The ATRIX and the GS2 both carry NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core processors. However the processor of the GS2 is rated at 1.2GHz while that of the ATRIX is 1.0GHz. Screen sizes varies with the ATRIX carrying a 4.0-inch qHD display with Gorilla Glass while the GS2 has a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus display with Gorilla Glass. The pixels of the ATRIX are 960 x 540 and the GS2 has 800 x 480. While the ATRIX has more pixels, the GS2 has a brighter screen and better viewing under direct sunlight.

We are especially excited about the ability for the ATRIX to power a Linux netbook. This makes the ATRIX just that more appealing as you can switch it into a netbook or a smartphone at will. Unfortunately, GS2 owners do not have that feature though there is support for Bluetooth keyboards.

motoBLUR was not our cup of tea. We have to give the point to Samsung as TouchWiz is just so much better than motoBLUR which looks like a pile of hot mess.

When it comes down to decision making time, we are torn between both devices. We are wowed by the performances of both phones; however, the ATRIX has something on the GS2, the ability to turn the phone into a netbook. If that is a feature that you need, than the ATRIX is your winner, however if you’re not into that sort of thing, the clear choice is the slightly more powerful Galaxy S II.

The Motorola Xoom comes with an exclusive operating system that is not seen in most of the tablet PCs. Android 3.0, which is commonly known as Honeycomb is the operating system used in Xoom. This operating system was specifically developed for tablets. This will not just make multi-tasking smoother and faster, but also help users to enjoy more web fidelity. The device also comes with many other features and applications that are yet to be seen in tablets. The superior processing power provided by this device is also one of the main reasons for its increasing popularity.

The Motorola Xoom has dual cameras for video chatting and other purposes. The 2.0 mega pixel camera in the front offers the best option for video chatting. On the other hand, the rear 5.0 camera can help users to capture high quality pictures as well as videos. Touchscreen, Wi-Fi as well as 4G networking options is some of the other great features of this device. The device also comes with a 32GB storage option. While pricing isn’t entirely clear yet, we expect to see plenty of competitive Motorola Xoom deals emerge with the release of the device, which shouldn’t be too far away now.

Coming with an impressive 4″ (540×960)HD screen and driven by a quad-core Tegra 2 chip with a gig of RAM running interference, Atrix is definitely going to be one powerful and attractive smartphone. It requires a 1930mAh battery that promises to lost enough to satisfy this power hungry gizmo. Perhaps the most impressive statistic is that we get these features in a phone weighing at under 136 grams, and a thickness of just 11mm.

What takes the cake in innovativeness is the unusual laptop-dock that turns the Motorola Atrix into a smartboook with a full qwerty keyboard and a 11.6″ screen. In effect, what you have in your hand is not just a smartphone, but also a smartbook. The dock has stereo speakers and a 36Wh battery with 3 cells, that can last for up to 8 hours. The laptop dock weighs 1.1 kg. With the full firefox that the Atrix comes with, and the net connectivity that comes with the smartphone, you do not have to get any other netbook or laptop with you.

There is another dock that turns Atrix into a Multimedia powerhouse – its the HD Multimedia Dock that comes with HDMI port for monitors and TVs, audio jacks, and three USB ports to connect keyboard, mouse and other peripherals with. You can also use the standard dock, as well as the vehicle dock.

The release date for Mororola Atrix is somewhere in the Q1 for AT&T version, while the UK customers can expect to purchase the phone in Q2 2011. The price for the Atrix or for any of the docks is as yet unannounced.

The Android smart phone lets go of the signature keyboard that has made the Milestone a successful handset. Of course, the device gets a pretty nifty trade-off for such an important hardware feature; the new handset comes with a better 8 mega pixel camera and 720p HD video recording capabilities.

With regards to other specs, the XT 720 is pretty identical to the original Milestone handset. Even the form factor is also the same –which is a great thing as the original Milestone is a breathtakingly beautiful smart phone with its angled lines, matte coating and futuristic looking shape.

The screen is a 3.7 inch TFT capacitive touch screen display that provides users with 480 x 854 pixels of resolution, an accelerometer and a proximity sensor. The overall visual quality that the device provides is good, though we would have proffered an upgrade to an OLED screen for the HD output.

