While Motorola’s RAZR line-up was great, it didn’t have the “wow” factor that Google was looking for, at least according to Google’s CFO Patrick Pichette. Because both Motorola and Google wanted to create devices that would “wow” the community, they have been working together for over 8 months on a new generation of phones. Throughout various discussions, Motorola realized that it needed to drop its bloated UI, and go for the natural Android experience. Both sides also agreed that bigger isn’t always better, so Motorola adopted the philosophy “better is better” and nixed the philosophy “bigger is better”.

Jim Wicks said, “Certain people like a large screen, but there’s a sweet spot for consumers that we’re currently exceeding in the market.” He says that many consumers want a screen size that feels “just about right”. Motorola wants to address the needs of those people. Along with smaller screens, Motorola will also reduce the size of its bezels to reduce the size of its phones. Wicks says, “When you buy a TV, you’re not wanting a frame.”

Wicks also says that they’re not going to be participating in the spec wars that all of the other major manufacturers seem to be participating in. He says that he wants to focus more on consumers, and not the “simple way out”. He says that “spec, spec, spec” is not the answer. Wicks also said that he will focus less on carrier exclusives, like the Atrix line-up or the DROID line-up, and focus on cross-carrier brands. While those line-ups will still exist, the company will “drive a more singular expression of our brand across multiple carriers.”

[via Android Community]

The new update fixes a handful of bugs and improves performance all around, including faster page loading and tabbed browsing in the new web browser, as well as new locking/unlocking features that allow you to unlock your ATRIX 2 directly to a variety of apps like the camera, text messages, or the phone dialer.

Users can now also use Face Unlock, which unlocks your phone using your front-facing camera for facial recognition. You can create folders on your homescreen, and there’s also a new “swipe away” notifications bar. On top of these features, the update is also changing some things around. For instance, the contacts app is being replaced with the new People app, which pulls in information from different sources and gathers it into one place.

AT&T says you can get the update now by going to Settings > About phone > System updates, or you can just wait for a notification that will prompt you to update. Make sure you have access to a WiFi connection, since the update won’t install over a data connection. Check out our full review of the ATRIX 2 for more details about the phone.

We’ve seen plenty of the Motorola Atrix 2 over the past few weeks and even a full hands-on yesterday. Sporting a 4.3″ qHD 960 x 540 display, a yet unknown but most likely TI OMAP 4 series dual-core processor said to be running at 1.2 GHz, 1GB of RAM, 8GB internal storage and more. Sadly it will only come with a 2GB micro-SD card but as always that can be expanded. Sources have also confirmed the 8 MP camera around back with 1080p video capture and a 2 MP front camera for video chat capabilities. In what has to be the biggest con and definitely a surprise — the Atrix 2 will not support AT&T 4G LTE. Instead they’ve opted to just run with HSPA+ instead.

The fancy new Lapdock 100 pictured above will be the laptop accessory to replace the previously launched dock that came with the original Atrix. Looking a bit different than the models we’ve seen thus far, and seems to be a bit chunky. With a unique curved design for a comfortable typing experience, as well as being shrunk to just 10.1″ rather than 11.6″ like the last it will also be more portable while offering better battery life. Based on the image above and leaked details, the new Lapdock 100 will support a cable plug system for connection rather than docking a phone into the device.

The just leaked Motorola RAZR should be able to take advantage of the same Lapdock 100 being offered and hopefully more smartphones to follow will too.

[via Thisismynext]

This device is also said to be running Android 2.3.5, this being the newest iteration of the most advanced Android handset-based operating system on the market also called Gingerbread, and there’s no current time frame for release. In fact this device hasn’t been officially released in any way shape or form quite yet, with only whispers of the device existing popping up thus far. I think we can pretty much put the rumors to rest given the obvious authenticity of these photos today, seeing that they’re rolling out with a pretty solid new-looking build in them giving us confidence that Motorola will be releasing real info in the very near future.

