Smartphone review: Motorola Milestone XT with HDMI Output

Decent camera, but laggy performance

Smartphone review: Motorola Milestone XT

by May Chua
05:55 AM Jul 16, 2010

MOTOROLA has launched yet another Android phone, and what sets this apart from the rest of the pack is the inclusion of an HDMI output.

Using an HDMI cable, you can easily connect the Motorola Milestone XT to a high-definition (HD) television to play your multimedia files. It worked like a charm when I tried it, delivering smooth playback.

The phone looks sleek, with a trim 10.9mm profile and shiny metal frame around its front. Weighing 139g, it feels nice and solid. The 3.7-inch display is sharp, making Web surfing enjoyable.

The Android 2.1 device runs on a 550MHz Cortex A8 processor, and is more laggy than the 1GHz-powered handsets I'm used to. The task manager and messages take longer than usual to load when several applications are running in the background.

The pre-installed task manager, however, is a useful feature for a multitasking platform like Android, especially since there's no quit function for many apps.

Moto Phone Portal - a Web browser that lets you access data like contacts, SMSes and media files in the phone from your computer through a USB or WiFi connection - also deserves a thumbs-up.

The 8-megapixel camera in the XT takes decent pictures. I like the fact that it allows you to select an area to focus on using the touchscreen, and that you get seven scenes to choose from. But I tend to get grainy pictures in low-light environments where using the (blindingly bright) xenon flash results in overexposure. The night mode helps, but not always.

The four touch-sensitive buttons below the display sometimes get in the way of photo-taking. I kept activating the Home or Back buttons just as I'd finished framing the picture. Video clips recorded are sharp enough, though the camera has problems focusing when it comes to close-up shots.

Battery life is reasonable, lasting about 17 hours with push mail, WiFi and Bluetooth on. The Motorola Milestone XT ($988, without contract) comes with an 8GB microSD card, and is sold exclusively from StarHub. May Chua

http://www.todayonline.com/Tech/Techreviews/EDC100716-0000048/Decent-camera,-but-laggy-performance

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Motorola Milestone XT smartphone

Motorola unveils a new Milestone

THE Motorola Milestone XT is an updated Milestone (last launched as a Starhub exclusive not too long ago).
The main upgrade is in the OS (Android 2.1 now). The phone also sports a high-definition (720p) camcorder
and direct connectivity with a HDTV via HDMI.

As this is a Starhub exclusive phone, it comes preloaded with Starhub Mobile TV, plus access to as many as 24 channels.

The phone boasts an 8-megapixel camera versus the 5-megapixel one on Samsung’s Galaxy S. The
new Milestone also features the latest Motorola handwriting- recognition software to enable input of simplified
forms of Chinese. The five Chinese-input methods include phonetic notation, handwriting, Cangjie, Pinyin
and Chinese strokes.

How much: Since it’s a Starhubexclusive phone, its price is tied to a data plan. The unbundled price is $988.

http://myepaper.mypaper.sg/ebook/web_php/System/Zoom_In/Zoom_In_Page.html

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A new Milestone from Motorola

Online only - A new Milestone from Motorola

by May Chua

Updated 10:49 PM Jun 09, 2010

The new Motorola Milestone XT smartphone packs in high-definition (HD) multimedia playback and an improved camera.

For starters, it lets you view HD movies on the big screen via an included HDMI cable - it is one of the first Android-based devices to come with this feature.

This Milestone has an 8-megapixel camera with xenon flash and can capture video at a resolution of 1,280 x 720.

The device touts a 3.7-inch touchscreen, runs on Android 2.1 and includes WiFi and Bluetooth. This handset is powered by the Cortex A8 550MHz processor and comes with an 8GB microSD card (the slot supports up to 32GB). The touchscreen phone measures just 10.9mm in thickness and weighs 139g.

Motorola's handwriting recognition technology, which supports simplified Chinese characters and cursive handwriting styles, is built into the device.

The usual slew of Google applications like YouTube, Maps and Gmail are preloaded on the device, along with an app from StarHub that lets you catch cable television shows on-the-go.

The Motorola Milestone XT ($988) will be available exclusively from StarHub starting June 10.

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