Motorola is stepping up it’s game with a powerful new Droid phone, the Droid Bionic. This is Motorola’s first 4G phone that will take advantage of Verizon’s LTE 4G service. This powerful new Droid sports a dual-core 1GHz CPU and Motorola claims that it’ll be able to record and edit 720p HD video directly on the phone. Looks like Motorola is also going to be providing some sort of integrated videoconferencing functionality to take advantage of the phone’s front and rear cameras, though there isn’t a lot of detail about this yet. I hope we don’t see proprietary videoconferencing solutions from several different OEMs… Google should really  create a universal system for this, but they’ve yet to do so. The Droid Bionic has a “qHD inch display (960×540) that levels the playing field with the iPhone 4’s “retina inch display (960×640) [note that the resolution difference is due to Android’s 16:9 screen ratio, while Apple prefers 4:3].

We’ve got the full specs for the Droid Bionic straight from Motorola:

• Android 2.2
• 4.3 inch capacitive touchscreen @ 960×540
• nVidia Tegra 2 AP20H Dual-Core CPU @ 1GHz
• 512MB of RAM
• 14GB of integrated memory
• MicroSD slot with support for additional 32GB of memory
• 4G / 3G LTE band 13 / EVDO
• WiFi b/g/n + Bluetooth 2.1
• HDMI out (likely mini-HDMI, but it’s unclear)
• 8MP rear camera with dual LED flash and autofocus, 720p recording at 30 FPS
• 0.3MP fixed-focus front facing camera

Pricing and availability has yet to be announced, but we’ll let you know when we hear something (possibly at Verizon’s CES conference later today).

At the Motorola Press conference, live now, the Xoom is about to launch has launched. The press pics and specs are below.

“The MOTOROLA XOOM is the world’s first tablet with a dual-core processor and Android 3.0 (Honeycomb). inch

Specs:

• 5MP camera, webcam
• 1GB RAM
• HD camcorder
• 4G option,
• dual core cpu (Tegra)
• 10.1″, 1280×800 screen with Gorilla Glass

Weight and price unknown at present.

Launching as a 3G/Wifi version in Q1 2011.

There are two docks and a BT keyboard as accessories…

Click to enlarge and click here to see all pics.

Full press release:

LAS VEGAS and BASKING RIDGE, N.J. CES Jan. 5, 2011 Verizon Wireless and Motorola Mobility, Inc. (NYSE: MMI), today unveiled the innovative new tablet Motorola XOOMâ„¢ − the first device on Google’s new Android 3.0 Honeycomb operating system designed from the ground up for tablets. The Honeycomb user experience improves on Android favorites such as widgets, multi-tasking, browsing, notifications and customization and features the latest Google Mobile innovations. Boasting a dual core processor with each core running at 1 GHz, delivering up to two GHz of processing power, and 10.1-inch widescreen HD display, Motorola XOOM gives Verizon Wireless customers a new type of mobile computing experience on a stylishly thin device that is 4G LTE upgradeable.

Motorola XOOM redefines the tablet device category by providing more ways to have fun, connect with friends and stay productive on the go. It allows consumers to experience HD content right on the device, supports 1080p HD video and HDMI output to display content on larger HD screens, and plays video and other rich web content seamlessly with Adobe® Flash® Player. Motorola XOOM features a front-facing 2-megapixel camera for video chats over Wi-Fi or 3G/4G LTE, as well as a rear-facing 5-megapixel camera that captures video in 720p HD. It delivers console-like gaming performance on its 1280×800 display, and features a built-in gyroscope, barometer, e-compass, accelerometer and adaptive lighting for new types of applications. It also features Google Maps 5.0 with 3D interaction and delivers access to over 3 million Google eBooks and thousands of apps from Android Marketâ„¢.

