Posted by Smartphone Review on July 13, 2010
Motorola CLIQ Android Phone Titanium T Mobile
The CLIQ 3G-enabled touchscreen phone for T-Mobile, is Motorola’s first Android-powered device, and the first to feature the innovative MOTOBLUR overlay to the Android OS, which manages and integrates e-mail and social networking activity including Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace. In addition to a brightly colorful 3.5-inch touchscreen, the Motorola CLIQ also offers a side sliding full QWERTY keyboard for quick typing of tweets, status updates, and e-mail.
The first phone with MOTOBLUR, the CLIQ automatically delivers your messages, contacts, e-mail, updates and photos from social sites, and more–right to your home screen. |
Powered by the Android OS, you can customize your Motorola CLIQ with thousands of apps available via the Android Market. |
 |
With integrated Google technology, the Motorola CLIQ brings one-touch access to the popular Google mobile services millions of people use every day, including Google Search by voice, Google Maps with Street View, YouTube and Picasa. CLIQ also provides easy access to both personal and corporate e-mail, calendars, and contacts supported by Exchange Server and Gmail.
Enabled for T-Mobile’s high-speed 3G network, the CLIQ offers fast data delivery and an enhanced Web-browsing experience that lets you connect quickly to social networking sites. The CLIQ offers GPS location services for turn-by-turn directions using Google Maps and Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g) for accessing home and business networks as well as hotspots while on the go. Other features include a 5-megapixel camera for still photos and video capture, Bluetooth for both hands-free communication and stereo music streaming, a digital audio player, an included 2 GB microSD memory card, and up to 6 hours of talk time.
Key Features
- Powered by the Android operating system with deep integration of Google services and access to thousands of apps to customize your phone via the Android Market. (Learn more)
- Innovative widget-based MOTOBLUR overlay to Android automatically delivers Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Gmail, and work and personal e-mail updates to the home screen in easy-to-view streams so there is no need to open and close different mobile applications. (Learn more)
- Update Facebook, MySpace and Twitter at once instead of opening individual apps with MOTOBLUR as well as upload your photos to Facebook, MySpace, Picasa and Photobucket.
- MOTOBLUR continuously displays your friends’ latest profile pics as part of your texts, calls, e-mails and address book
- View your friends your way: MOTOBLUR lets you view friends from A to Z, by contact history or in groups you make yourself.
- Customize your home screen with your favorite widgets and short cuts
- Your information is continuously updated and backed up into a secure environment, so you’re connected and protected even if you lose your phone.
- Fast 3G connectivity via T-Mobile’s HSDPA/UMTS network. (1700/2100 MHz bands, UMTS/HSDPA; see more about T-Mobile’s 3G service below)
- Quad-band GSM phone for good global voice connectivity. (850/900/1800/1900 MHz bands)
- Built-in GPS with turn-by-turn directions provided by Google Maps and other third-party apps (for real-time directions). With Google Maps, you can instantly view maps and satellite imagery, as well as find local business. And Google Maps Street View enables you to explore cities at street-level virtually while on the go. If your phone’s missing in action, log into My MOTOBLUR to track it down with GPS.
- 3.1-inch touchscreen display (320 x 480 pixels, 262K color depth)
- Full slide-out QWERTY keyboard with familiar layout lets you type messages easily without scrolling for the letter you want.
- 5-megapixel autofocus camera/camcorder for sharing images online and creating high-quality prints. Features include digital zoom, multiple white balance settings and color effects, three quality choices, and editing options for both still photos and video.
- Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g) for accessing home and corporate networks as well as hotspots while on the go.
- Bluetooth connectivity (version 2.0) includes profiles for communication headset, hands-free car kits, and the A2DP Bluetooth profile–enabling you to wirelessly stream your music to a pair of compatible Bluetooth stereo headphones or speaker dock.
- Memory expansion via microSD card slot with support for optional cards up to 32 GB (2 GB card included).