At the moment we can only see four photos, the back of the device looking just about as interesting as the front – it appearing to have a sort of rubbery looking battery cover and a speaker hole not unlike what we saw with the Photon 4G, while the camera setup isn’t unlike every recent DROID release from Motorola as well. The single Motorola M is present on the back in the center as it should be, and no other carrier marks can be found other than the large AT&T logo on the front at the top. Again also the glass appears to be curved around the edges, not unlike what we’ve just seen on the DROID BIONIC.

Looks like a pretty solid release, wouldn’t you say?

[via BGR]

You can see where ASUS’ argument in favor of the Padfone is coming from. Just like the ATRIX, it asks why we should bother carrying – and paying for – a separate processor and 3G modem in both our phone and our bigger-screen device, whether that be a Laptop Dock as with the Motorola Phone or the tablet shell of the ASUS. Instead, let the phone bring the brain and the connectivity and dock it into a dumb companion: presumably cheaper to buy, cheaper to run since you only need one data plan, and more streamlined since you have one data store not files and media spread across two gadgets.

That’s great, but there’s short- and long-term compatibility to think about. Of course, the tablet husk will only work with ASUS’ specific smartphone – the microUSB and microHDMI ports are standard, but we’re guessing there’s some sort of proprietary data protocol to make everything work together – which means that when the Padfone launches it’ll only be of interest to those who like both halves of the equation. If you’d rather stick with your Galaxy S II, for instance, or even have a preference for another OS like Windows Phone or iOS, you’re out of luck.

That’s in the short-term, but the longer-term support for the Padfone still isn’t decided yet. ASUS has apparently said it’s considering whether its future smartphones will be compatible with the same tablet hardware, but nothing is decided yet; without such a reassurance, you could be left having to replace both your phone and tablet simultaneously rather than piecemeal as each gets superseded.

No, the more I think about it, my real excitement today is around the processor milestone. Although we’ve seen concept hybrid devices before – slotting a phone into a tablet or laptop shell – it’s only recently that the performance/battery balance of modern chipsets has got to the stage where they make sense. I’m not saying the Padfone design is necessarily a winner, but simply that – functional and usability quibbles aside – the concept isn’t let down by underwhelming performance.

NVIDIA’s video demo of Kal-El only adds to that enthusiasm. Quad-cores, the sort of dynamic lighting processing – courtesy of a twelve-core GPU, no less – you’d previously associate with a gaming desktop and the promise of sufficient power frugality to make tablet or other mobile device applications realistic. We’ve come to expect demonstrations like that to be accompanied by a years-long roadmap, but NVIDIA is saying Kal-El based products could be here as soon as August.

The success of the Padfone – at least in the state ASUS has shown it today – will likely depend on price. The company has demonstrated it can compete in that arena, with the Eee Pad Transformer, but phones are arguably more complex when it comes to retail. Will the two Padfone parts be sold SIM-free and unlocked, and if so can ASUS match the competitive Transformer so that its two-part product doesn’t come at a price disadvantage? If it’s subsidized, can ASUS persuade the carriers – and build the Padfone to a suitably affordable starting point – to offer it at a figure that’s in line with other high-end smartphones? Will it demand a tethering plan, like the Motorola ATRIX and its Laptop Dock?

There are plenty of questions left, and ASUS has given itself a whole lot of wriggle room between now and the tentative Q4 2011 release date. Specs aren’t decided, final design hasn’t been signed off, and there’s still time to cancel the whole project altogether if the reception is less glowing than expected. The Padfone is definitely shaping up to be a niche product, but then again that’s what ASUS thought about the Transformer, and then promptly sold out. I don’t think ASUS has quite nailed the “best of both devices” premise, but I’m glad to see companies thinking outside the norm and taking advantage of the possibilities the new breed of chips allow.

Disagree with me? Reckon the ASUS Padfone is the best thing since modular sliced-bread? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

The Lapdock – which has a full-sized keyboard, 11.6-inch screen and battery – will be priced at £299.99, though subsidized on certain tariffs (and business users will get it free with the ATRIX in certain deals). As for the HD Multimedia Dock, that will be offered with a remote control and a USB keyboard/mouse set as part of the “Work and Play Kit”, normally priced at £129.99 but £49.99 throughout May.