As one might expect, this phone sports all the basic features; WiFi, 3G, 2G, Bluetooth, GPS and the rest. The only thing users will need to be aware of is that the handset only comes with 150 MB of internal memory so having a micro SD card is important. The device will support up to 32 GB cards and the device comes packed with a 2 GB card.

As one might expect, the new handset is running the Android 2.1 Éclair though we can expect an upgrade for version 2.2 to be released soon.

As said, tough devices are few and far in between, but in an era where everyone carries around mobile phones –more particularly, touch screen smart phones. There is always that danger of getting your handset exposed to harsh elements, impacts, drops, shocks and more. Keeping devices safe is a constant worry and the Motorola ES400 is designed to lessen that concern.

The device can easily be mistaken for a Sonim handset –especially with its uniquely designed housing that seems to have been built to resist and absorb the impact of shocks more easily. At the same time, the device is bulkier than what is common for a smart phone. But at only 159 grams, it still manages to stay within the reasonable weight for smart phone loaded with a keyboard.

The ES400 has a MIL-STD 810G rating, this means that it can resist and withstand certain levels of heat, fog, humidity, and shock. It is also rated to be able to take drops from as high as 90cm.

Lastly, it has an IP42 waterproof rating, but that does not mean you should try to drown this handset into a bowl of water.

In terms of software, the phone is using Windows Mobile 6.5.3 –which many enterprise users will be familiar with. However, this will be using the new Windows Embedded Handheld version (as opposed to Embedded Compact) and will be integrating some features from Windows 7.

Yep, that all started with the iPhone prototype being left behind in some bar after the person who was carrying it around got drunk from enjoying a little too much of German beer.

A more recent case of prototype device neglect is with Motorola’s officials. Apparently, the prototype of the upcoming Motorola Shadow was left behind in a Verizon owned corporate gym. The device was picked up by an unnamed source and was photographed before the device was locked remotely by Motorola.

At least the Shadow prototype was recovered without any unnecessary incidents, and the Motorola representative who came back for the handset was actually willing to give out a few details about the phone in question.

While it is unlikely that this will become a continued practice for manufacturers, the concept of prototype devices behind left behind is a serious case of neglect –and a habit that manufacturers need to be wary about if they really want to keep their secrets safe until the official release date.

Anyway, the Shadow was eventually retrieved by a Motorola representative who nice enough to disclose a few details about the handset. It has been confirmed that the new Android Shadow will have a 4.3 inch capacitive touch screen display, an 8 mega pixel snapper with 720p video recording, at least 16 GB of internal memory, an HDMI port and of course, a Snapdragon processor.

The device will be on general release during the first quarter of this year and will be named CLIQ XT in the US. Potential users will be able to get their hands on it exclusively through T-Mobile USA. Sanjay Jha, co-CEO of Motorola, stated that the device was part of Motorola’s commitment to provide users with exactly what they require from a handheld device in easier ways than ever before. Mr Jha stated also that the QUENCH featuring MOTOBLUR was the embodiment of Motorola’s design principles whilst also offering a change from Android’s traditional features with the aim of providing people with a greater Web experience with more messaging and music.

The MOTOBLUR content delivery service is Motorola is specially created and designed in order to provide a more ‘personal and socially smart experience’, according to developers. Through this service it is possible for users to synchronize their contacts, messages, postings and photographs from such a wide range of sources as MySpace, Twitter, Gmail and Facebook as well as personal e-mail, making it fully functional with people’s choices and applications. This will certainly appeal to those with information to share across a multitude of platforms looking for ease of use and accessibility.

MOTOBLUR’s features also make the task of messaging much more user-friendly by being very ergonomic to use. The device also features a new feature called Swype, which is a feature added to enable text entry quickly and easily when replying to messages. Other user-friendly features of MOTOBLUR also include the fact that your contact information, e-mail addresses, phone number and profile pictures are all automatically synchronized when you change them online – excellent for those of us who are constantly changing, updating or adding details. With this excellent interactive feature there is no longer any need to manually go through and change all of these details in order to update them on your device itself.

