Atrix Gingerbread review

Hey all!

I've had the Gingerbread running for a day now and I'm ready to make a quick +&- list for the new 2.3.4 Android upgrade.

Nice features:

+I am digging the "all Apps" button, bottom right of the screen, it's handy!
+The improved response time between screen switching is nice.
+New icons are a welcome change.
+New keyboard has vastly improved response and (so-far) more accurate letter choice.

Slight (and not-so-slight) irritants:

-The round settings button from the bottom middle of the home screen is gone, and getting in there is now a two-step process, as I tend to run my handset whithout data or background enabled to conserve both battery life and plan data, this is kind of a pain.
-When entering text my auto punctuate function is not working. I have disabled and rebooted, then re-enabled and rebooted - without change. I hope to find a way to fix this, as instead of punctuating, it's stuffing random "Droid thinks this is the next work you might type" words where I wanted a period. Geez.
-Biggest irritant do far? Android Marketplace! I have always been very conservatve with my data use, so I am usually only surfing the Marketplace for new apps when connected over wifi. Previously I did all my surfing on the browser, as the Marketplace app required background data enabled. The Froyo version prompted me whenever I used the browser if I wanted to use the app to open the content requested,which gave me the option to continue to use the browser, ensuring all my downloaded stuff was queued ONLY via wifi. Now, not so much. I have already hit up the peeps over at the awesome XDA Dev Forums, but since 2.3.4 is still shiny and new, I'm not holding my breath for immeadiate answers.

All things considered, I'm enjoying the new interface. I have noticed it's taking longer to charge, but that's the first time since I upgraded it. In all fairness that battery is freaking massive to start with, so I guess It takes the time it takes.

More on the newness in about a week after I've gotten to spend some quality time with Gingerbread.

RIM - The Demise of BlackBerry OS, and the rise of QNX/M$/Droid?

I recently stumbled across this CNet article: http://cnet.co/nRw65K, advising folks to think twice before opting for the latest and greatest BBOS7 RIM mobile handsets, and I got to thinking, why is RIM dumping BBOS as a platform? Three notable reasons came to mind immediately:

Image -courtesy-RIM



1. USER INTERFACE - RIM always sought, but never reached the intuitive user interface iOS managed, from round one. This is the cost of being an innovator in the digital mobility age, just look at how much time, effort, and cash Nokia dumped into Symbian before killing it altogether.

2. BES SECURITY - Designed for a robust & compelling mobile platform for Enterprise IT, this is one of those qualities most folks use as an answer to the "what is your biggest area of opportunity?", their largest strength and standalone compelling industry statement is their BES secret soup recipe. HOWEVER - worth noting, remember the trouble this caused them recently from governmental agencies in EMEA?

3. BLACKBERRY APP WORLD - RIM needed this to take off, like a ROCKET, whereas the marketplace sort of shrugged, and kicked a pebble down the street mumbling to themselves. SOLUTION = Developers! RIM can still turn this around, (especially with what we're going to discuss next re: PlayBook) take a bite out of Apple's developer mindshare! Offer a 85/15 split, then add additional total sales threshold bonuses, run an integrated social media campaign to boost awareness, and subsidize initial purchases through BlackBerry App World, "Deals of the Day" or other branding. It's not hard to engage a technologically-connected audience, especially if you already have their BBM - just sayin'.


Here's what a little research came up with as a brief (&incomplete) timeline of RIM events:

April 09, 2010 - http://bit.ly/bmsqWU RIM buys QNX
-RIM's acquisition of QNX allowed them to dig deeper into the neutrino platform, both acquiring a new services delivery channel, direct into enterprise IT, and a new base to build and roll out a brand-new user experience.

May 3, 2011 - http://cnet.co/jG0Cuk RIM & M$
-About a year after RIM's acquisition of QNX, at BlackBerry World conference, Steve Ballmer announced BING integration at the OS level. This despite the fact they are direct competition in the mobile marketplace, combined with the M$/Nokia partnership (CNet again here: http://cnet.co/dXrin6 ), makes me wonder if the Titans have decided to close ranks and strategize together on how to reclaim some marketshare out of an increasingly competitive landscape.


~Now, we discuss where I think RIM can make a serious "play" to get marketshare back. Courtesy ZDNet : http://zd.net/hZUocH PlayBook will provide Android support! This is an awesome idea, and opens up a host of opportunities for RIM. I would dearly love to get my hands on some of their latest gear to test personally, but alas, I've got other financial commitments on the go. (FYI, renovations SUCK.)

Image -courtesy-RIM



RIM can completely bounce back - but they need to differentiate their PlayBook from the slew of it's competition, and BB handset integration is not going to sell new customers, or entire old customers to return. RIM needs a killer app, Angry Birds is AWESOME, but they need an exclusive idea, hopefully tied into their hardware / OS ecosystem to ensure it remains an exclusive title for their platform. GAME ON.

So RIM, if you're out there in the 1's and 0's listening, I'm happy to offer my services as a tech consultant (or even a reviewer!), just be prepared to get a brutally honest opinion back, I am rooting for ya!

Atrix Functionality Review

Atrix - as a handset.

Motorola has clamped their own interface onto Android, and the handset does well relatively speaking in the confines of the software limitations.

Notably good: screen resolution and resizing which happens nicely through a "fuzzy" in motion snapping crisply to clear image and text when released, also good: connectivity to HSPA+/WiFi/BT is relatively quick, painless, and sticks when stuck.

Needs improvement: Onboard music application will skip to new tracks randomly at any point during playback. All music is thus far stored in internal memory, as I have not yet been able to locate a nice 32GB MicroSD locally (Though, I have my eye on a few online retailers, yes you ncix and tigerdirect!). Ditching the built-in Android app for Winamp did not fix this issue, even post-update.

Overall, the Atrix responds quickly with the exception of a few kinks that still need ironing out, keyboard sensitivity highest amongst them. Easily navigated GUI, and tight socialmedia integration with MOTOBlur, I am looking forward to the next round of the nitty-gritty of measurable down and up data rates.

Un post en Francais

J'ai vu ici sur mon Blag(ue) qu'il-y-a des gens qui m'ont visite de France, allo mes copains Francais! Nous sommes bien rencontre! J'espere que je peut vous visitez chez-vous, mais si il-y-a aucun francophone qui vient a l'est du Canada (ou n'importe q`uel part meme!) laissez-moi des commentaires avec des questions, ou message-moi sur Twitter (@GenericHandle). Je vous reponderez aussitot que possible.