- Multi-format digital audio player with dedicated Amazon MP3 Store app for over-the-air downloads.
- YouTube app for streaming video over 3G and Wi-Fi connections.
- Real HTML Web browsing provides more pages and better Web content delivered efficiently to your phone.
- Visual Voice-mail allows you to listen to your voice-mail messages in any order, respond in one click and easily manage your inbox without ever dialing in to the network.
- Voice-activated dialing lets you call someone with simple voice commands when your hands are busy
- Airplane mode allows you to listen to music while the cellular connectivity is turned off
- Speakerphone
Vital Statistics
The Motorola CLIQ weighs 4.9 ounces and measures 4.5 x 2.3 x 0.61 inches. Its 1420 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 6 hours of talk time, and up to 324 hours (13.5 days) of standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies, as well as T-Mobile’s 3G network (1700/2100 MHz).
- High-speed data connectivity via T-Mobile’s 3G network: In addition to its quad-band GSM connectivity, this phone is also compatible with T-Mobile’s UMTS/HSDPA 3G network, which operates on the 1700/2100 MHz AWS spectrum. This phone is designed to automatically connect to the best available network (3G or GSM/GPRS/EDGE) to provide faster data speeds when accessing the Web.
In areas where the 3G network is not available, you’ll continue to receive service on the via T-Mobile’s EDGE network (which stands for “Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution”). This high-speed, mobile data and Internet access technology is fast enough to support a wide range of advanced data services (with average data speeds between 75-135Kbps), including full picture and video messaging, high-speed color Internet access, and e-mail on the go.
While this phone is optimized for use with T-Mobile’s high-speed 3G network, many of its functions will also work well on the moderate-speed EDGE network. If you plan to access the Internet extensively on your phone, 3G network coverage may serve you best.
Activities that work well on EDGE or 3G networks:
- Email, instant messaging, and texting
- Downloading ringtones, CallerTunes, wallpaper, light data files
- Sending photographs via e-mail or picture messaging
Activities that work best on a 3G network:
- Viewing content-heavy websites (lots of images or videos playing)
- Viewing YouTube and other video files (they will play on EDGE, but require loading time)
- Uploading large files (photos, videos, presentations) to sharing websites
- Downloading large files from an e-mail or a website
T-Mobile’s 3G network is currently available in 222 cities nationwide and covers more than 160 million people. By the end of 2009, T-Mobile USA expects its 3G network to be available to approximately 200 million people across the U.S.
Android Power
The Motorola CLIQ runs the Android operating system, which provides easy access to a wide assortment of messaging tools and Google apps. With Android, you’re able to richly personalize the entire theme of the Motorola CLIQ with new widgets, icons and wallpapers–which can be added directly on the home screen–in order to truly make it your own.
Developed by Motorola, MOTOBLUR is an innovative solution that manages and integrates communications–from work e-mail to social networking activity–on your CLIQ. Updates to contacts, posts, messages, photos and more are streamed together and synced from sources including Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Gmail, and work and personal e-mail. MOTOBLUR automatically delivers these updates to the home screen in easy-to-view streams so there is no need to open and close different mobile applications to keep up with the latest content.
CLIQ also features multitasking capabilities and one-touch access to the Google mobile services millions use every day, including Google Search by voice, Google Maps with Street View, YouTube and Picasa. Easy access to both personal and corporate e-mail, calendars, and contacts is supported by Exchange Server and Gmail. e-mail and contacts are also supported by Yahoo!, Windows Live Hotmail, and other POP3 and IMAP e-mail services. It also combines instant messaging support for Google Talk, as well as AOL, Yahoo! Messenger and Windows Live Messenger.
The app screen. |
All your messaging in one place. |
Contacts with recent status updates. |
Additionally, the Android Market hosts a wide variety of unique applications, and with the Motorola CLIQ’s one-click access to it you can find and download a wide range of innovative software applications–from games to social networking and on-the-go shopping–to personalize your phone. Here’s a sampling of just some of the available applications:
- Sherpa, created by Geodelic, learns a person’s likes and dislikes through behavior and user feedback, prioritizing recommended retailers, restaurants and attractions. Sherpa features a learning machine that automatically customizes itself to the user’s preferences.