It also features a full touchscreen with complete pinch and zoom abilities. Navigation was also a breeze with the device’s central front-facing touch pad. This great feature enabled easy and seamless internet browsing and, in synch with Adobe Flash Lite, web browsing was a rich and full experience on the unit’s 3.1-inch high resolution display. You can also be instantly connected to your music library with the new media player, being able to find music and tracks easily and share your music with others while watching videos as well as streaming FM radio. The call clarity on the QUENCH is also very good indeed thanks in part to Motorola’s noise cancellation technology. Sound quality when listening is crystal clear and listeners can hardly tell that you’re using a mobile phone instead of a standard land line even with the device’s dual microphones.

Inside the phone itself the 5.0 megapixel camera’s processing capabilities allow it to take very good still photographs. There are also some very useful – and incredibly cool – features built in such as a voice-activated search facility that you can use to find information online. Also, lost phones can be found from a secure remote personal information portal, and if your phone should be lost entirely simply your user name will restore your contacts and previous connectivity. With Wi-Fi capabilities and stereo Bluetooth, the QUENCH is an excellent android-fuelled phone and will most likely be at the top of many people’s lists in 2010.

Until now, the Nexus One is still having problems. The device has been reported to have trouble getting a stable connection on 3G networks, often jumping between EDGE and 3G. The problem has yet to be fixed but Google’s representatives are saying that the phone will be getting an update soon.

Anyway, despite the many problems that the Google phone is going through, it makes perfect sense that Google would still want to create a new phone. According to recent reports, Motorola will be making the next Google phone. The device is currently being called the Motorola Shadow, though many believe that the device will be named as Nexus Two upon launch.

Initial screen of the Shadow show a slim smart phone with a large touch screen and a slide out keyboard –much like the Motorola DROID (locally known as the Motorola Milestone); hopefully, the final product will not be in white as the initial photos suggest. In any case, this news goes in line with a previous rumor regarding the next Google phone being a business device. The physical keyboard on the Shadow would certainly make it suitable for office work.

It has been reported that Motorola will be producing plenty of Android devices this year (some estimates put the amount at 20 units –counting the Motorola Shadow).

For more news on what might be the next Google phone, head straight to Tech Radar.

Anyway, there have been some bits of rumours floating around recently that mobile phone manufacturer Motorola is cooking up another strange brew at its laboratories. This time, they are bringing out a mobile phone with a split keyboard (not the first, Nokia’s 6820 beat them to it).

The unique thing about this phone is that at first glance, it looks like an ordinary touch screen device. There are two slide-out panels on the top and bottom (if you hold the phone in a portrait oriented way). Each panel will hold half a keyboard each made to be used when the device is turned sideways

The concept photos look impressive at the very least; the mock layout of the phone shows a form factor not unlike the Milestone. If this is a hoax, it’s a really well made one since the architecture and the style of the device has that distinct Motorola style and feel.

Another detail seen in the image shows the back panel of the device. The back panel is split into three parts, though the partitioning of the back panel does not reflect the slide form of the Split keyboard.

The question now is: do we really need a device with a split keyboard? Nokia once thought so, but the fact that no other mobile phones followed the same layout stands for something. For one thing, typing on a split keyboard is pretty restrictive for people who prefer to type with just one hand.

This should come as no surprise that the telecommunications service providers are thinking of a spin off for their mobile division. Breaking it away from the home and network division, according to CEO in charge of the home and network division, Greg Brown “this is a strategy of record”. Not too long before hand the company was rumored to be selling the home and networks business for a whopping 4.5 billion dollars.

Discussions have been talking place for roughly a year about spinning off the mobile division of the company. Most analysts feel that it is too soon to be chopping the home and network division when the mobile division has as of yet been able to get completely back on its feet.

According to CEO Sanjay Jha, head of the mobile division, “the spin of will be largely based on the performance of the phones as well as the overall business environment.  No matter the case we have not heard the last of Motorola’s mobile division. Wither they will be sticking with the combined company or simply spinning it off onto its own backing and company is yet to be reveal. All in all only time will tell if the single giant will become two or will it remains a whole.

Keep an eye out for the year to come as we look to see a split or at the very least a rise in the footing of Motorola’s mobile division.