Upgrading Orange subscribers will get the Work and Play Kit bundled free, meanwhile. If you’re still on the fence about the handset, check out our full ATRIX 4G review.

Press Release:

Orange Unveils Pricing And Availability For Motorola ATRIX™ The World’s Most Powerful Smartphone

Motorola ATRIX™ will be available to purchase exclusively from Orange in early May
Customers can reserve their handset now through Orange retail shops and Orange telesales

As Motorola’s exclusive UK launch partner, Orange today announced pricing and availability for Motorola ATRIX™ – the world’s most powerful smartphone. From today, consumers will be able to register their interest online or reserve their device from Orange retail shops and Orange telesales ahead of launch in early May.

Tipped to be one of the biggest device releases in 2011, Motorola ATRIX is the true epitome of mobile computing. The handset features a dual core processor which delivers up to two GHz of processing power. As a result, Motorola ATRIX is capable of opening web pages twice as fast as most other smartphones, and it has been designed to become a user’s primary digital hub to create and edit media content on the go. It also features a biometric fingerprint reader for easily unlocking the phone.

Running the Android operating system, Motorola ATRIX also offers Motorola’s revolutionary webtop application which runs a full Mozilla Firefox 3.6 browser and supports Adobe® Flash® Player for rich graphics, animation and video.

To support the device, Motorola has developed two companion accessory docks for purchase separately:

* The Motorola HD Multimedia Dock, which has three USB ports and an HDMI port enabling connections to a keyboard, mouse, speakers and HDMI-compatible monitor for working at your desk, or connecting to an HDMI-compatible television and home theatre audio system for enjoying video, music, games and more

* The Motorola Lapdock™, which has an incredibly thin design with an 11.6-inch screen, 36Wh three-cell battery that delivers up to eight hours of battery life, full keyboard, stereo speakers, and weighs just 1.1 kilograms. Users simply dock their Motorola ATRIX into the back for true mobility at work, at home and playing on the go in a form factor that’s lighter and smaller than most laptops on the market

Motorola ATRIX will launch exclusively on Orange and will be free on a £35 per month, 24 month contract, which includes 600 minutes, 750 MB data allowance, unlimited texts, 50 MMS and unlimited wi-fi (subject to fair usage) per month.

Those who purchase Motorola ATRIX from Orange will also be able to take the Work and Play Kit which includes a remote control, mouse, HD multimedia dock and keyboard for only £49.99 (standard retail price £129.99), and to celebrate the launch, existing Orange pay monthly customers who upgrade to Motorola ATRIX during the month of May this year will receive the Work and Play Kit for free.

Customers will also be able to purchase the Motorola Lapdock from Orange, normally priced at £299.99, at reduced price points on select tariffs. A unique price plan is also being introduced which includes free tethering** allowing customers to connect to the internet on the move using the Motorola Lapdock – the new Panther Extra 60 plan*** also includes 3,000 minutes, 1GB data allowance, unlimited texts and unlimited wi-fi (subject to fair usage) per month.

Business customers can also get Motorola ATRIX and the Motorola Lapdock bundle free of charge on Solo 55 and existing customers will get a great deal when re-signing with Motorola ATRIX.

Simeon Bird, Director of Propositions, Orange UK said: “We’re pleased to be bringing Motorola ATRIX to our customers as it’s one of the most innovative handsets we’ve seen this year and it supports our passion for innovation. With its intelligent support accessories, the handset not only stands out from the rest of the pack, but the overall experience takes mobile computing to the next level.”

Andrew Morley, vice president marketing, international markets, Motorola Mobility said: “The award winning Motorola ATRIX ushers in a new era in mobile computing. We are excited to be bringing this highly anticipated smartphone to the UK with Orange.”

For more information on Motorola ATRIX, accessories, and to register interest in the device, go to www.orange.co.uk/motorolaatrix or to reserve a handset, please visit Orange retail shops or call Orange telesales.

The Atrix, according to Pacific Crest analyst James Faucette, has sold “well below forecast.” The device, with its laptop dock, has been hurt by the cheaper iPhone 3GS and HTC Inspire.

