Motorola ATRIX 4G second hands-on

Following our encounter with the ATRIX 4G a couple of days ago, we got a chance to spend a bit more quality time with Motorola’s beast of an Android handset earlier. The ATRIX is a dual-core 4G handset running Android 2.2 (and fully upgradeable to 2.3). Sporting a 1GHz Tegra 2 chip, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of internal memory, a large 1930 mAh battery, and a 540×960 screen, the handset slots fully into the superphone category with ease. The phone, however, is just part of the story. The ATRIX will launch with 2 device-specific docks. The first is a smaller affair, connecting to any form of LCD screen you might have laying around. Output from the dock provides a desktop-like experience on the secondary monitor, allowing you to access both the Android platform and, in a first for a mobile device, allows access to a desktop-grade version of Firefox. Coupled with a mouse and keyboard, this allows for true web access from your docked mobile phone. Sounds a bit gimmicky, but in practice we found it to be wholly competent, with no noticeable slowdowns or glitches. Great stuff. The mini-dock also outputs 1080p video and, when paired with IR remote, provides a media-center experience for your home entertainment system. The second dock is even more impressive. It’s essentially a laptop without the CPU. By docking your ATRIX into the embedded port, you can transform the handset into a mobile computer, capable of light browsing and media work. The keyboard and mouse functioned flawlessly, the screen looked great, and the whole thing was remarkably light. The dock itself features two USB ports and an audio out port for connecting peripherals. Check out the gallery, plus video after the break!