After years of owning every model of iPhone (starting with the original), Apple’s loss of Steve Jobs, its delayed release dates and the difficulty of finding models early in Apple’s release cycle finally motivated me to switch to a new smartphone maker. After weeks of research, I settled on Motorola’s new Droid Bionic, and 4LTE smartphone that boasts a dual-core processor and fast download speeds. After a week or so with my new Bionic, I find myself happy that I made the switch off of iOS. The pros of the Bionic, which include its speed and easy mirroring functionality, outweigh its cons, which include pricey accessories and a sometimes clumsy operating system. This review covers both the positives and negatives of owning a Motorola Droid Bionic from the perspective of a former iPhone user.
Pros
Speed: The single most impressive feature of the Bionic is its speed. When I say that the Bionic is fast, understand that I’m coming from the iPhone 4, which is no slouch when it comes to processor speed. But the combination of the Bionic’s 1Ghz dual-core processor and the Droid operating system make the Bionic really responsive. I multitask heavily, often using the web browser, text messaging, e-mail, and music player simultaneously for large portions of the day. The Bionic handles this heavy load with no indications of stress. Switching back and forth between applications is fast and smooth, an improvement over the sometimes painful lag time when engaging in heavy multimedia multitasking on the iPhone. In addition to multitasking, the Bionic excels at pairing its dual-core processor with the camera for responsive, low-lag photography. I can see a good shot, grab my phone, and pull the trigger in about five seconds. Even when I shoot my two dogs or my daughter, all of whom tend to move suddenly, I can often nail a shot because of the fast shutter time. This is also an improvement over the iPhone-and the 8 mega-pixel camera shoots gorgeous, well-balanced pictures. I think the camera on this phone, including its front-facing lens, is one of its undervalued capabilities. The camera wasn’t important in convincing me to make the switch to Droid, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how well it performs.
Mirroring: Another pleasant surprise of the Bionic is its useful mirroring functionality. By connecting my Bionic to my television and using Motorola’s new Webtop application, I can use a full-size Firefox browser on my 42-inch big screen television to surf the Internet, or I can stream high definition video from my Bionic to my television. Again, the powerful processor makes this functionality quick and easy to handle, but the real treat is having a portable movie-player and photo-sharing device. This has made trips to see my extended relatives fun because we can easily share pictures and short home videos without crowding around and trying to see the phone’s screen.
Cons
Ergonomics: One drawback of the Bionic, at least in comparison to the iPhones that I’ve owned, is the device’s somewhat awkward design. I can hold the Bionic in one hand, but I find it difficult to perform even basic tasks, such as checking e-mail or switching web pages. The phone’s 127.5 mm length makes it too long for me to handle with one hand comfortable. Additionally, at 158 grams, the phone is no featherweight. I certainly feel the Bionic’s weight in my pocket, and it stretches my shorts pockets out enough that I’m considering purchasing a holster so I can hook it to my belt. When I’m using two hands, the phone is easy enough to handle, but as someone who’s always on the go, I’m still waiting for a design that is as accessible as it is powerful.
Expensive Accessories: I do tend to use my smartphones heavily, and my iPhones always stood up to heavy use, even when paired with accessories. My favorite iPhone accessory was the Bluetooth keyboard because I could easily borrow the keyboard from my iMac whenever I wanted the added functionality. However, outfitting my Bionic with a keyboard set me back almost $70, and the dock I bought was also expensive. The mirroring functionality is cool, but shelling out money for the interface was tough, especially after paying so much for the phone itself. Nevertheless, I use the mirroring function on a daily basis, and the Webtop application is truly awesome, so the extra cost is probably worth it.
Bottom Line
In conclusion, I’m happy I made the switch to the Bionic. I wish the phone was easier to handle, but the Bionic’s speed, its mirroring functionality and its reliance on the Droid operating system outweigh its few negatives.
