It has been a checkered first year for Google Android, but we finally have in the Motorola Droid a super smartphone to join with the aforementioned OS to make a credible run against the Apple iPhone juggernaut. Part of Droid’s strategy is to overwhelm the competition with superior hardware: a 3.7-inch, drop-dead gorgeous 480 x 854 display; a good 5MP camera with LED flash and very strong video recording; multitasking with a pop-up, task-switching window; built-in Google Talk; and turn-by-turn navigation.

For a longtime iPhone user like me, the Droid’s specs impress at every turn. The extra resolution and screen real estate make Web browsing in landscape mode a pleasure; there really is that much more info on the screen. As we discovered with the Palm Pre, multitasking matters, and the Arm Cortex A8 550MHz processor handled it smoothly. Despite some questionable route choices and an irritating voice, the onboard Google navigation system guided us to our destination. And both voice clarity and 3G data speeds on Verizon’s unmatched CDMA 3G were simply more reliable and snappier in more places. Android OS 2.0 also has a good virtual keyboard and more integrated messaging that can converge email and contact data better now.

That said, the Droid has its flaws. The flip-down keyboard is rendered useless by error-prone flat keys, making the phone a heavy, sharp-edged brick. The absence of multitouch on U.S. models seriously undermines map and Web browsing. We had to tweak the settings to get a full workday of voice and data use between charges, but your mileage may vary. And the Android Market is still cluttered with a lot of poorly organized junk apps. In terms of sheer consumer friendliness, this is no iPhone.

And yet, Droid shows off the best of Android: good onboard searching and Google services integration, superb Web browsing (especially on Verizon’s network), a promising app platform, and a real PC-like mobile experience.

Good robot!

by Steve Smith