Key features:
Quad-band GSM and dual-band 3G support
10.2 Mbps HSDPA and 5.76 Mbps HSUPA support
3.7" 16M-color capacitive touchscreen of WVGA (480 x 854 pixel) resolution
Android OS v2.1 Eclair
ARM Cortex A8 720MHz CPU, PowerVR SGX graphics accelerator; 512 MB of RAM
8 MP autofocus camera with xenon flash, AF assist light and geotagging
720p video recording @ 24fps
Wi-Fi and GPS with A-GPS
150MB storage, microSD slot, bundled 8GB card
Accelerometer and proximity sensor
Ambient light sensor
Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
microUSB port (charging) and stereo Bluetooth v2.1
Great build quality
microHDMI port with 720p output (bundled HDMI cable)
Excellent audio reproduction quality
Main disadvantages:
No DivX or XviD video support
No smart and voice dialing
Somewhat clumsy camera interface
GPS navigation app only offers a 60 day trial
No Flash support for the web browser
The Motorola MILESTONE XT720 is certainly a handset that wants to make a difference. Its incredibly sturdy feel and a design that sets its apart from the crowd are probably its two strongest points. The very solid still imaging also counts in its favor, as long as you don’t have too high expectations for the xenon flash.
Unfortunately for the MILESTONE XT720, its other key selling feature is a major letdown. The HD video recording is not worth the effort at all. There are some other minor flaws like no DivX/XviD support, which are hardly a big deal in isolation but might tip the scales against the Milestone XT720. It’s just that competition in this segment of the market is so fierce that almost no mistakes are allowed.
The Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 will give you a bit of extra screen estate in exchange for the xenon flash and the (anyway useless) HD videos. The XPERIA flagship also packs the home-brewed Timescape and Mediascape UI and a snappier CPU. Its main disadvantage is the dated Android version (though the upgrade is presumably just around the corner). Sony Ericsson also promised to enable 720p video recording on the XPERIA X10 with that update, too.
On the other hand, the HTC Desire trumps with an AMOLED screen and a Snapdragon to balance out those 8MP stills. It will get Froyo soon and that should raise its video recording capabilities to HD heights. On top of that, it also packs the superior Sense UI.
Alternatively you can check out the Samsung I9000 Galaxy S, or some of its local carrier-customized versions. The 4” SuperAMOLED display is enough of a selling point on its own, but it also has a faster CPU than the Motorola MILESTONE XT720 and does better video recording. It’s no match for the XT720 for still imaging with a 5 megapixel camera and no flash but can easily play any HD video you throw at it.
As you can see it’s not a clear choice between the MILESTONE XT720 and any of those other premium phones, which however all have the advantage of being earlier to the market. So their prices are likely to have already settled down, while the MILESTONE XT720 price is still a bit inflated.
Of course this all depends on where you live and the deals you can get from your local carrier so ultimately it will come down to a personal choice. Depending on the price you get and how willing you are to live with a slower CPU, the MILESTONE XT720 might just turn out to be a pretty good deal in the end.
It obviously doesn’t quite have enough to be the ultimate cameraphone droid. But there’s no shortage of sharpshooters in the Android ranks. And that’s impressive growth for which Motorola can claim due credit.
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