How does the Droid 2 stack up against the Droid X?

Droid 2 is set for launch on Thursday – almost exactly a month after the launch of the Droid X.

|
Newscom
Droid 2 gets an improved keyboard and a faster processor, as well as the latest Android operating system.

Droid 2 is a go. As we reported yesterday, the Droid 2 is an upgraded version of the Droid, the Motorola handset released by Verizon Wireless late last year. Droid 2 retains the slide-out keyboard and touch screen, but adds the Android 2.2 Froyo OS, Adobe Flash 10.1, and a much-improved processor. Verizon says the newest Droid smartphone, which retails for $200 after a $100 rebate, will be in stores by Thursday.

So far, so good. But how does the Droid 2 stack up against the Droid X? Well, if you're a tech aficionado, you know that the Droid X, which was released in July, is a monster of a phone. Not just snappy and full-featured – although it is that, too – but downright big. The Droid X is equipped with a huge 4.3-inch high-resolution display, which doubles as a touch screen. There is no physical keyboard on the Droid X.

By comparison, the Droid 2 is relatively svelte. It's packing a 3.7-inch display and the blocky lines of the Droid X are here replaced by soft, curved edges. And then there's the multiple typing interfaces: Users can send messages or emails with the slide-out keyboard or the touchscreen. Verizon says that the Droid 2 will come equipped with Swype technology, an input method that lets you write words without lifting your finger.

On to the camera: The 5-megapixel camera on the Droid 2 is smaller than the 8-megapixel number on the Droid X, but we've said it once, and we've said it before: More megapixels doesn't necessarily mean a better photo.

One of the biggest differences between Droid 2 and Droid X is the operating system. Droid X shipped with Android 2.1, and an update to 2.2 is expected to become available by September. (Originally, Verizon has set the date for August.) But the Droid 2 arrives with the much-hyped Android 2.2 Froyo operating system preinstalled – and also includes the latest iteration of Adobe's mobile flash player.

For some users, that might be worth the price of admission alone.

You've read  of  free articles. Subscribe to continue.
QR Code to How does the Droid 2 stack up against the Droid X?
Read this article in
https://www.csmonitor.com/Technology/Horizons/2010/0811/How-does-the-Droid-2-stack-up-against-the-Droid-X
QR Code to Subscription page
Start your subscription today
https://www.csmonitor.com/subscribe