Right now, this is a 2-3 star rating, I'll give it 3 since I do side a bit more that way.



Have had this phone since it was released on 11/12. I have now had 3 of them personally (white, 2 titanium) plus my wife's white. Have also known 3 engineers who have Android backgrounds (we all hail back to the G1 then MyTouch then the CLIQ). A few of us understand the well-documented SDK and are engineers. My wife is a 'typical' user just looking for a phone to work, but wanted to get her off the iPhone and ATT due to cost and her service problems (3G in the Tmo edge range and constantly dropped/missed calls in 5-bar areas, plus bars constantly going from 5 to 0 to 3 to 5 to 0, etc. in moments when in the midst of deep orange coverage metro areas. This happens with 3 other non-iPhones I have for family on ATT. NEVER seen this or had complaints w/the 4 other phones I have on T-Mobile).



Anyway, of these users, all have returned during the buyer's remorse period except me (call me an optimist with hope). I do like the phone and it's potential, but Motorola needs to do some serous work. All of the following I've personally experienced with four devices: 2 white, 2 titanium, 1 my wife's, the others mine as I return hoping for a better/improved one. I also have incorporated daily feedback of 3 others (which was consistent with mine and the forums out there).



Pros:



- Very nice form factor. I love it and it did get my wife (briefly) off the iPhone, which has been impossible to do.



- Slide out keyboard - best I have used (but after a few days gets a bit 'wobbly', but seems to settle at that point.



- Backlit keyboard that auto-senses light conditions. Letters and dpad light as necessary. If you press the 'ALT' key, then numbers and symbols light until done. Very nice.



- Social network: if you use Facebook/Twitter/Picasa/MySpace, you'll *really* love this phone and motoblur:



- 5 screens, not 3 as on other Android devices. Load em up!



- Very fast 3G on Tmo's network. Side-by-Side tests against an N-97 and iPhone 3GS all with full bars and this is 4-6 times faster. That's a tmo benefit: not oversubscribed and they don't throttle.



- Other than periodic reboots, no dropped calls, great call quality - oh, and play w/your phone will talking: take a pic/vid, open email, open notes, etc.



- Voice Search rocks.



- Gmail integration (mail, contacts, calendars) all rock. I'm not sure what another reviewer means it's a disaster - never had trouble w/the G1 or MyTouch. Not sure what is meant by "push", but emails received show up nearly instantly just as Exchange ActiveSync does and sent emails go right away. Contact and calendar changes are synch'd immediately. Works great for me and since Android is Google's, you'd hope it would :-)



- Motoblur's on-line remote wipe is an awesome feature. Have used thrice when returning phones. It is great. (But I don't like the phone tracking that is in their portal you can't disable w/out affecting your phone).



- Spent 2 days playing with the DROID and the Cliq interface is nicer and generally seems snappier. The Cliq keyboard is far better and the unit doesn't look like a prototype they forgot to improve looks on before release. Oh, and Tmo's rates are less than a third of VZW's.



Cons:

First, my wife:

- Battery life abysmal. She never uses wifi (set not to scan and not setup), no BT as it won't pair with any of our 3 cars ranging from 2009 to 2010 (very common complaint if you search), no use for GPS with Nav systems in all cars, no widgets (weather, blur, etc - she has not use for them - she has no facebook, twitter and definitely no myspace accts), 2 emails setup: gmail and work - work we dropped autosync and polls once per 4-hours. Very few programs (solitaire, bettercut, pandora), no wireless location turned out - no use, etc. After properly cycling her battery a couple times, she still had an issue of being nearly dead before noon! Battery life is a common complaint in reviews/forums and personal since between hers and the 3 I've had now, they are all the same.



The rest (since we are engineers very familiar with Android) and I go through 4-6 phones a year, rotation periodically so have strong background experience.



