Motorola CLIQ: first hands-on impressions (update: with video)
By Chris Ziegler 
posted September 10th 2009 11:59PM
posted September 10th 2009 11:59PM
- Despite the MSM7201a core, the UI is definitely faster than any factory ROM we've used before on any Android device. A good test of this is to quickly swipe open the app drawer -- the action's smooth on the CLIQ, whereas most Magic ROMs would stutter.
- The screen is glass capacitive, and it feels that way. There's no "give" like you've got on a G1 or Magic, for example.
- Expanding on the glass screen, the device feels absolutely fantastic overall. Through Motorola's thick and thin, you've got to admit that the company has a reputation for building ridiculously rock-solid phones, and we're pleased to say that the trend is continuing with the CLIQ. Pictures don't do it justice -- the white model looks particularly cheap at a glance -- but in the hand, it feels like it's fashioned from a solid block of metal.
- The camera button has a focus detent, which makes it a heck of a lot easier to properly harness the power of your 5 megapixel autofocus optics. The jury's still out on photo quality, but it seems promising and focusing is relatively quick (though our disappointment in QVGA 24fps video still runs pretty deep).
- This probably blew Google's mind, but MOTOBLUR has five home screen panels along with a small indicator similar to the iPhone's to show you which one you're currently on. Who knew that someone might want more than three? [Yes, we know HTC's bringing additional panels to the table in Sense as well -- thing is, stock Android doesn't, which a majority of Android phones in circulation still run. It'd be nice to see Google take something like this into the trunk in Donut or Eclair. -Ed.]
- The keyboard feels great. Truly stellar, actually -- and we don't think there's much room for complaints about layout, unless you're really into the dedicated horizontal number row.
Update: More screenshots of CLIQ and MOTOBLUR UI, including the back panel designs and some comparison shots. Interesting to note that the keyboard aspect of the device is just slightly thinner than the iPhone 3GS.
Update 2: Now with more video!
See more video at our hub!
when will all this nonsense about what kind of touchscreen things are end?
For Engadget? Never.
Didn't you know, resistive screens are made out of dead kittens and capacitive are made out of jelly beans and ice cream?
It's not nonsense, the type of touchscreen really can make or break a device. I'm with Engadget on this one, and I hope they continue to always tell us what type of screen a device has.
...AND maybe the also tell us the size of the screen as well! That would be nice!
Yeah! What is it with all these "news-men" always trying to shove these "facts about things" down our throats!?
A touchscreen is a touchscreen! Sure, they may use two totally different types of technology, but they achieve the same results!! You never heard about this argument for the first 99% of touchscreen devices that came out, so why is this year any different!?
sorry for the double post, but N.D: NEWSMEN?! That's hilarious.
Bloggers =/= journalists.
Opinion =/= news.
Engadget =/= news source.
I'd assume that's why he put quotes around news men, because he was being sarcastic.
And if does matter what technology touchscreens are. Yes, they both achieve the same result in that they allow you to touch your screen and receive feedback, however whether or not your touch and how you need to touch your screen to receive said feedback is where the difference comes into play.
Capacitative screens are for people who like to stick their fat fingers flat on the screen and mash big buttons where as resistive screens often require the use of something like a stylus. Also, capacitative screens can be made with glass where as resistive screens cannot (as far as I know). This affects the feel of the device and also the cost of the device. Perhaps they didn't state these things for the first "99%" of devices that you knew of because capacitative screens were not widely used until the iphone began using them. But now it certainly does make a difference, if a device uses a resistive screen, you can almost certainly expect it to be mushy unless stated otherwise, where as capacitative you'll almost always be pressing your finger against a nice hard surface.
@pete
=/= != valid logical notation
=/= valid logical notation
=/= ≠ valid logical notation
Yeah, I'm stealing the top of the comments. I just wanted to say... did anybody else catch this little bit: "Is there any way to multitask with this phone?" "Well, it IS capacitive screen..."
@Chris
Either you broke your own rule a couple times there or you were simply talking out of your ass because your second example, "=/= valid logical notation" is exactly what I did you asshat.
nice phone and the media could end up describing it as an "iphone Killer".....
@pealnapod
There's not "3 iPhones"
The 1G is not being sold anymore. There's only 2.
There are 7 "announced" android phones.
2 rumored Android phones.
Yes, it is a nice phone. Though I'm a little disappointed that they couldn't have made the screen bigger and presented more phones. I really wanted to see that Sholes. No matter, which ever comes out first will be my new phone. I'm really impressed with Moto Blur. Good job, Moto.
this phone looks like complete information overload.
You mean "Motorola killer" don't you? This is the last year for Motorola's cellphone division. It's just weighing down the rest of the company's value. RIM, Nokia and Apple have all the meat in the smartphone market. All that's left is a few small bones and Motorola is unlikely to even get any of those. You don't find too many companies perfecting failure like Motorola has been doing.