But then, maybe Verizon and AT&T weren’t expecting much? What is that old saying, “If you expect nothing, you will never be disappointed?” That seems to be the best explanation, other than corporate spin, for Verizon and AT&T’s statements. But until we have definitive sales numbers, we can’t be sure.

[via Computerworld]

One of the possible identities for the unknown LG phones is the G2X, which is a version of the LG Optimus 2X that is rumored to be T-Mobile’s new phone. The other phone could be the 3D Optimus that was shown at the MWC in Barcelona recently. CTIA organizers sure know how to get people excited with mysterious phones and the upcoming Samsung tablet announcements.

CTIA is held in Orlando, Florida and will run from March 22-24 at the Orange County Convention Center. It’s one the world’s largest trade shows for mobile devices like phones and tablets. The show will draw 1,000 companies and have 40,000 professionals from 125 countries to descend upon Orlando. We will be there to give you the latest updates and news.

[via Android Community]

At the end of the teardown, iFixit put together a few comments. They noted that the phone “feels solid in the hand” but jabbed the rear panel for feeling “chintzy”. Two large ribbon cables soldered to several components were listed as the main barrier to a detailed excavation. The LCD is a separate piece from the front panel, which means you can replace either without replacing both.

iFixit is totally right about the “chintzy” feeling back. I’ve had several opportunities to play with an Atrix, and every time the rear panel bugged me. How Motorola could have such an ugly oversight on their flagship smartphone is a mystery.

[Via iFixit]

Hardware

It’s tough to pick holes in the ATRIX 4G’s spec sheet; Motorola has put together a solid list of hardware that pushes several of the limits we’ve seen on recent Android devices. Build quality is solid plastic with a fair amount of heft in the hand: it’s a dense handset, at 63.5 x 117.75 x 10.95 mm and 135g, and feels reassuringly free of creaks and flex. There’s something about the fascia that reminds us of the HTC Touch HD, discrete and sober.

Under the Gorilla Glass sits one of the ATRIX 4G’s key selling points, a 4-inch qHD capacitive touchscreen. Running at 960 x 540 it’s a welcome step up from the WVGA 800 x 480 that has become the de-facto standard for Android handsets over the past twelve months or so. That adds up to a pixel density of 275ppi, short of the iPhone 4′s Retina Display, but still noticeably crisper than most other rivals. Viewing angles are broad, colors are accurate and – as long as you’re not in direct sunlight – there are few problems with brightness. Underneath are the usual touch-sensitive Android controls, for menu, home, back and search, while above there’s a VGA-resolution webcam for video calls, along with brightness and proximity sensors.

On the left edge there’s the microUSB and HDMI connectors, while the volume controls are – somewhat unusually, but still perfectly usable – on the right.

On the angled top edge there’s the 3.5mm headphone port and a power button that doubles as a fingerprint scanner.

We rarely had any issues using this, unlocking the ATRIX 4G with a quick swipe; on a few occasions it took a second pass, but generally the fingerprint system is easier than the usual Android lock screen. Happily there’s a passcode backup should you persistently encounter issues, or need to give someone else access. A speaker sits on the bottom edge, while the 5-megapixel camera with a dual-LED flash is on the distinctively patterned back.

Inside, the dual-core NVIDIA Tegra 2 takes price of place, a set of two 1GHz cores paired with a healthy 1GB of DDR2 RAM and 16GB of integrated storage.

There’s a microSD card slot for a further 32GB, and given the ATRIX 4G will shoot 720p HD video and – with its Entertainment Center – is aiming to handle your A/V requirements, that storage potential is very welcome. Connectivity includes triband HSPA+ (as per AT&T’s 4G branding) and quadband GSM/EDGE, along with WiFi b/g/n with support for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR and the microUSB/HDMI ports. GPS, a digital compass and an accelerometer round things out.

It all adds up to one of the fastest Android handsets we’ve used to-date, blazing through webpage rendering and pinch-zooming, loading apps with barely any delay, sending Google Maps whipping across the screen and helping squeeze out some of the frustrating pauses that still leave some Android users looking enviously at the iPhone 4.