- Very, very poor battery life (no widgets, no motoblur setup, work email polling 4-hours, occasional GPS when I open maps, but stops pulling when navigate away and doesn't update anything if not in Google Maps (don't enter and use latitude, you'll notice location hasn't been updated for the amount of time you were out of latitude (e.g. I waited 3-days once and no update). This DOES work w/wireless tracking though, but I don't use as, unlike other Android phones, you have no choice but to send data to Google.



Regarding battery saving: answers from Motorola, T-Mobile and some others in forums equal neutering the phone: turn off 3G, don't use Wifi, don't use BT, keep screen dim, screen auto-off in 30-seconds (nice for reading something, eh), set auto-synch work email to Manual or 4-hours - don't use activesync, turn off google's sync until you need it. Huh? This is beyond perplexing. I've used many, many other smartphones with these features that last me 24-hours or longer (last one nearly 3-days and it was a multi-tasker ALWAYS with 3G/GPS/Wifi/ActiveSync on) and 2 other Androids that don't last me less than 12-15 hours w/everything enabled. If you have to do all this to a Cliq get it to last a "work day" - why have it? There's something wrong.



Battery == very common complaint.



- Cannot uninstall pre-installed programs that take up a lot of space on the phone and run periodically taking precious RAM. Who uses MySpace now? Installed, can't remove. There is QuickOffice, Tmo's MyAccount, Tmo's Mobile Backup, imeem, Many "Motoblur" apps such as Happenings, Tmo's My Album (who stores photos w/Tmo?), MyFavs (fat, ridiculous pig that has no icon and I don't have a myfavs plan), Social Messaging, Shazam (c'mon, neat at first, but I and others have just no need for it), Social Status, TeleNAV GPS Navigator (huh??? Don't need it and Android 2.0 has this - free), their version of a Weather widget, which never updates and takes 20-30MB of your RAM and so on. Most of the 3P apps are trials only and if you don't want them, don't pay, but they are 'stuck' on your phone. Very common complaint.



- Internal phone storage (where apps are installed on your 512MB ROM), out of box, you only have 201MB available. Seems plenty? Install what you want and shrinks fast and compare to MyTouche's 270+ MB. Further, if you "upgrade" an app, it doubles (or more) the amount of space required for it. It's not a true upgrade, it simple installs over the uninstallable version and take unnecessary precious space. Google Maps is a good example: ships w/an outdated version that goes from 1.02MB to over 4MB if you install the upgrade. Uninstall and it leaves the old version firmly planted. What happened to the concept of having on the phone what you want or performing legit upgrades/not "side-by-side" that simply take significant amounts of resources? Why can't I uninstall unused apps? Imeem, MySpace, QuickOffice, Telenav, Mobile Backup, etc.? Very common complaint.



- Well known and confirmed by a couple at T-mobile (tech support and a store manager) touch screen has "dead spots" and can be very unresponsive. Yet in certain other areas, far too sensitive. Common complaint with other users and in forums/reviews.



- Tmo's Mobile backup automatically sends all your contacts to T-Mobile. I was alarmed when I figured this out. I tried using their site to remove them. The two options are: "Remove from Phone" and "Remove from Web and Phone" - no way to disable or just remove from web. Tmo - even back to their tech support didn't know why ALL contacts are going over and not just new ones (well, they are all new when Gmail synchs em to phone). They also couldn't figure out why no options in Mobile Backup. This was not by consent either on phone nor on any of the contractual paperwork I received. No one I knew was happy with this at all. Allow opt-in AND opt-out, but don't disallow any option. Most I've checked with have no idea this is happening.



- MyFavs, MyAccount and Mobile Backup are always running in the background.



- Slide out keyboard does not have autocorrect/suggestions/etc. It will insert an apostrophe now and then. Screen (Android) keyboard, works ok here, but I and others didn't buy a phone w/a slide-out to have to use on-screen (which I disable since it uses a lot of resources). Common complaint.



- Outdated the day it was release. It was released with 1.5 (been around forever and 1.6 came out some time ago and makes very noticeable improvements). Many of the apps were versions behind. Map to bug fixes or 2.0? Motorola has been silent even with all the noise out there. Been told by a motorola rep and tech support at Tmo that they may never go past 1.5 and just fix the bugs. Aside from the new Google maps, many other advanced features in 2.0, I'd be OK with just bug fixes and some better optimization. Common complaint.