Whoop dee friggin' do, another GSM phone. Who gives a rat's ass? GSM in the US sucks the big wad, as legions of AT&T users are loudly attesting. Motorola should have been ready with a CDMA Android phone, to own that market while there's no iPhone to compete with.
Amazing how Google just grabbed a copy of Linux and have effectively taken over the cellphone market.
Brand equity at its finest.
Yeah..... they've completely taken it over. Completely.
:ugh:
Yeah, 0.25% of the cell phone market. Crazy how they managed that.
"taken over the market" is a bit of a stretch don't you think? I can count the number of Android based phones on the market now one 1 hand. But there are more Blackberrys then I can count and theres even 3 iPhones. So whats all this nonsense about Android/Google owning the market?
Clearly he meant in terms of buzz...popularity...
Clearly nobody is going to overtake the cellphone market in statistics in just a year. Don't be slow people.
Looks at the cellphones coming out over the next year...
Android
Android
Android
Android
Android
Android
Android
Android
Android
Android
Android
Android
Android
Android
Android
Android
Anyone notice a pattern?
Yoyodyne, go ahead and add actual device names to your Android "list". I'd be VERY surprised if you even get past half of it...
Confirmed:
Android G1
Android Magic
Android Hero
Android Galaxy
Android Ophone
Android Galaxy Lite
Android Pulse
Android Cliq
Android Sholes
Android Tattoo
Android Etna
Android DSTL
Android InstinctQ
Android GW800
Android Dell Mini
Rumored:
Android Xperia
Android Acer
Android Touch HD2
Android GeekPhone
Android Behold2
Android Herron
Android Calgary
I think that covers his list PLUS more....
booooom!!!
iDavey just owned you guys
You are vastly oversimplifying what Android is. Yes, it does run on top of a Linux kernel, but nothing that you actually see on the screen is running on Linux. It's all running on top of Google's custom virtual machine, which has a very nice set of intelligently designed custom APIs and tools that were all built from the ground up to give a solid handheld usability experience with multitasking.
Saying that Google just slapped Linux on a phone is like saying that Apple just slapped Unix on a phone, it might be true to some degree but it really isn't giving the full story.
@chefgon_ign
You are right in some sense, but using the same argument you could say Ubuntu is not Linux, because it runs Ubuntu on top of Linux. Nowadays, that is Linux: Something using Linux to power its operating system that was layed on top.
Android is a mobile "flavor" of Linux, and if you have ever rooted a phone you would realize how much Linux it actually is.
Your ignorance is amazing. I could say the same about the Mac OSX (I am a Mac user), Apple grabbed a copy of CMU's Mach Kernel, hack jobbed a few things from BSD and voila, you got Mac OSX or iPhone OS for the matter. The reality on the other hand is a lot more complex. Simply slapping a vanilla kernel and making it work on an ARM device with Obj.C/Java at its core isn't enough, on top of that a simple but usable UI and its App developers is what makes Android or iPhone. Both are equally well thought out products.
Please think before you type again, making nonsensical comments only make you look like a tool.
I am very excited about this. My biggest fear was the keyboard so I'm particularly pleased to hear it's slick.
Who does this hand belong to? I'm strangely turned on by the chipped red nail polish.
Probably tnkgirl. You wouldn't be turned on.
Might just have to purchase this one Full Retail (No Contract Extension). Hopefully Motorola has taken care of their notorious battery issues (OEM batts not lasting 6mo)
All of T-Mobile's phones look like toys for fckin 5 year olds. FAIL
nice comeback tmobile fanboy.
btw if you want my comeback go wipe it off your mom's face. that is, if you can find time between blowing tmobile and acting like a huuuuge f@g online
............................-__-'
*walks away, tends to life he actually has*
yeah if you really had a life you wouldn't have to type that. what a joke you are
Ah. The more i read the more i want.
Shit.
Why do phones have qwerty keyboards?
I type on a keyboard by muscle memory, muscle-memory my thumbs don't have. It's super hard to find letters on one of those things unless my hands are on the homerow!
I have muscle memory on my qwerty keyboard. You're doin' it wrong.
I just have memory memory of my qwerty keyboard.
Welcome to 2001
Isn't "taken over" a bit of an exaggeration? What % of the market share do they have? I was really hoping for an Verizon Android device today. Since it is not I guess I am going with a TP2.
It's been confirmed the Sholes is real and will be released by the year's end. So why settle for something like that?
Looks like a very appealing device. Now if it could get _at least_ VGA quality (though honestly I want 720p), it would be that much better.
T-Mobile gives the myTouch freshlook, which is 5 homescreens. HTC gave Sense 7, so "3 isn't enough!" isn't anything new in Google's eyes.
Anyway, it's beautiful. I would want it if I was on T-Mobile for sure.
Well since the tmobile rep was there and that there is a Cliq page on tmobiles site i think its a sure thing.
If I was on T-Mobile, not it.
My bad, brain fart there. Sorry well hopefully the will be more Androids for all the other phone companies here shortly.