Motorola offers both the Laptop Dock and the HD Dock, along with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse set, which we’ll cover later on in the review.

Software

Motorola’s choice of Android 2.2 Froyo is the first disappointment of the ATRIX 4G’s software experience, leaving Google’s Nexus S as the only Gingerbread smartphone currently on the market. On top, there’s the latest iteration of MOTOBLUR, less intrusive than in its early generations, but still an acquired taste (and a potential cause of delay to future Android OS updates) with its social networking integration, modified UI and resizable homescreen widgets.

AT&T introduces its own modifications and software, including the same limitation on sideloading apps (i.e. installing them from a direct download or memory card, rather than from the official Android Market) that we’ve seen on other Android handsets from the carrier. There are workarounds online, which can address that, and it does introduce a degree of protection from potentially malware-infected apps, but the sort of power users, which will be drawn to the ATRIX 4G, might not really need the carrier’s over-protection.

As for AT&T software, there’s the carrier’s Code Scanner, Family Map, Navigator, YP Mobile and My AT&T apps already installed, along with Motorola-bundled copies of Quick Office 3.0, Vlingo Voice, Blockbuster, Need for Speed and MobiTV. That’s on top of the usual suite of Google apps (Gmail in particular looks brilliant on the qHD display, with the Tegra 2 CPU slicing through any inbox delays we’ve encountered on other Android devices). Some apps can be deleted while others are fixed, though of course a custom ROM would take care of that (and the horsepower of the ATRIX 4G is already drawing plenty of attention from the homebrew Android community) if Motorola hadn’t locked that down as well. Of course, modders have already addressed that with an (unreleased) rooting method, but it’s another degree of frustration that belies Android’s generally open, mod-friendly nature.

The useful additions we’ve come to expect from smartphones, like a mobile hotspot app, are present and work fine, with the ATRIX 4G able to share its HSPA+ connection with up to five WiFi-enabled clients. There’s also DLNA support, for wirelessly streaming content to a compatible display or audio player, though Motorola really expects users to use its HDMI output or HD Dock.

Camera and Multimedia

We’ve criticized Motorola’s cameras in the past, and the ATRIX 4G is another middle-of-the-road effort from the company. At 5-megapixels – with autofocus and a dual-LED flash that doubles as a video light – it’s not the highest resolution on a recent smartphone, though there’s undoubtedly more to mobile photography than sheer pixel count.

Still images are clean but uninspiring, with reasonable contrast and sharpness outdoors but a little too much noise for our liking indoors. We’ve had better luck from recent Samsungs. Color balance could be more accurate, too, though at least the camera boots quickly – even without a dedicated hardware button – and the ATRIX 4G processes and saves shots with the minimum of delay.

Video, meanwhile, is currently limited to 720p HD, rather than the 1080p HD the Tegra 2 is capable of. That will apparently be unlocked – for recording and playback – in a later firmware update, though Motorola is yet to commit to an exact release date. As it stands, though, video is more successful than stills in many cases, with plenty of detail, swift responsiveness to changes in lighting, and smooth recording despite the lack of any optical stability systems.

The qHD display is obviously great for showing off photos and video, but since the ATRIX 4G packs an HDMI output it’s also easy to hook up a nearby HDTV for direct playback. Plugged in – with the bundled mini HDMI to HDMI cable – the smartphone boots into a dedicated Entertainment Center interface, with a big-screen friendly UI for photos, video and audio playback. The ATRIX 4G itself shows a remote control for navigating, and the phone supports AAC, H.264, MP3, MPEG-4, WMA9, eAAC+, AMR NB and AAC+ formats with video playback at up to 30fps. With the 1080p update this will be even more useful, but 720p looked good nonetheless.

Phone and Battery

Motorola’s noise reduction system is in evidence on the ATRIX 4G, and it helps the Android smartphone put in a solid showing when it comes to voice call quality. Audio on both ends of the call is clear and crisp, and the speakerphone is suitably loud.