- Boot time is ridiculous - nearly two minutes! Good luck in those pinch situations and forbid that you need to turn on your phone to dial 911.



- Periodic reboots during calls or just using the phone. Not often, but very problematic when it happens. Common complaint.



- Bluetooth won't pair with A LOT of cars from Nissan to Land Rover to BMWs and I forget what else I've seen out there. Common complaint. Also won't pair with other BT devices - some ear sets (I went through 3), 2 of my computers (a Mac and a 2009 ThinkPad) and a pair of Nokia's BT stereo headsets I have. Common complaint.



- The notification light gets stuck on and requires shutting off in settings, rebooting then turning on again.



- If you are an Android user believing in its open AND upgradeable platform, you'll be particularly frustrated that Moto hasn't said anything about "yes we will upgrade", "no we won't - period" or "we won't upgrade, but we'll maintain and fix these bugs".



- Cannot disable the battery/memory sucking motoblur stuff. Sure, remove the widets, but 10s of motoblur services are "clogging" it up for you and hitting the CPU. (I have no idea how one review says to turn it off - perhaps remove accounts, but you can't remove them all and the service STILL runs).



- Poor media sound. I have to listen to movies/music nearly full volume to hear. If on a plane w/noise canceling Bose, still full volume that on other phones, I'd have to turn volume down! Tested w/out noise cancel and simply can't hear a thing on a plane. Very common complaint out there.



- 5MP camera w/auto-focus and vid recorder w/auto-focus. Very weak options for taking photos and even weaker on vid recorder. Useless in dim rooms even if you choose the "shade" mode. OK, outdoors. No flash - many phones coming with flash these days. This is a particular pain since I left a phone w/much more advanced w/dual LED flash. However, if you choose night mode, no flash needed and great pic. Not sure what's going on here, but needs work.



Overall, I have trouble recommending the device 'as-is' - too many bugs (more than I listed) and outdated phone when release (i.e. Android 1.5 and most of the built-in apps). Finally, w/out Motorola announcing anything on bug fix or upgrade plans, who knows what you'll be stuck with after spending $400 for this.
Rating: 3 / 5

The best review from a former iPhone and Blackberry user.



I have been in love with the G1 since it came out a year ago, but I couldn't get over that ugly chin sticking out! I was beyond ecstatic when the MyTouch 3G was released, but after playing with the device for 3 hours I realized what a piece of crap it was and returned it. The screen wasn't that big and it made texting and instant messaging a living nightmare. In addition to that, the phone was not multi-touch capable, so if you're a fast texter and really quick with the emails then the MyTouch 3G is not for you. The virtual keyboard could only handle one letter at a time and I found myself hitting the wrong letters on so many occasions. I would hit a letter and the phone would pick up the surroundings letter. This really is ashame because the thirty-five dollar data plan is mandatory and its travesty that one can't even use it to the best of their ability. The lack of a keyboard also made the MyTouch 3G a big downer. Anyway, I digress.



Now, let's get to the Motorola Cliq. This phone is everything that the G1 and MyTouch 3G should have been, but better. This device doesn't come with Eclair (Android OS 2.0), but it functions just fine. Hopefully a mandatory upgrade will be made available to all Android users soon. This is a great PDA smart phone for anyone who is heavy into texting, emailing, and surfing the web. It's a full featured phone, but at the same time it's nothing groundbreaking. There is definitely some acclimation when it comes to the Cliq because I am so use to my Blackberry 8900 and I think its one of the best built devices with a very responsive well built OS.



If you're looking for a device that is very similar to the iPhone on the T-Mobile network then this is probably the closest that you will ever get. My initial impression of the phone was not a good one because it kept asking me to create a user name and password. I thought it was asking for an email address (Yahoo, AOL, Gmail), but it wasn't. It was asking you to create a MotoBlur account. I did, but kept getting an error message. T-Mobile customer service didn't know what to do and [...]has an area to sign into MotoBlur & an option to create a motoblur account, but when you click it there's nothing on screen that lets you create a name/password.



