When Motorola launched its Atrix phone at the beginning of 2011, the reaction was a combination of awe at what the manufacturer had managed to squeeze into a smartphone and excitement about the vision of the future the phone offered. This wasn’t just another piece of hi-tech wizardry running a great operating system - it was the guts of a powerful computer that could be installed into the framework of other devices to make it the only computer anyone would ever need. When you can plug your phone into a laptop shell and continue working or link it up to a television set for gaming, who needs netbooks, tablets or video game consoles?
Basic Specifications of Motorola Atrix 2
- Dimensions: 126 x 66 x 10mm
- Display: 4.3 inch qHD TFT capacitive touchscreen
- Weight: 147 grams
- Memory: 8GB storage, 1 GB RAM, support microSD up to 32GB, 2GB included
- CPU: Dual-core 1GHz ARM Cortex-A9 processor, ULP GeForce GPU, Tegra 2 AP20H chipset
- Operating System: Android 2.3
- Battery: 1785 mAh or up to 8hr 50mins talk time.
- Camera: 8 MP, 3264x2448 pixels, autofocus, LED flash with 2MP front facing VGA camera
Unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way. Instead of other manufacturers rushing to copy Motorola’s bold new move, souping up their smartphones and producing shells in which to insert them, the focus has remained on tablets, which are essentially, very large “smartphones” that consumers buy in addition to their pocket-sized devices.
That may have been down to some poor decision-making. The Atrix’s laptop dock cost $500, more than a netbook with capabilities better than the Atrix and the same price as a tablet. At that pricing, it made sense to load up on a Xoom or even an iPad than the empty shell of a laptop.
The release of the new Atrix 2 doesn’t seem to be able to resolve this problem. It has nothing to do with the Atrix 2’s specifications. The original Atrix was excellent and the Atrix 2 is even better.
The 4.3-inch qHD display is still crystal clear with sharp colors but is a touch larger. The 1 GHz Nvidia Tegra 2 processor is dual-core, and AT&T's HSPA+ 21 network now offers real 4G speeds rather than the hopeful numbers the phone boasted previously. The camera comes with 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of ROM, and a 2 GB microSD card expandable to 32 GB. The camera has been upgraded to a top-end 8-megapixels with LED flash and 1080p video recording.
On the exterior, the phone is still as pretty as ever with a plain back and front, and a solid feel in the hand.
If you liked the Atrix the first time around, you’ll definitely love the Atrix 2. But you can’t help feeling that this is a wonderful phone that could have been a truly great device if it hadn’t been for some strange pricing decisions.
