Motorola Defy XT
Key specs
Critic consensus
“The Motorola Defy XT and the Republic Wireless network that supports it are a classic case of you get what you pay for. For $19 a month, you get a basic Android phone running on an old-time 3G network that can't send or receive MMS messages. While Republic Wireless' concept is disruptive, the fact that you can't seamlessly transfer from Wi-Fi to 3G and vice versa limits this service's usefulness. We also found the 3G calling quality to be much better than over Wi-Fi.”
“There's no denying that there's a real need for tough mobile phones, since these devices tend to take a lot of abuse on the go. Certainly the $99.99 Motorola Defy XT is a big improvement over rugged handsets that came before it. Its compact and classy styling doesn't scream armor-plated like, sa,y the Casio G'zone Commando or even Motorola's previous Defy model. Still, the Defy XT's archaic components won't just be a buzz-kill for hard-core Android users who demand cutting-edge power. Average users too will be unsatisfied by the Defy XT's slow performance tackling everyday tasks.If you're shopping for a highly portable Android phone on U.S. Cellular and for you, features play second fiddle to ruggedness, the $129.99 HTC One V boasts a better camera and a stylish metal design, plus it runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. And of course, those who have money to burn should strongly consider the current Android king of the hill, the $299.99 Samsung Galaxy S3. Even so, if you're set on buying an Android handset for U.S. Cellular that can really take a licking, the Motorola Defy XT is your best option.”
Watch before you decide
In Depth
Fancy getting yourself a new feature-rich tough phone for use under U.S. Cellular’s 3G network? You’re in luck, because the rugged Motorola Defy XT is available as a well-equipped and fairly inexpensive option. It isn’t the best in terms of either hardware or software, but you will surely get plenty of use out of it as a main smartphone.
Its design can be a bit misleading. It’s only 12mm thick and weighs 115 grams. But make no mistake, it’s tougher than your average handset. With that said, however, most of its actual hardware features are hardly impressive. It uses a 3.7-inch 480×854 touchscreen display, runs on a 1GHz processor with 512MB of RAM, and comes with 1GB of internal storage which fortunately can be expanded further with microSD cards. It also has a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, and a 1,650mAh battery that offers nearly 9 hours of talk time on a single charge.
Android 2.3 Gingerbread is installed as the operating system on the Defy XT by default. As you might have guessed, it doesn’t have all the latest software features available on Android. But it does enjoy extensive third-party software support, so it can still get extra functionality out of apps that are available for download through Google Play. That, and the fact that it has a very wallet-friendly price makes it well worth considering.
Need to Know: Motorola Defy XT
1. Inexpensive and tougher than your average smartphone. (The Good)
2. Long battery life. (The Good)
3. Uses an older version of Android. (The Bad)
4. Has a very limited amount of internal RAM and storage. (The Bad)
What people actually want to know
When was the Motorola Defy XT released?
The Motorola Defy XT was released on August 3, 2012.
How long does the battery last on the Motorola Defy XT?
The Motorola Defy XT has a 1,650 mAh battery.
Does the Motorola Defy XT have a headphone jack?
Yes, the Motorola Defy XT has a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Where can I get support for the Motorola Defy XT?
Visit Motorola's official support page for warranty info, repairs, and troubleshooting.
Where can I download the Motorola Defy XT manual?
You can view and download the Motorola Defy XT manual on our dedicated manual page.
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