For working on the go, Motorola XOOM provides constant connectivity − including connecting to Gmail or Exchange email; opening and editing documents, spreadsheets and presentations; and viewing calendars and sending out appointments or meeting notices with mobile broadband speeds. Its mobile hotspot capability provides an online connection for up to five other Wi-Fi-enabled devices.

“Motorola XOOM is a powerful addition to Verizon’s product lineup and builds on our combined leadership with Motorola to deliver innovative mobile devices and service on the Android platform, inch said Marni Walden, vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon Wireless. “Motorola XOOM gives consumers complete access and control of their favorite personal content and work files whether through our nationwide 3G network, or through our lightning-fast 4G LTE network as it rolls out around the country. inch

“Light, powerful and fundamentally different than anything else on the market, Motorola XOOM leverages the very best technology available today to redefine what a tablet experience can be, inch said Bill Ogle, chief marketing officer of Motorola Mobility. “The first device to feature software designed specifically for tablets, Motorola XOOM goes everywhere you do and delivers everything you need. inch

The Motorola XOOM device will launch as a 3G/Wi-Fi-enabled device in Q1 2011 with an upgrade to 4G LTE in Q2. Starting in Q2 2011 the Motorola XOOM will be a 4G LTE/Wi-Fi- enabled device.

Motorola information available here.

Press Release

Motorola recently posted a rather humorous video teaser for an upcoming tablet product on YouTube. Their video isn’t too original with its play on the tablet pun as it runs through various “tablets inch, from the Rosetta Stone to the 10 Commandments. There’s a brief and humorous sentence about each tablet, including the iPad “It’s like a giant iPhone but… it’s like a giant iPhone inch and the Galaxy Tab “Android OS, but Android OS… for a phone inch, then the video pans over to a veiled product with a Motorola logo beneath it. A bee flies out as the video comes to an end, complimenting the video’s description, “we’re buzzing with excitement to be the next chapter in tablet evolution inch.

I’m going to say, with a decent amount of confidence, that this device is going to use Android 3.0 (aka Honeycomb).

I suppose I can’t actually claim to be guessing, as I’ve already seen the tablet shown off on video, thanks to Notebook.com’s heads up. During Andy Rubin’s interview at the 2010 D: All Things Digital conference, he whips the device out and takes it for a spin. We’ve got a larger version posted inline for your convenience.

The video is the first time I’ve seen some quality Android 3.0 action, and I’m very surprised how similar to Windows parts of the interface are. Have a look and let me know if you also think you could ask better questions than the moderators in your sleep.

Motorola recently posted a rather humorous video teaser for an upcoming tablet product on YouTube. Their video isn’t too original with its play on the tablet pun as it runs through various “tablets”, from the Rosetta Stone to the 10 Commandments. There’s a brief and humorous sentence about each tablet, including the iPad “It’s like a giant iPhone but… it’s like a giant iPhone” and the Galaxy Tab “Android OS, but Android OS… for a phone”, then the video pans over to a veiled product with a Motorola logo beneath it. A bee flies out as the video comes to an end, complimenting the video’s description, “we’re buzzing with excitement to be the next chapter in tablet evolution”.

I’m going to say, with a decent amount of confidence, that this device is going to use Android 3.0 (aka Honeycomb).

I suppose I can’t actually claim to be guessing, as I’ve already seen the tablet shown off on video, thanks to Notebook.com’s heads up. During Andy Rubin’s interview at the 2010 D: All Things Digital conference, he whips the device out and takes it for a spin. We’ve got a larger version posted inline for your convenience.

The video is the first time I’ve seen some quality Android 3.0 action, and I’m very surprised how similar to Windows parts of the interface are. Have a look and let me know if you also think you could ask better questions than the moderators in your sleep.

We’ve already given you a full Droid 2 review and seeing how the Droid 2 and Droid R2D2 are essentially the same phone, we won’t waste your time doing another. However, we did want to show off the phone’s unique styling and that’s where our handy Droid R2D2 gallery comes into play.