Android OS - Many people have said that the Android OS is a game changer since its release back in the fall of 2008. It seemed like the only thing at the time to combat with the forces of the iPhone. To some extent it is and to some extent it's just not quite there yet. To be honest it's a bit on the clunky side. It does take a few seconds to exit out of certain applications, or to even get to the main home screen menu when exiting out of email and texting. When you become so use to using your cell phone for just about everything - speed is everything. That also includes how responsive and quick your phones OS is. My only gripe is that I wish there wasn't that few second lag in-between operations.



Motoblur - The Cliq includes MotoBlur which lets you connect your Facebook, MySpace, and twitter accounts directly to the advice, so whenever your friend writes a new comment it immediately goes to the homepage of the phone. This is a great idea and saves you time from going into the web browser and having to log in each account in order to check for updates. However, this feature is a battery killer. I have mine turns off, besides if you lend your phone to someone else to use (To make a call or use web browser) they will all be up in your business. I could careless about this feature.





Email - This is also not an Android device that has Google branding with it. It's just a Motorola phone using the Android OS. There is NO G1 branding logo anywhere. However, you can still sync up your Google email address, but the Gmail feature is such a disappointment. Synchronization has to be turned on for the Gmail to function to the best of its ability & that's a BIG battery draining feature. You can also sync your Yahoo & AOL email addresses. The AOL and Yahoo email feature is way better then Gmail and doesn't require synchronization to be turned on. This helps save tremendous battery power. When you send an email from your desktop it doesn't come to the phone right away, but you can set the phone to check for new emails every 15 mins, 30 mins, or manually, etc. It doesn't work the same with Gmail which is a big let down. I am a big fan of the Blackberry and it's the only device on the market that gets an email within 2 seconds of sending it. The same can't be said for the Android OS. Much work needs to be done.



Web Browser - One of the best features on any android device including the Cliq is the web browser. Surprisingly, it doesn't launch [...] as the main homepae when you click browser. The Android Browser is probably one of the best browsers on the market right now and is up there with the Safari Browser and the Palm Pre's browser. You cant pinch and zoom to enlarge the way you can on the iPhone, but there are zoom in controls which are easy to use. You also get a dedicated YouTube app that lets you watch Youtube videos. Though the video clips aren't as sharp as the iPhone - There is a setting and option when you are watching the YouTube clip where you can see the videos in "Higher Quality" so its crystal sharp and less blurry.

There is a big difference that one will notice when switching from standard to HIGHER QUALITY.



3G - TMobile recently launched their 3G network about a little over a year ago, so they are still building from the ground up while the other networks are already moving into 4G. It's great that the CLIQ has 3G, but it does get spotty and unresponsive sometimes. There were many times that the 3G would switch between 3G and EDGE. I didn't have that big of a problem with it, but I am sure over time it will get better. Wi-Fi is also included, so this is a great alternative for someone who might be at home and only has EDGE access.



Instant Messaging - The CLIQ comes with Yahoo Messenger, Google Talk, and AIM pre-installed. My Blackberry 8900 came with all 3 and included ICQ & Windows Live. Another thing about the IM that was such a disappointment is that synchronization had to be activated in order for you to sign into the messaging client, which in turn drains the battery power like crazy. This was such a disappointment. My BB never had this issue. You sign in and start chatting. There was no extra setting that had to be activated in order to chat, but on the CLIQ it's a requirement. The extra requirement only means that you have to charge you phone twice in one day because of heavy unnecessary usage.



Motorola really could have done a better job with the CLIQ, especially for the price. But I think most of the minor flaws have to do with the Android OS. I was originally an iPhone user that became a Blackberry user and I have to hand it to the Blackberry because it's quick, responsive, and built in such a way that its function is superb. Everything from Email to text to instant messaging is just so quick. There is hardly any lag and it's easy to learn how to use. The Blackberry so far is the best PDA I have ever used, but its web browser needs work. Pick up the CLIQ phone because it's a winner. There are some minor flaws, but the pros outweigh the negative.



