Gadget Reviews

In 2004, Motorola saw a spike in sales with one of its more popular mobile phones, the RAZR series. Unfortunately, none of the models that followed were able to emulate the success seen during that year. After a while, the company seemed to have become inactive in the industry, not coming out with new products.

Then came 2011, when Motorola began to release series of smartphones for its loyal consumers. One of the latest models is the dual-core Atrix, which is promoted as one of the best in the market. Will this title hold true given the specifications and features of this new phone?

First off, even if the Android 2.3 platform is readily available, this model integrates the 2.2 version. However, it doesn’t compromise the quality as there are no huge disparities between the two. Besides the vast range of apps and programs available for download and purchase, Motorola has come up with its own to make the android experience a smoother and definitely memorable one.

The company offers the Moto Blur, which allows the user to combine the latest updates and tweets from Facebook, Twitter and MySpace three of the most popular social networking sites. One can customize what feeds or widgets they’d like to see on the home page, providing a more personalized user interface. The capabilities are however not as extensive as that found on the HTC Sense. Nevertheless, it still makes for a good add-on.

Other programs installed include Quick Office and Vlingo Voice for the on-the-go businessman, games such as Blockbuster and Need for Speed and a mobile TV, so a favorite TV show will not be missed. AOL Instant Messenger, Windows Messenger, Yahoo Messenger and Google talk are also integrated so one can never stay out of touch with family and loved ones.

When one is in a different city of country, GPS capability is greatly useful and the Atrix provides this. With Google Maps support, the user can take advantage of the different tools offered, such as Street View.

In order to fully utilize these internet-based programs, an ultra-fast connection is required. This model provides outstanding connectivity, with WiFi and DLNA support. This ensures instant connection anytime, for as long as hotspots are present.

For a user’s artistic side, a 5-megapixel camera is at your service. This comes with autofocus functions and an LED flash, fit for low light situations. Video recording in HD 720 pixels format is also possible. The budding photographer and filmmaker can practice and hone their skills even without the expensive equipment. The Atrix is more than enough to give you a head start.

Music is a must for an on-the-go individual, and this phone can provide you with tunes to set your every mood. You can dance and sing out loud using the loudspeaker or enjoy the songs in solitude using head or earphones with a 3.5mm audio jack.

Storing these media files is a breeze as well with the large 16GB internal memory. Not only that, one can store up to 32GB more with a microSD card. Doing so is also ultra fast, as the Atrix runs on a dual-core 1GHz Tegra 2 processor, along with 1GB of RAM. Its power resembles that of a desktop PC, only it is portable and can be carried anywhere.

Battery life is also excellent, with its 1930mAh Li-ion cell, only a few of its kind available in the market. This might even be the largest type of power source found on mobile phones. This lengthens standby time, as well as time for calling, texts and use of other apps.

All of these are packed in a structure weighing at just 135g. While it feels more plastic than metal, it certainly looks more upscale than its counterparts. Its screen is at 4 inches, which is not bad considering the other smartphones available. The resolution is at 540×960 pixels, which is pretty decent for the average user.

With regards, this is just around the level of the iPhone 4 and higher in price compared to the Samsung Galaxy S II. This is about reasonable, considering the wide range of features this smartphone can offer.

If you are looking to recycle your old Motorola, then it is worth seeing what kind of mobile phone recycling schemes are available for you to trade your phone in to. However, if you are from the USA, don’t despare as there are companies and price comparison sites that can help you sell phones online.