Droid Bionic by Motorola Review


Introduction & Specifications

The Droid Bionic by Motorola made one of its first public appearances at CES in January. Months have passed, and though there were rumors of a summer release, the phone didn't become available through Verizon Wireless until fall. The Droid Bionic is the first smartphone from Verizon Wireless to offer 4G LTE connectivity paired with a powerful dual-core 1GHz processor and 1GB of RAM. This smartphone is currently the thinnest 4G LTE smartphone from Verizon Wireless at 10.99mm as well, though other phones in the pipeline will steal this title soon.

With its dual-core processor, plenty of RAM, 16GB of on-board storage, a preinstalled 16 GB microSD card, and a 4.3-inch qHD screen, this smartphone certainly has the specifications of a high-end phone that's sure to please. The phone also features an 8MP camera and the ability to capture 1080p HD video.

Verizon Wireless continues to expand its 4G LTE network too. When you're in a 4G coverage area, Verizon Wireless says you should expect download speeds of 5 to 12 Mbps and upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps. Of course, when a 4G connection is unavailable, you'll still be connected through Verizon Wireless' 3G network. You can also use the Droid Bionic to share the LTE connection with up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices provided you're willing to pay for the Verizon Wireless Mobile Hotspot feature.

The Droid Bionic also supports a few accessories and comes with software that enables secure remote file access. Like the Motorola Atrix, you can dock the Droid Bionic in a laptop-like dock (sold separately) and use the phone as a portable PC with an 11.6-inch screen and full keyboard. Other accessories for the Droid Bionic include a HD station, vehicle dock, and many others. With the preloaded ZumoCast software, you can use the phone to access files on your PC without first needing to upload or sync files.

Click to enlarge

 

DROID BIONIC by Motorola
Specifications & Features
Network
Verizon Wireless
Bands/Modes
CDMA800, CDMA1900, LTE B13 700
Processor
Dual-Core TI OMAP4430 @ 1GHz
OS
Android™ 2.3.4 (Gingerbread)
Display
4.3-inch qHD screen using scratch-resistant Corning® Gorilla® Glass and a dual-layer anti-reflective coating
Memory
1GB RAM, 16 GB onboard memory and 16 GB microSD card preinstalled
Talk and Standby Time
Talk time: 650 minutes
Standby time: 200 hrs

Dimensions
66.9 x 127.5 x 10.99 mm (2.63” x 5” x 0.43”)
Weight
158 g (5.6 oz)
Battery
1735 mAh battery
Connectivity
3.5mm + EMU, USB 2.0 HS, Corporate Sync, DLNA, FOTA
WLAN
802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n
Camera
8MP camera, VGA P2P Video, Digital Zoom, Auto Focus, LED flash
Bluetooth
Stereo Bluetooth Class 2, Version 2.1 +EDR (Supported profiles: a2dp, avrcp , gavdp , hfp, hid, hsp, map, opp, pan , pbap , DUN, AVDTP, AVCTP)
Audio
AMR-NB, AMR-WB, AAC, AAC+, Enhanced AAC+, MP3, 8-bit Linear PCM, 16-bit Linear PCM, 8-bit A-law PCM, 8-bit mu-law PCM, WMA (v2, v7, v8, v9+, v10++, L1-L3), QCELP, EVRC and OGG
Video
1080p HD Video Capture/Playback/Streaming and Mirror Mode with HDMI out (cable required)
MPEG4, H.263, H.264, VC-1, Xvid and VP8/WebM
Messaging/Web/Apps
MMS, SMS, Email (Corporate Synch); Full suite of Google applications and services: Google Maps™ , Google Talk™, GMail™, YouTube™; preloaded with Adobe® Flash® Player 10, MOTOPRINT for Wi-Fi printing and Citrix® Receiver® and GoToMeeting®
Location Services
aGPS (assisted), E-compass, sGPS (simultaneous)

At the time of this publication, the Droid Bionic is available for $299.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.

Many Verizon Wireless customers have been eagerly waiting for this phone. But was it worth the wait? Read on as we take an in-depth, hands-on look at the phone to find out...
 

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