Motorola DROID 4 Review: If you love keyboards, look no further

The fourth iteration of the original DROID series is here, and it’s called--surprise--the Motorola DROID 4. Like its predecessors, it has a full QWERTY keyboard that slides out from underneath the display. The DROID 4 also runs Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread with Motorola’s custom UI layer on top. In all, it’s a solid successor to the DROID 3, and those who want a 4G LTE smartphone on Verizon with a keyboard will love the DROID 4.

I’ll henceforth be referring to the DROID 4 as the “Droid 4” so that I don’t feel like I’m screaming the name at you every time I type it, and so it doesn’t stick out in the text and ruin your ability to read or concentrate on anything else. Oh, and dear Motorola and Verizon, please consider ditching the all-caps names as I’m about to review the DROID RAZR MAXX and that is JUST UNNECESSARY. 

Good:

• Great keyboard--it’s pretty much the key selling point for this device
• Very fast 4G LTE speeds
• Decent battery life

Bad:

• Opening the keyboard is a little slippery
• I’m not a fan of Motorola’s UI, formerly called Motoblur
• Some apps and gestures are very slow to respond

HARDWARE

The Droid 4 is all about the keyboard. It’s basically the only reason you’d grab this phone over, say, the Droid Razr Maxx, whose battery lasts from sun up to sundown with plenty of juice left over. Once you slide the Droid 4 open, the tactile and spacious keyboard is revealed. Every single key has a very satisfying click, and there is just enough space between each button that you’ll never accidentally mash the wrong letter or symbol. My only gripe is that the layout is a little weird, and it’s sometimes hard to find the symbol you’re looking for, but after a week or two you shouldn’t have too many problems.

A 4-inch display shows off all that Android can do without having you break out into some thumb calisthenics to reach the far corners of the phone. While it’s an HD 960 x 540 display, it’s not the sharpest I’ve seen on an Android device - the LG Spectrum, whose screen is larger, has a 1280 x 720 resolution and it is tack sharp.

To the right of the device there is a volume rocker and no dedicated camera key, up top is the power button located right in the center. Left of that button is the 3.5mm headset jack. On the back of the device, you’ll find the 8MP camera and LED flash. The camera is capable of recording 1080p HD video. Down below the camera is the speaker, which is almost always muffled whenever the phone is resting on a table with its back facing downward.

SOFTWARE

Android 2.3.6 is packed into the device, and if you’re hoping for Ice Cream Sandwich in the near future, you’ll probably have to hold your breath a little longer. The custom UI that Motorola slaps onto its devices to differentiate it from other Android devices has pros and cons. It tends to be a little slow, and sometimes swipe or tap gestures aren’t registered at all. It’s very annoying, and you’ll see exactly what I’m talking about in the video I’ve embedded below.

What I do like about Motorola’s UI is its Smart Actions. You can set the phone to behave differently based on your location or the time of day. For example, Smart Actions can help you save battery power overnight if you’re not plugged in by turning off push notifications amongst other things. There are preset actions available, but you can create custom profiles to suit your needs, too.

You can expect all the usual bells and whistles that Android has to offer, but also expect Verizon’s bloatware on here, too. And unless you’re going to root your device, all of those apps are there to stay. Overall, it’s a decent Android experience, and if you take some time to customize your device to your liking, you’ll find that most of the crap that Motorola added to its UI will be out of your way. 

CAMERA

The camera on the Droid 4 is good, but not great. Images are sharp enough, but colors tend to be flat and muted. Low-light performance isn’t very good, either, but the Droid 4’s camera does have an LED flash so you can get those shots in desperate situations.

Camera software is mostly intuitive if you’ve had any experience with Android camera software on other devices. Otherwise, it takes a minute to figure out where things are. You can adjust for exposure, choose from a number of effects and scenes and shooting modes. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like you can control ISO speed, but it’s definitely not a deal breaker on a smartphone camera.

Videos look OK, and the Droid 4 comes with image stabilization to help reduce some, but not all shake. You’re not going to be James Cameron or anything with this video camera, but if you’re recording your kids, pets or maybe some wild party scenes, it’ll do the trick. 

Sample photos:

CALL QUALITY AND BATTERY LIFE

Call quality on the Droid 4 in Manhattan and Brooklyn were pretty good. Verizon’s network is generally very reliable, so there were rarely ever any cuts or breaks in phone calls. Voices sounded loud and rich, versus dull, soft or tinny and our callers reported good quality on their ends, too. One great thing about having an LTE device on Verizon is that you can still get text messages and e-mail while you’re on phone calls. My everyday phone on Verizon is an iPhone 4S, and it’s a pain to miss time-sensitive messages because I’m on a phone call (it’s why I try to stay on Wi-Fi when I can). 

Battery life is good, but if you’re a power user you may want to carry your charger around with you. With about 40 minutes of phone calls per day, and Facebook, Twitter and e-mail notifications set to ping me as they come in, the battery lasted just fine for me. I’d pull the phone off the charger at around 9 a.m. each day, and by 8 p.m. I’d be down to about 25%. Again, your mileage may vary, and if you plan on taking advantage of everything Verizon’s 4G LTE network has to offer, plan on complementing your power accordingly. Oh, and the battery is not removable in case you were planning on buying extra juice for this thing.

FINAL TAKEAWAY

Keyboard, keyboard, keyboard. That’s really why you want this thing. If you’re not a fan of the Android keyboard--and who would be?--or Swype software, the keyboard is your friend. And the one on the Droid 4 is probably the best physical keyboard I’ve ever used on an Android device (BlackBerry and Sidekick still hold the top spots of all time on my list). 

Layer Android 2.3, 4G LTE, a decent camera and decent battery life on top of that keyboard and you’re all set. 

So, should you buy the Motorola Droid 4? Try the device out at the store and see if you like Motorola’s software. Smart Actions are great, but sometimes the UI can get in the way. Also consider your usage and how important a removable battery is to you. If you find that the software isn’t that bad, you can’t go wrong with the Droid 4 at just $199.99. I do love my iPhone 4S, but whenever I was sending e-mails or chatting with friends over Google Talk, I found myself tapping away at the Droid 4’s awesome keyboard. I suspect you’ll love its tactility, too.