizon iPhone is less likely to be compromised by data use.
Verizon very well could be ready for the data onslaught, but we still caution you to keep those expectations in check. If you've torn you hair out at AT&T, we certainly empathize, but don't look at Big Red's phone as a magic device. You're still using an imperfect cellular network and your experience can vary by several factors, including location and interference. We don't doubt that users in other cities will have different results. Unfortunately, though, we don't have the time and resources to compare the phones in every corner of the country. Your experience should be better, but then again it may not.
Battery life The Verizon iPhone 4 promises the same battery life as the AT&T phone. That's 7 hours of 3G talk time, 40 hours of audio playback, 10 hours of video playback, 6 hours of 3G browsing, 10 hours of Wi-Fi browsing, and 300 hours of standby. We ran three talk time battery tests and eked out an average of 7 hours and 5 minutes. Though that result is quite respectable for a CDMA phone, it is less than the 7 hours and 46 minutes of 3G talk time we got on the AT&T iPhone 4. For media use, we came away with 67 hours of music playback and 10.3 hours of video playback. Both times were better than what we experienced on the AT&T iPhone 4.
According to FCC radiation tests, the iPhone 4 has a digital SAR of 1.18 watts per kilogram.
