Motorola Cliq 2

The original Motorola Cliq was a distinctly mid-range Android smartphone whose low resolution display was overwhelmed by Motoblur widgets. The new Cliq 2 verges on high end smartphone territory and has become one of our favorite Android smartphones in its price bracket of $99 with contract. The Cliq 2 has a 1GHz Texas Instruments CPU, an 854 x 480 pixel capacitive multi-touch display, a 5 megapixel autofocus camera with dual LED flash and Android OS 2.2 Froyo. The Cliq 2 is different enough from the first gen model that T-Mobile and Motorola really should have gone with a fresh name.

In terms of looks, the Cliq 2 bears some similarity to the original Cliq, but it looks like a more high quality version of the older model. It has some heft at 6.2 ounces and the chrome surround and curved soft touch plastic back look nice enough. You won't confuse it with the Motorola Droid 2, but it doesn't look like a Fisher Price toy. Android phones have progressed rapidly since the first Cliq came out in November of 2009, and we now expect more sophisticated hardware and a reasonably recent version of Android OS-- the Cliq 2 more than delivers for $99 at introduction. The display is sharp and clear, speed is good and Motoblur in all of its widget overload has room to breathe on the larger high resolution display.

The only thing we question is the keyboard plane's Spider Man design aesthetic, but Motorola likes to take chances with design (consider the Motorola FlipOut and BackFlip). To show off that spider web pattern (or whatever it's supposed to be), the keys are scrunched toward the center, wasting space on the edges that could have allowed for a wider keyboard with larger keys. The large voids on each side of the keyboard do provide plenty of room to grip the phone when typing, as a consolation. Key travel and tactile feedback aren't tops on this membrane style keyboard where all keys live under a continuous plastic layer (it is however good for resisting spills). The keys are in their normal place with the space bar below the lowest letter row and the arrow keys on the right are handy. It's certainly decent enough if you hate on-screen keyboards, though the Cliq 2's responsive 3.7" multi-touch display is easy enough to type on.

The slider mechanism slides fully open and shut with spring assist and a positive lock-- we're more impressed with the Cliq 2's slider than the HTC EVO Shift 4G's. It feels solid with with no undue wobble and it's not loose. In fact, the phone itself feels solid and we appreciate the non-gloss sides and rear that are comfortable to hold and secure in hand.