T-Mobile Motorola CLIQ XT review

I know that T-Mobile has only announced that it's coming soon, but after spending some time with it, I'm so excited about Motorola's CLIQ XT that I have to tell you about it now. Even before they announce its price or release date.

The CLIQ XT is a candy bar-shaped Android handset. While it is by no means a perfect device, this upcoming phone contains some very exciting features with even more promised in the near future.

CLIQ vs. CLIQ XT

The CLIQ XT is basically a T-Mobile CLIQ without the slide-out QWERTY keyboard. That's fine because the keyboard on the CLIQ was not the easiest to use. Both phones share many of the same specifications: a 528 MHz Qualcomm MSM7201A processor, the Android 1.5 operating system (Cupcake), a 3.1-inch HVGA color screen, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0, a 5 megapixel camera, a 2GB microSD memory card (expandable up to 32GB) and they both run on GSM/GPRS networks worldwide as well as on T-Mobile's 3G network here in the United States. Claimed battery life is very also about the same on both CLIQ devices ("up to 6 hours of talk and 325 hours of standby").

They also both feature most of the Google goodies you would expect to find on a Google/Android phone like Google Search, Google Maps, GTalk, Google Earth and plenty more available from the Android Marketplace.

The CLIQ XT also sports the MOTOBLUR social networking interface and sync service. That means your Facebook, Twitter, etc. info is constantly updated in special MOTOBLUR boxes on your home screens. MOTOBLUR is featured on Verizon Wireless' brand new Motorola DEVOUR, too.

That describes how the two phones are alike, but make no mistake -- they are very different.

Swiping with Swype

First of all, obviously, the CLIQ XT weighs less than the non-XT: 4.4 ounces vs. 5.6. The slider mechanism is the primary culprit. That may not sound like a big difference but in real-life use, but it really is.

Instead of a hardware keyboard, the CLIQ XT has the usual on-screen, tap-tap Android input system. Beyond the standard software keypad however, is the first Android phone to also come with Swype.

As first seen on the Windows Mobile-powered Samsung Omnia II smartphone a few months ago, Swype is a third-party text entry system that lets you slide your finger over an on-screen keyboard and form words without lifting your finger from the screen. Swype follows your motions and the software figures out what you're trying to input. It takes much longer to describe than to master. Within a day or two, most users will be able to Swype-type much, much faster than they can type on any other on-screen system.

The CLIQ XT also sports "pinch-to-zoom" capabilities like some of the other premium smartphones on the market. In other words, it supports multitouch. Beyond touch, navigation is handled by a surprisingly large touchpad located centrally beneath the screen. The CLIQ XT also comes with a copy of Adobe Flash Lite built inside. That's great for viewing some Flash content on the Web, and will suffice until Adobe is ready to unleash its full version of Flash for Android later this year.

Before the CLIQ XT can tout full Flash support, it will need an OS upgrade. Android 1.5 is nice (and MOTOBLUR runs well on it) but phones will need Android 2.0 or to really deal with Flash. Luckily, Motorola is formulating its upgrade plans and promises to publish an OS road map for its devices in the near future.

Not All Sunshine and Roses

There are one or two minor complaints I have about the CLIQ XT. First, I've noticed that it doesn't allow you to receive IMAP/POP email (including Gmail) updates more frequently than every 15 minutes. I understand that it's probably done that way to conserve battery power but some of us Type-A's would prefer a "5-minute" setting as well.

In a perfect world I'd also like to have the phone to continuously receive email 24/7 instead of having to wait for the phone to be "awakened" to retrieve my messages. I'd like having my emails there as soon as the screen is turned back on (like first thing in the morning).

One last pet peeve: why is there a myFaves icon on the main screen that tells me "Application not installed on your phone" when I try to use it? It could just be a problem with this test device -- but if not it should be addressed now.

Bottom Line, it's a Winner

Overall, the CLIQ XT's size, weight and new features make this slim smartphone a real contender. T-Mobile hasn't yet announced pricing or a release date, but expect the CLIQ XT to cost somewhere in the $100-$200 range with a two-year service contract. My guess is that it will launch at $149.99 -- the current price of the Motorola CLIQ. I would also expect to begin seeing them in T-Mobile stores before the "end of the first quarter" (which means late March).

If prices are kept reasonably low -- and if you'll be able to upgrade the phone's OS to Android 2.0 or higher (which will include step-by-step GPS navigation thanks to the updated version of Google Maps) -- the CLIQ XT could turn out to be a big hit for T-Mobile.