Motorola XT860 4G
Availability: Available now at Bell.
Price: $549 (no term), $99 (3 year contract with a minimum $50/month plan)
Release: August 2011
Frist Look:
VideoMachine as tested:CPU: 1 GHz dual-core ARM
RAM: 512 MB
Storage: 16GB internal, 32 GB SD card compatible
Display: 960 x 540 (4 inch)
OS: Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
What the manufacturer says: “With incredible dual-core speed and brilliant qHD display, you’re making a big Android smartphone statement XT860 4G offers more power and greater responsiveness, and the efficient handling of a five-row keyboard. It’s the thinnest full QWERTY smartphone. Ever.”
Test Bed:For all ostensive purposes the XT860 is the DROID 3 but with two differences, a new name and a 4G receiver. The phone takes full advantage of Bell’s 4G networks where available and the results are good. Actually, when I booted up the phone for the first time and checked my inbox, I wondered how the phone can connected to the office Wi-Fi network. I literally went in and checked the Wi-Fi settings thinking our dated router had reset the password again and allowed the device to connect without one.
Feeling a bit silly, I enabled the Wi-Fi connection but the point had already been made. If there is one thing I can say about the XT860, it’s fast.
The speed isn’t just reserved for data transfer, the 1 GHz dual-core processor gets you around Gingerbread quickly and efficiently with hardly any slowdown that’s present on some other Android devices. As I mentioned in my first look at the device, there are a few animations that have been added to the UI but they don’t detract from the experience. I actually preferred them left on, but they can be turned off in the settings panel.