Data, unfortunately, hasn’t faired so well. The Motorola may promise 4G speeds, but performance felt more in line with regular 3G devices than other HSPA+ handsets we’ve used. We tested the ATRIX 4G in multiple locations (with HSPA+ coverage indicated) and saw on average download speeds of 1.3 Mbps to 1.6 Mbps, while upload speeds proved ponderous at between 0.12 Mbps and 0.2 Mbps. It’s unclear at this stage whether this is entirely the ATRIX 4G’s fault, the fledgling AT&T HSPA+ network, or – most likely, perhaps – a combination of the two, but the end result is that rival 4G networks deliver better raw performance if data speeds are your primary concern.

The 1,930 mAh battery Motorola supply is a considerable step up from the sort of power packs we’ve seen on other high-end devices of late, and the company expects it to push the ATRIX 4G on to up to 540 minutes of talktime or up to 400 hours of standby. In practice, with push-email turned on and the usual mixture of daily use – Google Maps, Internet browsing, some music and video playback – we’ve seen well over 13 hours of runtime from the ATRIX 4G. Yes, you’ll be charging it nightly, but that’s par for the course for a modern smartphone.

Laptop Dock

A fair amount of the excitement around the ATRIX 4G isn’t so much the handset itself, but the accessories Motorola is offering. Flagship of these is the Motorola Laptop Dock, an 11.6-inch ultraportable notebook-style clamshell with a full keyboard, trackpad and integrated battery. Alone it has no intelligence; instead, you have to dock the ATRIX 4G into a flip-up cradle at the back, upon which the Laptop Dock boots into Motorola’s Webtop system.

The Laptop Dock hardware is certainly solid, made of brushed black metal and plastic, and with strongly-sprung keys. Despite the broad width they keys themselves are a little smaller than what we’re used to from, say, the MacBook Air, and general feel is slightly less impressive than a regular notebook. The trackpad is large – though the button bar is far too stiff for our liking – but the absence of multitouch support for two-finger scrolling and other gestures is frustrating.

As for the display, that’s a 1366 x 768 panel and is bright and reasonably clear. The Webtop system is a custom Linux build, with an OS X style dock of apps – including a full version of Firefox – along the bottom of the screen and a windowed version of the ATRIX 4G’s display floating on the left.

You can boot into the Entertainment Center – more of which in the HD Dock section – or, more likely, the browser (there are shortcuts for AT&T, Facebook and Motorola, but they simply open the relevant pages in Firefox), and both the phone view and browser view can be maximized to full-screen (though the phone image is merely magnified, not upscaled, so gets relatively pixelated in the process).

Motorola is particularly proud of the full build of Firefox installed, though the actual user experience is a mixed bag. You can certainly load up Google Docs, stream content, view YouTube and Hulu, and other full webpages in various tabs, but the Tegra 2 processor falls short of the slick experience we’d hoped for. There’s noticeable sluggishness, whether you’re opening Firefox, flicking between tabs, playing Full HD content or even just working with Google Docs documents.

Still, you can handle calls and messages while the ATRIX 4G is docked, and the integrated battery – which Motorola reckons will keep the Laptop Dock running for up to 6 hours of video playback or 8-10 hours of web browsing – recharges the smartphone as you work. Hopefully some further software optimization will give Webtop a speed boost in the coming months, since right now it’s an expensive and limited alternative to a netbook.

HD Dock

Motorola’s desktop dock is a halfway house of sorts between the Laptop Dock and the basic HDMI connection the ATRIX 4G itself offers, including not only an HDMI output but three USB ports for hooking up peripherals and a 3.5mm stereo audio output. They could include a wired keyboard and mouse, though Motorola also sent us its Bluetooth keyboard/mouse set.

What you do get over and above using the onboard HDMI, however, is access to the Webtop UI, turning your ATRIX 4G and HDTV into a desktop PC. The Entertainment Center UI can be controlled by the bundled infrared remote, which is a physical version of the on-screen controller shown when you use a direct HDMI connection.

The Bluetooth keyboard and mouse work as you’d expect, pairing with the ATRIX 4G and allowing for easy navigation and text entry. The keyboard has several Android app shortcut buttons, and the chiclet keys are easier to use than the Laptop Dock’s keys.

