Motorola shows off life on the "Docks" with the ATRIX 4G

posted by Alan F. / Jan 14, 2011, 9:34 PM

At the CES, Motorola showed off the docking system that turns the Motorola ATRIX 4G smartphone into a laptop computer. The dock launches the Firefox browser on the dock's display, with everything powered by and saved to the handset. Other docks turn the phone into an alarm clock, internet radio and desktop computer. The Custom Vehicle Dock makes it easy to use the phone's GPS and allows you to make hands-free calls while a HD Multimedia dock allows you to instantly access and watch shows and movies.

Want to know what a typical day might be for the dock-loving Motorola ATRIX 4G user? Take a peek at the video below.

source: AndroidandMe, PocketLint (video)

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Display 4.0" 540 x 960 pixels

Camera 5 MP / 0.3 MP VGA front

Processor NVIDIA Tegra 2, Dual-core, 1000 MHz

Storage 16 GB + microSDHC

Battery 1930 mAh(9.00h 3G talk time)

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18 Comments

1. littlegreenrobot unregistered

if that dock is included in the package, this phone will literally blow anything else out of the water. i however, doubt that. and i hope moto won't charge a fortune extra just for it.

posted on Jan 14, 2011, 9:59 PM 0

12. DontHateOnS60

Posts: 872; Member since: Apr 20, 2009

How do you figure? It still has a crappy camera that couldn't even touch the N8's for example. If a phone is to blow everything else out of the water, it's specs and real world results better exceed anything out there in every category. This, although it looks spec'd out in a few areas, does not look to be that ultimate phone.

posted on Jan 15, 2011, 3:28 PM 0

18. JaredDroid unregistered

Phone manufacturers are still having problems installing better cameras on phones due to thickness. N8 is almost 13mm thick compared to 10.1 for atrix. They even added a protrusion at the back for the camera to fit.This is probably the same reason why SE Arc is curved and at it's maximum thickness is where the camera sits. It's a matter of choice, thickness or better camera.

posted on Jan 16, 2011, 9:09 AM 0

2. shellnick2003

Posts: 17; Member since: Jun 23, 2010

That is pretty cool!

posted on Jan 14, 2011, 11:12 PM 0

3. Droid_X_Doug

Posts: 5993; Member since: Dec 22, 2010

That is where things are headed - smartphone that can double as a notebook. The smartphone needs a bit more processing horsepower and a highspeed (true 4G) Internet connection, but maybe in 2 years, all of the needed elements will converge. And guess who will be fighting it out? Apple and Android.

posted on Jan 15, 2011, 2:30 AM 0

5. brownbear unregistered

@Droid_X_Doug: you mean Apple and Google, right? Maybe it's iOS and Android?

posted on Jan 15, 2011, 4:28 AM 0

13. Droid_X_Doug

Posts: 5993; Member since: Dec 22, 2010

Yes, Apple and Google (or iOS and Android) would have been better. That is what happens when posting late at night.... :-) But to net my post out, RIM/BB appears to be milking their installed base. HP/Palm are even later to the party than MS is, while MS is thinking that the model that served them in the PC wars (keep improving a flawed product and use Windows to underwrite the war(s)) will enable them to win the smartphone war. The problem for MS is that iOS and Android keep increasing their installed base (and the revenues that flow from that installed base), while MS is having to tap the Windows cash cow to be able to even have a seat at the smartphone table. There is a reason that Apple has a higher market capitalization than MS does....

posted on Jan 15, 2011, 3:38 PM 0

6. protozeloz

Posts: 5396; Member since: Sep 16, 2010

Last year I was talking everyone I know about this, this is the way all smatphones should work in a near future, I was called crazy by saying this will be a reality by 2015 guess moto's "skip a generation" worked pretty well for me, this is why I want to try this baby, I want yo know how it operates, how much potential this idea has and how much this will turn the tables again(even if its just a bit) will Motorola change the way we see how smartphones are used? Only time will tell... but if they play their cards well, (rumor about the Chrome system being added to allow you to use the Chrome webs store and apps) this could pull a winner.

posted on Jan 15, 2011, 6:43 AM 0

7. ctt1wbw

Posts: 2; Member since: Jan 15, 2011

This is the first phone that would seriously tempt me away from the iPhone 4. Maybe. :)

posted on Jan 15, 2011, 8:13 AM 0

14. Droid_X_Doug

Posts: 5993; Member since: Dec 22, 2010

It would keep you on AT&T....

posted on Jan 15, 2011, 3:39 PM 0

8. hawk62

Posts: 320; Member since: Nov 21, 2009

Omg so after spending what $200-$250 on the phone you need probably another $300-$400 for all those docks! Then in two years you will upgrade phone and start over. What a joke.

posted on Jan 15, 2011, 11:04 AM 0

9. Areyoudumb unregistered

Yeah, because options suck.

posted on Jan 15, 2011, 11:23 AM 4

10. heyitzme

Posts: 87; Member since: Jan 03, 2011

haha!Best thing I've read all day.

posted on Jan 15, 2011, 11:40 AM 0

15. protozeloz

Posts: 5396; Member since: Sep 16, 2010

Yeah you are so right about that hawk I guess its not the same as the extra docks sold for your loved iPhone that you don't need and that will become useless when you do your next purchase on apple products, it's called business , now if you sit and watch the whole thing the same dock is used on several life things so there will be around 4 docks from witch you will choose witch one is the best that fits your style, the phone will work with none of them around. Jealous that your lord and master didn't came with the idea first? Don't worry this may become the reality most smartphones will face moto just got the first shot.

posted on Jan 15, 2011, 3:43 PM 0

11. hello-dirty unregistered

I love the idea, but it needs a little tweaking. The iphone is perfectly sized for it, but I want to see an android version where the phone has at least 3, ideally four cores, where only 1-2 operate while it is being used as a phone and the other 1-2 cores become operative when it is placed in the dock. The tweak is that the phone needs to dock right where the mouse pad should be. your touchscreen now becomes the mouse pad. That back of the computer dock just looks silly. Some one get on this and then send me one to try out. I will gladly return it to you in 1 year.

posted on Jan 15, 2011, 2:16 PM 0

16. Jeradiah3

Posts: 1149; Member since: Feb 11, 2010

It looks lie a good phone to have. im glad that AT&T has a phone that can replace the i-phone as a multi-tasking superpower. id get this phone when it comes out and with the network that AT&T will have in the coming months, it looks like losing the exclusive rights to the i-phone isnt so bad after all

posted on Jan 15, 2011, 11:06 PM 0

17. Whateverman

Posts: 3295; Member since: May 17, 2009

ATT does it again! Why is VZW letting all the best devices get swooped up by the competition? Yeah, we'll get the Bionic, but these docks and notebooks would have been cool too. Maybe they have something even bettet coming for us later.

posted on Jan 15, 2011, 11:24 PM 1

19. jroc74

Posts: 6023; Member since: Dec 30, 2010

I think the Bionic will have the docks, just not the laptop dock. And ppl keep saying all the best goes to everyone else but Verizon. Until recently, Sprint had no Android phone that could compare to what Verizon offered until the EVO. T Mobile and AT&T too. I guess everyone has a "what have you done for me lately" attitude...lol