Pros:

Android OS (Can be a pro & a con)

Full HTML Web Browser

Threaded Text message

Email sync

Android Marketplace

Full qwerty keyboard

YouTube Application

5.0 camera/camcorder

Big vibrant screen

3.5 MM headjack

Decent call quality (No issues yet)

Mini SD up to 32GB

Use your songs as ringers

Wi-Fi

Personal Email (Up to 10 accounts can be added)

IM

My Favs

Excellent Multimedia Player

Includes 2 chargers (Wall Charger & USB charger)

T-Mobile offers the best minute and data plans on this planet



Cons:

Poor Battery Life (Lower light setting and turn off Motoblur to save power)

Gmail is a disaster (Not push capable)

Needs better notification options when next text/emails come through

No PUSH email capability

Trackball (I miss you)

Occasional lag time when entering/exiting a screen/app

Micro USB (No more Mini USB)

No ear phone or free carry case
Rating: 5 / 5

I just got this phone from TMobile and I love it. The only problem with it is that the battery life is terrible. I do not use the phone all that much during the day and it dies around 6 or 7 pm every night after being charged overnight and used in the morning. Besides that, I love it, I just need to figure out how to use less battery life.
Rating: 4 / 5

I received my Motorola Cliq during the presale, so I have had it for about 2 weeks. I really enjoy this phone. It is so fun to use and it does so much. I love that I can have all of my social network sites on the home screen (facebook, myspace, twitter, etc). You can also comment on your friend's updates and update your status very quickly.



I enjoy the Market feature, where I have downloaded several applications, such as, pandora (a radio), a calendar, a reminder feature, a few games (hang man, tic tac toe, pegs), a dictionary, the Bible (finds the exact passage in church very quickly) and a spell checker to name a few. There are thousands of free downloads available.



There are five home screens, I can email, text and browse the Internet all while talking on the phone. Google maps is installed, so it's like having my own personal GPS. Now I never get lost. Google maps automatically finds your exact location if you are lost. You can zoom in and out of the google maps. This feature works well with "Places" to find everything that is located near you (hospitals, hotels, shopping, food, etc). The camera is 5 mega pixels, and there is a video recording feature as well.



The only negative about this phone is the battery life. It's very short, since several applications are running at once. You can extend the battery life by only having your phone check for updates every hour vs. every 5 minutes, reducing light on the screen, turning off the GPS and wifi features.
Rating: 5 / 5

-I hate that the Cliq doesn't use the miniUSB universal port for its charger outlet. The Cliq also does not charge when connected to a computer via the supplied USB cable. It only charges when connected to the wall outlet or the car charger.

-I don't like the onscreen "slide to answer" iPhone copycat approach they took.

-Wallpapers need to be set in landscape orientation because the Cliq stretches the image out over all 5 panels.

-The scroll is too sensitive; when you touch a contact name when you are scrolling down it starts calling them right away. There is no "end call" button as on the G1, just an onscreen button that seems unresponsive when you are hastily trying to end a mistakenly touched call.

-I miss the G1's trackball for browser scrolling without opening the keyboard.

-I'm having trouble getting the visual voicemail set up, not a problem with the phone, but with my service apparently.

-The only difference I do like about it is the 3.5mm headphone jack, but I'm going to be shelling out another $50 for a new microsdHC card that can hold all my music. (it comes standard with only a 2GB storage card)

-I appreciate that the Cliq allows you to use a song as the alarm and ring tones, it has to be in MP3 format. The Cliq doesn't recognize .wma files, so I'll have to download a converter program.



Turning out to be a lot of work for something that I was really hyped about before the release. Honestly I think it's a great phone. It's just taking me more "getting used to" that I expected, and I don't see much improvement over the G1.
Rating: 4 / 5