- imeem Mobile streams music customized to your tastes, recommending new songs and artists based on which songs you identify as your favorites.
- WorldTour puts live webcams from around the world onto your home screen.
- Phonebook offers an upgraded, more personalized phonebook for Android.
- FreshFace is a theme engine to further customize your phone.
- Movies by Flixster takes the aspect of movie reviews to the next level. Through integration with Facebook, you can find friends who also want to see that movie or read reviews from friends who have already seen it.
The Motorola CLIQ is pre-loaded with the Android 1.5 (Cupcake) operating system update, which includes the following improvements:
- Easy upload of photos to Picasa and videos to YouTube
- Spanish language support
- Edit multiple messages in Gmail
- Faster My Location acquisition in Google Maps
- Faster web browsing with smoother page scrolling
- Improved camera with faster start-up and image capture
- In-call keypad timeout to eliminate face dialing
User Ratings and Reviews
1 Star Buying This Phone Is Regrettable
I have never written a review here but I find it important to warn people about this phone. I had just finished paying it off when I could not take it anymore and sold it for a mere fraction of what I paid for it. Here are the many drawbacks that I found.
1) - Touch Screen had multiple dead spots. With an over air update it got a little better, but it still had dead spots. I could not play games effectively or even type on the on screen keyboard. Letters simply would not work! this was not an isolated issue. This happened to a lot of users.
2) - “MotoBlur” is the dual OS that runs over Android. To put it plainly, this sucks. MotoBlur is what allows you to get all your social networks on your start up screen. It would go down for DAYS at a time. I would have to jump thru so many hoops. Motorola said it’s not their problem, and T-Mobile had no clue. It was terrible. How could so many people duck responsibility? It was poorly tested. It was not isolated at all. Many other users were hosed.
3) - No Updates for you! MotoBlur inhibits the Android system from getting upgraded. You are stuck at 1.6 (for now). Now some of you might not know what that means, but what it comes down to is that as other phones are updated, software developers cater to those more modern updates and eventually your apps will stop working on your phone. So the cool Android Market becomes a “Wish List” of things you can’t put on your phone.
I am a self admitted phone whore. I buy a new one every year. This is the ONLY one that I have completely regretted. It looks cool. You want it to be cool. But in the end….it’s not cool…it’s useless and frustrating. Please don’t trap yourself.
Here is the link of others who have had the same problem as me….
(…)
4 Stars Great Phone in Need of More Thought
I bought this phone after owning a Blackberry for a year with Sprint. I had been with Sprint for over 10 years but dealing with them and that horrible Blackberry was too much. I bought the Cliq at Radio Shack (highly recommended) and got it for $50. The sales guy was extremely informative and answered every question I had. It was a great experience.
The phone is great as well. I have had zero problems with it accepting my blue tooth, its reception is good and all of the calls are clear. I love the Android OS. I have customized my screens so they are not as crowded as they are when you pick up the phone new. The apps I have downloaded are great and free. My wife is wishing she had gotten this phone as well.
The only thing I wish it had was a physical button to answer and hang up the phone. I also would like a flash for the camera and image stabilization there as well. That’s it. The battery goes two-three days if I am not constantly on Facebook or online. It’s a great phone and I look forward to having it for the rest of my contract.
1 Star -100 would be more like it!
I’ll start the review by saying that if I could have given this phone a -100 (negative 100), I would have done it. I have had the Motorola Cliq since Thanksgiving 2009. I have to say that this is the WORST product Motorola has ever put out. One of the reasons I got the Cliq was that previously, I had had such a great experience with Motorola products.
