Google is never one to do anything small. With their acquisition of Motorola Mobility, they are now poised to make a giant leap into the smartphone market. The Motorola Photon 4G is one of the devices that will help make the transition.
The Photon 4G is an impressive piece of mobile technology that could make a major impact. It is incredibly well powered, well built, and well operated. It has a few shortcomings, as everything does, but those are not sufficient enough to derail it as a potential impact phone.
First and foremost, it is a large phone, a behemoth have you. The Photon 4G is 5 inches high and 2.6 inches wide. For someone with smaller hands, it requires a tight grip to keep a hold of. The Atrix, a similar phone seems small in comparison. The Photon wins no beauty contest, as it is very simple in design and look. It is not sexy and sleek like the iPhone, but instead a functional piece of equipment.
The phone currently runs the Android 2.3.4 operating system, and includes the necessary programs to display social media updates on the home screen. It is fast phone operating a dual core 1GHZ NVidia Tegra 2 processor. In essence, the phone is a big online engine. The operating system doesn’t hang on web pages and can access multiple applications or widgets with relative ease and speed.
The Photon 4G’s bread and butter should be its display. Despite boasting a 960×540 pixel resolution the Photon isn’t as spectacular due to its 4.3 inch screen. It still allows for 1080p playback and unless one’s face is pressed to the screen, it looks very sharp. The touchscreen is very assessable and responsive as there is nothing more frustrating than an unreliable touchscreen.
The Photon 4G costs $549.99 without a contract and $199.99 with a two year Sprint commitment. Either way the price is on par with similar smart phones. It has the speed a the user friendly interface. The only aspect where the phone lags is in physical appearance. Frankly it just looks big and awkward. However, its looks are really its only downfall. The display, speed, and Wi-Fi connectivity are among the best in the industry.
The Photon 4G is a very competent and functional addition to the smart phone market.
Source: Nicole Lee, Motorola Photon 4G Review. CNET.com