Motorola phones are often of elegant design, sophisticated, daring. That’s the Razr V3. The last Milestone (the European equivalent of Droid) is not ugly, it is fairly commonplace. It looks roughly the many clones of the iPhone, these big touchscreen smartphones and dressed in a black hull general.
Equipped with a sliding physical keyboard, however it deviates a bit from the norm: the lower plate is a little beyond. Otherwise, the look is sober. The construction is neat. The battery cover is metal. And covered with a plastic effect “soft”. Appreciable. The unit is relatively thin (less than 15 mm) and lightweight (about 165g).
Typing on the keyboard’s touch screen capacitive touch, we soon delighted: it is effective. Even upright.
The interface is so well mastered in a week of testing we did not ultimately have often resorted to physical sliding keyboard. Especially since, in our opinion, this keyboard is not the most effective. Its keys are flat (compared eg Nokia N97).
So the touch interface is satisfactory in many cases to type short texts. And it is also to explore the web pages and photos, thanks to its multi-point properties, implemented in Android 2.0. The zoom Web pages and photos using two fingers is fluid. On the one quality that the difference with the iPhone is difficult to measure! It was time.
Although this result was almost reached with the HTC Hero (which, despite its system Android 1.5, employing its own technology) … But the iPhone still has at least two small cars in advance. With two fingers he can enlarge or reduce maps of the Google Maps. And a tap on a column of text (an article from a website) is enough to automatically adjust its width to that of the screen. With Milestone, these two actions are still not available …
More enhanced multimedia performance
The Motorola Milestone, like other competitors, displays superior academic performance when it comes to resolutions of APN functions and video camera, compared to the iPhone (which is not too difficult for that matter) 5 megapixels and definition of the order of the DVD (720×480 at 30 frames per second). Under sufficient light, the quality is correct.
The macro function of the NPC even bluffing, with a distance of shooting down around 5 cm. In low light, it’s bad … Too bad also that the parameters of shots are so few lifts. For example, one can not choose your ISO setting. The election is clearly like, “we take pictures without much fuss and planning, automation assistant. Why not?
Regarding viewing, screen quality: its 3.7 inches, its format 16 / 9 with resolution 480 x 854 pixels display beautiful images. Contrasting and bright. The effect is particularly convincing with H264 video format.
The function mp3 player is up to scratch, with a balanced sound available after its 3.5mm audio jack … obviously (who would dare now to limit connectivity owner?). About audio, it is worth noting the good sound reproduction in telephone conversations. Is clear.
Great GPS … by motonav
We have found that clarity in the voice instructions GPS navigation program owner Motorola Montonav. We tested the program on a drive hundreds of miles in the city and on highway.
Despite a wealth of information graphics a bit confusing at first, we found motonav efficient, accurate. Voice guidance well synchronized. A bit (too) hard even when it indicates the excess of only about 5 km per hour. The only drawback to GPS: the screen turned off briefly (about one second) several times. We do not know why.
But overall, motonav is a nice surprise on the Milestone. The bad news is that it is delivered in trial of 60 days on the device …
We then turned on the side of Google. Since the Google Maps navigation is apparently waiting for. We thought it would be readily available with Android 2.0 (he was already in 1.6). But this service is not yet implemented in the Google Maps installed on the machine or available on Android Market from Milestone.
We have tried to install the device. Found the file (extension. Apk) on the Internet. The have moved on Micro SD card. Then installed using ApkInstaller software (available free on Android Market). We also allowed to establish, at the request of the system, data SpeechSynthesis (for speech). Via a second icon Maps, so we launched this new Google Maps. And after determining a route, we found that this time, there were many in the Browse menu option.
Clicking on the process launched Google Maps Navigation beta. But after a few seconds (during which record the message “Calculating driving directions), the process stops, stating that” navigation to this destination is not available. ” Yet we see in the background the start of the animation of navigation. Navigation Google Maps beta is constrained here. Or does the United States (as shown here). Pending the necessary adaptation to local use? Or because of an agreement with Motorola, the time to give more chance to motonav in Europe? We will have at least tried.
Synchronization faster, Flash unsuccessful and glitches
Among other promises Android 2.0 include automatic synchronization of multiple email accounts and contacts. For emails, it is either Gmail or Exchange account (for companies), after tests on a Gmail account, we found that new messages arriving on the phone in less than a minute or two (usually ) or even four.
Similarly, we were satisfied with the synchronization of contacts and calendar associated with a Gmail account and changed line from a computer. The changes may be effective from tens of seconds and about two minutes.
An advantage over the iPhone, browsing the Web with this unit. Android 2.0 was, we had reported it, accept the Flash 10. But Flash does not always work. For example on the site monde.fr for this video presentation with Youtube, it’s good. But not for that other presentation.
In a week of testing, we estimated the average battery life of the Motorola Milestone for a day: the standard for these types of smartphones (power hungry) and it’s better than the previous Motorola Dext. In this test period, we found a few bugs and concerns. The biggest obstacle is probably access to Android Market via the telephone network. Downloads often painful: the camera always showed a “start download” that does not terminate.
Milestone does not shine by the variety of proprietary applications preinstalled. We noted, however Motorcycle Phone Portal. This successful program connects to the computer via Milestone WiFi. And allows, in addition to content management of text such as sounds and pictures, send SMS from the computer. Otherwise, unlike with the overlay Dext social Blur, contrary to the customizable interface and advanced HTC Sense of Hero, the Milestone has not added layers. Sober, or outdoors. But globally efficient.
More : First smatphone Android 2.0, multitouch, fast sync Gmail emails (with associated contacts and calendars), GPS navigation motonav efficient, comfortable on-screen keyboard, build quality, screen quality.
Less : None (or clamping for now) from Google Maps navigation in France, heavy downloads on Android Market applications via the telephone network (genes provisiores?), Short of extinction motonav navigation screen, lack of AutoFit columns of text to the width of the screen, no lens front.
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