Are there any good points to the Cliq? Maybe two:
1. Nice big screen.
2. Texting keyboard.
Bad points:
1. Battery life SUCKS! Literally! Phone needs to be charged at night, every night, and sometimes even during the day (I always have to keep an extra charger in the car).
2. Touch screen is very often either unresponsive (especially when trying to answer a call), or not calibrated (for example, when dialing, either number next to the one you’re dialing lights up, not the one you need), or too sensitive. Let me count the ways:
A. When talking on the phone, the touch screen is supposed to become inactive however, if one moves the phone even a fraction of an inch, the touch screen becomes active and, most of the time, the call gets terminated.
B. When talking on the phone, if you need to check on some info, a lot of times the drop down notification screen (notifies you of new e-mail msgs, missed calls, voicemail, etc) gets in the way and you have to clear all notices before you can get rid of it, if you can get rid of it.
C. The touchscreen from hell keeps switching between being too sensitive and not sensitive enough. For example, while you scroll your phone list, it starts making calls. You can’t even imagine how many times the darn phone has dialed the same number 6 times in a row, because I was trying to end the call (touch screen unresponsiveness would get me to jab at it repeatedly, eventually jabbing one too many times and then dialing the same number again) or because I was trying to scroll down and just the slightest touch would start re-dialing a number. It will also start dialing a number while in your pant pocket or purse.
3. Ring volume buttons will change your ring volume at their whim, usually from loud to vibrate, without you doing anything other than have the darn phone in your pant pocket or purse.
7. The software is not intuitive enough. Setting up Motoblur is a pain in the rear.
8. The internet, while great, is hard to navigate through. The enlarge/shrink buttons don’t always come up and then it’s hard to navigate because you mean to click on a link but it’s so small that you end up clicking on another.
9. The screen gyroscope or whatever makes the screen switch from horizontal to vertical and back, doesn’t always work either so, if you want to work off of an horizontal screen, sometimes you just can’t.
I didn’t even get to use the phone as an MP3 player yet. Many, many times I got so frustrated with this phone that I wanted to just hurl the sucker out the window, stomp on it or smash it on the floor.
Like I said before, I had a lot of Motorola phones before this one. They were intuitive, easy to use, reliable and strong (I can be tough on my phones). The Cliq is so bad, that it has almost brought me to the point were I would never touch a Motorola phone again. I just can’t stress enough how evil the Cliq touch screen is (especially since the touch screen is what is supposed to make the phone stand out). That and the almost non-existent battery life. When I first got the Cliq, I was looking forward to the many things I could do with it. Unfortunately, not even the basic phone functions were up to par. The rest, forget about it.
4 Stars great phone
i bought this phone 3 weeks ago the first one the battery sucked so they sent me another one come to find out it was the phone so they sent me another one the first one charged it 3 times a day this one ive had 3 days just charged it… theres going to be a up date in oct they say to help extend the battery life yea…all in all i love my phone for those how hate the battery life hang in there til oct…
1 Star Broken
This is actually a pretty nice phone. The UI has a few little glitches, but it mostly works as intended.
That is _when_ it works. I can’t speak for anyone else’s phone, but my Cliq constantly resets and then hangs at the first boot screen. It will run without problems for as long as the battery lasts… unless I actually try to use it for something. If I try to read a web page, listen to music, read email, etc. it will work for ten to fifteen minutes, then crash and reboot. When it restarts it hangs at the boots screen with every device it contains - screen, backlight, notification led, everything powered on at 100%. It gets very hot, and will stay that way until it burns the battery out (one way or another I suppose). If I hit the lock/power button it will reset again, and hang again in the same spot. Even pulling the battery doesn’t let it boot normally.
I had intended to use this phone for a number of things, but as it is it’s un-usable!
I don’t see a better Android phone available at T-mobile, and I can suggest this one, so even though i haven’t had any problem with T-mobile’s services I recommend against signing with them.
Actually all the Android phones available right now a riddled with problems. I wish there was a decent phone I could buy…
Buy/More Info
