Review: Motorola Dext. Facebook Just Got Even Easier

Overview:
It may sound like an SMS typo, but the Motorola Dext is anything but a mistake, powered by Android and featuring a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard. But after the success of the super-thin Razr, how well will this stocky big brother be received? Let's take a look.

Review:
Motorola has gone from one extreme to another, rolling out the rather chunky-feeling Dext after its Razr which could have been used to cut bread.

The Dext measures in at 58 x 114 x 15.85mm, meaning it's quite thick for a modern-day phone.

Its slide-out QWERTY keyboard is behind the solid feel, but just because it has keys for you to quickly and accurately type out emails, doesn't mean the screen is just going to sit there.

The 3.1-inch, 320 x 480 pixel, touchscreen display has its own keyboard, giving you the option of exactly how you're going to update your online statuses, which brings us to the point of this phone.

Motorola has looked to create a social networking-friendly handset through its Android-based Motoblur UI.

Motoblur's number one feature is that it automatically displays your messages, posts, tweets and pics without you having to open multiple apps to access them.

All of your important feeds from Facebook, Twitter, Google and MySpace are available right there on your home screen, so you can see who's doing what under Motorola's "Happenings" umbrella. I guess the heading "Status Updates" was already taken.

All of your contacts from your various online personas also come together in the one place, with the Dext importing your social network friend details and merging them with your Google account into the phone's address book. You can then choose to sort your contacts either by name or latest updates- sorry, "happenings".

Motoblur also takes the unnecessary hassle of updating your Facebook and Twitter status separately, by synching both so you only need to type in what you had for breakfast just the one time.

Social networking aside, Motoblur also comes with an online service, which can backs up your various accounts and messages.

This online service is also handy from a security point of view, using the Dext's GPS connection to have the phone tracked, so if it's not in your pocket like it should be but has somehow made its way to Poland, you can clear all of your personal details from the phone remotely.

Onto other features, the Dext comes with a decent 5 megapixel camera with autofocus and geo-tagging.

It will also record video at 352 x 288 pixels, which isn't top market but will do the job for capturing your mates' embarrassing moments at the pub. Being a social kind of handset, you do get the options of uploading your Spielberg attempts straight to YouTube, Picasa, Facebook or MySpace.

Music-wise, there is a standard 3.5mm headphone jack so you can use your very own headphones to listen to Beyonce on this phone.

The option for a 32GB MicroSD card further ensures you can cram all (or at least most) of your tunes onto the handset.

The Dext also comes with a digital compass, accelerometer and proximity sensor so it knows when you've got it up to your ear.

Available for free on a £20 a month plan from MobileShop.com, the Motorola Dext is one for the Twitter addicts out there.

The Gaj-It Verdict:
Design: 7/10
Usability: 8/10
Features: 8/10
Value: 8/10

We Say:
Motoblur is makes brilliant use of Android 1.5, and extends Google's OS in the right direction- simplified web use. The Dext may not be the best looking phone on the market, and let's face it- will rip through a few pockets, but we love playing around with the social options this phone presents and feel that life is just that bit more orderly knowing that you haven't missed out on that big Twitter announcement of who's died lately in Hollywood.