http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/201285/could_the_droid_x_replace_your_laptop.html

With its big 4.3-inch display, 8-megapixel camera, HDMI output, as well as capability to capture high-def (720p) video, the Droid X has a strong multimedia focus which is resonating with consumers. But could the mobile phone be a suitable laptop-replacement for small business as well?

For most of you, needless to say, the solution is often a huge, fat no. If you are deskbound and invest very much of one's day working with huge spreadsheets, documents, presentations, or other files that demand a large display as well as a full-fledged productivity suite, the concept of a smartphone being a primary business enterprise PC almost certainly appears like a joke.

But telephone manufacturers disagree. Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha in June announced plans for a 2GHz Android smartphone that would ship by the end with the year. (By comparison, today's speediest smartphones, such as the iPhone 4, Droid X, and EVO 4G, function 1GHz processors.) Jha also predicted that mobile computers (i.e., laptops) would be replaced by smartphones inside the enterprise inside a couple of years, according to published reports.

A 2GHz smartphone chip would have its pros and cons, needless to say. The pros: Much more horsepower for video conferencing and instruction, and swifter access to enterprise applications. The cons: A power-hungry CPU that is bound to drain your smartphone battery swifter than today's 1GHz processors.

What about the Droid X? Could it cut it being a laptop-replacement gadget? For field workers, the solution may well be yes, albeit having a handful of caveats. 1st, the cell phone now running Android 2.1 would require Android 2.2, the most recent version of Google's mobile OS--an upgrade that is slated to occur later this summer.

Android 2.2 adds quite a few business-friendly functions, such as enabling network administrators to secure sensitive information by remotely wiping users' phones. It also provides calendar sync for Exchange, superior security with PIN-based lock-screens, plus the capability for an Android e-mail app user to search and autocomplete names from the organization directory.

In terms of hardware functions, the Droid X just may well work like a laptop-replacement--well, for some employees. The phone's impressive multimedia toolkit, as well as an 8MP camera and 720p video-capture, is handy for workers who devote a great deal of time inside field, for instance insurance claims adjusters.

For filling out on the net forms, the Droid X includes Swype, a data-entry tool that lets you enter text by sliding your finger across the on-screen keyboard. (In my tests with the Droid X, I've identified Swype superior to single-digit tapping, despite the fact that there is known as a brief learning curve.) As well as the HDMI-out port is handy for business enterprise travelers who regularly do PowerPoint presentations about the road.

What's missing? The Droid X could use a built-in Pico projector like the 1 from the new Samsung Galaxy Beam. That gadget projects a 50-inch presentation onto a wall and is convenient for item demos and instruction sessions.

Other smartphones? I've uncovered the EVO 4G's battery life to be pathetically short, and also a laptop-replacement cellphone wants to run no less than a day prior to dying. And it's tough to advise the iPhone 4 until Apple resolves the handset's antenna glitch. Samsung hasn't announced a release date for the Galaxy Beam within the United States.

The Droid X may perhaps be the newest, and possibly greatest, mobile mobile phone within the marketplace right now, but it'll be forgotten inside months as newer, swifter, and far more feature-packed handsets take its location. Still, the gadget does point to a future where the laptop-replacing smartphone is often a reality for companies.