And while we’re here: I believe the Droid R2D2 has actually ever so slightly been tweaked from the Droid 2. There is a more noticeable ledge around the edge of the device which makes the hardware buttons much easier to find and press (something I complained about in my Droid 2 review).

As nearly every smartphone is expected to have a camera these days, there is an important lesson that people must heed. Cameras are more complex than a simple megapixel rating. It’s a common belief that when it comes to megapixels, bigger is better. But I’m here to tell you that you need to look deeper if you are basing your smartphone decision on which has the best camera. Megapixels have their use. A pixel dense picture is great if you want to crop it down and still retain good quality, but beyond that there is more to be considered.

Case-in-point, the Droid 2 [portal page] and the iPhone 4 [portal page]. Both phones have 5MP sensors. This means that they capture 5 million pixels in a given image. Both phones might capture the same number of pixels, but the quality and size of the sensor dictates how accurately each pixel is sampled and how much light it can capture. Another important factor is focus. Without a good focus algorithm (and no ability to manually focus), you’ll end up with a blurry shot no matter how many megapixels your camera can capture.

To demonstrate this, have a quick look at the two photos below. One is taken with the iPhone 4 and the other with the Droid 2. Both were taken under the same lighting conditions and were focused as accurately as possible (click for full size):

You may have to click for the full-sized images to see, but the image taken with the Droid 2 is blurry and has inaccurate colors.

This is a result of the Droid 2’s camera not being able to capture as much light as the iPhone 4, as well as the inability to focus as accurately. This is all despite the fact that both phones have the same megapixel rating.

But what can you do if you don’t have the phones to try before you buy? A bit of research may go a long way if a camera is important to you. I’d recommend checking Flickr’s camera page. Find your desired smartphone and then browse the photos to get an idea of the photos that the phone is capable of taking. And of course we’ll always do our best to give you camera comparisons and tips right here at Carrypad.

It seems like most of the tech world had come to an agreement that the Droid Pro would simply be the love child of the Droid 2 [product page] and Milestone 2, combining the US and EU bands to form an otherwise perfect replica that would function internationally as well as domestically (with business users in mind).

Instead, it looks like the Droid 2 had an affair with a BlackBerry, and the result is a Droid device which is squarely aimed at business folks (quad-band features included).

The Droid Pro uses a portrait form-factor and has a fixed QWERTY keyboard that is very reminiscent of some of the latest BlackBerrys. It runs Android 2.2 and is mostly on spec with the Droid 2. The only show stopper is the low-res 320×480 capacitive touchscreen.

If you’re a business user who needs world-phone calling, enterprise level security, and Exchange ActiveSync support (and doesn’t want a BlackBerry) the Droid Pro may be the best Android based business phone yet. It supports the following bands: [Voice] – CDMA 800/1900, GSM 850/900/1800/1900, W-CDMA 850/1900/2100. [Data] – EVDO Rev. A, GPRS/EDGE Class 12, HSDPA, HSUPA.

The Droid Pro is expected to be released on the Verizon network in the US sometime soon.

We’ve got the full official specs in our device database as well as a gallery of renders, check it out!

Hat tip to Pocketables for pointing this out.

Here’s a quick hands-on with the Motorola Droid R2D2. The R2D2 edition is the same phone as the Droid 2 [product page][review] but it has interesting Star Wars branding and content included.

The phone is themed to look like the famous droid from the Star Wars saga and the phone features custom Star Wars themed unlock sliders, live wallpapers, a video, a widget, and an app. The box that it comes in is designed to look as though the phone has been encased in carbonite and the effect is rather convincing, though I think they could have bumped up the box presentation a bit, it’s just a regular old cardboard box with graphics on it (as you’d expect from any regular phone). Some of the stuff is really gimmicky, but I think a major Star Wars geeks might enjoy the phone, particularly for it’s looks. In fact, I know a friend who would absolutely love this thing! The phone launched yesterday in the US on Verizon.