Price and Value

The Motorola ATRIX 4G is priced in line with most other high-end smartphones, at $199.99 with a new, two-year AT&T agreement. Both voice and data plans are mandatory, but if you want to use the tethering feature then you’ll need to step up to the most expensive data package (the cheaper plans only offer on-device data) at $45 per month. With the cheapest voice plan that means you’re looking at a minimum of $84.99 per month.

Where it gets really expensive is when you take into account the accessories. The Motorola HD Dock is $129.99, while the Bluetooth keyboard alone is $69.99; AT&T will sell you an “Entertainment Center/Webtop Access Kit” including both, plus the Bluetooth mouse, for $189.99. As for the Laptop Dock, that’s $299.99 after $200 of rebates (mail-in and instant), though you’ll need to have the tethering data plan to qualify. Alone, the Laptop Dock is a hefty $499.99, which might not get you a MacBook Air but does cover quite a few netbook and notebook options (all of which are functional without a phone docked into them).

Wrap-Up

If there’s one thing the Motorola ATRIX 4G shows, it’s that there’s no shortage of innovation in the smartphone market. The Laptop Dock may be expensive – and Palm may have previewed the idea with the Folio, and Redfly even attempted to commercialize it with the Celio – but Motorola deserves some kudos for bringing it to market and to a major carrier. There’s certainly no shortage of geek appeal, and the HD Desktop Dock is similarly useful, but right now the Webtop interface falls short of what a simple, WiFi-tethered netbook would deliver. The HD Desktop Dock is good, but its core abilities are readily served with a far cheaper HDMI cable. Early adopters can probably justify one or both, but mainstream users will likely want to wait for Motorola’s engineers to finesse the experience.

Mediocre 4G data speeds aside, meanwhile, the ATRIX itself is a solid, very usable smartphone lifted from among the Android crowds by its lightning fast performance and pixel-rich display. The combination of Tegra 2 and qHD resolution add up to one of the best Android experiences to-date. Rivals will soon begin snapping at the ATRIX 4G’s heels, but in terms of as much future-proofing as you can lock-in over the course of a two-year agreement, today the Motorola offers the best starting point.

ATRIX 4G unboxing and hands-on

Mike Woodward, AT&T VP of mobile products, said this: “You need to look at the Atrix’s price against tablets. When you do that, it’s not that expensive.”

Heedless of the fact that “it’s not that expensive” has literally never convinced anyone to buy anything ever, Mike plunged on. “With all the integration between the phone and the dock, you can do more on an Atrix than you can on a netbook,”

Which is debatable. The Atrix does have a special laptop OS called Webtop to expand the handset’s functionality. You’ll be able to hook up to printers and browse in large-screen mode while still sending texts and placing calls. That doesn’t quite approach the functionality of a full PC. You won’t be opening up Photoshop or playing WoW on the Atrix anytime soon.

We’ll see how popular the Atrix- and its controversial price, prove with customers on March 6. Pre-orders begin on February 14. Users who want to buy the smartphone alone for $199.99 will be able to purchase the dock at a later date for $499.

[Via Forbes]

This setting includes the basic framework for a Honeycomb smartphone. It isn’t proof positive that Google plans to unify the two systems just yet, but it is evidence that they’ve toyed with the idea. We’ve also heard rumors that the next mobile version of Android will be 2.4 “Ice Cream Sandwich”. So really, anything is possible at this point.

Handset Honeycomb (as I’m calling it) uses a more traditional, non-tabbed Android browser and also goes back to the old style of unlock screen. The status bar is more smartphone focused and the homescreen is notably more sparse. There’s a lot less battery life and processor power to play around with on most smartphones.

Here’s one possibility I haven’t heard yet: What if this is the bare-bones of some sort of plan for the Atrix? If Honeycomb can switch between a large display mode and a WVGA mode, maybe the Atrix is meant to (eventually) run a stripped-down version of 3.0 in handset mode, and a full version of Honeycomb in notebook mode?

Beyond the Atrix, Google could be laying the groundwork for a generation of handsets that dock with full-on PCs and notebooks in a similar manner.

[Via Engadget]